Sold on a Career Path: My Internal Mobility Experience
By Niamh McLarnon, Major Account Sales Representative
When I enrolled at the University of Manchester, I was like a lot of new college students, in that I wasn’t really sure what I wanted to do for a career. I knew I was interested in business and how organizations developed and executed strategies, but in terms of where I might fit into that world, I wasn’t sure. I decided to pursue studies in business management as well as Spanish, which would open up the world of international business for me.
I spent a year abroad working in Barcelona as an intern at a local real estate firm, which was my first introduction to sales, and I discovered that I really enjoyed it. Part of my job was to show flats to people who were looking for rentals. I found I really liked the experience of matching the right client or renter with the right property. When someone found the perfect flat for them, it was pretty fulfilling. I realized that forming relationships was a strength and a source of enjoyment and motivation for me.
After my year in Barcelona, I enrolled in a graduate scheme, or training program, in management with an infrastructure services provider for the UK government. This not only enabled me to develop my sales skills, but also helped me to realize that I wanted to work in technology, which I knew would surely provide career growth and opportunity and also allow me to work alongside bright, talented people. I had my eye on a business role with a technology company, and I was fortunate that a former colleague of mine from Barcelona had gone on to work as a Business Development Representative (BDR) with Palo Alto Networks. He let me know about an open position with his team in Amsterdam, and I knew it was just the position I’d been looking for.
I was fortunate to be hired and began working as a BDR in December 2019, and I immediately began learning a tremendous amount, not only about cybersecurity but also about sales and sales enablement. I became fascinated with the concept of channel business sales, and I loved the aspect of building a relationship with a partner and enabling that partner to go out and sell our solutions successfully.
My manager actually joined the team the same day I did, which you can imagine meant that many systems and processes needed to be put into place and territories assigned. I was aligned to the regional team handling the UK and Ireland, and I was working with that team on its outbound strategies — in other words, its cold-calling efforts. While BDRs typically only handle leads that are brought to them, I now was more deeply involved in the sales process. Additionally, I was asked to be a team lead to assist with the day-to-day operational management within the team as it grew and began onboarding new BDRs. This was key in providing me with an internal mobility opportunity.
I learned that a Major Account Sales Representative (MSR) position had become available. This was a step up from the BDR role I’d had. While the BDR books a meeting with a potential customer, that’s where the involvement in the sale ends. The goal is to book meetings, but that involvement in the sale, the development of the relationship and meeting the customer’s needs isn’t really part of that. However, an MSR provides support further along in the sales cycle, helping to put a deal together that aligns with both the customer’s needs and the sales team’s. Thanks to my involvement in the operational aspects of sales and the additional responsibilities I had taken on, I was in an excellent position to move into the MSR role.
My manager brought the opportunity to me, thinking it a good fit, and I met with him for about a half hour to discuss the details of the role. It sounded like just what I was looking for, so I applied, went through a rigorous interview process, and was officially offered the position.
Though I’ve only held the position for a short while, I’m excited about the potential to learn more about putting together deals and closing them successfully.
One of the things I really like about this company is that there’s a strong emphasis on individual development plans to help employees determine where they want to be and what steps they ought to take to get there. This is an environment where we are truly encouraged to figure out where our interests lie and explore them.
While I can’t speak for everyone at the company, I can say that I always have felt very comfortable bouncing ideas off my manager, and I had a good enough relationship with her that I could express my interest in new positions as they arose. Especially for someone like me who is early in her career, it’s okay not to know exactly what you want to do right away. It’s okay not to know everything. The leaders here recognize that, and they encourage us to speak with other people and solicit their opinions and advice. I look forward to continuing to learn more as I develop in my own career.
Trailblazing Your Path
Yumei Peterson, Strategic Program Manager (WW Shared Services)
Plano Office next to a wall mural painted by employees during a Women’s Network Connections event.
In December of 2017, I moved my family from New Mexico to Texas to start a new chapter of my career at Palo Alto Networks for many reasons: best-in-class technology & solutions that customers loved; hyper-growth company & industry; and let’s be real, an amazing compensation plan & benefits.
4+ years and three promotions later, I can honestly say that I am on a career journey of a lifetime. A journey that led me to be first the person in three brand new roles for the company.
Being in a brand new role has its challenges as I ventured into the great wide unknown, but I’ve found there are also invaluable learnings and priceless “first” moments where you get to be a part of the company’s history. Above it all, one of the most rewarding aspects of trailblazing a career path is creating new possibilities for others who will follow behind . It’s an immense joy and blessing to set a firm foundation for this newly forged path for others to join in with their unique contributions to unlock all the potentials of this path and forge new ones.
I am sharing a few of my learnings along my career journey to give hope and encouragement to those who are on their own career journeys!
Change Brings Opportunity
Change is the only constant in life and it rings particularly true in the workplace. Yes, change can be uncomfortable and overwhelming with many uncertainties to consider. What is also true is that change always brings a gift in the form of opportunity. Don’t be a bystander waiting for the wave of change to settle down, instead look for new gaps and needs in the business caused by this change where YOU can be the solution.
As I look back at all three of my promotions, one common thread is that they were all during times of change in the business: we had a new VP join the organization, the company created a new program, and an unexpected leadership change. These were moments in time where my hustle met opportunities, which resulted in dream jobs for me. Expect and embrace change to seize the opportunities at hand.
Collect Skills, Not Titles
Consider these 2 statements, and see if you can tell the difference:
- In 5 years, I want to be a ______________.
- In 5 years, I want to be able to do _____________.
When I first entered the Corporate world, I was set on becoming a sales manager and that was my goal. Through the guidance of all my incredible mentors, I was able to change my outlook on my career path and decided to seek opportunities based on a new goal of learning new skills. The way this played out in my career journey was:
Started in a sales role -> transitioned into a sales operations role -> then got back into sales -> ventured into a sales enablement role -> built programs from the ground up -> now I am in a strategic program management role in sales.
Through all of these dynamic experiences, I developed new “muscles”, gained new knowledge, widened my worldview, expanded my network, and became a jack of many trades. What’s next? I don’t know what it is yet but I know it will be something that stretches me to be the best version of myself.
What Are You Waiting For? Dive In!
The best way to demonstrate that you can do something is to do it. You don’t need the title of a manager to be a leader. I am a leader because that’s who I am, not because someone told me to be. Don’t wait for an invitation to show the world who you are, just dive in and be you!
Not sure where to start? I have a hint for you.This is a place overflowing with opportunities to lead, be creative, make a difference, meet like-minded people, and have fun. Did you guess it? It’s the Employee Resource Group! Get started by joining or volunteering to serve as a leader of an employee resource group that best aligns with your passion & interests.
When I first entered the Corporate world, I didn’t know a thing about professional skills such as networking, mentorships, or personal brand. I am grateful for the opportunity to learn these skills through various programs provided by the employee resource groups. Until one day, I decided it’s time for me to dive in deeper and give back by serving as a leader in various groups. Beyond the “cube”:
- Led the first Career Development Program for early-in-career sales professionals at the Plano office
- Serve as the Plano site leader and advisory committee for the Women’s Networks Group
- Co-founded the Toastmaster chapter at the Plano office, served as the President of the past 2 years, now starting a new role as an Area Director
- Mentor to local university students and early-in-career professionals
I know, this is a classic MO of an overachiever. I just can’t help it though; this is who I am and these “beyond the cube” engagements fill me with inspiration, motivation and joy! When you do what you love, it’s not work anymore, it’s fuel that keeps you going.
It’s All About the People
Most importantly, none of this is possible without the resilient support of my family members, friends, mentors, sponsors, peers, and amazing leaders. Your career journey is not meant to be traveled alone. Good company along the way who can point you in the right direction, keep you accountable to your goals, encourage you when you want to throw the towel in, or just “seat” with you as you regain your strength is the most important part of your journey. I am sincerely grateful for the countless individuals who joined my journey along the way. I know I wouldn’t be here without all of you and I will give back to help others.
The key to beginning and maintaining fruitful relationships is for you to be authentically you. Not who you wish you could be, not who someone wants you to be, but just you being unapologetically you. When you put your true self out there, the most amazing humans will emerge onto your path. When you find these kindred spirits, hang on to them and cherish them. Life is more fun when you can share with the humans who accept you just the way you are because my friend, you are enough.
Today, I choose to continue my career journey at Palo Alto Networks for the same reasons I joined the company plus one more; our company culture that thrives on the passion, creativity & dedication of the people. I am proud to be a part of the Palo Alto Networks family where anything is possible together!
Drawn to the Data: My Internal Mobility Story
When I began attending Xavier University in Ohio, my interest in math prompted me to earn a bachelor’s degree in finance. I had no idea when I began the program that I would end up actively seeking out a data analytics role at a cybersecurity firm, but it’s a position I’m really happy to have.
About halfway through my degree program, I discovered that “analytics” was becoming an important buzzword among businesses, who were discovering the usefulness of collecting numerical data about customers (or potential customers). I realized this was something that interested me. I was fortunate enough to be offered a Sales Operations internship and began to really see glimpses of how analytical data could offer insights into customer behavior and help with developing sales strategies.
I interned for two summers with Palo Alto Networks while I was still in college, and I thoroughly enjoyed my time. I made it clear that I was interested in a full-time position with Palo Alto Networks upon graduation, and I was really glad to be offered a position as an Associate Sales Operations Analyst role. After a little more than a year, I transitioned to a Sales Intelligence Analyst position.
When I was performing analytical work for the Sales team, I was able to do a small amount of work with Einstein Analytics, a cloud-based analytical tool from Salesforce that helps teams visualize data and gain insights for business. I became extremely interested in how Einstein users could strategically incorporate this data into their decision-making about how a company operates. I realized that of all tasks I was responsible for in my Sales Intelligence role, what I enjoyed most was the reporting and analytics using Einstein, and I was ready to do it full time, in a more strategic role with the company’s security services organization.
Fortunately, Palo Alto Networks is a company that supports internal mobility — employees are encouraged to pursue roles they’re interested in because its leaders understand that people do their best work when they’re passionate about what they do. When the Business Operations Analyst position became available, I approached my manager to let him know I was interested. Rather than responding in a negative way about my leaving his team, he was nothing but supportive of my goal and the opportunity to expand my knowledge of analytics, so I applied for the job. It turned out that the hiring manager for the available position was also enthusiastic about my moving to his team, so I was offered the position and officially began this job in December 2019.
Now, a year and a half later, I couldn’t be happier. I now get to be involved in the inner workings of the Strata network security suite. Rather than doing general analytics for the global business, I’m getting more hands-on with this specific aspect of the business, which I really love.
I also enjoy that this company offers lots of opportunities to expand my career, whether it’s learning a new tool or taking on a project that may not necessarily have been my scope previously, all to give me the chance to learn new things and broaden my knowledge of the business. Looking ahead, I hope to continue growing in my understanding of data and how to present it so that others can formulate recommendations and make strategic decisions.
One important factor that has led to my sticking with this company for five years is the company culture — every team I’ve worked with has included coworkers who are not only supportive colleagues but also friends. There is a culture here of wanting others to succeed and stepping in to offer insights or even just a pat on the back, and that’s been really meaningful to me as someone who’s still in the beginning stages of his career.
Whether or not you already work for Palo Alto Networks, I can wholeheartedly say that this company is like a big family where everyone has your back. The leaders here really want you to succeed, even if that means you eventually move into a new job or department. As long as you have the best interests of the company in mind and are ready to work hard, you can find opportunities to learn and grow here.
Changing Lanes: How I transitioned unexpectedly from one career path toward another.
By Luiza Klaus, Corporate Systems Engineer II
With my bachelor’s degree in marketing and a couple years’ worth of professional experience in marketing and consumer relations, a position in sales seemed like a great fit. But for me, that all changed after one phone call.
When I joined Palo Alto Networks in 2018, it was as a Business Development Representative (BDR). As part of this job, I needed to cold-call customers to talk about how our solutions could address their needs and bring value to their businesses. It’s a competitive role, which is a situation I thrive in, and I really enjoyed that job. In fact, I got so caught up in getting ahead and doing so well that within just a few months I was ready for the next challenge.
I started thinking about career advancement, and the next logical step from BDR was a Corporate Sales Representative (CSR) position. Typically, if I encountered a potential corporate customer, I would then turn the business over to a CSR. So I decided that if I wanted to move ahead career-wise, it would be a good idea to start listening in on those calls. And one day I did.
On this particular call, the CSR worked with a Systems Engineer (SE) to talk to the customer. The CSR addressed the business aspects of the conversation, whereas the SE dealt in more technical terms. That SE would demonstrate the products and talk specifics about the technology involved in our products and how they could address the customer’s needs. During that call, the SE was explaining the details of a product I’d never heard about before. I grew excited about the product and the interactions they were having — the customer fully relied on the SE to explain its nuances. Unexpectedly, I felt more drawn to what the SE was doing.
I decided I wanted to figure out a way to transition into an SE position. How could I make this happen? I remembered a prior experience with my previous employer, when I’d expressed interest in moving into a different role within the company. I was instantly met with negativity from my manager – I hadn’t been there long enough, I was needed in his department and not elsewhere, I had to earn my stripes before I moved to another department, etc. But I also believed that things happen for a reason, and I knew I had to at least try. Plus, if I was going to invest the time and effort into becoming an engineer, I should start as soon as possible.
Fortunately, my manager at the time had always been helpful and approachable, and the culture has been one that is supportive of internal mobility. So I went for it! I explained to him that I was really interested in a Systems Engineer position, but that I’d earned a degree in marketing and had no real technical background. I asked for his thoughts on what it would take for me to make that transition.
He responded just as I’d hoped. He was not only positive and supportive, but he encouraged me to talk to the SE manager about it.
I reached out to the SE manager to ask what steps I should take to become an SE. He was happy to help by putting together a list of steps. That list, which he emailed me several weeks later, became my unofficial SE training program. I was becoming a guinea pig by trying something that had never been done before at Palo Alto Networks!
I completed all the steps in about seven months because I was so interested in what I was doing. I loved every bit of the process. When I wasn’t working in my BDR role or when I had any downtime at all, I was studying my SE materials or accomplishing a new phase of training. Every week, I met with the SE manager to update him on my progress and address any questions I had about the content.
When I was finished, an SE role became available. I threw my hat in the ring, interviewed, and was thrilled to be offered the job in February 2019! Additionally, because of the success of the training program my former manager had developed for me, I was given the opportunity to share my feedback and work with him to create a standardized two-year Systems Engineering Academy, which recently became an official part of LEAP, the company’s early-in-career training program.
Now that I’m in my current SE role, I know I absolutely made the right decision to pursue this career. This doesn’t even feel like work to me — I’m having so much fun with my customers and my team. This is everything I could have ever wanted, and although I am always looking forward to new challenges and ways to advance my skills, I know that I want to remain in the Systems Engineering realm no matter what. There’s truly nowhere else I could see myself than right here with Palo Alto Networks.
What this experience has shown me is that it’s important to take that first step and ask for what you want. The worst that can happen is that someone tells you no — but at Palo Alto Networks, that’s unlikely to happen. I’ve seen other colleagues of mine make moves to other positions within the company in similar ways. As long as you are honest and have good intentions for your team and the company, the best approach is a direct one. I would also recommend really talking to people about what you’re interested in and asking lots of questions. Do your research to be sure this is really what you want, and to demonstrate that you’re willing to put in the work. If you do that, chances are great that you’ll end up where you’re meant to be.
LEAP of Faith: Palo Alto Networks offers a just-right place for early-in-career talent to get started.
When I was in high school, I actually was aiming to go to medical school and become a pediatrician. The patient-interaction aspect of that career appealed to me, but its challenges didn’t really become clear to me until my mother and I became caretakers for my grandmother, who suffered and eventually died from ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease). It made me realize the emotional toll a career in medicine might take on me, and I had to face the fact that I just wasn’t cut out for that career path. But I couldn’t have imagined then that I would go on to become a systems engineer with Palo Alto Networks.
Having grown up in a family of tech professionals — both my parents work in IT and my sister studied computer science — it made sense for me to obtain a computer science degree, which I did, at the University of Colorado Boulder. What I would do with that degree, I didn’t yet know. In my mind, this would lead to a career as a web developer, and I wasn’t really interested in writing code all day long.
I was fortunate while in college to be accepted into CU Boulder’s BOLD (Broadening Opportunity through Leadership and Diversity) program. Among other things, BOLD supports students from diverse, underrepresented backgrounds by providing access to scholarships, internships, job opportunities, and career development. This program helped me learn more about the career options a computer science degree might lead me to, and I realized that I didn’t necessarily have to go down a development path.
In my last year of college, I found an internship in Professional Services with Palo Alto Networks. This team works with enterprises to help them deploy, configure, and manage operations of cybersecurity products and services.
Though the role, which was quite advanced for me, didn’t seem like a perfect fit, I learned a tremendous amount and felt very positive about the company. When my internship was over, I did not go on to work full time in that department, but I left having talked to several people about my interest in returning at some point if a position elsewhere within the company opened up. By the time I graduated college, I knew I wanted to work in cybersecurity in some capacity.
Before long, I discovered an opportunity with Palo Alto Networks’ Systems Engineering (SE) Academy, a division of its LEAP Academy program for early-in-career graduates. I reached out to my previous connections at the company to express my interest and find out more, and several months later, after interviewing, I was offered a position in the next SE Academy cohort in Plano, Texas beginning in August 2020!
Laying a Career Foundation
The goal of the SE Academy — and the LEAP Program in general — is to provide a sort of intermediary work experience that sits somewhere between internship and full-fledged professional. The LEAP Program is really tailored to the exact stage of life we’re in. We’re never really trained in what it’s like to start a career — that there are things we’re going to need to know. You just have to learn by doing. In a lot of ways, the SE Academy has been a godsend to me, because in this role, I get to work full time as an Associate Systems Engineer while also being granted the time and space to learn under the direction of seasoned professionals. We’re not expected to know everything, but we can build on our knowledge and gradually take on more responsibility.
LEAP participants are offered workshops on things like what a 401K is or how stock plans work … as well as some life skills that we might otherwise be too shy to ask about. We’re invited to speaker series, where we learn from others’ experiences and are offered their contact information, so we can follow up with questions and further development. My involvement in LEAP has led me to opportunities I didn’t even know existed.
Even as an intern, I was impressed by the Palo Alto Networks team — its collaborative nature and demonstrated commitment to diversity and inclusion. It’s evident throughout the company, and I’m part of many Employee Network Groups (ENGs) dedicated to groups such as women, early-in-career professionals, those of Asian descent, and many more. The steps made toward inclusion and diversity here I haven’t seen before in any other place I’ve worked.
Before the SE Academy, I really didn’t know what a Systems Engineer did, so joining was a “leap” of faith. I discovered that SEs are involved in the presales process; we work with sales representatives to talk to prospective customers, and the SE speaks from the engineering side, demonstrating the product and explaining some of the technical aspects about how it works. It’s actually perfect for me: I’m dealing with the technical details that I enjoy, but I’m interacting with customers and others across the company, which is also something I really like. This is a role I never knew existed in college, but it’s really the sweet spot I was looking for, and I hope that after my two years with the SE Academy are completed, I’ll have the chance to stay long-term and grow my career with Palo Alto Networks.
Understanding Faith Without Fear
By Carl Borsody, Vice President of Sales – Americas Majors and Globals
When companies talk about wanting their employees to feel safe bringing their “whole selves” to work, it’s important to realize that a person’s whole self may be inextricably linked with their faith.
While people of all religions have confronted prejudice and even demonization throughout history, those who practice the Islamic faith have arguably faced the most misrepresentation and discrimination in modern times. Though it is the second-largest religion in the world (behind Christianity), Islam is frequently misunderstood, particularly in the West. The impression of Muslims as extremists to be feared is, unfortunately, pervasive. And for an organization such as Palo Alto Networks, a global organization committed to inclusiveness for its 9,000+ employees, one important way to help combat such misunderstandings is to offer a safe space in which to discuss concerns, find connections, and build bridges instead of walls. That’s why Salam, the Muslim Employee Network, was established.
It may seem odd that I, a middle-aged, white American man, would be asked to assume the role of executive sponsor for this group. When I was offered the role just a few months ago, I certainly asked whether I was the right person for the job. But the role of executive sponsor — the person who provides executive-level support, advocacy, and guidance to an Employee Network Group (ENG) — means providing a much-needed outside perspective that can be valuable. Part of an ENG’s charter is to address negative stereotypes, so someone in my shoes can play an important role in heading those off. Plus, if cross-cultural understanding is the goal, a great place to start is with an executive sponsor who is open to learning more and can act as an advocate and facilitator of important discussions and activities.
With an active membership of roughly 180 employees, Salam is the only faith-based ENG at Palo Alto Networks. It may surprise you to learn that while our members live around the globe, particularly in the Middle East, a large percentage of them were born and now reside in the U.S., and about 60% of them identify as female. Discussions among members frequently revolve around the Islamaphobia and racism directed at them, from both other Muslims and non-Muslims alike. Many have indicated a desire to break down the mystery of Islam, to shed light on the various differences that exist between them and the extremists they’re often associated with. There seems to be a real sense of fear and confusion about their faith, which often leads to people presuming they are bad people. Education is the only way to move past such misconceptions. It’s appropriate, then, that salam, an Arabic word meaning peace, was selected as the name for the ENG.
Though the pandemic has affected the group’s ability to bring people together for events or discussions, we are increasingly finding ways to connect virtually. Though I’m still learning about my new role as executive sponsor and how I can best serve, I am happy to be someone to bounce ideas off, to raise important questions, and to give structure and consistency to the group from an executive level.
Though I often saw flyers in our company elevators promoting various ENG activities (before the pandemic sent us all home to work), and though I knew Palo Alto Networks was committed to increasing the diversity of its workforce and creating an atmosphere of inclusiveness, I didn’t truly understand the value of ENGs before taking on the role of executive sponsor. I’m sure I’m not alone in that. I’ve truly enjoyed getting to know the power of these groups and seeing the influence they can have on the company as a whole. In fact, in the last six months alone, the company has received roughly 1,800 referrals for potential employees from ENGs across the company, which will significantly bolster our diversity efforts.
Overall, serving as executive sponsor for Salam not only provides me with greater understanding of and exposure to other cultures, but it will help me to see my team with new eyes, to think more about how diversity can improve our business. Of course, though Palo Alto Networks is making huge strides toward being a robustly diverse company, it — like many other businesses — has a long way to go. The more voices and perspectives there are in the room, the better our decisions will be. ENGs are a first step in making sure everyone’s voice can be heard.
Research repeatedly shows that ENGs benefit both employees and employers, boosting employee engagement and satisfaction, generating greater opportunities for professional development, increasing employee retention, and improving recruitment efforts. The leaders at Palo Alto Networks understand that ENGs are good for business. If you’re an employer, consider how to make ENGs a part of your community, and continue to be vocal about their value for everyone on your team.
If you’re an employee, I encourage you to seek out an ENG that interests you, whether you’re technically part of that affinity group or not — the learning, connection, and personal growth that often take place are sure to be valuable.
An Unexpected Detour
A lot of us go into our careers with a plan for where we want to go and how we’re going to get there. But sometimes we’re presented with opportunities we never planned for and discover we’re right where we want to be.
I started my career in the United States Marine Corps, where I held several positions, including roles that involved network and systems administration, telecommunications, network builds, upgrades, migrations, and more. I enjoyed that so much that I enrolled in an associate degree program in enterprise networking at Foothill College in California.
During that time in 2017-2018, I also participated in a program called Year Up, a nonprofit technical training and career development program that works with corporate partners to help young adults ages 18-24 get a head start on their careers. For my program year, Palo Alto Networks was the corporate sponsor. Because of my background and degree program, I was fortunate to be offered a six-month internship as a Desktop Support Specialist. As someone with no prior professional experience, I truly appreciated the learning I was able to do during my internship, and I worked with an amazing team. However, I still had a passion for routers and switches, for how networks are designed and built, so I was still focused on a career as a network engineer. During my internship, I made that desire well known to my manager.
In the last few months of the internship, I was placed in a rotation with the Corporate Systems Engineering team. SEs here are an integral part of the sales team, helping to convey technical information to potential customers and devising security solutions that address their needs. This experience helped not only to provide me with a wealth of knowledge about Palo Alto Networks’ products and sales, but also to connect me with a number of people from departments across the organization.
When I finished my internship in July 2018, I received a full-time offer to continue working as a Desktop Support Specialist. I knew this was a great opportunity I couldn’t pass up and I accepted right away, knowing I had a lot more to learn but also making it known what my ultimate career goal was. By August of that year, I was a full-time employee. I felt blessed to have been given this chance.
In this role, I was collaborating with a couple of network engineers in the company, and one of them unofficially became a sort of mentor to me. I confided to him that I was interested in eventually moving into the same sort of role, and he suggested that if that was truly my goal, I should gain a bit more knowledge in Palo Alto Networks’ firewalls, which was how the company implemented its network. I realized he was right — although I’d had a few courses on that at school but nothing substantial.
I reached out to the team lead in Corporate Systems Engineering whom I’d worked with during my internship SE rotation and learned that, coincidentally, they had an opening for a Systems Engineer. “I know you’re still interested in becoming a Network Engineer,” he told me, “but I think this would be a great way to learn more about our products on a daily basis.” I accepted his offer and in June 2019, I became a full-time Systems Engineer.
My plan was to perform this role for a while until I could eventually work my way into a Network Engineer position. But once I began working as an SE, I absolutely fell in love with it. I love sales, I love working with customers to help them find the right solutions and close those security gaps they have in their environments. Helping to steer them in the right direction to improve their security posture is so satisfying. I’m learning new concepts every day; it’s never boring, and no two days are the same. Sure, it can be stressful at times, but it’s well worth it. In this role there is immediate gratification in solving problems. I’m developing public speaking skills, strengthening my customer service abilities, and contributing to the important sales work taking place in the organization.
I’m so thankful to have worked with managers that were fully supportive of my desire to pursue my chosen career and willing to do whatever it took to help me get there, even if it meant leaving their teams. They weren’t going to let that stop me from being successful, and they never stopped encouraging my growth, wherever that happened to lead me. That openness on their part, combined with my openness to taking an unexpected detour on the road to my goal were what led me to a position I’m really happy in today.
Since starting this role, my goal has changed from becoming a Network Engineer to moving up within Systems Engineering to eventually work on named, major, or global accounts or even become a consulting engineer. If you’d asked me a year ago whether I’d even consider these fields, I would have said no. That’s why I’m a firm believer now in trying everything — new roles, new experiences, new foods. You just don’t know what you’re going to fall in love with.
Best of Both Worlds
By Miki Kisaka, Regional Account Sales Manager, JP-Named
Before joining Palo Alto Networks in November, 2019, I spent 15 years working for a domestic (Japanese) IT company. We handled a wide array of digital technology products from multiple vendors, including PCs, servers, printers, middleware, workflow systems, Office 365, video conferencing systems, and document consulting. I had worked in sales throughout my career and had worked very hard to become successful at my job.
However, like many women in the workforce who become mothers, after my two children were born, I realized that my salary had dropped to roughly 80% of what it had been, even though, upon my return to work, I still managed to surpass 100% performance. The reasoning behind this was that my shift had been shortened to seven hours per day, instead of the usual eight and a half hours, because of my family obligations.
To me, it seemed that I should be paid for my performance on the job, not simply for the number of hours when I was at work. Although my family was my top priority, I believed I was still fulfilling the duties of my role. Because of this, my motivation at work started to wane. I realized that I might be a better fit for a position with a company that paid for performance, not strictly for my workday hours.
A friend of mine was working for Palo Alto Networks and indicated to me that it might be a good fit for me. I gathered from what he had told me that decisions were made very quickly within the company. I liked that the values of speed and agility were emphasized here. At the company where I had been working, I had been frustrated about the fact that decision-making sometimes involved as many as 10 levels of approval before action could be taken — a very common feature at most Japanese companies — so the fast pace at which things happened at Palo Alto Networks was very appealing to me. Not only that, but I wanted an opportunity to connect more deeply with my customers in addition to reaching sales targets, no matter what product or solution I might be selling.
Fortunately, I eventually did secure a role with the Palo Alto Networks Sales team. I’m very happy to have made the change. I really enjoy the workplace culture here, in which everyone is willing to cooperate with and support each other. We are all working toward the same goal, so we are all highly motivated to work hard and assist each other when needed to overcome challenges. This work environment is the best of both worlds: It is both entrepreneurial and collaborative. We are each encouraged to develop and work toward solutions at a pace that’s appropriate for us. This means we can learn new tasks and gain new skills quickly. Yet none of us is working alone. Everyone is open-minded and willing to exchange ideas, because when one of us succeeds, we all succeed.
Also, it isn’t always about work — we like to have fun together, too! We are always finding opportunities to celebrate and connect with each other. For example, we had a virtual year-end party, and all our families (even our pets!) were invited to participate. We had a lot of fun playing games (such as a scavenger hunt and Rock, Paper, Scissors), watching dance videos, and more! It was wonderful to realize that we can be innovative, have fun, take care of our work, and be there for our families, all at the same time, thanks to having an employer who believes all these things are important.
Also, as long as I’m accomplishing my work, I have the flexibility to determine a schedule that works for me and my family as well as my customers; I’m not locked into a predetermined schedule. It’s about the quality of my work, not the quantity of hours.
In fact, in 2020, the leaders at Palo Alto Networks announced that the company was beginning a new initiative called FLEXWORK. They had realized that in a COVID-19 world, people’s needs and their style of work have completely changed, so the company’s expectations have had to change too. Under FLEXWORK, we are empowered to work on a schedule that suits our needs, and we are given the tools we need to perform that work remotely, as well as the resources we need to nurture our health and wellbeing.
This is only possible in an environment where diverse opinions are respected and accepted. This culture, which also emphasizes the importance of inclusion and diversity, provides a high level of mental safety and makes it easy to find inspiration, develop ideas, and seek innovation. Sometimes our ideas don’t work or we might make mistakes, but that’s okay. The important thing is that people here respect each other exactly as they are, share their thoughts in a positive way, and create agreement. That’s why I encourage others to join this company and find out for themselves what a pleasure it is to work in this uplifting, satisfying environment.
At the Speed of Technology
By Akira Ikenaga, Systems Engineer Specialist
Before joining Palo Alto Networks, I worked in multiple roles for four different, prominent technology companies. But none of them offered the comprehensive, integrated product line nor the speed of innovation that Palo Alto Networks does. This is why I wanted to come to work here.
I began my career doing sales and marketing for a Japanese systems integration company that was focused on the small- and medium-business (SMB) market. My six years with that company led me to become interested in the security industry. From there, I spent one year as a regional product marketing manager with a public key infrastructure vendor before joining an internationally recognized endpoint security company, where I held multiple roles over the course of nine years, including systems engineer, pre-sales engineer, and regional product manager/field enablement. From there I moved into a sales specialist role working with vulnerability assessment products and services for another major multinational tech company.
In all of these roles, I realized that I was most drawn to systems engineering because I enjoyed being able to help customers by tailoring technology solutions to their problems. I learned of an available SE Specialist position for Palo Alto Networks’s endpoint security product, Traps, and was fortunate enough to be offered the position in November 2014.
The role involves sales — working alongside sales representatives to approach customers and explain the technology behind our products — but it also allows me to demonstrate the technology in a hands-on way to help address customers’ real-life concerns so that they feel comfortable with our products.
When I first started this job, no one on the Japanese team knew the Traps product, so I had to co-work with members of the Tel Aviv team to learn about the product. This was my first time working with developers and product managers from Israel. The first large deployment of Traps did not go smoothly. At companies where I had previously worked, such issues might have taken several months to address. But the engineers in Tel Aviv were very supportive and fixed customers’ issues overnight. That’s when I began to truly understand the speed and agility present in this company, and it reinforced my belief that this was the right company for me.
I also admired that the company, which originally was strictly focused on its Next-Gen Firewall product, had evolved to develop a full suite of complementary cybersecurity products to secure enterprises. Unlike my previous company, Palo Alto Networks’ products are easily integrated for the benefit of our customers. It’s very exciting for me to see our products really work together in a meaningful way.
The pace at which work takes place here is very exciting. In fact, the speed of new-feature and new-offering releases is much faster than any other company I’ve worked for. At Palo Alto Networks, I can work with a range of new security technologies, rather than being entirely focused on one product, and we are constantly innovating, so we are able to see our ideas brought to life rapidly. Here, I don’t have to wait for someone else to solve my problems; instead, I’m empowered to seek solutions and to reach out to others for help. Everyone takes responsibility for the quality of our products, and the results speak for themselves.
I would encourage anyone who is interested in working with the latest and best technology in the cybersecurity industry, with a company that encourages and nurtures creative solutions, to consider working with Palo Alto Networks.
My Journey Before and With Palo Alto Networks
By Ashwini Prasad Krishnamurthy, GSI Partner Manager, Singapore
I embarked on a career in technology sales and channel management in 2004. My Palo Alto Networks journey began in 2015 and I currently manage our strategic Global System Integrator (GSI) business across JAPAC. The pace at which we continue to evolve is exhilarating, and it’s indeed an opportunity of a lifetime to be a part of it! I am grateful for the wonderful colleagues that I have the pleasure of working with fulfilling our mission of becoming the cybersecurity partner of choice for our customers and delivering our vision of making each day more secure than the day before.
The fast pace of cybersecurity industry transformation brings with it growth challenges as well as several opportunities. I have often found it easy to handle any setbacks by always being guided by our vision, mission, and company values.
In my early days at Palo Alto Networks, I managed a broad range of regional partners but have since pursued a very focused path in driving our strategic GSI business with our top global partners. These partnerships are highly instrumental in delivering long-term business value to our most critical customers by continually delivering innovation to enable secure digital transformation — even as the pace of change is accelerating.
Choosing to Challenge
As a core member of the JAPAC Women’s Networking Committee, I am honored to manage our “Industry Partnerships and Development” engagements and lead purposeful programs that help women connect, inspire, educate, and empower each other through personal and professional development, networking, and community involvement.
I have had the privilege of initiating our company’s very first Lean In Circles in 2020, which have since expanded globally with over 10 circles and 60 members, and those numbers are growing. Each Lean In Circle is made up of a group of peers who meet regularly to support each other, seek advice, learn new skills, and grow together in an atmosphere of confidentiality and trust. Since the inception of Lean In, I have ensured that our participating members take turns to facilitate our engagements, and this has proven to be a very powerful initiative in empowering the team and growing leadership skills organically within our organisation.
Recently, I had the honor of leading an early education program in cybersecurity for young girls in Singapore, in partnership with Accenture Security, our strategic GSI partner. We introduced our basic level 1 cybersecurity program to 112 Girl Scouts from both international and local schools ranging in age from 5 to 16 (grades K-12). Our young leaders can’t wait to take up the intermediate and advanced cybersecurity courses in the coming quarters, and we have expansion plans to take this program to other JAPAC countries soon, too.
On a more personal level, our community of artists within the company gives me great support and advice in continuing to develop and grow my skills as a hobby impressionist landscape artist.
I’m proud to be a part of the Palo Alto Networks community and to continue to choose to challenge norms by pushing myself and those around me to be our best selves!