With the recent arrival of a new developer at jWeb, we felt that it was only appropriate to introduce you to our newest employee, Bill.
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After graduating from the University of Missouri, Columbia with his degree in Marketing and minors in Communications and Music, Bill started a career in the music business.
“I worked for a record label, Relativity Records, they were a medium sized independent label. I was a regional retail representative so I would go into the stores and get the staff to put up big posters of our artists and talk to them about a band coming into town. I really loved the job, but it didn’t pay much.”
So from there, he went to work at Maritz as a project director who was in charge of the team and put the projects together. There he learned how to run SQO reports and other things. But not much later, he went to their competitor in Peoria, Illinois where after six months, he decided to go back to school to earn his masters in Computer Science.
On To Web Development He Went
After earning his Masters in Computer Science, Bill started his own company building websites, primarily for home builders. In his position, he developed a contact management system for builders called the control panel. This meant that he built a custom look on top of application and then the builders maintained it from there on out. But after 18 years, he decided it was time to try working for someone else again.
So he decided that he was going to start learning the new technologies in order to feel more marketable in the current tech industry job market.
“I feel like a dinosaur being a PHP developer because I’ve been doing it for so long and there is newer and better stuff out there now.”
But after some time getting to know the new programs, he started casually looking for a new career. That’s when he stumbled upon jWeb Media.
What Are You Looking Forward to During Your Time At jWeb?
“What everyone looks forward to, I want to grow and increase my knowledge. When I built websites, I built PHP but I built from the ground up. So this is something new for me.”
After working for himself for 18 years from home, being able to get up whenever he wanted and work when he needed to, he began to miss contact with actual human beings. “I have my dog and my cat there but they aren’t really good conversationalists.”
Being with people and learning new things are something he is definitely looking to.
So Far So Good?
Just like any new worker, it can take some time to adjust to all the new things thrown your way.
“I have been here for 4 days and I feel like a complete moron because it’s something new. I usually work on PCs and it’s a Mac place so I can’t figure out how to do the simplest stuff, like trying to find the menu. I feel like I should know this stuff already but I don’t.”
You’ll get there Bill, just take it one day at a time.
Besides Work
When Bill isn’t tirelessly trying to figure out the differences between Mac’s and PC’s, or how to use Word Press, you can usually find him hanging out with his friends or listening to bands around town. He even plays the guitar, much like many of our other employees.
Any Advice For Others In Your Same Position?
“If it’s IT and web development, learn the newer technologies and learn the java script frameworks, that seems to be where things are moving.”
Well said Bill, well said. Looking forward to watching you grow!