Current value: Someone asked me today, “Angel, how did you get hired?” My reply was, “I was brought on in 1997 because I graduated top of my class, Summa Cum Laude.” She didn’t believe me and said she was serious, that she wanted to know how I got the job. The thing is, I was being serious—that’s exactly how I got the job.
I guess lucky timing combined with hard work when it mattered were the reasons I got in here. One of my school alumni had put out a request for a new employee working in the release management migrations team.
I had just finished my Associate’s Degree, and my college offered job placement. I remember being offered two job opportunities: one I don’t remember, and the other at Doots Bank—that’s how the administrator pronounced it.
The jobs were being offered to their star students, of which I was one. I think there were only two other people being considered, la crème de la crème.
The student community there at the time treated college the same as grade school, just wanting to get by. Although just getting by can land you a job in an air conditioner business.
I remember being approached with something like, “Hey Angel, if the Doots thing doesn’t pan out, we have this air conditioning job you can try, we are sure you’ll get it.” You should see how I looked at them. I responded, “I worked too hard here, paying for an education, to get a job I could have gotten on my own, without a degree.”
I don’t remember how or why I chose this one at Doots over the other one, but it was the beginning of a 15-year-long ride that I’m still on.
The interview process was pretty funny. The gentleman interviewing me was complaining because I was making him look bad by dressing up. He told me to relax and just talk like a normal person chilling. He asked me a few questions, then a few minutes later he said, “You have the job, but you have to talk to one more person. He’s a little tough, so try and stay calm and don’t let him intimidate you.”
The next guy I interviewed with, a big bear of a guy, looked at me and said, “Does he like you? Does the last guy that interviewed you like you?” I replied, “Yes, sir, he does.” He then said, “Okay, then you are good. Get out of my office and remove that tie.”
As I walked back to the first interviewer’s office, shocked, I was introduced to a few people. One of them said, “Look here, I’m a crazy guy. You stay out of my way and there’ll be no problems. Welcome to Doots.”
Again, I was in shock. Later, my future manager came over and said, “I see you met . He’s harmless, don’t worry about him. Come in next week to start on the migrations team.”
Shortly thereafter, another guy walked past us, nodded at me, then walked away.
I’d go on to see some pretty wild things in that office, including a few situations I cannot disclose.
The place has changed a lot since then, but that is the true story of how I started at Doots Bank.
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