Yesterday was my 4th anniversary at Automattic, working as a Happiness Engineer, supporting people who use WordPress.com.
So much has happened since then, let’s just look over the history a bit, shall we?
My friend Jenifer and I were in the planning stages of WordCamp Albuquerque. It was the first WordCamp in New Mexico, the first WordCamp we’d both ever been to, and obviously the first WordCamp we’d ever planned. I can’t recall how we got connected with Automattic employees that lived in our region, probably on a recommendation from the folks at WordCamp Central, the people responsible for supporting local WordCamp organizers like me. One way or another, we ended up inviting Lance Willett, Kevin Conboy, and Joseph Scott to be speakers. Little did I know how conversations with them would lead to me submitting my application to work at Automattic as a Happiness Engineer.
To be quite honest, I wasn’t exactly sure what Automattic was or what they did. I knew they did something with WordPress.com but at the time, as far as I was concerned, WordPress was WordPress. I had zero experience with the WordPress.com side of things, having built my WordPress business around creating self-hosted WordPress sites for small businesses in Albuquerque. I’ll even admit I was one of those people who scoffed at WordPress.com as the thing for beginners. I’ve changed my mind since then 🙂
WordCamp came and went. Somewhere in there I had a chance to talk to each of the guys from Automattic. Most notably, my husband gathered that they were hiring. And thus it began.
“You should apply,” he says.
“Oh, I couldn’t possibly,” I said.
“Of course you can, you know WordPress. You make websites for people. Why not?”
“Because it says right here, they hire the brightest and the best, and I am not the brightest and the best.”
“You should apply. What do you have to lose?”
“Fine, I’ll apply. But it’s going to come to naught. You’ll see.”
I had been doing website work for, oh, about 4 or 5 years with a mix of static HTML, basic PHP includes, then a stint with Joomla before I discovered WordPress. I did contract work for some design firms in Albuquerque and freelanced before officially started my own business.
I had this idea that other WordPress folk had a magical font of knowledge. I on the other hand, was constantly scrapping and searching to find answers to my questions. I spent my days banging my head against the wall to figure out how to add widgets to a theme, how to troubleshoot wonky plugins, how to fix the dreaded blank page, and on and on. Surely all this came easy to anyone who would be considered to work for a company that was responsible for something like WordPress.com?
But, really, what had I to lose? So I got to work on my at-that-time nonexistent resume. The last time I applied for a job was before I had my four children. After Jack was born I decided to stay home with him and I spent the next years homemaking and homeschooling. Mixed in and around my Stay at Home Mom life I went back to school to finish my Theology degree, trained to be a childbirth educator, started a birth professional network, started homeschooling my kids, and taught myself how to make websites. Together with my husband, we moved to another state, started our own website business, and had three more kids. There had been no need for an updated resume since the last time I had a paying job an administrative assistant in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
It was a bit of an undertaking. Two weeks later, I was ready. I carefully followed the instructions on the jobs page, shipped it off, and pushed it out of my mind.
That’s a lie.
Of course I obsessed about it every moment of every day. I had heard it took a little while to hear back so I was a bit astonished to hear back a few days later.
Shortly after, I had an interview with Hanni Ross, who was in charge of hiring back then. I will never forget waking up in the morning, getting ready, hair done, makeup on. I was so nervous I was shaking when I opened up my computer and fired up Skype. Hanni started typing and we chatted for a while. I kept wondering when she was going to start the video call. Little did I know that text was the default at Automattic. How much I’ve changed since then. Now, our emphasis on text based communication seems like the most normal thing in the world.
Fast forward to today. Now I’m one of the people responsible for hiring Happiness Engineers at Automattic. Amazing. I guess my husband was right, it was worth a shot to throw my hat in the ring. It’s been challenging, it’s been fulfilling, it’s been frustrating at times (what job isn’t), but I don’t regret it for a moment. The past four years have been incredible. Here’s to four more!
Lastly, there is no way I could attach enough photos to this post to cover the highlights of the last four years so here is a smattering of pics:
Karen Alma 
Congrats, Karen! I’m stoked I’ve worked with you all these years, and I look forward to many more. ⭐
Bryan, very much likewise. 🙂
The sky gives you no limit so surf higher and farther…
Yay! So glad you were the one on the other end of my first interview!
Me too!!
hello
Very proud of you. Your motivation & fearlessness has always amazed me. Glad we met along your path!—c
>
You’re very sweet 🙂
Thanks
Can’t wait to see your 4yr laptop design 🙂
So many good color options!
Congratulation Karen! Here’s to many more!
Thank you 🙂
Congrats, Alma! It’s been a great few years working with you, and I look forward to many more!
🙂
toi cung cam thay rat vui va vinh hanh khi duoc cung lam trung cty voi kau ay. va cau ay da rup do toi rat nhieu thay vao loi cam on.toi se tu hua la se co gang phan dau hon nua
Through the frustrations, the laughs, the talks; you’ve been the best, Karen! Here’s to a hundred more (no retirement for you!)
Haha. Ok. Deal.
Congratulations on the first four.
Here’s to the next many more.
Congratulations! Interesting how each of us came to it from different backgrounds. I started my WordPress life with WordPress.com back in 2008 and eventually I discovered self-hosted and started using that on my other sites. I still have the first site on WordPress.com active and running.
Anyway, I’m glad to have met you and I look forward to working with you in the years to come. 😀 (When can I expect treats in the mail? 😛 )
I guess I better get on that 😉
5685
Iwould like to be a member of the automatic program
tai sao ko phai la lam viec luon chu ma cu phai nam toi moi lam viec. toi se ko lam ban phai that vong khi lam viec cung toi dau.hy vog ban hay suy nghi va tra loi toi biet nhe
First one who is not an employee to comment? This will be (not) fun. :p
I just read this post on Automatic’s Facebook page and guess what; I was going to submit my application in the next week or so.
Now I know that you can expect the unexpected here.
I will be prepared – for a “no reply” or something crazy.
Thanks for commenting 🙂 Wishing you all the best on your application process.
Congrats, Karen! Nice milestone.
Thank you, Lance. I’ll always be grateful for your mentorship 🙂
tai sao ko phai la lam viec luon chu ma cu phai nam toi moi lam viec. toi se ko lam ban phai that vong khi lam viec cung toi dau.hy vog ban hay suy nghi va tra loi toi.cam on vi ban da cho toi them 1 co hoi
Congrats! I love Automattics company culture. Maybe one day I can be a part of it too 😉
This is awesome! I love what you said about feeling like the people inside WordPress must have all of the answers while you bang your head against the wall – that’s me :)! I’m about to “text chat” with Lori and I’m SO excited!
I have absolutely loved the learning process that happens when one decides to start a WordPress.com site. It’s been almost 2 years of learning for me so far. I decided to do it a little differently by making more pages than posts. I’m sure this will change over the years though as posts seem to end up being so much fun with tagging of categories. I’d love to join the team one day as I’ve found while joining the different workshops that the urge to help others with their start up questions brings tons of happiness to them and myself in the end. I feel I’m in the same situation as yourself…. three kids later and a resume that doesn’t stand for much! Congratulations on your past 4 years and for your future with WordPress. You have given me hope that there could possibly be a smidgen of chance to one day join the team.
Thanks for sharing that!
❤
leu nhung dieu do lam bn cam thay vui mung thi ban hay co gang hon nua va lay nhung liem vui ay lam dong luc de luon sa hon nua nhe
Your story is the first one I got to read about making the leap into applying for the same position as you have. Now, and I’ll be perfectly honest here, I attempted to start my WordPress blog several years back and was totally confused as to how to start, I still am, but by the process of elimination and clicking here and there. My second, or maybe it’s my third, attempt has been a lot more positive and blog is starting to shape up.
Now, I’ve hit the other side of 50 years and after spending years standing on my feet as a salesman who always manged to remain number one is sales and with 35-plus years in sales and customer service, I wondering, can someone like myself, who knows zilch about coding, css, etc… do a job like this? I’ve been clicking on every link possible to see and read about it and the more I read and learn, the more my curiosity is peaked.
Thanks for sharing your story 🙂 The Happiness Engineer job description on automattic.com has a pretty thorough list of the things that we look for in new support staff. Give it a careful read through and that might help you decide whether to apply or not 🙂
Awww. That’s such a sweet story. I dig it.
Karen, I’m so glad that your story is one that is shared on the “Work with us” page of Automattic. I feel a little connected to you since you’re from Sioux Falls, South Dakota and I’m just a few miles south of that in Sioux City, Iowa. I just found out last night that Automattic was hiring for a myriad of different positions and the Happiness Engineer seems to be the one that fits me best. I emailed my resume in today and I’m hoping to hear something soon. I’m very excited!! I can’t wait to hopefully join the team! 🙂
Thank you for sharing your awesome story. I hope I get to meet you one day.
thanks 🙂 and best of luck!
This place looks like an amazing place to work. Any room for a Content Strategist? I’d really love to join your world and work with you guys. ~sigh
You can check out all our existing jobs here: https://automattic.com/work-with-us/ 🙂
Thanks for sharing Karen 🙂
Automattic sounds like an awesome place to work!!
Thanks for sharing, a lot of good comes out of Automattic, it was great to read your story.
I enjoyed reading your story of how you came to work for Automattic. It inspires me to go ahead and take the plunge to apply 🙂
hello their i love that
Karen, you have given me a spark! I have always felt I may not be ‘good enough’ for a place like Automattic…but today I will put my best foot forward and finally apply. Thank you for this post, and good luck to all the people who were inspired, like me and decided to apply.
Hi Karen,
Reading this make me think how I should I just go for it. Like you; I haven’t looked for a job in years and it seems quite overwhelming with creating a resume in the like. Your post has inspired to apply. Thank you!
Looks like I will need sum duct tape and bubblegum
Reblogged this on i havesevenbooks.org and commented:
I cannot wait to hear from you folks to see if there is any room for me that house.
I am in the tourist town of cariari san jose COSTARICA. Ihavesevenbooks.org
ようやく見つけたぞーーーーーーー！！！！！！！！！！
Reblogged this on 高田電設 and commented:
俺は間違ってない！無駄じゃなかったと信じてる！
Great post, Karen. Thank you for sharing! If we have a chance to work together, I hope to get an update on your story since this post.
Hello Karen, Am thrilled on how determined and successful u were at thy first shot towards success at automatic. Just like thee, I have taught my self WP, and am in deep love with the software now 4 years. I have built a couple of websites for a couple of businesses especially SMEs. Just learned of the openings at Automatic from the just-completed third #WordCampKLA 2018 in the capital city of Uganda, Kampala.I would like to work remotely with thy great company for you are inspirational to me.
Looking forward to meeting thee in a lifetime.
MultiEnpresas-Trans-Parentes.Apple.compucalitv.Plan.guardian.artigas.mides.porn.hub.paypal.com.uy@hotmail.com
its good to join you guys i got this link through a friend
How can we more about this ?
Can an African medical doctor have chance to get to this business? How?
wow wow wow wordpress. com sounds good though I have a zero experience but so far so good , its a good idea
I’m an African , precisely a Cameroonian and I’m interested in being a member of WordPress. com …….what should I do pls
You can head over to our job page for more info: https://automattic.com/work-with-us/happiness-engineer/
My name is Patrick Amutala from Kenya. I am born again and saved by the precious blood of Jesus Christ.
I am looking for work. I don’t have any credentials but I can browse online. I want to write codes. Please you can help me achieve my dreams.
Thanks and God so bless you and keep you in the mighty name of Jesus Christ.
Hi Karen,
I am graduating from UIT RGPV ,Bhopal, India in 2020
I want to work with automattic .
my skills include node.js express.js and other languages
you can find my linkedIn profile here https://www.linkedin.com/in/namit-piriya/
find my resume here
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1e4Fnd1t5kYcBpWLi5WnT0–pCHdcAHyV
please tell me whether I can apply or not
Am in one of the countiresin the third world , currently proceeding with a new life in retirement after a career in Finance. I came across clips on WordPress and Automatic chance by while I was randomly surfing web sites for details or links about COVI-19 pandemic threatening stability of economies across the globe .
Karen has been named as an identifiable contact for the Team and I will be pushing my re’sume’ while I dig deeper for information of the available occupations. Iam especially interested to do any work from my place of residence.
I am from Brazil, 51, a teacher and I would like to find up a way of helping. I am very interested to participate at WordPress although I would like to clear my mind And understand more about how can I do it.
Send love for all…
My name is Rosemary Mueni from Nairobi City in Kenya in Africa. I am a teacher aged 52. I’d like to work with you.
Hook me up. My contact is +254780863412
Email: drwaeni68@gmail. Com
My name is Juliet Mukimba from Jinja, Uganda, East Africa aged 49. Am Secretary as well as Business Administrator. I would like to work with you.
Connect with me. My phone is +256772467620
Hello,
That’s a grate story of your success. I would like to know if you have any SQL DBA position available. I have experience about that and would like to work with you. Please let me know
Thank you
Hi Karen my name is Brandon,
I see this is an old post so I don’t know if you’ll see this but I figured I’d give it a shot! Reading your story of how you started and grew at Automattic has been insightful and relatable reading about how you thought you wouldn’t be good enough and I think deep down, we all have this sort of imposter syndrome within us. In my case I had applied to Automattic in the past, and unfortunately didn’t make the cut at the time, but was grateful and even surprised to have received an interview at all!
Currently, I’m finishing up my masters degree and am itching for another shot to prove myself for an opportunity to work with Automattic. However, I see now that Automattic no longer allows direct applications to roles and I haven’t heard back this time regarding the interest forms I had filled. I tried contacting the recruiter I worked with last but she is currently away on parental leave. So I wanted to ask if there was anyway we could possibly connect or if you had any advice or insight. Either way, thank you and I enjoyed reading your story!
Brandon