CAREER
“WHY DON’T YOU WORK AS AN INDUSTRIAL ENGINEER?”
Dominik Rampp Local Group Dresden
A couple of weeks ago, I got asked exactly this
mechanical engineering, marketing to more
question by a customer after we had more or
recent developments as data science. Topics I
less randomly talked about my educational
could identify with. However, while attending
background.
marketing classes and getting a brief overview of sales management, I got more interested in the
I have never questioned why an Industrial
topic and was wondering why there were almost
Engineer would NOT work in Sales. How did I come
no classes on sales management. Why?
to that assumption though? Why can I definitely recommend starting to work in Sales after you
So, after having graduated from university, I
have graduated from university?
knew I wanted to work in a field where I cannot only use what I have learned but also develop my
Talking about my journey to sales, I have to
knowledge further. Having that and my strong
extend that question to my studies. The reason
interest in sales in mind, I got an offer from my
why I decided to enroll in Industrial Engineering
current employer to live “no day like any other
and Management (IEM) studies was that IEM in
day”: being literally on the road, visiting customers
general offers a very broad range of knowledge
on job sites, finding technical solutions, increasing
uniting two different fields of studies (engineering
their productivity and safety - all those tasks were
and management). It is a field where two different
soon part of my daily life.
models (technical vs. economical) clash and, at the same time, the educational journey can go
Although, for someone having graduated from
into many different directions - from “traditional”
IEM, the construction industry might not come into
IEM topics as supply chain management over
mind in the first place. However, what fascinated me the most was how constructions are hardly similar. Each one has a different building concept, it is harder to standardize processes like in a production plant, work plans change fast, as well as owner’s plans - a place where fast reaction, improvisation,
out-of-the-box
thinking,
and
creativity are needed. How does an average day of my work as an account manager in the construction industry look like? In general, it is about taking care of my customers and their needs. This does not only mean that customers call you and ask for specific products: it is rather about visiting them on construction sites, presenting solutions for their specific needs, and making them realize how their efficiency and productivity can be improved - not only using various tools but also using software. Although you can get in touch with your customers via phone or online communication tools, sales is about people. It is about making your customers
42 ESTIEM Magazine | 59th issue - Innovation in a Crisis: Adapting and Advancing
