After languishing in a stressful job as a salesman for a discount tire company, Steve knew he needed a change. Interested in computers since he was young, he really wanted to pursue a career in IT, but he lacked a formal education or training in the field. Fortunately, the tire company gave him the flexibility to attend school for networks and communications, and he found his first IT job at Accent Computer Solutions.
As a systems administrator for Accent, Steve spends his days working through help tickets, prioritizing urgent issues, and solving client problems. He’s part of the blue team, which is assigned a dedicated set of clients to assist. The team frequently communicates with each other to brainstorm and collaborate according to their strengths.
“Steve dives right in and gets the job done,” said Eric, one of Steve’s coworkers. “He isn’t afraid to tackle new issues and learn new systems, which fits perfectly with our core value of having a can-do attitude.”
Team Members Maximize Each Other’s Strengths
When he first started at Accent, Steve was intentionally put on the blue team because his background in accounting software was an asset they needed. He appreciates that his supervisors thoughtfully placed him where he would be the best fit and that he can count on his team to provide expertise in areas where he might not be as strong.
“We communicate and brainstorm a lot. We all have strengths and weaknesses,” Steve explained. “I think we all work really well together, and our communication is good.”
Wanted IT As a Career, Not Just a Hobby
When he decided to pursue a career in IT, Steve’s dad didn’t think it was a good idea. He encouraged Steve to follow in his own footsteps and land a well-paid job in the construction industry that would allow Steve to tinker with computers as a hobby.
Steve, however, decided to move forward with his plans and made a career out of IT, steadily advancing and increasing his salary. His dad has watched Steve build his career and is proud of him for following his passion, even though he had to eat his words and admit that IT is a great profession.
Ongoing Opportunities to Learn
Steve says that he’s challenged every day to not just become better at what he does but to be extraordinary. For him, working on complex infrastructures to fix issues and improve performance is a thrill, and he considers roadblocks as opportunities to learn.
“I'm challenged every day, and I get frustrated sometimes, but that's how you learn," said Steve. "We have so many clients, and the multitude of issues that we get to deal with is almost a blessing because of how much stuff we get to learn on a daily basis."
Working with the latest technology means that Steve and his coworkers are encouraged to stay up to date with their knowledge. He credits the organization with surrounding him with a strong team of people that encourage him to learn and develop his skills.
Inspired to Be a Rock-Solid IT Technician
Steve draws inspiration for his professional development by watching the people around him and using them as models for his own career. Whenever he's aiming for a specific goal, such as to be an L-3 technician, he only needs to communicate it with his supervisors. They, in turn, will do what they can to help Steve achieve that goal, like putting him with good team members and recommending mentors.
This is so different from a previous employer, where employees were competitive and not collaborative, or another employer where relationships between people weren't valued.
Steve says, "It's the people that keep me at Accent. It's working with these people who are like my best friends."
