Here at Sierra w/o Wires, we take pride in getting to know our employees, we’re like a family here! This month we wanted to put the spotlight on one team member, Justin Marks. Justin has been with the SWOW family for 2 months working as a Server Operations Engineer. Justin has an associate’s degree in Information Technology and Network Administration from the Pittsburgh Technology Institute. On top of that, he also has a bachelor’s degree in Computer Information Systems from California University of Pennsylvania.
Justin has a wide range of interests and hobbies that tell a
lot about his personality. When not working at Sierra, Justin likes to keep up
on new technologies, progressive metal, political reform and PC gaming. If you
don’t find him playing his bass guitar or kayaking, he’s’ probably is riding
his motorcycle or volunteering!
We asked Justin what his favorite place he ever traveled to
and he said:
“I went to Australia the summer
before my high school senior year. It’s the furthest I’ve been away from home,
and had a pretty awesome time. I got to bring home a didgeridoo that I learned
to play, tried all kinds of good food, and slept in a heavy sleeping bag in the
desert under the stars.”
Sounds like a great trip to us! Australia is an amazing
place that not many people get to visit in their life time so we think Justin
is a lucky guy!
Most business professionals have their own tips and tricks
that they like to abide by. Here’s one from Justin that we think everyone can
benefit from:
“Go to networking events, meet
people, shake hands, and make connections. Make a LinkedIn profile, keep it up
to date, and keep in touch. Knowing people ends up being more valuable than a
degree.”
Networking can be a really powerful tool when used properly.
“Networking is considered the most effective way of finding a job –
particularly in challenging economic times. According to the U.S. Bureau of
Labor Statistics, 70% of all jobs are found through networking.” (Networking)
Networking is a great opportunity to find jobs that haven’t even been posted
yet. Employers are more comfortable hiring someone they have met prior to any
interview processes because they know the persons personality, which is usually
reflected in their work. Like Justin
said, keep in touch! Keeping in touch is a key success factor when it comes to
networking. While you might not be looking for a job you will find many
references that may come in hand in the future. If you’re going to a company
sponsored event, a trade show, or even just the mall, have your business card… you
never know who you are going to run in to! Who knew something so simple could
be so effective? The Sierra team now challenges you to go out and network to
see what untapped opportunities are in store!
"Networking." Networking. Yale University, Web. 27
Apr. 2015. ` <http://ocs.yale.edu/content/networking>.