My first month at Airwalk Reply

It is a huge, satisfying breath of fresh air, with anticipated excitement for the future. This is just one way I would describe my first month at Airwalk Reply, moving into a new role, sector, and environment.  Like many people, I also felt a tinge of trepidation when moving into a new sector, one so often perceived to be a male-dominated space.  

Although the latter wasn’t a huge concern, I still had reservations about taking the plunge into a technology environment.  Whilst I know there are so many brilliant women in tech companies who have also, historically, been extremely influential in technological progression, I was mindful of whether my next company would be as friendly, inclusive and culturally progressive as I had been used to.  Would my new company be the right fit for me? Would it focus purely on technology and not all the other values that make a great working environment? Would I be respected for my contributions and experience in influencing business decisions and technological improvements? would everyone talk in an advanced tech language I wouldn’t understand?

My career background was completely different from the world I was joining, but I had been fortunate in previous roles to be part of strong senior management teams that were gender-balanced, with women in senior positions who had always been influential in motivating, leading, and nurturing the teams and the business.

Had I been spoilt all these years, and what if no one took me seriously?  I was concerned that moving into the technology world would mean my skills were perceived as less important, my leadership and organisational qualities may be seen as fluffy because I was not writing code or able to speak eloquently on cloud optimisation.  

However, I did not want the other skills and experience I possessed to become stale and knew I wanted to move to an industry where I would be challenged, where every day was different and where I could contribute to future technology and innovation.  

If the drive into the ever-changing world of technology was a daunting prospect, the people and values of Airwalk Reply provided me with the conviction and confidence that I had made the right choice of company.  

When I joined Airwalk Reply, any previous fears were removed straight away. The first thing that struck me about the culture was the friendliness, supportive nature, and diversity of experience, talent, and abilities. It was apparent that the company welcomed and invited you to share your existing experience, knowledge, and ideas and to get involved with the many initiatives they have in place. I didn’t need to have been worried (and I had my Airwalk Buddy to help if I was lost).

Airwalk Reply has an amazing blend of talent and skill and the world really is your oyster, no matter what you want to achieve. Passion and an inquisitive mind is encouraged, with knowledge sharing via lunch and learns, presentations and group discussions all being part of the norm.  Training and feeling valued is paramount and the inclusion you feel from day one is tangible via a thorough, informative onboarding and induction process. 

Your career progression pathway is clearly visible and coaching and mentoring is available from managers, peers and colleagues. I feel like everyone invests in you to do well and wins are celebrated, and the can-do betters are learned from.  

Team work, collaboration and communication is the foundation to the business and colleagues have been very open and obliging to help or explain their day-to-day which really helps in understanding how everything fits together. 

Embarking on my new career with Airwalk Reply as a Senior Consultant has been really refreshing and the best decision career-wise I have made.  

I have already learned so much in my short time here, becoming a qualified FinOps Practitioner and studying for the Microsoft Azure Fundamentals exam. The company's investment in my training has empowered me further, and my new role has given me new zest and motivation to develop my skills and build my knowledge even more. 

The collaborative, inspiring and respectful approach extends to what we aim to deliver to our customers and each other. I have only been here a short time, but I am inspired and excited for my future career. 

Sounds too good to be true? Working for a consultancy is hard work. There’s an emphasis on everyone playing a part in helping to grow the business, so if you only want to deliver the bare minimum, then it probably won’t be for you. 

If you are thinking about moving to somewhere new or starting your career in technology, I would definitely recommend our company. We all have those not-so-great workdays, but a strong team and managers who listen are exactly what you need. Airwalk Reply really is a great place to work.  

Technology, Done Right is our philosophy, but Airwalk Reply is so much more than that. The culture is unique, and I am proud to be an Airwalker (I have the umbrella and water bottle to prove it!).

Join us; you won’t regret it and definitely won’t look back.






 

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