ATS Employee Feature – Mukta K.

ATS will share the talent and hard work that we call our team. From help-desk and NOC, to consulting, sales, application development, and more – we pause to get a little bit personal, showcasing the faces behind the technologysolutions we work on each day. This month we meet ATS On-site Consultant and Systems Analyst, Mukta K.

1. What was your first job? Tell us about it As cliché as it may sound, I worked for my mom’s company. She needed a vacation and I assured her that I’d look after her business while she was gone. Her travel agency has taught me the number one requirement in customer service world – Patience. She made it look so easy, but when I was in charge for just 10 days, I learned the nitty-gritty of her business world. Every client was important, there were at least 10 calls to be made before creating a new travel quote. Being open minded about the fact that the client may not go with our quote was something I learned the hard way. That was my first lesson in understanding what goes into building a small business. I continued assisting her throughout my undergrad work. I think she was the toughest boss to work for.
2. Who has influenced you most in your professional path/career? From where I come, every household has at least one engineer and mine was no exception. However, I always wanted to do something different. There were very few girls in my EE (electrical engineering) program. When I graduated, I was probably the only one to secure a job in the hardware world of IT. I have had the opportunity to work with great mentors and I have learned so much from each one of them in last ten years. I know that this is where I belong.

   I’d like to give a big chunk of that credit to my mother who had a vision and believed in me more than I believed in myself. I’ve seen her work relentlessly with so much dedication, she is my biggest inspiration.

   

3. What’s your favorite part about working in the technology industry? What drew you to consulting? I love reading and I have gotten into a habit of either listening to a podcast or reading a new article every morning before going to work. That’s the fun part about being in IT. It’s forever growing and there is so much to learn and implement. Reading an article before work came to me from my current mentor, she is probably why I like consulting so much and talking to clients about new products and implementing it to enhance their business growth.

   There is a saying – “Behind every successful woman, is a tribe of other successful women who have her back.” I work with such a great team, they inspire me every day. A big shout out to my tribe, they know who they are.

4. Looking back, what career advice would you tell your 18-year-old self?
   Have patience and never be demotivated by failure. Take every failure as a lesson and do things that motivate you. Work hard and smart and do not think of clocking out at 5:00 pm or 6 or 7, just don’t think of clocking out!
5. What’s your favorite thing to do when you’re not working?
   I love to cook. I am a self-proclaimed awesome cook. I love trying different recipes, it gives me a sense of satisfaction and makes me feel productive. I use it as my stress buster.

   When I am not cooking, I am either at my dance studio or somewhere exploring a new trail. Every summer I perform with my dance company at the Georgetown University’s Gonda Auditorium around June and that has been by far the best way to celebrate my birthday. My husband and I enjoy hiking and have hiked almost all the trails in Shenandoah and we want to hike the Appalachian Trail some day or at least a part of it. Last fall we hiked Acadia National Park in Maine and I’d like to go back, mainly for the lobster

   —————————————————————————————
   We’re hiring! Check out the ATS career page to see if you might be the next team member we feature.

   {{cta(‘dd8f1fa0-e64a-46fb-922f-3a0d28424cc3’)}}