AL.com Article- June 2018- Some non-STEM graduates may feel like they are getting left behind in a world run by automation, bots, coding, and algorithms. But even in a city like Huntsville, one of the top per-capita tech employers in the country, there is a place for ambitious marketers and communicators. Defense budgets have tightened a bit since the high point of 2011, and since there are no large operations abroad, government entities have more time to shop around. Almost every defense contractor has some sort of marketing/digital communication/event planner hybrid team to remain competitive.
Like any other company, defense contractors need to communicate with multiple audiences to successfully win and maintain contracts: customers, future employees, the surrounding community, and industry peers. Unlike other companies, their supporting cast of non-STEM workers who manage communication must be uncommonly knowledgeable about government procedures, technical products and services, and employee roles.
Consider the experience of one non-STEM defense industry marketing professional in deciding if you can learn to speak engineering.
Arlee Sowder Holmes
Arlee Sowder Holmes is a Marketing Communications Specialist with Intuitive Research and Technology (INTUITIVE). Headquartered in Huntsville’s Research Park, INTUITIVE is an aerospace engineering and analysis firm. They offer technical solutions and program management assisting customers (mostly defense) throughout all phases of a product’s life cycle. Although her degree was in Logistics and Supply Chain Management, she always gravitated toward creative tasks. After working as a Program Controller for about two years, she moved over to the marketing department, where she has been expanding her role for the last three years. Here are her bird’s eye responsibilities:
- Advertising
- Conferences/exhibits: strategy, schedule, and budget; and design exhibit layout and content.
- Develop/maintain capabilities briefs and attendant talking points
- Branding and marketing
Do You Have the Patience to Assimilate?
Acronyms
“It was intimidating in the very beginning because I was young and had no previous exposure to the defense industry. I think the hardest part was that I didn’t know the lingo,” says Holmes. “There are so many acronyms! Learning the lingo and the business in general is just something that takes time for a newcomer. I am still learning after five years.”
Holmes notes that a great team of co-workers made acclimating a bit easier, stating, “While I was initially intimidated by the newness of the job and the industry, my co-workers and the leadership at INTUITIVE made me feel welcome and at home since the day I started. They understood the learning curve I faced, and they taught me everything I needed to know.”
Engineer Speak
Holmes acknowledges that engineers and technical professionals have a different style of communicating. It is up to the professional communicator to make efforts at bridging the divide with intelligent questions and respect.
“STEM professionals tend to be very logical and direct. It is a mistake to interpret their sometimes curt style as a lack of respect; in fact, they are well aware that my work is not something they would want to be mired in,” says Holmes. “I have made it a point to ask for their input and review on marketing materials to make sure I am receiving and communicating their messages accurately. If you show a desire for continuous improvement and better understanding, that is something that will earn trust company-wide here.”
She now understands topics such as Unmanned Aircraft Systems, Model-Based Systems Engineering, and Additive Manufacturing—an exceptional amount of expertise for a communication generalist. This gives Holmes tangible job security compared to her peers outside of the defense world.
Are You Adaptive at Communicating Across Teams and Disciplines?
“Human Resources, Virtual Reality Programmers, interns, the President: in some shape or form I have worked alongside each department within INTUITIVE,” she explains. “In my position, I have to be in the know of what is happening within the company and within the community. From this, I get the opportunity to learn about a wide variety of topics and people.”
Some days she may be giving out promotional “swag” at a conference, while other days she’s preparing a briefing for a potential client. That means always being adaptive and flexible.
Are You Comfortable Communicating About Complex Topics?
All of Holmes’s work originates with the knowledge of technical experts. She says, “As the marketing lead, it is my job to relay to the public what we do and what capabilities we offer. I do this through marketing materials, the website, social media posts, and briefings.” Many times, she is the first contact someone has with INTUITIVE or at least the face of the organization at a conference.
Do You Want Your Job to Be Critical?
Holmes says that “soft-skill” employees—meaning those who are non-STEM—are critical to the team at INTUITIVE.
“Having a clear vision of the task or end goal and being able to convey that to the other people in your group is as important as technical skills. Building relationships, ‘storytelling,’ adaptability, and community outreach—these are the kind of things that non-technical employees tend to be very good at, and they relate to our success as a company.”
“The end goal here is the safety and effectiveness of our nation’s war fighters,” she said. “The fact that we collectively work on matters of national security gives each role in the company more gravity.”
If you’re interested in interesting, meaningful work at INTUITIVE, visit https://www.irtc-hq.com/careers/?utm_source=amg&utm_medium=content&utm_campaign=may2018 today.