Some days, Stacy Johnson can’t believe she’s
a technical sales associate. When she was one semester away
from finishing high school, she dropped out to move in with
her boyfriend and support their child. Her journey to her
current job was hard, but she made it through and loves
what she does.
Stacy started turning her life around when she signed up
for a GED class. When she took the exam and got a really
high score, she was motivated to keep going to school. She
left her boyfriend, who wasn’t very supportive of
her studies, and moved in with her parents.
She enrolled in a local college and took a few classes
to see what she would be interested in. Stacy discovered
she liked fixing things, especially electronic equipment
and wiring. She decided to study electrical systems and
technology. She was a star student – one of her teachers
asked her to be a paid teacher’s assistant.
Stacy’s teachers saw how easy it was for her to work
with people. She was very comfortable and had excellent
communication skills. They thought she was a perfect fit
for high-paying technical sales jobs. They set her up with
an interview for a technical sales position at an equipment
distributor. When Stacy accepted the job offer, she was
the first woman the company ever hired.
Her job requires that she stays up-to-date on new technical
devices her company sells. She started by working inside
the office. She learned from manuals, the company's owner,
and other salespeople. Now, Stacy makes regular sales calls
with outside clients. She also works closely with clients
to make sure they know what to order and make sure the orders
are fulfilled.
"It was hard in the beginning because I couldn’t
keep track of all the changes and new things," Stacy
says. "But I tried really hard and stayed focused.
I have an excellent job and love my office and co-workers,
so that keeps me motivated too.”
Now Stacy feels more confident on sales calls. “Don’t
be afraid to work in fields where you’re one of a
few women,” Stacy says. “Lots of technical jobs
are available, so there are more opportunities for people
with the right skills. They pay well too. Don’t be
afraid to branch out and try different things because it’s
worth it.”
Stacy
Johnson
