Yibing Zhao

Evolve and make your vision come true

Being successful requires to view things from different perspectives.

The excitement on the faces of young school kids and experienced researchers when making a discovery while looking through a ZEISS microscope – this is what makes Zhao Yibing proud and motivates her to continue her adventurous journey. As a university student, she already knew that her future work should have a positive impact on others. She dreamed of being part of a team that helps create something important in life. And at ZEISS, she made her dream come true.

Eight years ago, Zhao was studying at the renowned Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), one of the 11 Universities of Excellence in Germany. At that time, ZEISS offered her the opportunity to be part of the “ZEISS Microscope” internship program in Jena, Germany. Her time at ZEISS changed her future career plan. Yibing was so impressed by this innovative atmosphere that she joined ZEISS after graduation:

I still remember this time vividly, it was a real eye-opener. During this short internship I discovered the exceptional developments at ZEISS, and I experienced the innovative spirit of the teams and company culture. I saw their will to embrace challenges and to work towards breakthroughs.

The art of seeing the big picture

When she joined ZEISS, it was Yibing’s dream to create something visionary in her job, something meaningful that would change peoples’ lives. There’s no doubt she’s smart enough to do this. She was an excellent student at university, and in her first job at ZEISS, as an application engineer, she did outstandingly well in developing 3D and automation products with ultra-high-resolution, confocal lens scanning. However, she soon realized it is not enough to improve in only one field if you want to change the world, as she did. She knew she had to overcome a much bigger challenge: that is, she had to learn to see the bigger picture, to see patterns instead of pieces. She had to develop from a specialist with some general knowledge to a seasoned generalist with some specialist knowledge. So she accepted the challenge.

Changing from a technical researcher to a marketer is about making the transition from independent work to teamwork. In the Marketing department we have a clear focus on teamwork; we discuss many things in a group. Being part of a team effort is something I learned at ZEISS and I very much appreciate it.

Let the team help you grow

The role of a technical researcher focuses on product-oriented strategies, whereas the role of a marketer is more about identifying trends and meeting customer needs. Technical staff usually give priority to independent tasks, such as coordinating with the Sales department to meet customer needs. The Marketing team primarily focuses on the big picture, i.e. tries to identify trends and generate sweeping generalizations by understanding the differences. This puts higher demands on the person’s ability. It requires the employee to have a strong technical knowledge base on the one hand, and on the other you need to possess the ability to think about the big picture, beyond all product lines. For Yibing, taking on new challenges and working in a team has been a very exciting and rewarding experience.

We want to bring new ideas and methods of cooperation to the table in order to identify new marketing strategies. In the future, I hope that I can push myself to seize new opportunities and make a difference.

Step outside your comfort zone

For marketing staff, finding a balance between setting priorities and focusing on the big picture is a constant challenge. 

During her time at ZEISS, Yibing has learned to step outside her comfort zone. By doing so, she has helped to improve the company's marketing strategy and technical expertise, as well as make a difference to society.

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