10 Years at CDW: Where Did the Time Go?

"Time flies when you're having fun." Last weekend, I caught myself staring at the calendar in disbelief when I realized that April 2 was my 10-year anniversary with CDW. The second thought I had was, "I can't believe we're in Q2 already!" Am I the only one thinking that?!

When I attended Indiana University (GO #HOOSIERS!), I wouldn't have believed it if you had told me that I would end up working at a technology solutions provider, let alone that I would be a social media professional. I went to school to be a TV news producer, which I successfully achieved, but life has a funny way of changing course.

When I walked through the doors of CDW's Woodland Falls office on April 2, 2007, I didn't know what I was getting myself into. I had never been a salesperson. I also wasn't exactly what you would call a "technology expert." Thankfully, it was the best choice I didn't know I was making at the time.

In the 3+ years I spent as a CDW account manager, I built relationships with my customers and partners. I learned how technology truly impacts a variety of organizations. I learned what our customers needed from me, as well as their expectations of CDW. All along the way, I weathered the storm of the "Great Recession" (The only way was up, right?) and found myself exploring new ways to connect and differentiate myself from other account managers and competitors.

The social media bug bit me back in 2008. With my journalism background, I was immediately drawn to Twitter. The platform was (and still is) as real-time as you can get. You could (and can still) connect with anyone from anywhere in the world. I saw the power the medium possessed, and with my sales managers' blessings (Thanks, Don and Mick!), I created a Twitter account (@CDW_Jessica) and I was off to the races as the first CDW coworker to use social media for business purposes.

That's the beauty of working at CDW. If you have an innovative idea and you share it with your manager, they empower you to take risks. And that's what I did. Our company didn't have a social media team at the time, so I read our available policies and got the company's blessing to proceed. And when I moved on from sales to our Program Sales team, my manager and director continued to support my social media vision (Thanks, Brandi and Tara!). That's one of the many things that I love about CDW!

Did I know exactly what I was doing when I started my social media journey? Not really. What were my goals? First, I wanted to build my brand as a trusted resource for all things technology. Next, I wanted to educate people about CDW and our complete technology solutions and services arsenal. CDW isn't just a box-pushing powerhouse in the reseller space. We assess, design, implement and manage a wide variety of technology solutions and services. We partner with industry-leading and emerging brands to bring our customers vendor-agnostic solutions that best meet their unique needs. Finally, I wanted to connect people with our brand and let them know that their problems and praise were, in fact, being heard by the company.

For 5 years, I shared my passion for CDW and technology with my connections on LinkedIn, Twitter and, to a lesser extent, Facebook. My social media connections included CDW partners, tech industry movers and shakers and, most importantly, IT professionals, including my customers.

Even though there wasn't an "official" social media team at the time, I authored our company's first social media policy (with help from our legal team, of course). In fact, anytime an opportunity to assist in the creation of CDW's social media vision arose, I was the first coworker in line. When the time was right, I wanted my name to be top of mind for any potential social media positions at CDW.

In 2013, I finally got called to the "big leagues." I joined the CDW Social Media team in October 2013 and I haven't looked back. My main charter? Empowering CDW coworkers to build valuable relationships on social media. I arm them with policies, training, and an employee advocacy program that makes social sharing and engagement efficient and effective. Whether they are building their brands or harnessing the power of social selling techniques, I am supporting them every step of the way with help from an amazing marketing organization that I feel blessed to be a part of each and every day. It truly does "take a village" when it comes to sharing the CDW story with all of you.

When I look back on the last 10 years, I know that my journey has been unique to say the least. If there is anything I have learned, it is this: If you have an idea that you think is a game-changer, go for it! Has my career been smooth sailing the entire time? Heck no! I have failed forward more times than I care to admit, but I also know that those instances are when I learned the most about myself and my capabilities.

That's why I'm thankful that I have been able to grow my career at a company like CDW. I'm also very grateful for all of the people that I have met and learned lessons from along the way. From coworkers and partners to customers and vendors, I am beyond blessed to have built relationships with you.

Do you have a story that you would like to share? I would love to hear about your career milestones! Share your comments below and thanks for indulging me!