The Best Career Advice I Received as a Woman in STEM #IWD2022

This is a reprint of a post that originally appeared on LinkedIn.

By Jie Xue, President & CEO, MR, GE Healthcare

In anticipation of International Women’s Day, #IWD2022, let’s take a moment to celebrate women’s achievement, raise awareness against bias, and take action for equality.

First, let’s zoom in on a few statistics regarding women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).  The good news is that over the course of my 20+ year career in MedTech and engineering, the number of women in STEM has increased – although still plenty of room for improvement:

• Women comprise 29% of the STEM workforce and 52% of the college-educated workforce (NSF)
  • 11.5% of people employed in STEM fields are women of color, making up approximately one-third of all women in these fields (NSF)
  • BIWOC (Black, Indigenous, Hispanic and Latinx women) collectively make up 4.87% of the STEM workforce (NSF)
• The number of women in board positions in STEM-related industries in 2020 was 19.2%, an 18.3% increase over the previous year (MSCI)
• Women only make up 3% of STEM industry CEOs (Credit Suisse)
• 29.3% of researchers worldwide are women (UNESCO)

We as a global community must continue to make a concerted effort to #BreakTheBias and encourage girls and women all over the world to consider and pursue careers in STEM. Afterall, we can’t solve all the world’s problems with only half the world’s brains.

A little encouragement can make all the difference – especially when representation is lacking. And if you don’t believe me, check out this story: “How a Tweet on Gender Equality from Emma Watson Inspired a Career in Engineering.”

With this in mind, I want to share a few pieces of advice and encouragement that helped me throughout my career, leading to my current leadership position with a top 5 global MedTech company:

1. Be flexible but intentional with your career goals. I know this may sound like an oxymoron, but in practice it makes sense. When starting a career, it’s important to have a direction and understanding of what it takes to achieve your career goals. This involves doing research, learning what it takes to qualify for certain positions, and seizing opportunities that move you closer to that goal. But life isn’t linear and sometimes opportunities come up – whether personal or professional – that may seemingly sidetrack you from your original goal.So long as these opportunities still move you in the direction you want to go, I encourage you to take them! For me, these opportunities included working with GE Healthcare’s Business Development function and starting a family – both of which helped me develop new skills that prepared me for my current position in ways I couldn’t have imagined. I never lost sight of my goals, but I was flexible on the path I took to get here and I’m all the better for it.
2. Find mentors and sponsors. Mentors and sponsors serve two very different purposes in an individual’s career. Mentors are those who understand your current role and are in positions to provide relevant feedback and advice on how you can improve day-over-day. Sponsors tend to be people who are several levels above you, who can advocate for your career advancement and shed light on your development trending over time.

I have greatly benefited from friends whom I grew up with in the company providing peer mentorship. We know how each other work and can provide real-time, meaningful advice based on our knowledge of each other’s strengths and weaknesses. Additionally, I have been fortunate to have several sponsors who have encouraged me to develop new skills and advocated for my promotion. I’m extremely grateful for both and actively work to ‘pay it forward’ as a sponsor and mentor to others.

3. Remember: your current job is always the most important. In the midst of career pursuits, it can be easy to get lost in what you want to do in the future, when in fact, your current job performance is always the most important. It’s what everyone will point to as your demonstration of skills, and it is the base upon which your reputation is built.Who you are and what you do now will show people who you will be and what you can accomplish in the future. Your current job shows off the best of you.

Finally, be positive and encourage others. I’m a big believer in the saying “a rising tide lifts all boats.” As individuals in STEM, let’s encourage and lift each other up.

Together, we can rise.