March Alumni Spotlight

Meet Suzanne Brown!

Major: CapTech Consulting

Graduated: 2016

Currently works for: CapTech Consulting

Job Title: Consultant

Currently living in: Columbus

What do you do at your job?

I am a consultant on a technology project where our team is developing and supporting new software for a top 5 US bank. I work mainly with users of our software which is an interesting opportunity to gain usability insight. I also work with our backlog. Putting these together means that when I hear from users that something is confusing or takes too long, I can gather feedback from them and make sure it’s added to our backlog to eventually be implemented in the software. Building trusting relationships with users and having them express that they feel heard is really rewarding.

What is your favorite part about your job?

I really love working in technology. There is always something new you can learn. The things that my coworkers are able to accomplish in new tech like AR is inspiring and shows that cool, innovative tech can have really practical industry applications. I also have the best coworkers. They’re all intellectually curious and looking to be the best consultants they can be. I know that I can turn to any one of them with a questions and they’ll be willing to help me out.

Where do you see yourself in ten years?

In 10 years, I’m sure I’ll be working with technology that doesn’t exist today which is really exciting. I plan to have Master’s degree, but I’m not sure if I will pursue ISE, something tech related, or an MBA. I think I will always work closely with technology, regardless of what I do next. I enjoy project based work and think my skills align with project management type roles. Right now, I’m dabbling in some new (to me) tech like Salesforce and Python, and I hope I continue to have that drive to learn new things.

What was your favorite part about being in SWE at Ohio State? What were some of the events you were involved in?

I was involved in a SWE 5K a few years ago where I worked the registration table with one of my roommates. At the time we didn’t know each other too well, but now she’s one of my best friends. Engineering definitely impacted our friendship — frequent complaining if I’m being totally honest. Having someone to go through it with you is so impactful on your success. SWE provides a whole group of people who are going through the same highs and lows right along with you.

Did you do an internship while at OSU?

I did a co-op and internship with Anheuser-Busch Columbus and Houston, respectively. I worked in Logistics during my co-op and focused on fork trucks and defective materials. During my internship in Houston, I worked in the QA lab working on improvements to the line sampling practices.

What did you do in undergrad that best helped you prepare for your career/future?

I always had a job. I worked part time at Anheuser-Busch during my senior year, but for a lot of my time in undergrad, I worked in the library coffee shops and became a manager. I think the coffee shop job gave me invaluable experience about working in teams and fast moving situations. Working a coffee shop job might seem trivial (and trust me, at times it seemed that way), but learning how to get 6 students to work harmoniously to serve 50+ students in 20 minutes taught me a lot about delegation, trust, team dynamics, skill alignment, etc. I would encourage students to for educational opportunities beyond the classroom.

Do you have any advice for current SWE members? What do you wish you knew in college?

Ask for help. I frequently think, “The worst thing they can say is no,” and so far that’s been true. During the recruiting process, I reached out to many people (even people I barely knew) who worked or interned for the companies where I was interviewing to get insights on their recruiting process. No one ever said no, and the information was invaluable. When I wanted to negotiate a job offer, I called my uncle because I didn’t know how to frame the conversation and I was incredibly nervous. When I didn’t know if I should take a job, I reached out to a wonderful professor (you might know her) to ask for some advice on how to decide. I’ve found that most people are willing and ready to help, but you have to take the step to ask for it. I didn’t start asking for help until way too late in undergrad, but it paid off when I finally did and has been extremely helpful in the working world to