What is your name?
I'm Yewande
What do you do for a living?
I'm a Systems Engineer. Currently Associate Director at Jacobs Engineering. My career is about 12 years old now, and I started on a graduate scheme with Siemens when I finished my master's degree.
Do you do other things outside your work? Side hustle? Community commitment? Please list them.
I'm passionate about helping young people find their career paths. Very few get properly structured support transitioning from full-time Education to a Professional career, many go to university to study a subject they are encouraged to do but haven't thought about how it helps make a future for them. I just really love young people and try to find ways to support them. This is why I started a careers page on Instagram (@winningwithwande) and when I get more time I would like to write blog posts with helpful information. I love writing, poetry, and music. I sing at church when I get the opportunity.
Describe a typical day in your life
It depends on the day. On a weekday once I'm on the computer at 9:00 am, I'm pretty much occupied till the end of the day. Throughout my career, I've had to do a lot of traveling for work both locally and internationally and I've loved every minute. I have many hobbies, ranging from writing to baking and discovering new places. I love nature, anytime I travel, I just love to take in the views. I might be doing any of these in my spare time
Are you married?
No
Do you have kids? If yes, how many?
No
How do you manage your day-to-day activities considering all your commitments?
I'm very big on planning, I like to have a plan for the week, the month, and maybe for a few months down the line - for big events. I am very conscious however that plans change. The key is to understand how to re-plan and manage the things that don't go as expected. This applies to every area of life.
A few key steps I think were pivotal to have come so far now:
The time to start is now. Applying for graduate roles is a job in itself. It takes time and effort, and only the best-quality applications will get shortlisted. It is important to start early. Once the final year begins, start applying.
What is worth doing... My mom often used the phrase - what is worth doing at all is worth doing well. Put your best efforts into the applications. Don't just apply to anything and everything. Research roles that are relevant to your field of study and expertise, using keywords used in the field.
Learning doesn't end! Getting a job is great, but what makes you stand out? Keep developing those transferrable skills alongside any technical ones you need.
Fail forward! We've all faced setbacks, the key is to understand what caused the failure and fix it on the next attempt.
Re-plan! Nobody has a perfect roadmap to success, your plan may change and it's ok.
Were there any challenges or blockers on your way to becoming who you are now? If yes, what are those challenges?
I've faced several stumbling blocks - but as stated earlier, one of the most important things is to understand when it's time to reassess the plan. I wasn't a British citizen at the start of my career, so I was also competing with the limited availability of roles for international candidates in an already competitive field. It limited the type of work I could do and affected international mobility at times. It's difficult for a lot of international students, simply trying to figure out life and survival far away from home, parents and loved ones can make it a little harder. Going up the career ladder also presents its challenges. Having the right skills, knowing the right people, confidence to present the right suggestions, the list goes on.
How did you overcome these challenges/blockers if any? Please share the practical steps you took.
Ask Questions! This is an actual lifesaver. Many times we make assumptions and there is a ridiculous amount of information we often don't have. If you don't know what skills you need please ask if you don't know what opportunities are available please ask, and if you don't understand an answer well enough please ask again. Being in a new place, company, university, town, country, etc it is normal and certainly not embarrassing to ask questions that will help you know what steps to take. With regards to the career ladder, as long as it's people making decisions, there is always a level of politics involved. There isn't a simple fix for this. You can only make sure you are as good as you can be at your job, create key relationships in your network and be ready to re-plan when things start to go sideways from your original plan. That is what I always try to do.
Who is your role model and why?
I don't have a specific role model, I don't think there is one single person that has all the qualities I admire. I respect a lot of great people, some famous and some I have encountered on my journey. Qualities I admire the most are - Knowing how to relate to anyone and everyone regardless of position/level - Thinking strategically, considering perspectives that are not naturally mine - Knowing how to always see the opportunity in a challenging situation - Keeping a calm head amid crisis.
Do you have a mentor or a coach? If yes, which one? if not, why not?
Similar to the role model question, I have a few mentors I have met on my journey. Some have been formally assigned to a particular job/organization and some have been informal. It's important to learn from the experience of others.
If you are married with/without children, how do you balance/align your home commitments with your career/side hustle workload?
No
What one piece of advice would you give to other women about them stepping into their power and purpose unapologetically?
Assumptions and the weight of expectations are two of the biggest challenges I've seen people face. It can take a toll mentally and physically. My advice - Keep asking, Keep learning - Consider other perspectives, we all get things wrong sometimes - Don't be afraid to change your plan - Only you can do what you do in the way you do it Success stories are written in hindsight, not in advance. If it was possible to write them in advance, everyone would have the roadmap nailed down.
Thank you so much for your time, Yewande. We celebrate you today and always.
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