Why I Picked AppDynamics

July 19 2018
 

Hi! My name is Tricia Radcliffe, and I am a Senior Sales Engineer at AppDynamics. Here’s my story about why I picked AppDynamics.


Approximately 25 years in IT have provided me with in-depth knowledge of monitoring and APM tools, which is why a recruiter reached out to me. At the time, I was happily working as a systems engineer for an APM vendor, 12 years running and not looking for a new job. After speaking with the recruiter, they convinced me to speak with the VP of Sales Engineers at AppDynamics. My intent for this meeting was to validate that I was already exactly where I should be and there was no need to look elsewhere. Little did I know that this first meeting would shake up my comfortable tenured path, reminding me that best parts of being a Sales Engineer is getting to develop a relationship with your customers, your peers, and your community.

When the meeting finally occurred, I peppered the VP with questions about how the product was installed, what it was capable of OOTB, and the overall benefits of the product. Without missing a beat, they answered every question easily and provided me with a foundation of how AppD helps solve problems. They also provided me with a good sense of the work culture and the company. The more we spoke, the more appealing the idea of applying became. I was intrigued, and soon realized that the job sounded fun.

Who wouldn’t be impressed with application flow maps and dynamic baselining for every metric? I deeply respected the fact that a VP had spent time with me, demonstrated the product, and showcased a deep level of product knowledge. The conversation just flowed, and I was hooked. Wanting to learn more, I knew then that I should apply. I wanted to call AppDynamics home.

Joining AppDynamics had a lot to do with the power and usefulness of the technology, yet, as an SE, the sales process and workflows were equally as important to me. I wanted to be sure that I would be working with like-minded people and that AppDynamics saw their future in *me*. The three turning points that convinced me to take the job are as follows:

First of all, I discovered that the sales process is entirely about doing what’s right for the customer. I won’t go into too many details here, but AppD has a process for identifying and metrics to support sales decisions. Thus, allowing solid business decisions to be made, instead of just a gut feeling. The core of their process is about understanding what is important for the customers, understanding their challenges, and indicating how we can help solve them. In essence, we create a partnership with the customer. Such a philosophy of doing the best thing for the customer was something I could get behind.

Secondly, during the interview process, I met some of the most amazing people. Not only were they talented, they were also good, genuine people. In just a short amount of time, they had already begun to inspire me. You know the phrase, “Lift as you climb”? It was easy to see that this is the culture at AppDynamics.

Finally, would AppD invest in me and support my commitment to the community? Women Who Code is a nonprofit organization dedicated to inspiring women to excel in technology careers.  As a member of the leadership team Women Who Code Portland, running the WWCode DevOps Sessions is important to me. Knowing that this sometimes requires time off work and could impact my AppD customer schedule, I realized that this could be a deal breaker for some companies, but AppDynamics was excited to hear about the work we do at WWCode and was 100% supportive.

To sum it up, it’s been almost 2 years and I haven’t looked back. This job pushes me to keep learning and honing my craft as an SE. I’m proud of the partnerships we’ve forged with our customers and the manner in which AppD has enabled me to be a leader in the community. If you join the AppDynamics Sales Engineer team, you will not regret it. Also, when you join, look me up and say “hi”!

Tricia Radcliffe
Tricia Radcliffe is a Senior Sales Engineer at AppDynamics, Women Who Code lead, and Docker Captain. Tricia has been in the tech industry for over 20 years and during that time has held numerous technical roles including support lead, developer, and systems engineer. Prior to AppDynamics, Tricia was a Sales Engineer at Dell / Quest Software.

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