Hi, everyone. I am Kay Parker; Indium Corporation’s newest technical support engineer. I recently graduated from SUNY Polytechnic Institute with a BS in Applied Mathematics and a minor in Mechanical Engineering. I also have two years of education in Chemical Engineering.
How did I get here? Let me explain briefly.
During my freshman year, I went on a Google rampage and applied for every summer internship position in the Utica, NY area. I ended up with three offers and boy was I excited! Now I had choices. That prompted me to do some research on these companies.
The Indium Corporation internship had a most interesting job description. I applied and was selected from a candidate pool of over 300 students. I came on board as a Chemical Engineering Intern, but largely worked on Mechanical Engineering projects. The selection process and why I was eventually selected is a blog post for another day.
What intrigued me more than anything was the fact that a world class company was located right in my neighborhood. I drove past it every day without knowing what it was or what they did.
I came onboard on June 2015, and after the internship was over they kept bringing me back to work on new and exciting projects during subsequent college breaks (they must have liked me!). Slowly, I began to understand what Indium Corporation was about and the great future that lay ahead. I knew that I wanted to be a part of this organization. Not only is the company a technological giant, but its culture - The Indium Way - is embedded into everything they do. The Indium Way —Respect, Appreciation, and Achievement—is something so unique, and a very important element of the company's excellence. It is the company's promise to demonstrate these principles in each interaction it has with its customers, the community, and world we live in. Greg Evans - our CEO - bests explains what The Indium Way is here.
Three years later, as I walked across the stage with my Bachelor’s degree, I KNEW beyond a doubt “WHY” I wanted to build, learn, and grow with Indium Corporation. My education proved that I could also learn the “WHAT” behind the company.
The WHY and WHAT, coupled with my deep love for the people, the business, and the future of the company now allows me to soar with this eagle to the highest heights.
This was my starting point and it is the reason I am motivated to put 100% into this job.
I suggest that the next time you are at a crossroad, or making a great decision, first know WHY!
PS: A big thank you to Rick Short for introducing me to Simon Sinek’s “golden circle concept” that explains how gut decisions are driven by KNOWING WHY! You can learn more about Sinek’s work by reading his book “Start With Why” or watching his TEDx talk “How great leaders inspire action”.