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 Brenda
Zavesky is a woman in demand in the information technology (IT)
industry - an industry with an increasing shortage of workers.
She got her foot in the door because she understands technology
and what her customers expect - thanks to her completion
of Francis Tuttle's microcomputer technology program in 1995.
Zavesky is a CareerTech Champion . CareerTech Champions
are alumni of Oklahoma's Career and Technology Education system
programs or student organizations who have found success in a
career and attribute much of that success to their CareerTech
experience.
Following completion of the microcomputer program, Zavesky landed
her first job as a computer technician for Digital Equipment
Corporation in Oklahoma City at $10 per hour. In 1998, Compaq
Computer Corp. bought out Digital.
Today, Zavesky works for Compaq as a services account representative,
customer service and sales. She manages major corporation accounts
in Oklahoma City and Wichita, and now makes more than she did
when working three jobs, seven days a week.
And, opportunity continues to knock at her door as she continues
to receive job offers, often in sales. But, she's happy where
she is.
"I'm content at Compaq," Zavesky said. "Sales,
alone, is not where my heart is. I enjoy the technical side,
too. At Compaq, I get to do both."
Having the right technical skills is key to both landing and
excelling in a position like Zavesky holds. Her role is to manage
sales of business services to strategic or major accounts.
"I work with the CEOs of hospitals, credit unions, state
and local government agencies - major corporations that rely
on computer and server technology to run their businesses,"
she said.
"This is a wide open field for women that pays very well.
Women are known for being meticulous, which is what customer
service is all about."
With predicted shortage in the IT field, retraining is also essential.
"I love working with my hands and being challenged by what
I do," Zavesky said. "My job is challenging, because
it changes so quickly," she said. "Because of constant
industry innovations, I find myself having to retrain and learn
new things every three to six months.
Zavesky
says that her quick career advancement is mostly due to one thing:
she knows what the customer expects, an important skill she learned
through her CareerTech experience.
"My instructors at Francis Tuttle taught me that customers
expect integrity and honesty. Customers that receive that kind
of treatment will come back and use my services again,"
Zavesky said. "They really just expect what we expect for
ourselves." |
Brenda with her daughter Kristin.
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Service comes naturally to Zavesky. She expects a lot of herself
when dealing with
customers and has a very strong work ethic.
In an era when customer expectations are
extremely high, knowing how to put the customer first in every
transaction can give businesses a huge competitive edge, according
to Zavesky. Those are important skills that she has added to
her ever-increasing bank of talents.
"A large group of people carry the credentials that say
they can do my job," Zavesky said. "What I've seen
is that having the credentials doesn't necessarily mean they
have the know-how or have ever had hands-on experience. We are
always looking for good technicians that have experience."
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