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My Job Description… I'm Vice President and Client Partner at a web development firm based in Atlanta. My job is to make sure that our clients are delighted with all aspects of our services … that's why I'm called a "client partner". Let's say we're starting at the 'ground floor' with a client; helping them create a mission and a business plan. I work with them to make sure it's a 'fit'. Or, if we're working with an established business that needs a web site, I see to it that the final look, feel, and 'branding' of the web site is compatible with the business. Along the way, I work with our internal web developers to make sure that the web site is easy to use (in the biz, we call this 'usability testing'), and that its organization makes sense. I get a great sense of personal gratification watching something develop from 'soup to nuts' - from ideas being tossed around to a piece of online artistry that describes a client's business and informs its customers. There's really nothing quite like it. And How I Got It… I graduated from college with a degree in Computer Science. I got an internship as a programmer with BellSouth, where I was able to put my academic knowledge of programming to work in the real world. I worked as a programmer for 13 years; at that point, I realized that what I enjoyed most about my job was the 'people part' - working with members of my team and talking to people about their programming needs. This came as a surprise to me; I had always thought of myself as a 'tekkie'. However, if you enjoy something, you're generally good at it. So, I got promoted to project manager, then customer service manager. From that point on, I 'zig-zagged' between technical project management and customer service-based project management. I became fascinated with the Internet, so I got into project management in the web development industry. At each level, I got deeper into technology and learned more about keeping a project on track by directing people's individual talents in the most productive way. And Why I Was Well Suited For It (And It For Me)… If you asked me to choose between technology and people, I couldn't. So, being responsible for the 'delivery' of web-based products is a perfect fit for me. As a kid, I also loved working on projects from the very beginning to the very end. That was a great indicator of what I'd enjoy in the future. When I’m Not Working, I’m… Singing in an a cappella quintet. We specialize in spiritual songs, both traditional and modern gospel, but we also enjoy barbershop quartet songs. I'm also an avid golfer and basketball player. |
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