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Working at SiTel
Working at SiTel
Thinking about a career with SiTel? Then you’ll probably want to know what we’re like to work for, what kind of job you could be doing and who you’re colleagues will be. To find out, read what some of our people have said about being part of the SiTel team.
Career evolution rather than revolution
Dennis Lex started at SiTel as a DSP software engineer. Over time, his career has evolved from a purely technical role into one more focused on providing customer support. He explains why he enjoys the changing nature of his position, and the increasing variety of his work.
At the beginning of the day, I never know what will happen by the end. There’s a certain thrill built into this spontaneity. My day is a complete mixed bag. It can consist of anything from writing speculation code, fixing bugs, developing hardware verification and demonstrations for customers, or providing customer support, trainings and seminars.
But it hasn’t always been that way. When I first started as a DSP software engineer, I began helping out my colleague with his duties, and learning the ins and outs of the job. Gradually our functions took on different directions – he grew into a development role and I focused on customer interfacing and training. It’s been more of a career evolution, rather than a career change.
Taking on more responsibility is encouraged. SiTel’s flat structure and receptive mentality makes it possible. A perfect example is my manager who is basically doing the same job as me. He’s simply taken on more managerial responsibility. In a similar vein, I’m interested in expanding my technical expertise and am following a course to become a systems architect. SiTel supports training and welcomes employee initiative in finding their own courses.
But it’s not limited to academic training. Coaching by managers and colleagues happens all the time. SiTel’s open culture and unique atmosphere makes it easy to ask for advice. Face-to-face contact works best here and I never hesitate to knock on any door. It’s open across all levels and I can approach anyone, even the CEO. Here, everyone dares to ask for help because the goal is to get the job done.
Working closely with customers also helps me to perform better in my other job responsibilities. It also gives me a good feeling to see customers benefitting from the applications I’ve developed in my daily work. When I receive customer feedback about how certain DSP software improves productivity or cut costs, this directly translates back to the functionality of the phone. And we're in exciting times, five years ago it was just DECT, now everything is possible.
A company worth moving across the world for? How can you tell when a company is attractive to work for? Perhaps when a husband and wife team moves all the way from the Philippines to the Netherlands to work side-by-side in the same department for the same company. That’s exactly what Elanie Garriel (Test development engineer) and her partner did three years ago to forward their careers, as she explains.
In fact, it was my husband who was initially offered a position in SiTel in the Netherlands. But when they discovered that I was also a test development engineer, they contacted me to join as well.
We knew we would see each other 24/7, but the potential opportunities for career development far outweighed any apprehensions we had. In the Philippines, I worked exclusively on production final test release. But now I’m taking part in the early stage of the product cycle and my main responsibility lies in development. My focus has shifted to test solutions, quality and customer support, which personally is much more challenging and rewarding.
Even though my role has changed, the challenge of working in the fast-paced semiconductor industry hasn’t. There is still the continuous demand for cost-effective initiatives. For example, SiTel is a fabless company so I work closely with resident engineers at the manufacturing site in Singapore. And the test set-up I am working on in the lab is the same one they are using in production, so it is much easier to align efforts for continued improvements.
A company that is always looking for ways to get the most out of a technology needs to be creative. SiTel’s work environment fosters creativity and innovation. I can simply knock on my boss’ door with an idea, something that is more uncommon in Asia due to the more formal work culture. I’m also learning from him as he was a test engineer for years and has a great deal of field experience.
The opportunity to continuously learn and stay abreast of the latest developments, coupled with the liberty to discuss ideas, really has made SiTel a company worth moving overseas for. And while we’ve been here for three years we still see ourselves as being new, as many of our colleagues have been with the organization for ten years or more. I believe this is a good testament to the value of SiTel as an employer – people who get along, stay together for a long time.
The opportunities to grow Where can a student straight out of school rise through the ranks to senior engineer in just a few years? In a company which encourages employees eager to embrace hard work and mold a career for themselves. That’s exactly what Jakko Verhallen (Senior digital design engineer - Top level) did. He explains how and why it was possible in SiTel.
After graduating ‘hogeschool’ with an electrical engineering diploma, I joined SiTel. I had heard it was a fun place to work from classmates who completed their traineeship here. Four years later I was a senior digital design engineer, and a year after that promoted to top-level engineer. This fast-track career development is not possible in every company, but SiTel gives opportunities to those hungry enough to grow.
I believe this speaks directly to SiTel’s attitude, which is ‘if you’re up for it, go for it’. From early on, I was given all the responsibility I wanted and always encouraged to take on new challenges. The company accepts people of all levels and gives them the chance to prove themselves. You can develop the required skills and advance quickly if you really want to, and of course if you have what it takes.
SiTel’s open atmosphere lends itself to learning. I receive a great deal of feedback from the group, project leaders and customers, so I’m growing every day. And since a lot of design tools are used in the digital group, I have access to on-the-job training to improve the quality of my work. A complete range of skills training is encouraged. A few weeks ago, my team took the time to discuss communications issues and ways to improve the way we work.
There is also significant weighting given to employee interaction. SiTel believes that people who enjoy each other’s company, work better together. That’s why it created a ‘personal union’. I am part of this group and we have a free rein to organize functions such as parties or outings. A few years ago, we threw a Halloween event in a castle. It was really nice to see colleagues all dressed up and be able to chat with them, and their partners, in a social setting.
Even though SiTel is the only company I have worked for, I can’t imagine finding a better organization suited to my personality and work ethic. I enjoy coming to work. Every day is different, which is part of the fun. In all honesty, it feels more like a hobby than a job.
A company where things get done
Whatever you dream, you can build. According to Jan Prummel (RF system architect) the speed at which SiTel turn ideas into reality is what he really enjoys about his role as system architect. He explains why the instant gratification motivates him, and how open interaction fosters results.
SiTel’s ability to react instantly to changes and to speed innovation to market stems from its business model. We never start a project unless it addresses a real client need. This compels all of us to dive immediately into a project, because we all know customers want to see results, today. Even though there is pressure, it’s also deeply satisfying to see something I helped create sitting in shops within a year.
An element of SiTel’s success is our one-on-one contact with customers. The insight I receive from customers and the industry has been extremely valuable to my ability to deliver solutions that meet their needs. It’s a good indication of what I should be doing, and drives me to do better.
Insider perspective is also advantageous internally. Our open door environment facilitates interaction. I am aware of everyone around me, from the marketing team to product engineers. I know what others are doing and who to go to in order to get things done. So if a piece of the puzzle is missing, I can speak directly with the person in charge even it involves discussing it in the canteen.
Another benefit of close communication is that I see everything that is being done from all viewpoints. So in effect, I have the big picture. It may be hard to believe, but I had never met a test engineer until I began working for SiTel. Until the moment you see how an IC is actually produced or tested, you don’t have a strong sense of what impact a design change might have. The company’s informal and relaxed atmosphere makes it impossible to work in isolation. This has significantly impacted the way I approach my work. Now test engineers and I work as a team to achieve the best results.
While working at SiTel has quite a composed feeling there is a very competitive energy flowing throughout the organization. Employees have a ‘get it done’ mentality, so if a ball gets dropped, someone will immediately pick it up. If you want to achieve something, and are willing to fight for your convictions, this is the place to be.
A perfect example of this, is when I started ten years ago, there was no RF capability. The ‘dream’ was to build an RF team. Now it is instrumental in many of our innovative initiatives.
Travel really does broaden the mind
Looking for a new challenge is often one of the key reasons people change jobs and even companies. For Mark de Clercq (Product marketing manager) that was exactly the thinking behind his move to SiTel. Virtually from day one that challenge has been keeping him busy travelling the world and trying to find solutions.
I began my career working in a very technical area, but it had slowly evolved to take on more sales and marketing responsibilities. A few years ago I really wanted to push further in that direction, which was when the product marketing manager opportunity at SiTel turned up. They seemed to offer the right challenges, level of responsibility and opportunities to grow that I was looking for. And they felt like the right kind of people.
Straight away I started working on developing a new product line. It was something that had been discussed during my interview, but often when things like that are touched on you think it’s a good sales pitch. But in this case it really happened. That is part of the mindset at SiTel. You really have the freedom to make things happen – from helping develop a new chip to investigating and defining a whole new market opportunity. It’s up to you!
Of course there are checks and balances in place and it is always a team effort. But in many ways that creative inspiration is down to the focus and drive from management. They really are part of the team. Not only providing the overall direction for the company but giving excellent advice on both business and technical issues. Coupled with direct customer feedback, it keeps the whole development and decision making cycle very short. So you always feel that you are on top of things.
That is important as the product marketing manager role can entail a fair bit of travel, with visiting customers in Asia, the US and here in Europe or our VoIP development center in Greece. Some days I have to remind myself of where I am or where I’m off to next. Although it is an added pressure, it also brings added focus and is all part of the continual process of developing and refining new technologies and products.
There are so many positives about working at SiTel. Mostly though, it is the people. From the management team right down to the technical support and sales guys, who are often the real eyes and ears, they are all great. The daily interactions with the team make it a real pleasure to work in this environment.
