Her Story
About Stefanie
Stefanie Kilpatrick is a professional in the industrial manufacturing industry based in Atlanta, Georgia. She has earned multiple Parachute Awards at her company for exceeding her regular duties. Kilpatrick is pursuing a doctorate and values her employer's supportive culture, which offers schedule flexibility for her as a single mother and sponsors her education. She attributes her success to her mother, who encouraged her as a miracle baby and modeled perseverance by earning three degrees after dropping out of school young. Kilpatrick advises young women in her field to negotiate salary offers and know their worth, drawing from her own experience of accepting the first offer without negotiation. She notes challenges in her industry including layoffs due to tariffs and severed international ties, emphasizing the need to manage the human impact empathetically while completing work. Her career advice includes being authentic in interviews, which helped her gain acceptance into a selective doctorate program.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Stefanie
01What do you attribute your success to?
My mom always spoke life into me and made me feel like I was a special seed. She dropped out of school at a young age but went back and now has three degrees. She always encouraged me and believed in me as her miracle baby.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Be yourself in interviews because the people interviewing you are just like you and you are also interviewing them. Be honest about what you know and don't know. This advice helped me get into my doctorate program where being relaxed stood out.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Do not accept the first offer. Negotiate your salary and ask for what you are worth. Know your worth and be confident in your abilities and education. If you don't ask, it's 100% a no, but if you ask there's at least a 50% chance.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
There have been a lot of layoffs in our field due to tariffs and severing ties with countries. Companies are trying to lower costs by laying off labor, which is a high cost. It's been difficult managing the human side while getting the job done, showing empathy to those training us before losing their jobs.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
A good work environment and culture with flexibility around my schedule as a single mother. My company works around my needs as long as the work gets done, which makes me want to work harder for them. They even sponsor my education.
Join Influential Women and start making an impact. Register now.