On the day job

Yesterday I hinted at a day job…

Remember when I posted about getting our car back two months ago? At the end I joked that a job offer was all that was needed to make my birthday week complete.

What I didn’t mention was that I had applied for a job just a few days earlier, and in fact I got an email inviting me to an interview a mere sixteen minutes after my birthday ended at midnight a day after that post.

Two interviews, a five-week trial period and another interview later, and today I started working for…

No. It’s better if I show you:

Automatic About Us page
Where’s KokkieH?

Today I officially joined Automattic, Inc. as a WordPress.com Happiness Engineer. Specifically, I’m working in the team responsible for live chat support, so if you type into that little chat box in your dashboard, especially during European/African daylight hours, there’s a fair chance that I’ll be the one answering you to help you get your site looking the way you want.

Surprised? Me too. While not exactly a spur-of-the-moment decision, applying wasn’t something I had been planning for a long time. But I don’t regret my decision for a moment. Automattic is turning out to be one amazing place to work, and I’m incredibly excited about the journey that’s lying ahead of me.

On September first I gave my blog a new look to symbolise my choice to also make a new beginning in my life. I’m happy to say the effect of that choice is surpassing my wildest imaginations, never mind expectations.

Watch this space…

53 thoughts on “On the day job”

  1. Hello KokkieH,

    I had to search you after seeing how you respond to forums! 🙂 I really like the way you handle them – amazing! You’re my favorite now. I started volunteering to forums, because I also wanted the HE post. I already have my journey started, interview next week, faithfully waiting for the outcome of this. 🙂 I have been a WP user for almost a decade, but for some reasons I only learned that it’s a distributed company a few months ago, and they’re hiring. I was like feeling lost trying to find the right path, when I came across the job advert. Now, waiting to see what He has for me. 🙂 🙂 – Rose

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    1. Hi Rose! Great to hear that you’ve applied. Good luck with the interview, and hope to see you on the inside soon 😀

      I volunteered in the forums for two years before I even thought of applying, but haven’t looked back once since.

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      2. Ha! I’m not entirely sure how I made it 😉

        I’d say show the hiring team that you’re passionate about helping people (assuming you’re applying for a HE position), willing to go the extra mile, take initiative and think about stuff that’s not always obvious. And on trial the way you work with the rest of the team is as important as the way you work with users. It’s something that I noticed from day one: everyone is always ready to help out someone else.

        Liked by 1 person

      2. You can find all that information here (though the Staff Answers section of that doc is a bit dated). Short version, if you don’t have any upgrades the forums are the best place to get help. Add “modlook” to the tags if you think it’s something only staff can help with, but unless it’s upgrade-related chances are the Volunteers will be able to help you just fine. The veterans among them have all been doing this much longer than me, after all.

        If you have upgrades you can use the contact form link on that page (once support re-opens on Monday morning US time) or you can start a live chat if you see the chat box appear on your dashboard. If we have enough people available you might even see the chat box if you don’t have an upgrade, but that’s not a guarantee.

        As my comments policy also points out, I don’t give support via if all else fails… It’s not because I’m trying to be an ass, but because this blog is my personal space and because boundaries. But if you contact us via one of those channels it’s our job to make you happy, and we take our job very seriously 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

      3. Ha ha ha – ok, I shall do that Chat box thing. I tried the Public forum Q and A sets, but I think I am a bit “doff” when it comes to technology 🙂 I will definitely respect your ‘private space’, though I must say, I admire your know-how. Well all tecky’s now-how….

        Liked by 1 person

      5. I tried to get my Facebook link on the site, – does not work – but shows, and tried to get a translator on the site – installed and copied various code, and buttons etc but I never got any of the translation goodies to work.

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