If you have a science or engineering background here is a list of roles that you can rock!
1. Sales : customers trust those who understand their pain points, especially those who have walked a similar path. I wasn’t a sales person and that’s what I think made me a great one. I could speak the same language as my laboratory clients. I could empathize with research customers’ challenges. I never felt like I was selling, rather I was helping clients to solve a problem. Having a deep understanding of your product and empathy for your customer could get you to Presidents Club.
2. Product Management : not only are you the product expert, but you also bridge expertise in different areas of the company. Knowing the technical product and customer you can intimately understand the market, how to improve and develop a product to address need, and you get to lay out a plan to bring it to market! The cross-functionality of this role not only allows you to work with your product development kin, but you it will stretch you beyond your technical expertise as you learn how to manage a product P&L. To rock as a Product Manager you must be a product expert.
3. Innovation : this word alone gets me excited. As a researcher and an engineer, you are an innovator. Your background will allow you to asses viability of a technology, better asses market gaps to outline a new product or process roadmap. Although innovation should play a part in all roles described here, there are teams that focus specifically on driving innovation that feeds company strategy.
4. Operations : some may question me adding operations to the list. But as scientists and engineers we are curious of how things work, we challenge how things are done and thrive on improving processes. We are detail oriented. As an operation manager you utilize resources from staff, materials, equipment and technology to acquire, develop and deliver goods to customers. Its about asking questions, optimizing, organization, working within limitations, productivity ... it never gets boring as you manage supply chain, inventory, production forecasting and quality.
5. Entrepreneurship : ok so there is a number of roles you can play as an entrepreneur. But I didn’t want to leave this one off because I wish more talented scientists and engineers would bring their ideas and brightness to life. In the entrepreneurial world things work a little faster, you get to play outside the lines, things are a bit more risky, but most of all you get to experience it all: from sales, innovation, product management, operations. Although you can apply for jobs in start-ups, I will leave the conversation for how to get started with your own venture for another time ...
Want to learn more how to earn one of these positions? See upcoming blogs and interviews with women that rock these roles!
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