2020 Women in Real Estate: Jaxa Patel, Project Controls Engineer at DPS Group Global

What aspects of working from home have you enjoyed most? I really love working in an office environment. It’s great to be able to answer questions or offer suggestions directly to your colleagues. However, while working from home, I have enjoyed the peaceful environment where I was able to focus more, and I also use the lunch break to quickly cook something for myself. While cooking, I can completely switch myself off from work, so it gives me a nice mental break. I feel everyone should be encouraged to work from home for at least one day a week.

What is the best advice you have received, and who was it from? Early in my career, my boss advised me that to be a good engineer, one should never make assumptions and always ask questions. 

What honor, achievement or recognition means the most to you and why? I am an immigrant who came to the United States to make a career for myself. In doing so, I feel that I did not just get a job, but that I have found my place at DPS. The project managers I work with value my opinion, my suggestions are heard, and ideas are implemented. The positive feedback and encouragement I get from my colleagues is an honor and I feel a great sense of accomplishment. 

How have you been networking during the lockdown? Thanks to the video conferencing we have available these days, networking did not slow down for me. I still reach out to my professional network as often as before. While virtual can never fully replace the experience of meeting in person, I am glad that I’m still able to connect with people even in this unprecedented time.