3 Top Tips For Transitioning Back To Work Successfully
💎 Are you transitioning back to work after more than 2 years? Don’t panic, you are not alone! Watch the video to the end to find out how to make your career dream come true!
📼 Transitioning back to work can be difficult if you have been out of the corporate world for a long time. Claudia Heinrich-Barna, Electrical Engineer at Raytheon Technologies, shares her experience with you to help you make your journey back to the working world a smooth one.
📼 Transitioning Back To Work Tip #1: Research the companies and find out if they have a return back-to-work program. In Claudia's case, this was the Re-Empower Program at Raytheon. This program was very well structured. She very quickly learned that there were others just like her and with the same concerns and the same insecurities after having been out of the work for so long. Remember: you're not alone. There are many people out there that are returning to work, just like you! Find these back-to-work programs, they're out there! They're becoming more and more popular, and they're gaining momentum. And the companies are realizing that this is one talent pool that they have not exhausted yet.
📼 Transitioning Back To Work Tip #2: Find a good mentor and don't be afraid to ask for help. Claudia was very lucky in that respect. The mentor that was assigned to her was very knowledgeable, very patient, very kind, very complimentary, uplifting, and non-judgmental. He was always available to her. And she could ask him questions anytime. He made her feel very comfortable and created a wonderful environment for her to learn. However, if you are not assigned a mentor, you can find people that will help you. There are always people out there that love to teach. Don't be afraid to ask for help! There are a lot of people out there that were in your shoes once and would love to help you along.
Transitioning Back To Work - Tip #3: Consistency And Education
Claudia’s advice is to be consistent, follow up, and use continued education. Sometimes, the job or the program you're applying for may not be available at the moment. What you can do is follow up every month or so, and be consistent in what you want to do. This will tell the HR team that you are serious about getting a job with their company. Claudia also highly recommends taking continued education classes. If you have been out of the workforce for several years, take a class with all the Microsoft tools like PowerPoint, Excel, and Outlook. This will enable you, once you get the job, to concentrate on your field of expertise. You will not have to waste time learning these tools that you most likely will be using daily. Take some classes in your profession as well. In Claudia's case, she took several programming classes, which made it so much easier for her to return to her career.
🧑💼 Are you interested in joining Raytheon Technologies? They have open positions! To learn more, click here.
Get to Know Claudia
If you are interested in a career at Raytheon Technologies, you can connect with Claudia Heinrich-Barna on LinkedIn. Don’t forget to mention this video!
More About Raytheon Technologies
Raytheon Technologies (NYSE: RTX) is an aerospace and defense company that provides advanced systems and services for commercial, military and government customers worldwide. The company was formed in 2020 through the combination of Raytheon Company and the United Technologies Corporation aerospace businesses, and is headquartered in Waltham, Massachusetts.
The 3 Transferable Skills that Helped Raytheon Technologies’ Sierra Weaver Pivot From Communications to Cybersecurity
As a Cybersecurity DOD Collateral Alt. Information Systems Security Manager (ISSM), it’s easy for Sierra to lose track of time at work because she loves learning, and her field is constantly refreshing itself with new tools, technology, and processes to stay up-to-date on.
Sierra Weaver’s boss at Raytheon Technologies keeps a good eye on the entire team to ensure no one is overworking themselves.
“He’ll jokingly say, ‘I’ve seen you online at this hour!’ and consistently reminds me of work-life balance,” she says. “He’s very supportive—we honestly have an amazing team.”
But ask her five years ago whether she thought she’d be in cybersecurity, and you would have gotten a resounding “no.”
Sierra planned to work in broadcast journalism, but after being exposed to cybersecurity while working in a contract position at a different aerospace company, she realized she wanted to transition into that industry.
“When I started, I didn’t have all of the technical skills, but that was something I learned along the way. Anyone from any background or career, so long as you are determined, open to learning, a great problem solver, and have some core transferable skills can be successful in a Cyber career,” she says.
We sat down with Sierra to learn more about what exactly those skills were, how she uses them on a daily basis, and what the future of cybersecurity looks like from her perspective.
Core Skill: Determination
Sierra studied communication and Pan-African studies at Cal State while working full-time—and she credits a lot of her success in cybersecurity to her ability to work hard.
Even her first experience with the industry required determination. As a contractor, she was involved with different departments and processes, from purchasing to contracting to licensing.
“With all of the hats I wore, I was doing quite a bit, but cybersecurity is what interested me the most,” she says. After getting hired at Raytheon, Sierra applied her work ethic to deepening her expertise in the field through certifications, including the Security Plus certification.
“As long as you are willing and open to the training process, I feel like anyone can make the pivot, just by being determined,” she says.
Core Skill: Communication
Though she loves her job, Sierra is a lot more than just her work. For one thing, she’s one of 15 siblings. Growing up in LA with that many family members, Sierra learned how to communicate with different kinds of people with various backgrounds, needs, and styles of interaction.
“With cyber, you’re communicating and collaborating with many stakeholders most of your all day,” she says, citing everyone from the IT department to program managers, and our customers.
Sierra calls her Raytheon coworkers her work family, and says that at the end of the day, “we all get along so well, communicate effectively with one another, and ultimately they help make work so much more worthwhile.”
“We spend so much time at our jobs. You always want to be in an environment you feel comfortable in, one you can flourish in. I’m lucky in the sense that the folks I work with are extremely supportive. I can leverage their knowledge. I can lean on them if I need anything. And I’m just so appreciative of that. That’s what keeps me at Raytheon Technologies,” she says.
Core Skill: Problem-Solving
Sierra’s team ensures that Raytheon’s clients, particularly those with classified contracts, have their systems set up in a way that ensures no classified information is compromised. They work with the Defensive Counterintelligence Security Agency to keep things up to snuff, which includes maintaining the systems for the life of the technology.
It requires a nimble approach to problem-solving—and a hands-on one, too.
Even though she’s now a manager of a team of six, Sierra still does some of that work herself.
“I want my team to know that anything that I ask them to do, I’m willing to do,” she says, referencing site visits and tough systems. “I want to give my team the tools to be able to fish on their own, and to feel comfortable and confident, but I also want to be just hands-on enough for them to know that if they need my support, I’m there and available to help them.”
Building the Next Wave of Women in Cybersecurity
When Sierra looks around her industry, she doesn’t see many people who look like her.
“I would love to see more women within cybersecurity. And I am absolutely doing my best and doing my part to encourage women, and women of color as well, to join cybersecurity,” she says. “For us to continue to be successful, we need diversity on all fronts.”
Part of Sierra doing her best is sharing her story, like she’s done with us here. Another part of it is offering herself up as a resource for women looking to break into the field.
“I hear from folks that they look at job requisites for cybersecurity, or research all of what the field entails, and get intimidated and discouraged because they feel like they have to have all these certifications or several years of experience just to get their foot in the door at a company like Raytheon Technologies. But honestly, we truly need individuals who are passionate about cybersecurity and willing to learn; you don’t need to be a technical expert to get started,” Sierra says.
Top Tips to Master Your Technical Interview at Raytheon Technologies
💎 Get ready to master your technical interview! Tune in to catch three top tips to prepare before applying for a position at Raytheon Technologies.
📼 These tips from Elisabeth Hosmer, Associate Director of Program Management at Raytheon Intelligence and Space will help you master your technical interview when applying for a position at the company.
📼 Tip #1: Slow Down - The first of Elisabeth's top tips to master a technical interview is to really give each question you're asked, enough time for you to formulate the answer you want to share. Don't feel rushed. And if you feel like you need some time to collect your thoughts, let the interviewers know that. The team at Raytheon respects the fact that you want to give some consideration to your answer before jumping in!
📼 Tip #2: Come Prepared - In order to master your technical interview, it's important to remember that not only is Raytheon interviewing you for a potential role, but you're interviewing the company as well. So show up with questions about not only the role, but the company culture too, and what you hope to gain from joining the organization. In Elisabeth's words, so often they have candidates who, when offered the opportunity for them to ask questions, come up blank. It's very important for Raytheon to see you are as invested in the interview, as they are, by coming with some prepared questions!
One Last Key Tip To Master Your Technical Interview With Raytheon
The third tip is simply to OWN IT: what does Elisabeth mean by that? Show up knowing what you can bring to the organization, and be confident in what you've learned in your prior roles and education, and in what you can do that makes you a difference maker for the company. Everybody has a unique story and skill set. And when you show confidence in what you are capable of doing, as well as humility and where you know you need to continue to grow, you appear as a candidate excited to join the organization who in the future can be just so effective in their new role.
📨 Are you interested in joining Raytheon Technologies? They have open positions! To learn more, click here.
Get to Know Elisabeth
Elisabeth Hosmer is a senior program manager for Secure Sensor Solutions at Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems in El Segundo, Calif. Hosmer works closely with the mission area leadership team on business initiatives including leading employee retention programs for Secure Sensor Solutions. Elisabeth also serves as Program Manager of the Modernized GPS User Equipment Increment1 Program (MGUE) in the Resilient Navigation product line.
More About Raytheon Technologies
Raytheon Technologies (NYSE: RTX) is an aerospace and defense company that provides advanced systems and services for commercial, military and government customers worldwide. The company was formed in 2020 through the combination of Raytheon Company and the United Technologies Corporation aerospace businesses, and is headquartered in Waltham, Massachusetts.
[VIDEO ▶️ ] Prepare For Raytheon Technologies Interview - Tips From a Recruiter
Get ready to show up as your best self for a Raytheon interview!
📼 Watch this video to get great interview tips from Amy Gardner, the company's talent acquisition manager, that will help you prepare for your interview at Raytheon, as well as dive into the company's application process, culture, and values.
Don't be afraid of resume gaps- as Amy says, everybody's human. Amy highlights the importance of preparing for the interview with Raytheon by making sure to present your skills aligned with the job description. Also, research the company as much as you can to have intelligent questions prepared to ask the interviewer.
It's perfectly okay if your resume shows different categories and skills depending on the job position you're applying for; this can actually go a long way in your Raytheon interview to help you stand out to the recruiter. Don't miss Amy's insights on how to tailor your resume depending on the role you're applying for.
More Quick Tips For Your Raytheon Interview
Do you get nervous during interviews? Well actually, Megan does too! She shares some tips that will help you relax and show your best self in the process. One of them is to keep a notecard in sight with key points you don't want to forget to check from time to time: it'll make you feel more confident. Watch the video to get more tips like this!
Also, don't forget to send a good thank-you note after the interview. According to Megan, it can go a long way in making the interviewer feel appreciated.
Get To Know Amy
Amy is a lean-strategy-driven, human resources professional able to leverage passion and creativity in a business-centered capacity. She utilizes emotional intelligence, tactical, and rapport-building practices to aid in high-caliber success. She's been working at Raytheon Technologies for almost two years now.
More About Raytheon Technologies
Raytheon Technologies (NYSE: RTX) is an aerospace and defense company that provides advanced systems and services for commercial, military, and government customers worldwide. The company was formed in 2020 through the combination of Raytheon Company and the United Technologies Corporation aerospace businesses and is headquartered in Waltham, Massachusetts.
📨 Are you interested in joining Raytheon Technologies? They have open positions! To learn more, click here.
