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Women's Success Stories
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DOREEN WILLS "Get an education. Once you have that degree no one can ever take it from you, no matter what. The more you delay, the more requirements there are, but once you have that degree under your belt it’s your forever. There are not a lot of things you can say that about." |
Career Quick Look
| Salary: | $100K - $150K+ | Education: |
| Years in Field: | 20 years |
Currently enrolled in Electronic Technology courses at Irvine Valley College A.A. Degree, Coastline College |
| City/State: | Chino Hills, CA |
Getting Started: During high school, Dorren Wills planned to ba an accountant, so she found a job working part-time as a bookkeeper with an electronics distributor. After she graduated, she enrolled in accounting courses at a community college, but she soon realized that accounting didn’t have the financial potential she sought. She also recognized that she might be bored as a certified public accountant (CPA). Meanwhile, her employer noticed that she was very good at doing collections, and that she had strong communication and motivational skills. She moved from accounting into sales, and thus embarked on her career selling electronic components. At the time, she also had a good friend who was doing quite well in sales, who encouraged Doreen to get into this field. She and her friend both moved forward in the sales field, and have continued to share their experiences and support one another.
Doreen next held down a sales job in manufacturing with Philips, an original equipment manufacturer (OEM), and when she was laid off from this direct sales job, she became a Philips representative for the next five years, selling semi-conductors, ferrite (a metal), and other components used to make electronics equipment. Her career continued to blossom: she went to Harper and Two for 13 years as a sales engineer and manufacturer’s representative for multiple companies. Six years ago, she took on her current job in a similar role for Westrup, a manufacturer of machines and equipment for the seed and grain conditioning and processing industry, where she also represents multiple manufacturers.
Education: Doreen attended a variety of community college programs, including Cypress, Saddleback, and Orange Coast, before completing her A.A. degree in Business at Coastline College in the early 2000’s. In the course of her studies, she took both electronics and sales courses to develop her career as a sales engineer. Because of family obligations at the time, she didn’t go on to finish an electronics degree or pursue her bachelor’s. In early 2008, Doreen decided to go back to Irvine Valley College (IVC) to finish a certificate in Electronics Technology.
"As I’m getting older, I realize the importance of knowing more about what I’m doing; some things have become more competitive." She’s concerned that young people aren’t being pushed toward education today, and believes that her current coursework will help her continue to succeed in her field as she ages. "It will give me what I need to talk to people technically, that’s all I need to do," she says. "I’m not going to go build a rocket ship, but I can sell one!"
She picked IVC because of the extensive menu of electronics courses available. She is currently taking Basic Electronics, which has already helped her feel more confident on the job. "It’s nice to be able to talk to the men technically, and know that I’m competent in what I’m saying and doing because I understand the concepts and the math and the circuit and all," says Doreen, who is the only female sales engineer at her company, and also has many male customers. She has also enjoyed the hands-on lab component of the classes; in a recent lab, for example, she learned how to build a circuit for a speakerphone. She is pleased that IVC strongly supports women in the technology fields through programs such as the Women in Technology program and the CalWomenTech project.
Greatest Professional Achievement: Doreen counts as her major achievement a $30 million sale she made to a large computer company. The commission from this particular sale greatly enhanced her financial stability. She enjoys working on commission, which she believes gives her more control over her own life. "The job can be really stressful –you’re always trying to see people who don’t want to see you. I’m forever bugging people," says Doreen of her ongoing sales calls and contacts. However, the money has helped to balance out the stresses.
Barriers: Doreen has noticed that electronics as a whole and sales in the electronics field are a "man’s world." Because she has honed her sales skills and keeps up with the technologies she is representing, she finds that she has been able to overcome the gender barrier. "It really helps to know your stuff," says Doreen. "It’s only a barrier if you buy into it."
Working with Men: Doreen is the only sales engineer at her current company. She has found that the best solution to working in a primarily male environment is to keep up with the technology and do a good job. "You probably have to work a little harder, do more, do better, and show your worth. You can’t let it intimidate you and you just have to put your best foot forward."
Advice for Women: "Stick with it," says Doreen to women considering this field. "I think electronics is a good business." She has noticed that companies are trying to bring workers from other countries to do some of these jobs because of the lack of qualified American workers, and urges women to prepare themselves to fill these jobs instead. "Get an education. Once you have that degree no one can ever take it from you, no matter what. The more you delay, the more requirements there are, but once you have that degree under your belt it’s yours forever. There are not a lot of things you can say that about."
Typical Workday/Environment: As a sales engineer and manufacturer’s representative for Westrup for the past six years, Doreen mainly works in the field and from her home office. When she sets up meetings for customers to meet with engineers and discuss designs she meets them at their place of business. She goes into the Westrup office about once a month.
Doreen spends her day communicating with both the manufacturers she represents and her existing and potential customers. She makes many cold calls to leads provided to her by the manufacturers. She tracks leads manually and on a database. Each company she sells for requires different handling of their marketing. She must be well informed about both the products she represents and her customers' needs and whether and how they might be able to use these products. Her days also include problem-solving, such as following up on deliveries that do not arrive as expected.
She also might attend trainings provided by manufacturers, and then may pass that training on to customers. "I’ve got to figure out how to be valuable," says Doreen. Her customers value her eagerness to go to bat for them. "You always have to show your appreciation when somebody gives you an opportunity, no matter how big or how small."
Doreen typically wears business casual attire, but dons a suit for special meetings and presentations. On Fridays, she dresses down and wears jeans.
Career Ladder: The career path for a sales engineer may include working directly for a manufacturer, working as a representative of one or multiple manufacturers, or working at a distributor. Most jobs involve both a base salary and commission, which is based on profits, company targets, etc. The pay structure for Doreen’s most recent jobs have been commission-based. Advancement opportunities include sales management and product manager positions.
Salaries in this area may start at about $50 to $60K, and can go up to $100K plus. Sales engineers get an expense account, car allowance and health coverage. Advancement depends on each individual's motivation and drive, who they know, etc. She has concerns that her industry is not growing in this country because of competition with China, but she believes that anyone who gets educated and puts their energy into the role will realize a positive return.
Professional Associations: none.
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