Lessons learned from a young woman infatuated with autonomous systems

I have been working in the autonomy space for over four years, spending a substantial amount of time considering industry timelines. My career path has exposed me to both larger companies (1000+ employees) and smaller startups (< 35 employees) alike. Along the journey, my career persona was shaped by the insights and experiences of exceptional leaders around me including policymakers, engineers, and business executives. These industry trailblazers are doing everything on their part to make self-driving a reality.

Reflecting upon my experiences, I learned that moving from company to company is very much like dating. You learn about your wants, mistakes, flaws, and work on being at peace with them, while simultaneously taking the necessary steps to grow from them. You also learn that each company has its fair share of mistakes and flaws, as well as what makes for a healthy place to work. I’m writing this piece to share some of my lessons learned as a young female professional, raised by Armenian immigrant parents that never went to college and never entered the white-collar workforce. I hope my advice can empower other women who are underrepresented in their industries and are looking for the strength and perspective to make the best decisions for themselves.

Don’t pit yourself against your male peers

As a young woman in a male-dominated industry, I’ve put pressure on myself to outperform my male peers and to be consistently right. The drive to be better than my male counterparts may have stemmed from a lack of female representation in the workplace. It is a challenge to find solace in a manager with whom you don’t have much in common, especially if they exhibit a stronger connection with your male coworkers. The ferocious desire to outperform can lead to mistakes made that weigh heavily and as a result, lead to crippling feelings of self-doubt and low self-esteem in my work product. Moreover, admitting fault and addressing my mistakes has been one of the most terrifying things I’ve done in my career. It can be a challenge to prevent your mistakes from defining you and to recognize what went wrong, how things could be improved, and what can be done to avoid repeating them. It’s a hard thing to do but know that this does not mean that you don’t belong in the position you’re in, and it especially doesn’t mean that others around you won’t trust the work you do moving forward.

Your older and wiser peers may intimidate you

I have found myself in this position countless times. I would timidly attend meetings, saying little to nothing because I felt that I had nothing insightful to offer to my wiser, more-experienced colleagues. This dragged on until I observed a new female hire relentlessly speak out during meetings at one of my former companies. Observing this interaction and having a chat with her after the fact helped me realize that I had nothing to fear from actively participating and speaking my mind. After overcoming the intimidation factors, I realized that by engaging with my experienced peers I was creating an opportunity for myself. When a knowledge gap exists between you and those around you, an opportunity emerges to learn from their wisdom, to ask thoughtful questions (don’t be afraid of sounding dumb), and to brainstorm around projects and topics. This can also lead to a mentor/mentee relationship. This valuable guidance can help you build your confidence, adapt and learn as quickly as possible, and establish a reputation for yourself that will advance your career.

You’re not always going to be making a big impact, celebrate small victories

There have been times in my career when I felt like I was on top of the world. I housed some of the most valuable knowledge in QA workflows and processes that, when executed, yielded real, tangible rewards. On the other hand, there were months I would be doing tedious triage work. It’s easy to think that one type of work is more significant than another based on the huge impact it can have, but I have found that to be untrue. Sometimes, we have to roll up our sleeves and carry out those tedious tasks because that is the job that needs to be done. While it can feel like your career is heading in a downward spiral, take time to appreciate the break from the rigorous grind, pat yourself on the back for all the challenging and exhaustive work you’ve tackled, then brainstorm towards the next big thing.

Culture fit is enough to leave a company

Working at a company that does not share the same work values and philosophies as you can take a significant toll on your mental health and result in mediocre work. This can take on many forms, such as inconsistencies in presented long-term goals; unconscious gender biases of colleagues; gender imbalance when navigating work conversations, meetings, and distributions of projects. My work and I began to deteriorate while my fuel tank ran on fumes, fighting battles to be heard, and to fit in. I struggled to realize recognition from my peers for my contributions and feel valued for both my technical and non-technical work. If a company has failed you time and time again in making you feel valued, heard, and part of the team, do not hesitate to step away. Seek other opportunities and make it known during the interview process what kind of company culture you are looking for; openly discuss what makes you feel valued. Be sure to ask what steps the company has taken to create a consciously diverse and inclusive workplace where everyone is treated with equity.

You don’t need to be passionate about the industry to do a great job

I have a reputation for being obsessed with self-driving systems. I think about them when I wake up, before I go to bed, and everywhere in between. I would (and still do) harass my colleagues with questions on perception algorithms and investigate the up-and-coming sensor solutions for autonomous systems. In contrast, many of my colleagues and friends in the self-driving space dislike the industry. They hate what it does to the planet, they aren’t moved by meager mission statements like “building the world’s most efficient, reliable, and respected end-to-end delivery solution” or “making it safe and easy for people and things to get where they’re going”. They are, however, amazing at what they do, not only because they are self-motivated but also because their peers and teams motivate them to do an impeccable job. This is something I tapped into when I started to lose motivation, feeling jaded by a future world of autonomous robots cruising on our roads. It was 6:30 pm on a Friday, and so many of my colleagues (that had arrived to work around 6 am mind you) were still going strong. This commitment to doing whatever it takes to get the job done inspired and rejuvenated me. That Friday I ended up working past midnight.

Battling unconscious gender bias — You are not alone

My gender has greatly shaped my work experience during the most trying of times. To the junior female professionals reading, if there’s a single thing you take away from this piece it is that you will find yourself in certain situations or dynamics that may not be within your power to change. If you focus on what you do have control over and execute action items around those things, you will enjoy sufficient success and significant self-worth. As Madam Curie most famously said “Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less.” We have the choice and the power to comprehend, adapt and overcome. This will be our secret weapon when making decisions on what to do next in the face of challenges or obstacles, be they gender unique or not. By doing so effectively, the fear of failure will be replaced by the fear of inaction.