Autodesk

Becoming a Unicorn: How to Turn your Passions into a Career that Lets You Shine

When I left my tenured faculty position in London to launch a new career in the United States, I had to completely reinvent myself. I had no network, few social connections, and a vague idea of what my next steps would be.

I had just turned 40 and was a mother to two young children. Being a woman of color with a “foreign-sounding” name didn’t help matters either. As if that wasn’t challenging enough, I was also a former academic who hadn’t lived in the States for a decade. The professional culture shock was difficult to adjust to. When it came to next steps, I was at a loss and was grieving what I had left behind in London.

It took almost a year to shake off the shock and examine what I wanted. It took a lot of introspection, a few tears, some grit, and countless cover letters to distill my multiple passions into a sense of purpose. As an academic, I’d published and taught on Indian dance and its connections to identity, nationhood, and cultural values. After many informational interviews across Silicon Valley, I realized that my research and inquiry of culture was something I wanted to continue.  

My next step was applying this inquiry to the private sector – first in the start-up and venture capital space and to the corporate world. I examined the culture of global companies to understand the relationship between organizational values, team behaviors and individual mindsets that help people do their best work and show up as their best selves. I’ve now been in my current role as the Culture, Diversity, and Belonging Manager at Autodesk since November 2019.

Autodesk attracts unicorns because it doesn’t ask that we conform to a mold. Our passions are celebrated and encouraged, which allows each of us to grow in our own unique way. As a result, Autodeskers are happier, and they tend to stay at the company for many years. It’s because of this environment that I was able to tap into my passion for cultural studies outside of academia. My personal interests and passions are viewed as an asset, not just as hobbies to pursue in my off-hours.

The best advice I can offer to those looking for the next step in their career journeys is to stay curious and ask for help. Identify people and careers that interest you. Reach out to those who inspire you. People love to share their stories, so take notes and listen deeply. While no two career paths are the same, you’ll learn a lot about why people make the decisions they do to get where they want to go.

Autodesk leaders care deeply about transforming the employee experience. In my role, this means programming high-profile talks with luminaries in our Diversity and Belonging speaker series. I’ve interviewed world-renowned writers, scholars and podcast hosts. We have so much fun producing these events and leaning on the wisdom they offer. It’s just one of the many ways Autodesk creates a strong, positive work culture.

When I left London, it was hard to imagine switching gears from academic to corporate professional without losing my sense of self. But I held onto my interests and found a company full of unicorns who are celebrated for the value their passion brings to the workplace. 

Steal, Don’t Copy: How I Learned to Elevate My Career by Being Myself

Early in my career, I invested a lot of time and energy into copying the people I looked up to. I’d find a role model and obsess over doing exactly what they’d done, and when my results were different, the disappointment that followed made me question myself.

My advice to anyone wanting to take their career to the next level is to steal, not copy. Find inspirational moves and mindsets and make them your own by tailoring them to your uniqueness without comparing yourself to someone else. Don’t feel obligated to follow every piece of advice that comes your way. Soak up the stories and circumstances of others while remembering the end goal is not to be anyone but you.

Adopting this mindset has made me a happier, more authentic person. Instead of pursuing an MBA, I ran an office fruit delivery service in Australia. I’ve advanced my career by taking a path that was right for me. The experiences, pathways, and belief systems you learn about from others are one way to reach your goals—but they’re not the only way.

We each have our own unique background, abilities, and interests, and the right employer will celebrate these differences and encourage you to make your mark. One of the things I love most about #AutodeskLife is the fostering of connection through shared interests. Groups exist for every passion imaginable, from women’s issues to pets to recreational sports teams. Diverse backgrounds and interests are celebrated. Employees are encouraged to be their unique selves while also establishing the human connections that are so vital to our well-being.

Well-being really is a priority at Autodesk, both at work and home. Mental and physical health are supported with benefits like free therapy sessions and a $1,000 annual wellness benefit. Many companies ask employees to put work before family, but Autodesk wants employees to live their life. Autodesk’s Make a Family program is just one example, offering parental leave for all genders and up to $10,000 per year for adoption, IVF, surrogacy, and egg- or sperm-freezing services.

Autodesk empowers its people to expand their possibilities with resources like free business coaching through Bravely and programs like the Autodesk Mentoring Program, which I participate in as both a mentor and mentee. Personal and professional growth is supported through a large array of learning platforms, with topics like job skills, resilience training, and personal finance, which help make our lives healthier at work and home.

As an Autodesker, I can realize my potential and be my authentic self at a place where I belong.  I encourage you to find a company like Autodesk that gives you opportunities to steal but never asks you to copy, one that supports your growth and learning in the ways that are right for you as a unique individual. 

Courage, Not Comfort: Why Taking Risks is the Key to a Successful Career

I tend to describe myself as a cautious decision-maker, but when I reflect on my career, it’s clear I got where I am today by taking risks. From immigrating to the US to leaving a global automotive manufacturer for a job with a tech startup, my journey has been full of risks that led to big rewards. After all these experiences, I believe courage is essential to fulfilling your potential.

My professional career started at Kodak de Mexico after earning my degree in Industrial Engineering in Guadalajara. I worked at Kodak for more than nine years, first in supply chain and later as an account executive on the sales team. By the end of my tenure, I was ready for a major change.

I emigrated from Mexico to the United States in 2008, during America’s Great Recession. As an immigrant, finding a company willing to give me a chance during an economic downturn was difficult. The interview process is quite different in Mexico, so I had to work diligently on my interviewing skills to prepare myself for the US job market.

After a stint as an executive assistant at a hotel chain and volunteering at the University of San Diego, I moved to Maryland in 2010, joining the purchasing department at Volvo the following year. I stayed with Volvo for three years, and the position offered me a sense of safety and comfort. But when I was given the opportunity to join the customer support department at PlanGrid, a new startup that was revolutionizing the construction industry, I left the security of Volvo to embark on a new adventure.

Leaving a major company to join a tech startup was the boldest career move I’ve ever made, and I could have let the fear of failure hold me back. But taking this risk really paid off. I took a considerable pay cut to make the initial jump, but I worked my way up on the support team, and soon I was promoted to East Coast Support Manager and eventually Director of Customer Support.

After PlanGrid’s acquisition by Autodesk, I remained the head of support for the PlanGrid product until it was merged into the Autodesk Construction Cloud, at which point I was named the Global Support Specialists Manager. It’s a new position on a young team, but my trajectory has been exciting, and I’m proud of the work it took to get here.

My advice for anyone looking to take their career to the next level is first to make sure you’re nailing the job you currently have. When you’re confident that you’re excelling at your duties, start thinking outside the box to see what else you can do to improve or broaden the scope of your current position. Talk to your manager about your career goals and look for opportunities to gain exposure to the activities involved in the position you have your eye on. Talk to employees or managers in the position you hope to pursue to get a full understanding of the day-to-day life, their goals, and how they measure success. And above all, don’t let fear keep you from taking risks.

And finally, work for a company that makes you proud. Autodesk is a bold innovator in the technology field, which suits me on a professional level, but it’s also a great company to work for. Autodesk cares about its global impact, taking a stand on social issues, and it’s always one of the first to lend a hand when catastrophe strikes anywhere in the world. I’m proud to work for a company that prioritizes the advancement of a more sustainable, resilient, and equitable world.

Autodesk truly cares about its people and constantly looks for ways to ensure all employees feel like they belong. One of my favorite parts of #AutodeskLife is being empowered to shape the world and your future. We’re encouraged to reinvent rules and make our own path. This is the type of environment where risk-taking is supported. And although I’ve had countless chances to settle into what feels safe in my own career, I’ve learned that it’s courage, not comfort, that truly allows us to thrive.

Becoming a Unicorn: How to Turn your Passions into a Career that Lets You Shine

When I left my tenured faculty position in London to launch a new career in the United States, I had to completely reinvent myself. I had no network, few social connections, and a vague idea of what my next steps would be.

I had just turned 40 and was a mother to two young children. Being a woman of color with a “foreign-sounding” name didn’t help matters either. As if that wasn’t challenging enough, I was also a former academic who hadn’t lived in the States for a decade. The professional culture shock was difficult to adjust to. When it came to next steps, I was at a loss and was grieving what I had left behind in London.

It took almost a year to shake off the shock and examine what I wanted. It took a lot of introspection, a few tears, some grit, and countless cover letters to distill my multiple passions into a sense of purpose. As an academic, I’d published and taught on Indian dance and its connections to identity, nationhood, and cultural values. After many informational interviews across Silicon Valley, I realized that my research and inquiry of culture was something I wanted to continue.  

My next step was applying this inquiry to the private sector – first in the start-up and venture capital space and to the corporate world. I examined the culture of global companies to understand the relationship between organizational values, team behaviors and individual mindsets that help people do their best work and show up as their best selves. I’ve now been in my current role as the Culture, Diversity, and Belonging Manager at Autodesk since November 2019.

Autodesk attracts unicorns because it doesn’t ask that we conform to a mold. Our passions are celebrated and encouraged, which allows each of us to grow in our own unique way. As a result, Autodeskers are happier, and they tend to stay at the company for many years. It’s because of this environment that I was able to tap into my passion for cultural studies outside of academia. My personal interests and passions are viewed as an asset, not just as hobbies to pursue in my off-hours.

The best advice I can offer to those looking for the next step in their career journeys is to stay curious and ask for help. Identify people and careers that interest you. Reach out to those who inspire you. People love to share their stories, so take notes and listen deeply. While no two career paths are the same, you’ll learn a lot about why people make the decisions they do to get where they want to go.

Autodesk leaders care deeply about transforming the employee experience. In my role, this means programming high-profile talks with luminaries in our Diversity and Belonging speaker series. I’ve interviewed world-renowned writers, scholars and podcast hosts. We have so much fun producing these events and leaning on the wisdom they offer. It’s just one of the many ways Autodesk creates a strong, positive work culture.

When I left London, it was hard to imagine switching gears from academic to corporate professional without losing my sense of self. But I held onto my interests and found a company full of unicorns who are celebrated for the value their passion brings to the workplace.