Like Jonathan, I joined SoftLayer in San Jose (SJC01), and despite my interest in the technology SoftLayer manages for customers on a day-to-day basis, I didn’t have many of the skills I’d need in the data center. That’s where the training program came into play … I can’t tell you how valuable it was to learn how SoftLayer approaches cloud and data center operations. My previous jobs were in manufacturing, so I was accustomed to working with hardware and machines, so after a bit of a learning curve, I started to feel comfortable with the instruction and hands-on challenges that were put in front of me during the training program.

Once I was able to start applying what I learned in training, I started feeling “at home” when I got to the data center. I’m one of the many people responsible for supporting data center operations, and while I’m more of a “hands on” person, I don’t forget the “big picture” of the significance of that responsibility. SoftLayer servers are the lifeblood of businesses around the world, and I owe it to those customers to provide the best service I can when it comes to managing their hardware. If that starts feeling daunting, I can look to my peers and ask questions about any problem, and I know I’ll get a quick, helpful answer. I know SoftLayer is built on innovation and automation, but the unstated “education” piece is what has appealed to me the most as an employee.

One of my favorite resources to consult on a daily basis is the SoftLayer wiki — SLiki. If I ever forget any technical specifications or get confused about how to configure a specific type of hardware, I fire up my browser and hit the SLiki. If I’m not sure how to troubleshoot a given transaction or want to learn a little more about a topic like cloud computing or object storage, I can search the SLiki and get the answer in no time.

When friends and family have asked me what it’s like to work at SoftLayer, I tell them that I’m constantly amazed and impressed impressed by my coworkers. It’s hard to explain in a way that doesn’t sound corny, but everyone I work with seems to enjoy supporting customers, interacting with other SLayers and making the SJC01 data center run like a top.

Pretty recently, I had my first Truck Day, and it made me love working for SoftLayer even more. It was pretty awe-inspiring to see SLayers from every department in our office joining the SBTs at the loading dock to unpack, sort and rack a huge shipment of SuperMicro servers. Everyone was sweaty, and I’m sure a few people were pretty sore the next day, but after all was said and done, we all felt like we’d accomplished something significant for our customers.

I’m proud to be a SLayer.

-Cuong

When the opportunity came up a couple of months ago to interview with Paul Ford and the Community Development team, my response was almost instinctual: I jumped at the chance. Having met him and several members of the team in San Francisco in the past (picture below), I knew the kinds of individuals he surrounded himself with — incredibly smart, talented, hard-working, and just downright COOL people. That’s right … Seldom do you find a team in a corporate environment where you can actually say the people are all awesome — people you would want to hang out with even if you didn’t work with them.

After going through the interview process, I hopped on a plane to Dallas to visit the Alpha headquarters. In the whirlwind of introductions and training sessions, I was surprised how productive the trip ended up being. I met most of the folks I’ll be working with on a regular basis, and I had the opportunity to learn more and more about what Community Development is doing. And I was blown away at how much of that work was being done for other companies. The impression I get is that the impact Community Development is having on the business community is real, it’s measurable and it’s making a difference. It’s impactful. From mentorship to event sponsorship to expert recommendations about infrastructure and architecture, nowhere in the industry can you find a company that works so hard for its customers. Trust me. I looked. Nowhere.

When I returned to San Francisco (where I live and will be based), I happened upon the Game Developers Conference where SoftLayer was present in a big way. I grabbed lunch with an existing client, I could tell their interaction with our team was no different from mine when I was a customer: Both sides clearly work together to find a solution that works for everyone. The interaction seemed to transcend the traditional “client-vendor” relationship, and it was clear that the Softlayer team was deeply committed to the client’s mission and product offering.

Learning all of the different ways Softlayer is helping them (beyond providing server and hosting solutions) was would have been astounding … If I didn’t already kind of expect it from my experience. I couldn’t help but be ecstatic about what’s to come.

I met with the team at the GDC booth and got some more first-hand perspective about how we’re embraced by the community. Walking the show floor and coming back to our almost-always-crowded booth (after seeing so many other booths quiet and empty) reinforced my feeling that I joined one of the most exciting companies in the industry. Our Server Challenge kept the booth BUSY for the entire time I was at the show — both days.

Observing how our team engaged the visitors drove home a point I touched on earlier: That SoftLayer employees CARE about every client and prospect. They asked questions about the attendee’s business, what the business’s needs were, and (most impressively to me) held back on “the hard sell.” And that’s pretty unique in itself.

As I embark on week number two of my employment (and beyond), I can’t wait to learn more and more so I can become an integral part of the team. If you’re ever on the West Coast and want to talk SoftLayer, hit me up!

-Joshua