What's it Like to Work at Arkus

I’ve been working at Arkus for a little less than a year now. We’re a tight-knit group of project managers and developers who thrive on pushing ourselves every day to provide the best possible solutions for our clients. As much as that sounds like an elevator pitch, I can honestly say it’s the truth. If you’ve ever worked with us, you’ve heard one of us say “Arkus is little different than your average consulting firm”. While that’s very true in the way that we approach our work with clients, I’d like to talk about what at Arkus stands out for me as an employee.

My Clients Are My Own

Unlike other consulting firms that pass project phases between teams of people, project managers at Arkus handle the entire lifecycle of a project from scoping to configuration to training. That doesn’t mean we don’t help each other, but I feel a very strong sense of ownership for the projects and clients who are considered mine. When the goal is to serve the client, the personal relationship this model fosters provides them with a resource who is always close at hand. The most rewarding part of my work is the sense that I’m a trusted advisor to my clients who can respond and adapt to their needs.  

Track What You Do, Not What You Don’t

As an employee, I am required to book my hours in Salesforce every day. I have an annual hours goal that I break down by month. That sounds simple enough, and it is. More importantly, what's not tracked is when and where I book those hours. It’s the same freedom and flexibility I enjoyed while consulting independently without all the hassle of being self-employed. As someone with young children, I value this flexibility more than anything. I never miss dinner with my family and I regularly schedule time to spend outside with my kids during the week.  

With Great Flexibility Comes The Need For Better Time Management

Working at Arkus obviously requires a deep knowledge of the Salesforce platform but more importantly we are provided with training and a methodology to manage our time and resources. This methodology has pervaded all aspects of my life well beyond the work that I do for Arkus.  It’s easily the most challenging transition I’ve had to make while working here. I’ve gone from basically winging it to a well-documented system of accountability that tells me exactly what I need to do on any given day. I still miss deadlines and fall short of goals, but the methodology includes ways of handling that too. This blog post was due yesterday, so I needed to reset expectations about that deadline with Justin who heads up the blog. Adopting the system fully takes time. It’s changing your habits around the way you handle things, and the best way to break an old habit is to form a new one.  

Great Clients

Organizations who value the more personal relationship that a company like Arkus provides tend to be awesome. I have a broad spectrum of clients from non profits to financial services but one common thread among them is people who care about having a positive impact on the world around them.  

Good People

My co-workers are cool. Given the mix of responsibility and freedom that we as project managers have at Arkus, this job attracts a certain kind of person. They are intelligent, driven, and creative people who break the traditional consultant mold. Arkus provides an environment where we can thrive. Many of us are remotely located around the country including myself in Minneapolis. Unfortunately, that means it’s only a few times a year that we all get together. I’m always looking forward to the next Arkus meetup.  

This is probably reading like a love letter to Arkus, but working here has changed my life for the better, so maybe that's what it is. Workplaces that change their focus toward the things that really matter, like employee empowerment and client satisfaction, while ignoring the things that don’t, are setting a new standard for consulting firms. I’m learning every day and working hard for fantastic organizations. I’m lucky to work here.

What do you love about where you work? Want to share your experiences or opinions? Share them with me on the Arkus Facebook page, in the comments below, in the Success Community, or to me directly via Twitter at @jbujold.