Chris
Program Management
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On the Job
“I moved into program management after 10 years in engineering. Now I’m responsible for the day-to-day execution of a program. Later in the life of that program I become its business development manager. The part of my job that I like best is working with customers to develop new ideas and new opportunities for business.”
A Unique Company
“Qualcomm really treats people like people. There doesn’t seem to be an aura of politics here, and people have opportunities to learn and grow. I earned my M.B.A. while working here. After I got it, I wanted to see what was beyond engineering. I wanted to explore the business side of this organization. Qualcomm gave me the opportunity to do that in the form of my current role.”
Corporate Values: Innovate, Execute, Partner
“Execution is the Qualcomm value I identify with the most. I’m diligent by nature, and that’s a plus for doing my job well. In executing a program, I have to understand the problem, come up with a plan for solving it, keep a group of people on task to meet that plan and then work through any issues.”
Wireless Technologies Make a Difference
“Qualcomm is focused on progressing wireless technologies as opposed to waiting for technology to happen. Our company has plenty of patents and we can make all kinds of money on those patents without having to do anything else. Instead, we sink a lot of money into R&D to develop technologies that will make the world a better place.”
Learning and Development
“Qualcomm's learning resources have allowed me to create a development plan that align with my particular interest areas. The reading material, online classes and on-site programs have been excellent in addressing areas of my development plan. The combination of the development plan and the activities I'm doing to address this plan allow me to have a productive and open dialog with my manager to discuss areas for improvement. At Qualcomm, people have opportunities to grow as quickly as they are ready for new opportunities. To be prepared, we need to grow ourselves to ensure that we're ready to move to the next step. Qualcomm leaders embrace development and encourage it.”
A Natural Fit for my School’s Alumni
“University of Illinois is a fantastic university. It has a diversity of top-notch programs and they’re continuing to invest in their programs, particularly in the computer science area. The work environment at Qualcomm is challenging and progressive, similar to how it was at school. The caliber of people here is also very high. If you want to know where the best of the best end up, it’s Qualcomm.”
