From Nonprofit to Government to ON Semiconductor — What I’ve Learned in My Career

So, what do you do? That’s the question most of us are asked on a regular basis. What does your company do is probably the follow-up. It speaks to our innate curiosity about other jobs, companies, and careers. Fairygodboss recently talked to some members of the ON Semiconductor team about what they do, how they do what they do, and what they love about their job and the company.

Meet Allison Lenchitsky. She is a program manager with the Integration Management Office at ON Semiconductor, which is a leading supplier of semiconductor-based solutions, offering a comprehensive portfolio of energy efficient power and signal management, logic, standard and custom devices. Allison talked to Fairygodboss about her day-to-day activities, what she learned from her favorite career mistake, and why she loves her job.

Tell us a bit about your job. What are your priorities at work?

I lead large teams in cross-functional projects to support revenue generation, risk reduction and continuous improvement. My priorities are ensuring we understand scope and required outcomes of a project, complete solid analysis, identify and manage risks, lead change and communicate clearly to organize and motivate teams to create and deliver effective solutions.   

Describe your overall career path. What were you doing previously?

I started my career in nonprofit management where I learned to be versatile, flexible and open to new roles since we were working from small budgets and covered a lot of ground. so there were many opportunities to grow. My time working in government agencies helped me understand the value of process, systems and documentation. I ultimately grew my career in operations, planning and project management in the high-tech industry. The high rate of change and drive for improvements and obtaining results was a great fit for me. My experience working in operations for a manufacturing site has helped me understand multiple roles, perspectives and competing priorities across the company. In my last job change, I moved from being the formal manager of a large team to a role where I need to use my leadership skills to influence and coach multiple teams often without formal authority. 

What about your role today excites you the most?

The opportunity to understand and engage in our business strategies and connect the dots across the company to help maximize our revenue, reduce risk and help teams and individuals grow and succeed. Working with motivated and committed subject matter experts means I am constantly learning, having to change and lead others through change. I get a lot of energy and enjoyment from meeting people in new areas and building upon our diverse experiences, styles and skill sets. 

And beyond your specific role, what do you love most about working for your company?

The people. Having a constant list of projects that would be unachievable alone, but working together as a team makes it possible. I work with many smart, committed and motivated teammates across multiple projects. While we all have our own styles, I appreciate the cooperation, collaboration and the willingness to share information in a fun and challenging environment.  

How do you prioritize and deal with your to-do list each day?

I tend to look at short-term, mid-term and long-term goals. It is easy to get caught up in the day-to-day and over focus on items that appear urgent. I’ve found I have bigger success and personal fulfillment when I’m focused on the end goal looking across the time horizon at what needs to occur when. This helps me to ensure that I, and the teams I lead, have a strategy to get there. Setting time on my own calendar to actively think and plan out what I want to accomplish, versus primarily responding to what appears urgent, has made a huge difference.

What’s been your favorite career “mistake?”

Looking back now (certainly not in the moment) I’d say it was what I learned about myself in staying in a job long past the point I should have moved on. Ultimately, I was frustrated with the lack of change and not growing in the areas that mattered to me. It was painful in the moment but it led me to getting more clarity on the types of challenges I was looking for and taking the initiative to change direction. I learned I was waiting for the job to change rather than stepping out of what I knew and taking the risks to demonstrate how my skills and experiences were transferrable. It was a painful “mistake” but I learned a lot from that time and taking responsibility for my own growth and happiness continues to be a priority. 

What’s something you’re particularly good at that has nothing to do with work?

My friends say I am always up for planning exciting group vacations, large or small parties, or really any opportunity to keep us connected and enjoying life.      

What’s the most memorable piece of career advice you’ve received?  

So many but here are two that stand out:  

1.  Remember that as a leader, sometimes what matters most to people is being thanked for showing up. It is about more than just specific goals and achievements. We all want to be reminded that our role and skills are important and that we matter to those around us.  

2. Do not wait to be 100% qualified to apply. Be aware of your gaps but focus on all that you bring, not what you perceive that you lack. Apply, get the job and go work like crazy to fill in the gaps and find new areas you don’t know…yet. I found this advice was important for me and many of my female peers. While we are busy talking ourselves out of our dream job, our counterparts are busy talking their way in.  

Fairygodboss is proud to partner with ON Semiconductor. Find a job there today!