Recently in interviews, I keep getting asked, What is your favorite part of your job? I thought I’d take a minute to share my response publicly and in a bit more detail.
Big Brains & Big EQ.
In my year and a half at Atomic, I’ve been in more than a few challenging project situations. And I am continually amazed at how proactive, creative, thoughtful, and open Atoms are as we work through problems together.
It is common practice for Atoms to openly share risks and concerns with clients in thoughtful, proactive ways. They find possible solutions collaboratively. The brainpower and emotional intelligence give me the warm fuzzies. I appreciate getting to work with and learn from my fellow Atoms.
Work hard. Play hard.
I could write a whole post about how playful this group is. From hand puppets making appearances in standup to emoji spamming posts in Slack to dinosaur puzzles, this group is always finding little ways to have fun. But it’s not all fun and games and that is my favorite part.
If you popped your head in the Ann Arbor office around two in the afternoon, you might wonder if we are working at all. As the post-lunch slump is hitting, folks need a mental break. Maria or Jared are instigating a coffee walk. Casey is leading us through stretches. Shenanigans are afoot around the kitchen bar. There is a general buzz of energy in the office.
But check back in at 2:30, and you’ll see something totally different. Headphones are back on, and folks are pairing again or shuffled off to meetings. We had our fun, moved around a little, socialized, and now it’s focus time.
Do difficult things with good people.
Have you ever been late getting somewhere only to end up getting stuck in traffic? And, on top of that, you’re hangry? All around, that’s a pretty suboptimal experience.
But imagine your best friend is with you. Map pulled up, they are finding a way to reroute you to the next exit. They don’t mind you carrying on about how you’ve never seen this much traffic on this road before. And they have a snack!
Now let’s imagine the opposite. That friend of a friend you brought along because you thought it might be fun is complaining about how late they are going to be. They aren’t helping to find another route. And they’ve eaten all the emergency snacks you keep in your car. Big thumbs down.
We’ve all been in frustrating, boring, or stressful situations. Life and work just go that way sometimes. And when it does, having good company can change everything.
What is my favorite part of working at Atomic? People.
Sometime in my early 20s, I realized this: who I am doing things with is more important than what I am doing. The folks I have the privilege of working with at Atomic are thoughtful, collaborative, hilarious, proactive, and creative. They are the kind of people I’d want with me on the open road AND when stuck in traffic.
Who do you want to get in the car with you?