So if you don’t get the hint from my title – I’m going to talk about SWE. What is SWE, you ask? SWE is the Society of Women Engineers and its mission is to support women engineers in the workplace. You do not need to be a woman or an engineer to join – you just need to support the cause. (Insert shameless plug for UCSB SWE here)

Enough background, let’s get to the good stuff. This past weekend, I attended the SWE Sonora Regional Conference in San Diego. Despite the rain, the conference was a blast! If you go to conferences, you get to stay at amazing hotels like the Hitlon in San Diego. It was hard to remember that I was there for a conference and not a vacation.

At the conference, there was an amazing career fair where I got great tips on how to improve my resume. Pro-tip: even if a company doesn’t hire your specific major, talk to them about their general work-life at the company. You can learn something from everyone! I found out about different company work environments, differences between technical and leadership tracks once you start working, and how certain companies support their employees getting Masters’ Degrees (including MBAs!) while still working for the company.

After the career fair, I went to three different breakout sessions. Here are the major things I picked up on:

1) There is a definite double standard for men and women in the work place. Think about it: If your male boss takes control he’s the BOSS; if a woman does the same, she’s labeled as BOSSY. This ad by Pantene will be able to explain it much better than I can through words. Watch it!

2) Its not just men who reinforce this stereotype – sometimes other women can be barriers to success for their female coworkers. It’s frustrating, but one way to help combat this issue is to just bring awareness to it.

3) Make S.M.A.R.T. (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-Bound) goals for success. Know your learning style and personality type through online tests to better understand yourself and use your time more efficiently and effectively.

4) It’s okay to be selfish sometimes. You have goals and morals and should stick to them. Now this doesn’t mean that you should be mean to everyone, it just means that when you are working in a company or a partnership, you are allowed to ask “What is this doing to help me?” as well as “How I am helping?”

5) Mentorship is amazing! The mentor/mentee relationship is such a unique experience that is often underrated. As someone who has had several mentors and has been lucky enough to serve as a mentor as well, the satisfaction of this mutual support system is very fulfilling. After this conference, I’ve noticed gaps in my mentor network and am on the lookout for new mentors to help me answer questions about life in industry.

6) There are some amazing women engineers out there! Here is a picture of the UCSB SWE girls who attended the conference this year.