My First 6 Months at Schrader

As a young adult, I was given the choice to remain near the town I grew up in or to go somewhere else. After living in the same town my whole life I was eager to explore and grow on my own terms, and away from my family’s close presence.  So I chose the path that took me away from my home town of Novi, Michigan and moved south to Oxford, Ohio. That choice is one of the best decisions I’ve ever made; it led me to unforgettable memories and lifelong friends. However, as time went on, I started to miss my family more and more. Seeing them only a few times a year made me miss all the small birthday celebrations and weekend get-togethers. I knew I could not be away from them any longer, and I wanted to start putting roots down closer to my family.

Looking back on the past six months, I still can’t believe how smoothly everything went. I was fortunate enough to receive an offer from Sensata during my job search. Once I accepted, I packed all my belongings to drive back to my home town.

Starting a new job was exhilarating but also at times overwhelming. Although my job title of Pricing Analyst stayed the same, everything else changed. I had never used Access before, one of the main software programs heavily employed in my department. Such inexperience would be a deal breaker for many other companies, but Sensata was able to see my strengths. Before I knew it, I was up to speed.  I feared my lack of industry experience would hinder my performance, but with resources and support from my team, I learned quickly. I already feel like an expert in the field. Sensata’s investment in me gave me a great sense of worth and pride in my ability. Since joining the team, I have learned not only an incredible amount about my field but also many “real life” skills. For example, I never imagined my job would teach me how to change a tire, in the coming weeks I will be a TIA certified instructor!

Another major change has been my work environment and those who I sit next to every day. Since I interact with my coworkers more than I do anyone else, it is important to me that I work with people I enjoy. Luckily, the team atmosphere of Sensata is positive as well as challenging and gratifying. I didn’t know exactly what I was looking for before I joined Sensata, but I know I love what I’ve found.

I really started to feel like part of the team when our Annual Global Meeting came around.  Everyone hopped on a flight from their corner of the world to meet in New Orleans, Louisiana.  Being in the meetings I saw how passionate and strong our team is and my mind just kept thinking how I could jump in and help and contribute to all the great plans announced.  At the end of the day, New Orleans was a great city to bond with the team over dinner and live music.

Not only is my team great, but the whole Automotive Aftermarket community is just as wonderful.  I got the chance to meet peers at the Aftermarket 101 class put on by Northwood University.  There I attended a two-day course and got to know people that are experts in the industry. Even though I got little actual work done those two days, I’ve learned more about the industry and community than I could have hoped for.

The best part of all, though, is getting to see my family every week and knowing that I will be there for every minor and major family event. This job allows me to live my best life, both professional and personal, joining the Sensata team is the best decision I’ve ever made.

6/21/18