As a senior project manager, Emily Lord helps deliver exceptional customer experiences to our clients. Her expertise on our Sitecore team has driven incredible results that make a real difference for our clients and their customers.
The hard work and dedication of the colleagues in our Sitecore practice led Perficient to recently be recognized with a 2022 Sitecore Partner Award. This award was all made possible by our talented colleagues like Emily. Below, Emily shares her experience working on this award-winning team, getting involved in different types of projects, and stepping out of her comfort zone to spread her wings.
What is a day in the life of a senior project manager on the Sitecore team?
A day in the life of a senior project manager is extremely dynamic. It’s about 90% communication with internal teams and clients in multiple time zones. I have lots of meetings, but I have to be ready for my day to change in the drop of a hat.
How do you feel like you’re making an impact in your role at Perficient?
I feel like the biggest impact of my role is making our clients happy by ensuring our projects are delivered successfully. Happy clients often come back for repeat business or give us a good reference to future clients, which is important for continued success. A lot of my role is doing pre-sales and growing my accounts, so I enjoy helping clients accomplish even bigger goals and looking further into how Perficient can help them.
What advice do you have for colleagues that are starting at Perficient?
My biggest advice is to bond with your colleagues as much as possible and to get involved with things outside of your direct business unit. Making this effort will likely make you feel more connected to the organization as a whole, but you have to reach out to feel bonded to your colleagues, whether a virtual happy hour or in person. In the Sitecore group, we have “Watercooler Chats” every month to casually talk about life, but Perficient makes it easy to join ERGs and get involved no matter what BU you’re in.
EXPLORE MORE: Life at Perficient
Are you a part of any culture groups here at Perficient?
I am in the Women in Technology ERG, and I really love the mentoring program. My mentor and I are the perfect match for each other, and she has been a huge help to me. The program and my mentor have been invaluable to me, giving me career advice and providing a third-party perspective from someone outside of my team.
I’ve also attended WiT group sessions that are extremely helpful. We have conversations that are critical in the workplace, and they’re beneficial for anyone to hear, not just women.
READ MORE: Six Pieces of Career Advice from Two Experienced Women in Technology
Can you tell us more about what your experience has been like having a mentor?
I’ve been with my mentor for exactly a year now, and I’ve had a great experience. I was part of the pilot WiT mentor program, and they asked me what characteristics I’d want in a mentor. I said a director in another BU that is a working mom, and I got exactly what I requested. We meet once a month, which is a great opportunity for me to ask questions, bounce ideas off of her, or get advice knowing I can be open and honest without being judged.
READ MORE: Lessons and Strategies for Working Parents
What has your experience been with the Perficient blogging program?
I love blogging, and I’m trying to make more time for it because I think it’s so important. Blogging is fun, and benefits me both personally and professionally, but it also benefits the organization. It gives Perficient huge credibility, and especially with Perficient being an expert Sitecore partner, we need to be at the top of search results. It’s important to blog about what you know to keep your skills fresh. You have to be an expert to preach it to others, and blogging is the perfect outlet.
READ MORE: Emily Shares Her Expertise through Blogging
What has your experience at Perficient taught you?
My experience at Perficient has taught me to spread my wings and step out of my comfort zone. Previously coming from a small company, it was easy to stay in my comfort zone in one type of project. At Perficient, there’s such a wide variety of projects, technologies, and offerings that it’s encouraged and easily accessible to step out of your comfort zone. This has helped me gain experience and confidence when getting involved in different types of projects in various industries.
What keeps you here at Perficient?
The great relationships I’ve made with my colleagues in the Sitecore group and outside of my team always motivate me. I truly feel like I’m friends with the people I work with and even my clients. We are a team, we’re in this together and we’re marching toward the finish line to succeed together.
Why are you #ProudlyPerficient?
We are absolutely committed to high quality work and doing the right thing for our clients here at Perficient. We always operate ethically and strive to deliver a product to our clients that makes their lives easier. We truly care about the right outcome for them and want the best for our clients.
What is one thing you wish that your colleagues knew about you?
How much I care about them as people. We have some colleagues in Ukraine and Belarus that have been dealing with the war, and it’s been tearing us up as a team. It’s heartbreaking to hear about some of the experiences they’ve had. I’ve had to take moments to let my emotions out during my personal time because I care about them in a big, big way. They are a huge part of my life and I hope they know this.
READ MORE: Eight Resources to Help the People in Ukraine Right Now
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