Sunday, April 10, 2016

What's it like working for VMware? - Part 2

So many shiny objects.....


The first few weeks of joining VMware are overwhelming, to say the least. Like a kid in a candy store, I had so much information at my disposal I didn’t know where to start. I wanted to dive deep into everything but doing this is like jumping into the ocean with no life preserver and not knowing how to swim. I quickly learned that first I needed to focus on my customers' needs. I also learned, from talking with my new peers, that the “shiny object” problem never goes away. You just try to get used to this new normal and enjoy it.



Working with inspiring people

One of the coolest parts of my job is working with so many people that are way smarter than me. It’s awesome to be able to ask a question on Socialcast (VMware’s internal social network) and have access to Product Managers, Engineers, Architects and VMware Rockstars. They are all willing to help answer my questions so that I, in turn, can help my customers succeed with VMware solutions. I would always learn so much from these same people when I had access to them as a customer at VMworld and now I have access to even more of them all the time. Every day it is inspiring to work with such a great team that is driving innovation in the industry. Just this week I was able to meet up with some of my colleagues for dinner. One of them just started working for the VSAN sales team. His passion for VSAN was contagious. It's passionate people like this that make working for VMware amazing.

Challenges

The toughest challenge is getting up to speed on all the VMware products I didn't purchase as a customer but now need to learn quickly to help expertly guide my customers. For me it is also the most fun part because I now get to dive deep into various VMware products, especially those that I was not exposed to as a VMware customer. Also, looking back when I was a customer I only had to understand the mission and vision of the hospital I worked for. I only had one business infrastructure to keep track of. Now that I've gone from being a VMware customer to working in VMware Professional Services, I now have multiple customers with very different missions and visions. As an Enterprise TAM I split my time 2.5 days per week between these two customers. This can be challenging for some people and, to be honest, it’s not easy. But I am a challenge‐driven person and this challenge drives me to work hard and learn all I can about my customers' businesses. I have jumped into it with focused intensity and am quickly gathering the business goals of my customers. As a VMware TAM I am helping my customers map these goals to the VMware solutions they have purchased and create business outcomes.

Why I love it

Remember in part 1 of this blog series I talked about loving my job at the hospital because I was helping sick or injured people get better? The hospital I left is continuing to succeed with the infrastructure that I helped to design and build. But now with two customers it’s twice as much fun. Each of my customers has a major impact on the world and I get to be a part of what they do on a daily basis.
Also, I'll admit it, I'm an IT geek. Working for the leader in compute virtualization is exciting. I get to see what goes on behind the curtain at VMware. I get to be part of the conversation and innovation on future releases and new features. Getting access to all of the latest software bits to try out in my home lab is fun as well.
In 2015 Fortune magazine named VMware #40 on the list of Top 100 companies to work for. I am excited to be working for a company that rises to the ranks of the best with their benefits and perks for employees.

Ready for a challenge?

Are you ready to step up your game? Are you ready for a big challenge? Do you want to join VMware? Make it your goal this year to join VMware. Start by setting attainable career goals. Next, find a mentor, someone you can trust that will push you to succeed. Then put a timeline to those goals and stick to it. Without a timeline you'll just keep putting it off. Work on your social network, join your local VMUG and get to know people in your area. Don't have a local VMUG? Start one!

When I began my journey I didn’t know exactly where it would take me but I’m glad I did it. The rewards are huge and I’m not looking back.

Do you have questions about working at VMware?  Add a comment below and I'd love to talk with you about it.





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