As I sat down to brainstorm ideas for this blog, I began to think about where I was when I started a few years ago and where I am now. When I was hired, I knew next to nothing about the inner-workings of data center IT. I was just your average computer nerd, or “the computer guy” as I became known around the house and to my friends. I had plenty of experience with hardware, but I had no clue just how deep the IT rabbit hole went … I jumped in anyway.
Before I give you an example of one of the challenges I had to tackle early on, I should back up and explain a pretty important observation I had about SoftLayer: Despite how cheesy it may sound, SoftLayer is a family. If you are willing to learn and have a good work ethic, SoftLayer will to take you under its wing, and the sky is the limit. I was willing to learn, and I’d like to think I have a good work ethic, so I took on a pretty ambitious task: Learn Linux.
As a Server Build Technician — the physical “hands and eyes” in a data center — you can’t get by without an intimate knowledge of Linux. As it turns out, trying to learn everything there is to know about Linux is sort of like saying “Get to the end of the Internet.” Even after a few years of working with Linux, I still learn new things almost daily, and I’m sure that I’ll continue to learn as long as I’m surrounded by Linux servers and other brilliant technicians who can share their Linux expertise. I could probably write a whole series of blog posts about all of the crazy things I’ve seen Linux servers do, but I’ll focus on this “intro” blog first. Since starting with SoftLayer, my tenuous grasp of Linux was strengthened and eventually validated by my Linux+ certification!
That’s only one little example of the kind of environment SoftLayer creates, and I could share dozens more.
When SLayers are treated like individuals rather than “employees,” the culture is different. Managers and supervisors LISTEN to your problems/frustrations and are quick to offer their help and advice. I can feel comfortable to express personal issues with anyone in management, and I’ve had a handful of heartfelt talks with higher-ups that I would never dreamed of having at previous jobs. As a result, I’m excited when I walk into work because I feel like I get to hang out and work with friends for eight hours every day.
My coworkers and I can joke around one minute, and the next minute, we can have a serious and thoughtful conversation about how we could improve our processes or serve customers better better. Not only does that experience make for a comfortable working environment, it also creates a net of trust among coworkers. You know without a doubt that you can rely on your coworkers for anything.
I know it sounds like I’m stretching the truth (and the blog word count), but to be honest, there isn’t enough room on this page to describe exactly how awesome I think the people at SoftLayer are. I’ve made many, many friends and roughly zero enemies. That’s a pretty good ratio if you ask me. If you are even a TINY bit interested in IT, there’s no better place to get your career started (or continued) than SoftLayer. There are positions for every skill set and level, and it doesn’t stop there … You aren’t locked into one position or department if you find yourself more passionately drawn to another area of the business. SoftLayer encourages you to branch out and explore your career options, and if you want to move up, you’re encouraged and supported by management to put forth the effort.
TL;DR If you’re interested in getting into anything IT related, SoftLayer has a place for you, and as a very happy employee, I’d highly recommend taking advantage of that opportunity.
-Broc
