“My First Month at Apto”

Hello, I’m Nick and I’m just finishing up my first month as a Graduate Consultant at Apto. I have thoroughly enjoyed it so let me take you through my experience step by step!

The Interview

The interview was advertised as 2/3 stages which was very attractive as some companies feel like they go on forever, but Apto’s didn’t. After the initial chat I came into the office for a technical assessment; followed by talking to the Managing Director and a couple other Consultants. This conversation consisted of them finding out more about me and me finding out more about Apto.

Around a week later… I heard back it was a yes! Therefore it was 2 stages but if you aren’t personally sure on the job you’re more than welcome to have a third.

The First Month

I arrived for my first day at the Clifton office, received equipment and started training almost instantly. Alongside that I also got introduced to everyone which was a bliss due to everyone being so friendly and talkative (which is always a bonus!).

In the first two weeks I’d seen the Security and Operate side of the business and shadowed a consultant from each, to see who does what and what goes where. Apto’s hierarchy is very flat, and communication is a key and desired skill in this company! Advice is available from everyone and people actively want to help. Opinions are welcome and debate is encouraged, and the office is a lively and fun place to be.

Entering the third week, we touched on me going to do some work for a client which is fantastic. After doing some more shadowing of client meetings I then proposed a presentation which led to assurance I had the confidence needed.

Apto also has no qualms about you taking on responsibility early, and this is a great opportunity to get your hands dirty and learn about the Splunk and client landscape. To demonstrate this: I’m currently on project with a client, designing a dashboard and creating a Splunk usage report for them, with supervision, but mostly free-reign to grapple with their Splunk infrastructure and client needs. What I’ve quickly learned is that there is a lot of demand for what Apto do, and as a result you will never be bored.

What Went Well

In my previous full time tech job, I was feeling quite overwhelmed with everything going on which resulted in making mistakes as I felt I had less time to think. It was also a negative work environment prioritising quantity over quality, pushing out work regardless if it was correct or not.

On the other hand, Apto focus on productivity and patience so you’re provided with the time to get it right. This also created a sense of self-empowerment as I was seeing success which motivated me whilst getting to grips with consultancy!

Overall, I have learnt a key aspect to this role is confidence and the ability to communicate properly.

Even Better If

If I was being picky, I wouldn’t mind the training being slightly more formalised. Due to change in documentation and processes, there isn’t yet completed templates for me to fully compare and take on board. However, this is already in progress as we speak, so I’m sure it won’t be an issue for much longer!