Women are More Capable Than Perceived

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In this era of tech, it is always about what you are passionate about and how you can scale it up with technology, says Shruti Karlekar, Asst. Manager Marketing at Divide By Zero Technologies. Here are a few excerpts from her conversation with the EFY. 

What interested you to choose a career in technology?

I am not from an engineering background, however, I ended up doing an internship in a technology-driven company. I discovered to have an inclination towards technology and conveying applications of technology in simple ways.

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I chose marketing as I felt to  be part of a large organization and drive marketing and communication with my creative side. I completed my graduation in commerce and did MBA in Marketing.  

Will you recollect a bit about your first job?

I interned at Divide By Zero Technologies (DBZ), a 3d printer manufacturing firm and managed to secure an offer for a full-time role.

 It was the first time I came across 3D Printing technology and all these technical jargons made me anxious. All my other team members were engineers and techies. I was not sure whether I would be able to do justice to the role but as you can see, I am still continuing with the same firm. Initially, it was difficult to understand the technology but my fondness for marketing kept me going. I was always excited to see new solutions that were solving customers’ real problems with 3D printing and being part of the journey.  I realised working with startups gave me the best opportunities to explore, learn and take the freedom to implement my ideas.

What were the key mistakes and learnings from your career journey?

I think saying ‘yes’ to everything and running behind perfection was something I would do differently if I had to do it again. Over the years I learned that Less is more and Simple is better Doing one thing at a time with focus is important to drive results. You need to keep updating your knowledge. Taking breaks and work-life balance is important. You need to be open for suggestions, feedback and keep moving forward.

Any bosses/mentors who supported you to succeed in your profession?

I was fortunate to work with the Director of our company. He has rich experience in automation and has a creative mind. He always pushed me to come out of my comfort zone, encouraged me to think innovative and try new ways of solving problems. Though it was my first job I got different opportunities and always had the freedom to explore. 

Any tip or advice for male colleagues/bosses, that if they follow—could make it a more levelled field for women?

Share the responsibilities rather than shouldering them alone. As it is quoted If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together. We are more capable than perceived. 

Any suggestions on how to balance personal and professional lives?

Keep a buffer time to balance and prioritise both personal and professional life. That’s the key to a peaceful work-life balance. Take out time for your hobbies or passion as  it will keep you motivated in the long run.

How do you see the future of the electronics industry and what would be your message to youngsters looking to build a career?

Nowadays we cannot imagine ourselves without any electronic gadgets. The world is evolving around on demand manufacturing with AI, ML along with evolution in technologies like 3D Printing, UAVs, Drones and Robots. Just like the computer industry, in order to evolve with better AI, ML, AR, VR or Robotics applications, better software will always need to be supported by high performance and low power consumption electronics.  We can see many electronic manufacturing companies setting up large infrastructure in India. That is going to create lots of job openings and entrepreneurial opportunities.

Youngsters should not let in stereotypes, but  keep your amazing minds boxed forever. Go above and beyond, find your true call and surf with it on the vast ocean of various professions.