SMIFutures Early Career Profiles: Harriet Rowlands

It’s time to introduce you to another of our thriving SMIFutures members. Meet Harriet Rowlands, Business Development Manager at Sonihull. 

In this interview, Harriet discusses finding her place in the maritime industry, the importance of building your professional network and gaining the confidence to voice her opinions, even in daunting environments. 

Can you tell us about your educational background and how it prepared you for your current role in the maritime industry?

I had always wanted to have a Business based job and studies Business Studies at A-Level, along with Sociology and English Language. This led me to do a degree in International Business Management where I learnt a board set of skills through all aspects of a business. This allowed me to get an understanding of which route I wanted to go, whether marketing, accounting and then management. Within my time at University, I did a placement year at an Estate Agency where I did majority of marketing and customer engagement. This built my workplace confidence and my ability to network.

What challenges did you face during the early years of your career, and how did you overcome them?

There are a lot of challenges that I faced in my early career, the biggest being building confidence in a majority male environment. It seemed very daunting to voice my opinions to senior members of my team, however when I became more knowledgeable on the topics we were discussing, it gave me confidence to do so. I believe that building the knowledge and understanding on specific projects will give the most confidence to speak in daunting situations, but also not being afraid to ask the silly questions so you can become better within your role.

How do you balance work and personal life, and what strategies do you use to maintain a healthy work-life integration?

I stick to the rule that nothing should come home from the office. If you need to work that extra hour to get the task done, then do so but when you return home you leave the work at the office.

What skills or qualities do you believe are essential for success in the maritime industry, especially for early career professionals?

I believe the skills that are essential in the maritime industry are networking skills, critical thinking, and adaptability. There are a lot of events that take place in the maritime industry such as boat shows and conferences that are a great way to expand your network and give you insight into what is happening in different sectors. As this industry is so interlinked it is vital to be able to network with people to help grow your knowledge. Critical thinking allows you to see outside the box and solve problems in a fast manner and with the ability to adapt into any scenario, this makes you a vital member of a team.

How do you envision the future of the maritime industry, and what role do you believe young professionals will play in shaping its trajectory?

I can see maritime becoming greener and more streamline in the way it works, I believe the younger generation have more of an emphasis on this. This will help the ongoing change to becoming more eco-friendly as we will become the decision makers for the future.