Ode to “Her”: Happy International Women's Day

Today is International Women’s Day, a global day set aside to celebrate the achievements women have accomplished and to raise awareness in order to accelerate towards gender equality. 

Sonepar China couldn’t do the work we do without the brilliant women on our teams, so we took the time to specifically listen to their story. This post is an interview with Anna Jiang, Senior Business Operation Manager at Sonepar China Industrial Automation Division. She describes her experience of achieving success in business and shares some well-earned wisdom for women entering the workforce today.

Host: What does the 2021 International Women’s Day slogan “Choose to challenge” mean for you in your work life?

Anna: What #ChoosetoChallenge means for me is to challenge myself in different fields in my work life. For example, the relocation to this new office, it was a great challenge for me in both knowledge and time. On the first day, I wouldn’t think I could make it. Since the management team trusted and supported me with this project, I wouldn’t want to let them down so I did the best I could.

And there is also the digital business, which is entirely a new field for me. Being senior ranked in the organization doesn’t mean there is nothing more to learn. That’s why I tried to learn new things to keep up with this digital trend.

In all, #ChooseToChallenge for me is to step out of the comfort zone, to touch those different fields, and I try my best to make it.

Host: So when you face challenges, you won’t walk away, instead you will face them, embrace them and do the best you can. 

Anna: Yes, I do.

Host: Your current job is Senior Business Operation Manager. Is this role what you expected to be in when you started in the workforce? How did it change? 

Anna: I enjoy my job because I can communicate and coordinate with different departments, especially helping the sales people to manage the challenges they meet, such as internal processes, lead time, etc., so that they can have more time and energy to focus on our business and customers.

This has been my first job since I graduated from the university. Until now, I have been working in Industrial Automation Division, previously known as WitJoint Automation, for almost 19 years. 

I started my career here as Assistant to Sales, Purchasing and Warehouse because at that time, the company wasn’t big, only about 6 people in total. I was able to fulfill all of these roles. In 2006, I was appointed Sales Manager in Suzhou, and for over a year and a half in that role, I’ve learnt a lot. This experience was key to my learning and professional path and allows me in my current role to provide as a great support to the salesforce. I get to know how tough it could be for sales people to develop the business. That’s why together with my customer service team, we always support them in solving various problems, big or small, and evaluate way to provide value add to customers. I believe this combined effort from all of us across departments would explain our rising reputation in the automation market.

Host: This is a very impressive career path. During the past 19 years, what barriers have you faced, as a woman, in becoming successful in your field? How did you overcome them?

Anna: First of all, thank you. I don’t see myself that successful. I am just serving our company longer than a lot of other associates. I have always enjoyed this job, and I love this organization.

The barrier for me is that, most people in the industrial automation industry are male, and women in general are a minority, that’s a certain reality across all organizations in this field. Therefore, for women to work as a sales person requires strengthening certain skillsets and a strong motivation. Learning from others, working from the book, decision-making and critical thinking are some of the crucial skills we need to develop.

Last by not least it requires the will to work the extra miles to build professional relationships based on trust and value add to customers. In a way it may affect my management skills.

Apart from that, I believe I could not have made it this far without the great support my family gave me, my mother-in law, my husband, and my daughter. They allow me to focus on my job, bring and build my work and life balance, and at times become new "coworkers". Quite often, I am my daughter’s desk mate. She does her homework, and I deal with my work, while my mother-in-law manage the housework.

As a slogan or word of advice, never give up.

Host: Based on your own experience, what advice would you give to women considering pursuing a career in your field?

Anna: Be strong, focused and dedicated toward solutions and customers. 

In the automation field, the suggestion I think I will give them is, ‘No complaints’. That means taking initiatives, providing proposals, finding solutions, not whining. I think this is very important. Customers means everything for us distributors. We need to improve our customer satisfaction.

(Host: It means that when we are facing our job, our challenges, we can choose to see it from a more optimistic angle, try to solve the problem instead of complaining.)

And when facing challenges, never give up. I think if we can stick to that, we will, in the end, overcome the challenges and difficulties.

Host: I agree, ‘Don’t give up’ is something really important for us to remember. In your opinion, how do women individual actions, conversations, behaviors and mindsets have an impact on our larger society?

Anna: I think women’s behaviors and mindsets matter to our society. As women, we connect with and impact on others through many roles, as a daughter, a wife, a mother, an employee, a friend, etc. When we shine with our smiles, confidence, passion and energy, we will light up the space around us.

On the other hand, we are also constantly trying to find balance between those multiple roles, especially the work-life balance.

(Host: In deed I think the society got a lot of requirements for women. We have many roles at the same time, and the society expect us to fulfill everything.)

Exactly. We have to build the balance between life and work, job and family. But if we can do it by heart, we can manage that.

Host: This is very challenging. But like what you just said before, we don’t give up, and we choose to embrace the challenges, and find solutions. How important do you think it is for women to lift each other up and what does that mean to you?

Anna: It’s key for women to lift each other up and earn more voice power in order to be heard. I feel really lucky that I have good partners in my workplace. We support, we communicate, we listen, we share and we celebrate the success of one another.

Host: I think this is very important. Although nearly half of our associates are women in Sonepar China, in general women are still a bit the minority in this industry, so we have to help each other. On International Women’s Day, what is the most important message you want to send out to young women thinking about their careers?

Anna: I remember when I joined this company, I worked very hard, sometimes even at weekends. For young women, if you choose a company, a platform, try to do more and learn more. When you are determined, you will discover great power inside you. That is a good opportunity for you to grow. Don’t underestimate yourselves or be frustrated. Seize the chance in front of you and climb the ladder of success. Like the old saying goes, God rewards the diligent. As you sow, so shall you reap.

(Host: Work hard, do as much as we can, and take initiatives.)

Yes, and the passion, the diligent, active are very important characters for the young women in their careers. 

Host: These are very helpful advices for young women. And thank you so much, Anna, for having this interview with us today. We wish you big success and bright future in your career!