Business Objects Employee Testimonials
- Jay - Global Services
- Laura - Education Services
- Chris - Sales
- Rob - IT
- Karen - Marketing
- Vito - Quality Assurance
- Justin - Customer Assurance
- Nordine - Inside Sales
- Yann - Finance
- Romain - Customer Assurance
- Jay - Product Group
- Christelle - Sales
- Ed - IT
Jay - Consultant, USA
What do you do?
I am the platform services line lead for Business Objects Global Services (GS). I'm responsible for the technical success of GS projects. I set technical standards and document best practices, particularly in the area of large enterprise deployments and clustered environments.
Why did you choose to join Business Objects?
I ran into Business Objects at a recruitment fair. I liked what I saw and it seemed like smart stuff. The decision was largely based on the technical aspects and innovation of the company.
What makes Business Objects a great place to work?
The people. We just have an incredible group of people working here, many of whom come from diverse, non-technical backgrounds. For example, I myself used to study History and Sanskrit before getting into business intelligence. I also feel I have been very lucky in that I've had good, supportive managers.
How does Business Objects help you evolve your career?
As the company grew, I had the opportunity to grow with it. Eight years ago I picked up the phone as a technical support engineer and now I influence how our organization works. It has been a wild ride.
What advice would you give to someone who is considering joining Business Objects?
Join! Hard work and intelligence pay off here. From a technical standpoint, it is amazing to experience how our Global Services organization actually puts business intelligence systems in place that change how Fortune 100 companies in the US and elsewhere in the world work and operate. In services, you're likely to be involved in four or five large projects a year. If that is something that attracts you, I can only advise you to join us.
Laura - Education Services, Canada
What do you do?
I lead a global team of technical instructors based in five different countries. Our team delivers technical education to Business Objects employees around the world. We learn the latest software so we can contribute to company readiness for new product releases.
Why did you choose to join Business Objects?
I had been working in a very somber cubicle work environment when I had the opportunity to go on a tour of the Business Objects office. There was so much energy in the office. I wanted to be part of a motivated and passionate team.
What makes Business Objects a great place to work?
I am empowered to make a difference at Business Objects. My team values individual leadership as well as teamwork, and we all play a part in setting goals and defining our success. Business Objects also encourages me to make a difference in my community, helping me learn about the needs of my community and get involved with organizations that provide assistance.
How does Business Objects help you evolve your career?
Business Objects provides education programs that help me to develop my technical and professional skills. The education assistance program has also enabled me to complete a professional certificate program. I've been able to progress from a technical support engineer to a technical instructor to a team lead to a manager.
What advice would you give to someone who is considering joining Business Objects?
Read about our core values on the Business Objects Web site. If these values match your own, then you'd be a great fit for Business Objects.
Chris - Sales, United Kingdom
What do you do?
I manage the public sector sales team in the UK.
Why did you choose to join Business Objects?
Firstly, in a maturing technology market, I wanted to target a good company. Business Objects is a leader in a growing sector with strong revenue and profitability. Secondly, culture and people were important. Leadership, passion, integrity and customer success were apparent in the people I met and those virtues resonate with me.
What makes Business Objects a great place to work?
A large part of this has to be attributed to its success - people feel good being associated with success. Working for a market leader instills confidence and pride. The company also promotes an open management style that values collective success at its heart. These attributes are primary elements of a good workplace.
How does Business Objects help you evolve your career?
I am relatively new to the organization. Nevertheless my manager and I have discussed my development from both a short and longer-term perspective. We share a very clear view of expectations and goals.
What advice would you give to someone who is considering joining Business Objects?
The fact that I have proposed a number of colleagues from previous companies who have accepted positions at Business Objects is probably the best endorsement I can give. The company provides a platform for success in an open and collaborative workplace.
Rob - IT, Canada
What do you do?
I am an IT project manager for Global Services. Ultimately, I develop a portfolio plan that outlines the projects to be delivered in a given year, and the resources and commitment required to realize the plan. Then I create the project plans and manage the various phases of the project lifecycle.
Why did you choose to join Business Objects?
I liked the idea of working for a big successful software company that was still growing. I also heard great things about the corporate culture.
What makes Business Objects a great place to work?
Business Objects has an exciting atmosphere, with talented, hard working and friendly people, as well as competitive compensation and benefits.
How does Business Objects help you evolve your career?
It provides a lot of opportunity for internal advancement, and the management culture encourages initiative.
What advice would you give to someone who is considering joining Business Objects?
If you are looking for a challenging and rewarding career in the software industry, this is the company for you!
Karen - Marketing, China
What do you do?
I do marketing in the greater China region. I help make Business Objects a well-known and preferable software brand among the business people, especially those in executive positions. I also help generate demand and build the sales pipeline through various marketing campaigns and events.
Why did you choose to join Business Objects?
To grow my own career in a fast-growing industry and to develop leadership in a leading company. The people that interviewed me were enthusiastic about the industry they were in. They asked smart and thoughtful questions. I did not know much about the company's business intelligence products at that time, but I did want to work with intelligent and humorous people!
What makes Business Objects a great place to work?
The work environment is passionate, innovative and respectful. I appreciate the culture of recognizing and encouraging high-performers, and the leadership, which is affable and charismatic.
How does Business Objects help you evolve your career?
Business Objects provides me with valuable, pertinent training. It also encourages change and risk-taking.
What advice would you give to someone who is considering joining Business Objects?
Be prepared to face challenges and perform your best in a fast-growing company and a fast-changing industry. Trust the people that you work with and communicate actively.
Vito - Quality Assurance, China
What do you do?
I am a quality assurance engineer for the developer mission team.
Why did you choose to join Business Objects?
I knew from my internship experience that Crystal Reports is the industry standard for enterprise reporting. It is a great honor to become one of the engineers that builds this famous software. I also felt Business Objects sought employees with potential and a positive mindset.
What makes Business Objects a great place to work?
Business Objects keeps investing in employees. The culture, the mindset, and the spirit of excellence also make a difference. And we are building a top-notch product!
How does Business Objects help you evolve your career?
At Business Objects, every day I am ramping up both technical skills and soft skills. We entry-level engineers are fully engaged in standardized software product life cycle. Exposure to industry-leading technology, process and management will help us have a clear picture of our future career.
What advice would you give to someone who is considering joining Business Objects?
Don't hesitate.
Justin - Customer Assurance, USA
What do you do?
I am a senior technical support engineer helping our top tier customers by providing dedicated technical support and account management to Business Objects' most visible and strategic accounts.
Why did you choose to join Business Objects?
When I joined Business Objects, it was clear that I was about to become a member of a company that truly cares about their customers as well as their employees. My first thought was: Wow - I just got hired by a real company!
What makes Business Objects a great place to work?
For me, the greatest thing that stands out about this company is the talent that it attracts. This is true for engineers, managers, administrators, sales, consultants, IT, etc. This is the only place that I have worked in where you can continue to gain knowledge at such a rapid pace, and then be supported to share that knowledge to develop new ideas.
How does Business Objects help you evolve your career?
Business Objects is always looking for innovative ways to help evolve careers. They take the time to survey the employees, listen to our ideas and create real-life action plans to support us.
What advice would you give to someone who is considering joining Business Objects?
Business Objects is a really interesting and wonderful company to work for, because there are so many things you can learn and bring to the company. By choosing Business Objects, you are becoming part of an ambitious and successful company.
Nordine - Inside Sales, Ireland
What do you do?
I work as an inside corporate account manager (ICAM) in our European head offices in Ireland. I am in charge of selling our whole business intelligence offerings to mid-market companies in Eastern and Northern France.
Why did you choose to join Business Objects?
I joined Business Objects because it is a leading software company and clearly the business intelligence leader in the market. The products are great and very solution-based. As a sales person, it is a pleasure to sell these products because we are personally convinced about our product capabilities.
What makes Business Objects a great place to work?
It is a transnational, multicultural company. This is a company where you can still contribute something new. This is also a really good company with good recognition, rewards and incentives. For sales people, I think being all gathered in one single place like Las Vegas for our annual sales kick-off is wonderful!
How does Business Objects help you evolve your career?
When I joined Business Objects, I was asked what my objectives and plans were. I said to my manager that my objective is to become a field account manager. I think this is the right step for me to develop my career within the company.
What advice would you give to someone who is considering joining Business Objects?
I would say Business Objects is a really interesting and wonderful company to work for because there are so many things you can learn and bring to the company. By choosing Business Objects, you are becoming part of an ambitious and successful company.
Yann - Finance, USA
What do you do?
I work in finance for the corporate planning group. Our team provides financial leadership, business and operational support to the senior executives and their worldwide marketing, customer assurance and enterprise information management (EIM) organizations.
Why did you choose to join Business Objects?
My prior experience includes working at big multinationals. It was very exciting to be an integral part of a big "start-up" environment where your contribution can make a difference. I am excited to bring my experience to a smaller, fast-growing company. I decided to join Business Objects because the company is a leader in the software industry and it offered opportunities for growth.
What makes Business Objects a great place to work?
For a finance professional, it is great to actually work for the business intelligence leader - not just use its tools! It certainly is easier to understand the offering and participate in its strategy and implementation. Business Objects gives you the opportunity to come in and shape and transform an entrepreneurial company that is growing quickly. What you do is what gets done and you see the results real-time.
How does Business Objects help you evolve your career?
Business Objects emphasizes career development, including transnational and cross-functional transfers. In my case, being promoted within six months in the company was a strong show of recognition and confidence in my potential. As the company matures and grows, it provides a great platform to acquire the diverse business knowledge to meaningfully impact the business and grow your career.
What advice would you give to someone who is considering joining Business Objects?
Now is a great time for you to join. The company is at a critical stage of its maturity and you can be a part of that. If you are passionate about what you do, if you want to share your experience to help shape the company and leave a strong legacy, then Business Objects is the place to be!
Romain - Customer Assurance, UK
What do you do?
I am part of the Customer Assurance service. Our objective is to handle customer requests by understanding customer needs and knowing how Business Objects products interact with other components of their system. Our goal is to solve the customer's problems and provide them with accurate answers.
Why did you choose to join Business Objects?
Business Objects is the market leader in business intelligence and this market will continue to grow.
What makes Business Objects a great place to work?
The culture of the company is really interesting. Business Objects merges French and American structures and practices. And as an international company, it is a really great place to meet people from all over the world.
How does Business Objects help you evolve your career?
I am passionate about IT technologies and the Business Objects approach to business intelligence involves knowledge of a wide range of LDAP, DB, web servers and security systems. One of the key things here is that you are able to work with a wide variety of available technologies, according to your interests.
What advice would you give to someone who is considering joining Business Objects?
If you are passionate about information technologies and interested in making contact with a lot of different people, I think you are knocking on the right door!
Jay - Product Group, Canada
What do you do?
I work in the product group as a development manager, managing a group of development engineers, planning projects, assigning tasks, reviewing specifications and helping with career development.
Why did you choose to join Business Objects?
I chose Business Objects because of the interesting work that was being done here and the friendly work environment.
What makes Business Objects a great place to work?
The many bright people who work here, the abundant opportunities to learn and grow one's career, and the many social activities that take place within the community of people who work here.
How does Business Objects help you evolve your career?
This is a great place to evolve your career because you are presented with opportunities to try new responsibilities and expand your skills. In addition, there are many resources from training courses to online programs for people who want to grow their careers.
What advice would you give to someone who is considering joining Business Objects?
My advice to someone considering joining Business Objects would be to take a look at the big picture and consider not just the position, but also the culture, the opportunities, and the resources available to you.
Christelle - Sales, France
What do you do?
I am currently a Regional Enterprise Information Management (EIM) Sales Consultant.
Why did you choose to join Business Objects?
I worked a few years for another organization as a business analyst on COBOL applications. I wanted to see the other side of the business by working for a software vendor. When Business Objects offered me a job as a trainer, I saw a good opportunity to take my career in a new direction.
What makes Business Objects a great place to work?
At Business Objects, you are provided with total autonomy. Management and colleagues trust you and respect your work. Business Objects is also a company that is constantly evolving, which prevents you from getting bored.
How does Business Objects help you evolve your career?
My management supported me in becoming a Regional EIM specialist. This latest opportunity is really challenging, and it is great for my technical progression. It has also given me the opportunity to work in English, as well as French. Human Resources has set up a framework that allows you to know where you are in your career path and how you can move to another position, not only within a department, but also from one department to another.
What advice would you give to someone who is considering joining Business Objects?
Join, join, join! Business Objects gives you a wide range of opportunities, and business intelligence is certainly one of the best industries to be in - both now and in the future.
Ed - IT, U.S.
What do you do?
I lead a team responsible for the project management office for BI and data warehouse projects, release management, M&A planning, offshore processes and growing responsibilities in enterprise architecture governance.
Why did you choose to join Business Objects?
I worked in IT for an organization that was acquired by Business Objects. While I was leading the IT integration activities for this acquisition, I interviewed for the IT leadership role at Business Objects. It was a great opportunity for me, and the first of many.
What makes Business Objects a great place to work?
Opportunity. It's a great place to work because the growth of the company continues to fuel internal opportunities, which is part of the territory of being the #1 enterprise BI company in the world. Business Objects also attracts high-caliber individuals who will challenge you and help you develop your skills.
How does Business Objects help you evolve your career?
Business Objects is constantly changing in order to continue to lead the market. Whether we are acquiring new companies and entering new markets, or gaining steady market share in core businesses, our strategies bring change - and that spells O-P-P-O-R-T-U-N-I-T-Y.
Since I have been at Business Objects I have held many different leadership positions in IT. Each position was a result of new opportunities that surfaced through acquisitions, organizational changes and new positions that were developed due to our growth. Each of these opportunities have contributed greatly to my own career development and prepared me to take the next step at the right time.
What advice would you give to someone who is considering joining Business Objects?
If you enjoy an environment that offers an exciting pace where you are given the opportunity to innovate and influence, then Business Objects is the right fit. Business Objects is constantly changing to provide the best products and services to our customers. Envision each change as an opportunity and you will be motivated to contribute your talent to our continued success.
