Our Meet the Hiring Manager series allows you to get to know the people who grow teams at VMware. You’ll learn about our hiring managers’ career paths and what they look for in candidates during the interview process. This week we’d like you to meet Peter Murphy.
Snapshot
- Job title: Senior Manager, Technical Support EUC
- Years at VMware: Five years and six months
- First job: My first paying job was working part-time as a barman in the picturesque tourist village of Blarney in Cork, Ireland. It involved many late nights and early mornings, but I really enjoyed the comradery amongst the staff as well as the opportunity to meet people from many different cultures. I was studying for my degree in Computer Science at the time, my days were mostly spent figuring out lines of code while my evenings were spent behind the counter. Side note, if anyone is looking for a great holiday destination or visiting the Cork office you must go kiss the Blarney Stone, it gives you the ‘Gift of the gab.
- Fun fact: I love nothing more than spending hours on the lake fishing, I will admit that I have hooked myself more times than I have ever hooked a fish.
- Favorite social distancing activity: During the lockdown in Ireland, we were limited to exercise within a 5km range. I am very fortunate to be surrounded by mountains and woods, so I invested in a mountain bike. Admittedly I spent most of my time falling off (and have the bruises to prove it) but really enjoyed getting out and staying active!
VMware Careers: Tell us about your career journey to date?
Peter Murphy: After college, I spent years working as a Software Developer and later as a Technical Support Engineer for small start-up companies. Working with start-ups gave me invaluable exposure to many different areas from initial sales right through to deployments and after-sales support. I gained a real insight into the roles, responsibilities, and challenges at many different levels within the business.
While working as a Technical Support Engineer I began studying people management. For me it seemed like a natural next step, I have always loved working with people, helping them to achieve their goals but also contributing to the strategic direction of the team and finding smarter ways to work. I was lucky enough to get the chance to manage a team of eight engineers for four years before joining VMware. Joining VMware was a real eye-opener for me, no longer was I limited to a small circle of people to collaborate with and learn from, suddenly I had a Global Organization to leverage!
I joined the EUC NASA GS team as a supervisor, most of the team were also new to VMware, and many were new to tech support, it was a great learning experience. From there I moved to Premier Services, a team that provided technical support for some of VMware’s largest and most strategic customers, this gave me great insight into working with large multinational companies and the challenges they face. After two years I returned to where my VMware journey began, EUC as a Senior Manager, and have loved working with the team to help customers realize the value of products like Horizon. It is very important in VMware for everyone to have an individual development plan, the company has helped and encouraged me to grow and develop professionally.
VMware Careers: How is VMware different from any other technology company you have worked for in the past?
Peter Murphy: Throughout my career, I mostly worked in small, start-up companies, VMware was my first experience working in a large global organization. At first, I feared I would just be a number on a spreadsheet but, the experience could not have been more different. Across the entire company, we demonstrate an incredible commitment to our EPIC² values. Regardless of role or title, everyone makes themselves available to jump in to help or offer advice. There is a really strong sense of collaboration, teamwork, and innovation to drive the company and our customers forward.
VMware Careers: What gets you out of bed in the morning?
Peter Murphy: Usually, my kids! For work, I have to say it is the team and customers we work with. In Global Support we help customers resolve technical issues, there is no greater reward than resolving complex problems and reminding customers why they have chosen VMware as their solution provider. Every day is different and brings with it new challenges, there is satisfaction in working with a team that is all aligned to a common goal.
VMware Careers: What has been the biggest lesson you have learned as you moved upwards in your career?
Peter Murphy: Never underestimate the importance of good communication and collaboration. It is vital to ensure everyone has a clear understanding of the business objectives and that we collaborate effectively on how to achieve them.
Collaborate with those inside and outside of your immediate circle, odds are that others will have had similar challenges. Do not hold back from leveraging their experience to determine the best solution. Communicate with your team, keep them in the loop so they are empowered with the right knowledge when the time comes to try something new.
VMware Careers: What makes the team you lead so effective?
Peter Murphy: In Technical Support, every day brings a new challenge, it is the team’s ability to work as one with a common goal that gets the job done. We are spread across five different primary locations; we have tools that promote effective communication, and we rely on the knowledge and support of team members to drive a positive experience and build customers for life.
VMware Careers: If someone reading this was coming to interview with you tomorrow what interview tips would you give them?
Peter Murphy: When I was a Support Engineer no two issues, I dealt with were the same, every day I was challenged to think outside the box. We work as a team in EUC Support, we rely on the help of our colleagues to resolve many customer requests, demonstrating strong collaboration and communication skills is vitally important. Skills can be learned with the right support, having a great approach and willingness to learn is key to succeeding.
Could you see yourself working for a manager like Peter Murphy? Click here to browse open roles on his team!
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