2021 Women in Commercial Real Estate: Emily Maresco, Project Engineer, DPS Group Global

What led you to your current profession? The desire to accomplish tasks more efficiently and effectively lead me to be an engineer. I have always been a problem solver and wanted to put my skills to use. I discovered chemical engineering and realized that I could use my abilities to design and create products that could benefit society. I shifted into a project engineer role because I am a people person, and very much enjoy interacting with clients! My current role at DPS allows me to be social, and my background in engineering is a contributing factor to our project successes.

What are some of the benefits of being a mentor or having a mentor? I have always thrived the most while working under a mentor. I discovered project engineering because a mentor at one of my co-ops thought it would be a great fit for me and he was right! Mentorship is extremely important because it allows you to see what options are available in specific career paths. I have always tried to pay it forward and mentor others. Throughout college, I volunteered in a freshman class every semester and shared my experiences, hoping to be able to give some valuable insight to others.

What trends will dominate your industry in the coming months? Hybrid working is currently dominating the workforce. The pandemic showed us that working from home can be feasible and productive, but it also showed us what we were missing without face-to-face interactions. Sleeping an extra half hour and avoiding rush hour traffic not only quiets my cursing, but it also provides extra flexibility. At home, I can avoid interruptions that would otherwise interfere with my work. Yet, in addition to missing the free lunch provided by DPS, I miss the easy exchange of ideas that is only possible with physically being in the workplace.

What time management strategies do you find to be the most effective for you? Time management has always been something I have considered extremely important. I like to focus on making lists and scheduling my time appropriately, remembering that projects require proper planning and scheduling is key to successful schedule execution. As a project engineer, working on many projects at the same time, I have found list making to be my most effective strategy for time management and general organization. Once I have tasks written down for the day, I have a clear path to follow. It is also very satisfying when you complete tasks and can cross them off your list!