At our recent Women in Engineering panel, four of our fantastic Electrical and Computer Engineering alumni – Divita Vohra ’17, Sharon Holt ’86, Lynette Wilcox ’01, M.S. ’10, Ph.D. ’16, and Paige Kassalen ’15 – shared their experiences working in the industry and the challenges they've faced in their complex fields. Check out their top takeaways for finding your fit, developing confidence, and applying for your first job post-graduation.

Developing your confidence
Going for your first role
Finding your fit

Developing your confidence

A decorative graphic featuring a photo of Divita Vohra and a quote from the story below.

Divita Vohra
Oftentimes, we don't realize how amazing we are and we're kind of in our own heads; no one is as critical as we are of ourselves. It can be helpful, but it can also be something that we need to check. The way that I remind myself that I'm meant to be here is by focusing on the purpose of why I'm doing what I'm doing. I know that I have a voice to bring to the table and that diverse perspectives really matter. I’m also very impact-oriented, and I know that I’m going to be driven by those values, the purpose that I have in terms of why I’m doing what I’m doing, so I let that guide me.

Paige Kassalen
In my first job out of college, I worked on the first solar powered airplane to fly around the world (Solar Impulse 2). Within that project, I was the only American. I was the only female engineer. And I was 22 years-old, just kind of gaining exposure to the workforce. One thing I remember is getting frustrated or getting down on myself for something, and I would just have to pause, take a step back, and say, do I think that there's anyone else here that could handle the situation better or navigate this issue better, and I always came back to the answer of no. I chose to bet on myself and not give up. I knew I was going to be resilient. I knew I was going to try as hard as I could to not drop the ball. I think that aspect is how I get over imposter syndrome in different scenarios, even though I do struggle with it still.

Going for your first role

A decorative graphic featuring a photo of Sharon Holt and a quote from the story below.

Divita Vohra
When you’re graduating, you feel like a lot hinges on the first role – take the pressure off finding the first “perfect” job. Your first role doesn't need to define your whole career, it's just a starting point for you to learn, and then to take those learnings and adapt based on what you discover about yourself. Find the first role that gives you that springboard and foundation to learn as much about yourself, because the version that you're going to be 10 years from now is so different from who you are today. 

Sharon Holt
You don't need to be so hung up on this degree and this job, like there's only one path forward. The important foundation you get in terms of critical thinking and problem solving and innovation from an engineering degree is a great foundation for wherever you want to take it. So, don't limit yourself in your thinking about where your career can take you, and don't be afraid to try new things even if they're not exactly on the path that you thought you wanted to take when you started out.

Paige Kassalen
I remember being really focused on getting a job as an electrical engineer – I thought that was the end goal. But I didn't realize there were so many different aspects about industry that you also have to consider, like what products your company makes, or if it’s business-to-business, or if it’s business-to-customer. There are so many nuances that once you get different experiences—if it's internships or your first job—you start realizing what you're really drawn to. I'd always recommend getting a diverse set of internship experiences, because that's the time where you have a three-month trial to just learn, and then that can really help shape your decisions down the road.

Finding your fit

A decorative graphic featuring a photo of Lynette Wilcox and a quote from the story below.

Sharon Holt
The first role I had coming out of school was a hands-on engineering role as a mixed signal circuit designer. After that, I took a big step by going into field sales; a lot of people advised me to gradually work my way there, go into manufacturing, operations, or marketing, and then sales, but I didn’t listen to that advice. And it turned out to be a great thing. Having a technical background helped me a lot, I was able to do a lot more on my own, and later, when I became a sales executive, it helped me understand my customers’ businesses better and engage well with them. So, the mix of work has changed over the years as my career has evolved, but I believe the engineering foundation has always been an important part of my success.

Lynette Wilcox
When I graduated, I really struggled with a sense of belonging and seeing myself in an electrical engineering job. I really wanted to work with more people in my engineering path, so I switched to industrial and systems engineering (ISE). If I had known about ISE earlier, I might have switched sooner, but at the same time, I was proud of myself for finishing something. Becoming an engineer is often really hard to do, so it’s OK to change if something doesn’t fit you. You’re still capable of doing the work.

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