When I graduated from college, I was sure of one thing: I wanted to work at Booz Allen. My degree didn’t reflect my professional aspirations, so I taught myself programming languages and turned my childhood love of technical analysis into a career. A decade later, I joined Booz Allen. By working in analytics in the intel space, I support government agencies transforming the way they organize and use data, driving national security and counterterrorism efforts forward.
I’m now 12 years into my Booz Allen career. Here are the top three reasons why I choose to stay:
- Mission-focused projects.
I’m leading the development of a major component of an online marketplace that will disrupt and revolutionize the way geospatial intelligence is shared, discovered, and procured. Building off an idea our client had a decade ago, our team is providing a game-changing solution, bringing them even closer to operational capability. As a developer, knowing I’m doing something that will change the way our community does business is exciting. It’s so rewarding to see that this has massive potential to help protect our citizens and warfighters.
- Talented teammates.
At Booz Allen, I get to work with the smartest people, which means I’m always learning something new. My team is a mix of digital solutions developers and data scientists, and we’re diverse in every way: from gender and culture to age, experience, and tech skills. It’s a nicely-balanced group. Our collective energy and comradery make it even easier to deliver for our clients, and I honestly look forward to coming to work every day.
- Career flexibility and support.
When I joined Booz Allen, my kids were young, and I wanted to spend extra time with them. As they grew up, I told my leadership that I was ready for managerial responsibilities. Suddenly, I was leading a team of 65 developers and data scientists supporting our National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) client. It felt like a big professional leap. My boss, aware of my new challenges, assured me that he–and the rest of my leadership team–believed in me.
I’m now in a position where I can help people in their own career. I provide training opportunities and mentor junior teammates. I love sharing with them the same sense of flexibility and support that’s always been offered to me. Whether leaving work to have dinner with my family or looking for the next step in my career, Booz Allen helped me find my path.
