Lessons from Industry Leaders: Essential Early Career Strategies for Success

Breaking into an industry can feel overwhelming, but learning from professionals who’ve navigated their own career journeys can give early-career professionals a major advantage. In our recent Semiconductor & Microelectronics Career Panel at PSU, Jesse Brandeburg , Echo (E) Hammond , Henry Wu , and Femi Oluwafemi shared their most valuable career lessons for those just starting out.

Here are four essential takeaways to help you build a strong foundation for career success.

1. Control What You Can – and Be Ready When Opportunity Strikes

"I feel like my story is weird in some ways. A lot of opportunities just kind of rolled towards me, but I was always ready. So when the door did open, I was like, 'Okay, go.'" – Jesse

Jesse’s 30-year career at Intel was filled with transitions, downturns, and industry shifts. At times, he didn’t know if layoffs would include him, but he focused on one key strategy: control what you can.

"Dips are going to happen. Especially if you're new or a junior employee, you really can't control it. So worry about the things you can control—your work, your skills, your growth. Don’t start giving up just because the company is struggling." – Jesse

When Jesse finally decided to leave Intel, he was surprised at how his network helped him land his next job:

"I was looking at job listings, and there wasn’t much for someone at my level. But I saw a posting for a Linux position and noticed the hiring manager’s name. I knew her—not well, but we had seen each other a few times. So I called her and said, ‘Would you like to hire somebody like me?’ And that’s how the conversation started."

?? Key Takeaway: Your next opportunity might come from a connection you barely know. Keep yourself ready by building your skills, staying visible, and strengthening your network before you need it.

?? Action Step: Make a list of 3 skills you can control and improve, no matter what happens in your company or industry. Invest in developing them.

2. The Right Mentor Can Change Everything

"My first job out of school was actually a really lovely job. I had a great mentor. The work was interesting, and I was planning to stay." – E

E started in aerospace, doing power engineering. She was thriving—until her company got acquired and things changed.

"Suddenly, my mentor was gone. I was early in my career, and there was no longer expertise above me in the way there had been before. And because that mattered enough to me, I decided to leave and move on."

She realized that for her, having a mentor was essential. So she made a strategic move:

"I picked a business school that Intel recruited from, because I was super interested in Intel. I got recruited into finance and later transitioned back to engineering."

?? Key Takeaway: If you're in an environment where you don’t have mentorship, seek it out—internally or externally. A good mentor can accelerate your learning and open doors you never considered.

?? Action Step: Identify one person in your field whose career path you admire. Send them a LinkedIn message or ask for a virtual coffee chat to start the conversation.

3. Soft Skills Matter More Than You Think

"A lot of engineers don’t have soft skills, but they’re critical. Senior leaders don’t care how smart you are—it’s about what problem you can solve and how you communicate it." – Femi

Femi’s first job wasn’t in engineering—it was selling rugs at Macy’s. While unrelated to his future career, it taught him essential soft skills that later helped him stand out in technical roles.

"When you’re presenting to senior leaders, they don’t care about the deep technical details. They care about clarity, impact, and solutions. If you can’t communicate well, you’ll be overlooked."

His career has spanned software, hardware, DevOps, and cloud architecture, and one thing has remained true: Technical skills will get you in the door, but communication skills will move you up.

?? Key Takeaway: Whether it’s explaining an idea, presenting a project, or writing an email, communication is key. If people can’t understand your work, it doesn’t matter how brilliant it is.

?? Action Step: The next time you explain a technical concept, summarize it in two sentences. If someone outside your field understands it, you’re on the right track.

4. Networking Isn’t Optional – It’s a Career Superpower

"Even for me, communication is such a big thing in this field. As an undergrad at the time—I don’t seem like it now, because I’ve grown since—but I was a very shy kid." – Henry

Henry took an unconventional path, starting in biochemistry before exploring bioinformatics and computer science. At PSU, he watched his engineering peers compete for MECOP internships and noticed something:

"MECOP is competitive, and because it's competitive, you have to learn a set of skills—communication being one of the bigger ones."

Henry initially struggled with this. He was shy and hesitant to put himself out there. But over time, he realized that even in technical fields, your ability to communicate and network can make or break your career.

"I’m still working on it, but I’m much better than when I started."

One of his biggest lessons? Most jobs don’t come from direct applications—they come from connections.

?? Key Takeaway: You don’t have to be extroverted to build a strong network. You just have to be proactive. Relationships are built one conversation at a time.

?? Action Step: Start small:

• Message one person this week on LinkedIn, even if it’s just to say, "I really liked your insights on [topic]. Would love to stay connected!"
• Ask a mentor or manager for an introduction to someone in another team or company.
• Speak up once in a meeting—even if it’s just to summarize key points at the end.

Final Thought: Control What You Can, Adapt to What You Can’t

Industries fluctuate, jobs evolve, and technology changes. The professionals on our panel had vastly different career paths, but they all agreed on one thing:

Your career is in YOUR hands. No one will advocate for you more than you will.

?? Your next step? Choose ONE takeaway from this list and put it into action this week. Small steps lead to big wins!

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