College Experiences That Helped a Lead Systems Engineer at a Government Contractor Succeed
Nicole attributes success in the Systems Engineering career to saying "yes to a lot of opportunities outside of the classroom," such as leadership roles and volunteer work, which developed vital soft skills like presenting and leading teams. A technical internship with Booz Allen was also crucial, as it pushed Nicole to work collaboratively on ambiguous problems, forcing the discovery of hard and soft skills and understanding how to "bring the most value" to a large corporation.
Leadership, Teamwork, Internship Experience, Soft Skills Development, Technical Skills
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Nicole Giunta
Lead Systems Engineer
Government Contractor
Virginia Tech
University of San Diego | MBA
Engineering - Industrial
Government & Public Sector
Strategic Management and Executive
Honors Student, Worked 20+ Hours in School
Video Highlights
1. Saying yes to opportunities outside the classroom like leadership roles and volunteer events helped build soft skills such as presenting and leading teams, which are important for navigating ambiguity in new roles.
2. A technical internship with Booz Allen challenged Nicole to work in a large corporation, in a team setting, and to develop solutions to ambiguous problems, fostering collaboration and problem-solving skills.
3. Developing both technical skills (hard skills) and soft skills (leadership, teamwork) and pushing oneself outside of their comfort zone are crucial for career success.
Transcript
What did you do in college that set you up for success in your career?
In college, I said yes to many opportunities outside the classroom. These included leadership roles, mentorship programs, and planning volunteer events for the local community.
These experiences helped me build soft skills and become comfortable presenting, leading teams, and navigating ambiguity. As I mentioned, facing ambiguity is something you'll encounter a lot in a new role.
I also took on a technical internship with Booz Allen. This pushed me out of my comfort zone and helped me work within a large corporation on a team. It was a business strategy setting where we were given a problem to solve by the end of the summer.
This pushed me and my teammates to come together and figure out our combined skills. We assessed our soft and hard skills, determined who would work best on which part of the project, and how to collaborate to bring the most value.
Looking back, technical rigor is crucial. It's important to have the necessary hard skills, but also soft skill development. Knowing how to lead a team, work on a team, and push yourself outside your comfort zone is really important.