Rewriting Her Code Career

Proving it’s never too late to rewrite your career, Yumi Takeuchi-san, a Customer Success Representative (CSR)* based out of Japan, joined Nutanix in 2020 with no former IT experience. We had the opportunity to speak with Ms.Takeuchi, who shared her journey into a new industry and what makes Nutanix a unique place to work.

Walk us through your path to Nutanix.

Before joining Nutanix, I worked in foreign finance and other various industries. Although I had experience in sales, my industry was completely different from IT. I found a position at Nutanix that would allow me to take on the challenge even if I had no experience.

I joined Nutanix as an Inside Sales Representative (SDR) and was attracted to the performance-based evaluations and incentives.

During the interview, I had to role-play calling the customer as an SDR. Although I prepared in advance, it was difficult to talk about Hyper-Converged Infrastructure (HCI) without having a concrete image of servers and storage. The interviewer gave me great constructive feedback and in the end, it was a major deciding factor in joining the company because he made an offer based on a thorough understanding of myself. I felt more comfortable knowing there would be fewer gaps because of the support I would receive after I joined the company.

You joined Nutanix with no experience in the IT industry. What support did you receive to catch you up on product knowledge?

I think I received very extensive training and support. I was given 2-3 months of Sales Enablement* training along with on-the-job training. Normally, training on HCI and Nutanix products is the first step, but with no previous experience in IT, I  started off learning what an IT administrator does and what a server is.

My manager at the time also took about an hour of one-on-one time with me every day to answer my questions and assist me in role-playing. I am truly grateful to the people who helped me achieve my target numbers as an SDR.

Tell us about your career development transition from an Inside Sales Representative (SDR) to a Customer Service Representative (CSR).

Whenever a new position opens at Nutanix, anyone can apply for it, regardless of whether they are external or internal to the company. I applied for the position because CSR would be an important function as Nutanix shifted to a subscription business, and I wanted to challenge myself in this area. After applying for the position, I had an interview, was accepted, then was able to transfer to the CSR position.

The transition was tough. There were many new things I had to learn when I first transferred, and input was difficult. However, managers and leaders communicated closely with me and taught me how to do my job. I believe that every Nutanix team has a culture of helping each individual to make the most of their abilities.

Last summer Ms.Takeuchi(left) utilized her flexible PTO and enjoyed a trip to Switzerland with her sister

What are some of the most impressive things that have happened since you joined Nutanix?

There are many things, but the first is the improvement of the SDR position at Nutanix. When I joined the company, we were mainly doing inbound calls to marketing lists to make appointments. However, it rarely led to the creation of good deals, so we shifted our focus to more outbound calls. Through close collaboration and data analysis, we were able to improve our productivity and focus more on targeted calls. Today, we feel a great sense of accomplishment as the front-end sales managers tell us that the quality of appointments have improved considerably.

What makes Nutanix a unique place to work? 

I think it is a fact that at Nutanix, opinions and suggestions are easily accepted and can be implemented quickly. For example, if I want to change something in the operation of my work, I can bring it up to other team managers or members, and by next week, it is reflected and implemented. In my previous experience working for a large company, it was rare for me to talk to people in neighboring departments, or make suggestions to managers about changes in business operations. In contrast, the front-end sales managers ask for my input on creating better-quality opportunities, despite my lack of IT experience.

Additionally, Nutanix offers a good work-life balance with the ability to work remotely or hybrid. The fun and positive atmosphere also make it easier to get through busy times. I feel blessed to work in an environment where the team leader and senior members are very supportive and have active communication.

Thanks to Yumi for sharing her story! See for yourself how #LifeAtNutanix can bring a sense of fulfillment into your everyday role. To learn more about our team, culture, and career opportunities at Nutanix, visit our careers page. 

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