Charting New Waters with Evan Basta: Classical Musician Turned Sales Engineer
Ten years ago, if you asked Evan Basta if he knew he would be a sales engineer at Cisco today, he probably would have laughed and looked at you in disbelief. Since childhood, Evan has played the viola, and having spent years crafting his musical gift, he was accepted into the prestigious Eastman School of Music as an undergraduate viola performance major. It seemed only fitting that Evan would pursue a career as an orchestral musician.
However, in his sophomore year of college, Evan admitted, “I had a change of heart. I decided that music was more of a hobby, [rather than a job].” Although he was a member of the Eastman Philharmonia, the school’s top orchestral ensemble, Evan realized that music simply wasn’t as fulfilling as he expected. At such a pivotal point in his life, Evan was faced with a challenging decision — whether to continue down the straightforward path he had spent years preparing for or to completely shift gears and pursue a new journey.
After experiencing two years of conservatory, Evan transferred to the University of Rochester to study computer science. Evan describes this experience as “very impulsive,” having really no idea what he was getting himself into. Despite the dramatic change, Evan realized that he would rather do something completely different than being unhappy and stuck in a career years down the line.
During the transition, Evan faced numerous new obstacles. From being in a competitive academic environment to not excelling at his major anymore, Evan acknowledged that he “felt very vulnerable letting people know how clueless [he] felt.” In order to overcome these hardships, Evan relied on the strengths he acquired through music. Capitalizing on his creativity and soft skills, Evan excelled at group projects and building a supportive community to surround himself in. He recognized his “ability to sniff out people who were smart, who had certain skills, form teams, [and follow through] with the ideas that [he] brought to the table,” and through his friendships and connections, he was able to succeed beyond just the academic aspect. As a result, Evan attributes much of his success to his classmates and teammates who have supported him throughout college and beyond.
One of Evan’s many college highlights, Rochester Tech Repairs (now Campus Tech Repairs), reflects this skill. A small-scale tech-repair business, Evan and his team serviced tech issues that the IT Center could not, such as computer battery damage and other hardware malfunctions. Other highlights include his internships at Harris Corporation and MassMutual, in which he got to discover exactly what types and features of careers he enjoyed and did not. Although working as a financial advisor for MassMutual did not relate to computer science, it pointed him in the direction of sales engineering.
Today, Evan is a sales engineer at Cisco. Evan defines sales engineering as “a point where engineering intersects with sales,” bridging the knowledge gap between the complicated, technical side of technology and consumers by packaging products and solutions in a simplified and accessible manner. Essentially, Evan works to demystify and communicate the intricate processes that go into designing technological products to customers, helping them understand exactly what they’re buying and why they should buy it.
Evan concedes that he was extremely lucky to land a sales engineering job at Cisco. However, Evan perceives, rather than pure chance or unexpected fortunes, is “luck is a series of small investments that you make that pay off in the long-term.” Through befriending numerous people, Evan had a well-developed network of people who helped him find various opportunities, including his current job at Cisco. Through his internships, he pinpointed what he was looking for in a career, and found out that Cisco had an appealing opportunity. These small investments eventually paid off, getting Evan where he is now.
Although his grades weren’t top-notch, and it took him six years to acquire his undergraduate degree, Evan is a now successful professional in the workforce. He may not be the principal violist in the Berlin Philharmonic, and his academic GPA may not be considered successful, because Evan retained an open mindset and kept pushing himself to improve his strengths, he was able to overcome many of the challenges he faced.
About the author:
Michelle Shuai is the chief writer for Careers Uncorked and a rising sophomore at the University of Rochester, majoring in economics & history. Passionate about writing and story-telling, she is also the Features Editor for the UR Campus Times and an upcoming Writing Fellow at the Writing, Speaking, and Argument Program.
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