Terri Jordan | Microsoft (retired) | General Manager – Cloud Operations
Beginning Interests… Personal computers were just beginning when I was in high school. My interests had always been in math and sciences, and I was intrigued by computers and felt that pursuing computer science would provide a good career opportunity.
A Day at Work… The typical workday starts when I wake up and check email for anything urgent that may have happened while sleeping. I would have a set of structured recurring meetings to review operational key performance indicators, review projects under development, one-on-ones with key staff and leadership meetings. Since it was a global team, we were time-zone sensitive so that team members in APAC or EMEA didn’t have to attend meetings at midnight or other inconvenient times.
Career Evolution… Luckily, I really enjoyed computer programming and my first job out of college was just that – a computer programmer. This ultimately led me to pursue other technology-related roles as the whole industry developed.
LOVE the Work… First, the people – team members and co-workers. It is extremely satisfying to see others grow and develop in their careers. Second, solving tough problems. Throughout my career, I’ve worked for companies who were doing things that hadn’t been done before. It is extremely satisfying to work on those problems and see incredible results.
Surprising, but True… It’s not all about having technical expertise. Many jobs in technology require great project management and organizational skills. People across a wide spectrum of disciplines are needed to develop, support and operate software.
Advice… Seek out others that work for a company or area that interests you. Leverage your connections to seek out more information. There are many people, like myself, that would be willing to mentor or chat about a career in science or technology. Continuous learning and the ability to adapt are key skills to have in a technology career, as technology is constantly advancing.
UCA Education… As I was working toward my degree at the University of Central Arkansas, the industry was changing. Personal computers were just coming out, yet UCA was able to adjust the curriculum to offer programming classes on personal computers. This adjustment allowed me to land that very first computer programming job in Little Rock.
These wonder women are redefining what “full STEAM ahead” means in Arkansas. With exciting careers in science, technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics – each reflects WIT (Women in Tech) and true grit for making the most of every opportunity. Here’s to the powHER of knowledge.
