Career Rocket Episode #12: Sue Hallen
Long time IBM consultant and multiple world record holder.
“Work hard. Play hard. Give back.”
The goal of Career Rocket is to make an impact on people’s careers by sharing wisdom and advice from successful professionals. You can listen to the recording on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Stitcher.
Target audience for this episode: aspiring professionals from all walks of life.
Today’s guest: Susan Hallen. We have never had , at least that we know of, a world record holder on our show before! She is extremely smart, super friendly, soft spoken and holds national and world titles in the Highland Games and powerlifting. She is heavily involved in helping others through organizations such as Neighborhood Food Pantries, Bear Necessities pediatric cancer foundation, Bitsnbytes, etc.
Professional background and highlights
Structural design manufacturing and CAD manager
Nuclear plant construction and CAD/CAM management
Control data/SDRC
Business transformation consulting
IP portfolio and channel management
AI and IP management
How many people have you managed (includes direct reports and their teams) over your career? A lot. I have managed teams of 10 all the way up to 50 throughout my career. When factoring managing clients’ teams and projects, it is difficult to count how many.
For each career stage, please share what you feel are the most important characteristics to have to accelerate someone’s career.
Entry level: 1-3 years
Top characteristic: Being a sponge. Absorb different points of views, learn, and get feedback.
Mid-career: 3-6 years
Top characteristic: Don’t be afraid of risk and push your comfort zone.
Mgr/Directors
Top characteristic: Respect and listen. Recognize your biases and treat people with respect.
Looking back, please share what you feel have been your biggest drivers to a successful career?
Desire to always move forward, take risks and learn new things. What I do now versus what I started out doing is completely different
Tip: Build a support structure to back you when you stumble.
Tip: Continue to build up your network of diverse people so you continue to get new perspectives and ideas.
How to work with a diverse team and understand the dynamics.
If there was one thing you would like to tell someone earlier on in their career that you wish someone had told you, what would it be?
Be bold and take chances
Looking ahead, where do you think are the upcoming hot spots in careers around your discipline?
Artificial Intelligence
Cyber Security
Analysts who are able to understand business objectives and communicate value
Tip: read a lot. Do your research into where the gaps are between tool and reaching goals.
What are the interesting challenges you anticipate will be coming up in your discipline in the coming years?
How companies can build trust with their Artificial Intelligence. Companies are starting to open up about how the algorithms work.
Tackling cyber security and privacy.
What are the challenges you see for the progress towards Diversity & Inclusion?
None of the issues happening now are new. As a female, I always felt I had to be better than the best and prove myself.
Look around and be conscious about the biases in hiring and recruiting.
Women also need to step up and speak up.
Encourage people to travel and gain larger perspectives
Do you have anything in particular you would like to tell future women leaders?
Be vocal and look out for one another.
Not only do you have a successful professional career, you seem to be genuinely grounded and happy. What does living abundantly mean to you and how have you carried it out?
Work hard. Play hard. Give back to people and community. Set goals for yourself to stay on track each year and check in often.
Have a lot of fun. Travel and build your “families”
If you want to hear the in-depth dialogue of this post, check out the full conversation on the podcast options below.
Check out our full list of Career Rocket guests here
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