On Trial with WordPressPRESENTED BY SALLY POULSEN (@SALLYPOULSEN)

ENGINEERING HAPPINESS:

HAPPINESS ENGINEER (or HE)

A WP.COM Support Person, who answers questions, writes documentation, and works with internal teams as needed.

TRAINING Learning the Ropes

HIRING The Interview Process

WHAT I LEARNED From the Experience

HIRINGHow the hell did I get noticed anyway?

WORDPRESS VIP-Specialized WP hosting -High security -100% Uptime -All code is submitted via SVN Source Control -All code is reviewed & deployed by WP Code Wranglers

APPLYING

Resume Letter

Stupid Quiz

sallypoulsen.com/the_quiz

Done via Skype Chat. You type all your answers. Similar to most interviews. Interview #1

Assignment Given a short writing assignment, based around writing documentation. Took about 3 hours to complete.

Interview #2 Also done via Skype chat. Generally takes an hour, and may be followed up by an invite for trial. In my case, I didn’t do a second interview, I was just immediately offered a trial.

Trial Contract Sent a .pdf contract to sign electronically.. Trials earn a flat rate of $25 an hour as a contractor. The contract is between you and Matt Mullenweg.

Start date The Hiring team offers several start dates. You do 2 full days of training, then you work on your own time for up to 6 weeks. Contract can be terminated by either party at any time.

TRAINING

Learning how WP Works

Two Days Training via Slack WP

TRAIN ING

Slack has chat channels for HEs & Trials

Field Guide Highly detailed internal documentation

for Happiness Engineers.

WP Training Buddy

P2s Internal team blogs

During Training, You are given SUPER ADMIN privileges.

4

How to use the Super Admin Interface

DURING TRAINING

How to source answers to your questions

3

12 How to use the ticketing systems

How to find what to do everyday

5 The best way to talk to clients

At this point, they turn you loose.

WHAT I LEARNED

The job is secondary

The Admin UI Design at WP is AMAZING. 1

No job is what it looks like from the outside 2

Automattic really has figured out the future of work. 3

Never be too intimidated to apply for any job! 4

Questions?

Thanks!