Career Insight, Networking and A Celebration of National Engineers Week

Tufts Gordon Institute celebrated National Engineers Week by hosting an evening of networking and advice, all themed about "Careers in Tech," at Tamper Café in Medford.

The main event was an interactive discussion by a panel of recent Tufts alumni, moderated by TGI Director Kevin Oye, that presented current undergraduates with insight and tips for launching their own careers in the future.

Featured alumni panelists included:

• Eli Cushner (MSEM '16): Team Manager, Paytronix Systems
• Sahidya Devadoss (MSEM '15): Product Owner, Carbon Black
• Sarah Drury (MSIM '17): User Researcher, DraftKings
• Hirosei Kuruma (MSIM '17): Research Associate, Lux Research

During the discussion, the panelists shared personal anecdotes about their own career trajectories - and not just those highlighting their successes. One key theme throughout the evening was that failure shouldn't necessarily be feared, but rather it can help teach and guide you along your own path.

"Looking at the big picture, [failure] is just a bump on the road," said Sarah Drury. Eli Cushner continued this by stressing the importance of emotional intelligence, recommending students "respond strategically rather than react emotionally" no matter what challenges they may face.

One big focus of the audience's questions was that of finding a job... namely, how do you do it? Hirosei encouraged students to "be shameless" in their applications, applying to all roles that pique their interests rather than focusing on just one opportunity at a time.

And when it comes time to participating in an interview, Eli reminded students that the conversation should be a "two-way street." Finding out if a role, a company, and even a corporate culture aligns with what's important to you is just as important as discussing the specific job requirements themselves.

No matter what career path interests you, another key recommendation was to take risks and continue growing your skills both in and out of the workplace. "You have to step off a cliff to know you have a parachute," said Eli.

Sahidya mirrored this sentiment, bringing a unique perspective to the panel as a full-time, working mother. As an employee of Carbon Black, she appreciates how technology has allowed her to have flexibility in her work scheduling in order to prioritize both her career and family - all without missing any deadlines! To stay current in the world of tech, she reminded students that they "have to be ahead of the game" and focus on bettering their own personal journey - a habit they're already starting by attending networking events during their undergrad careers.