The geek in question: Jillian Venters aka "That Goth Girl."
The job title: Technical Editor, Dev Div
What is it that you do here?
I edit help documentation for developers on the Dev Div team, and I've been an editor here at Microsoft as a contractor and then full time for about seven years now.
How is it working in Dev Div?
There are times when I walk around and just think, "Wow. These people are way, way smarter than me." There's a lot of uber-nerd cache about being in Dev Div, and it's been great being on the team.
How did you get here?
I fled the game industry. I used to work as an editor for Wizards of the Coast, while also freelance editing for friends who wrote role playing games. A friend of mine was working as an editor on Microsoft Reader, and she said "Give me your resume! Come here!" And so I fell into technical editing and then realized "Hey, wait! This is a pretty cool company and no one cares that I come to work wearing petticoats and a top hat! I'll stay here."
Ok, let's talk about the petticoats and top hat. You're more than goth. You're super goth!
Every job I've ever interviewed for at Microsoft, I've looked just like this. I mean, maybe I don't wear the top hat, but I don't disguise who I am. And it's gotten to the point where I would go to interviews and people would say, "You're that goth girl! I've seen you around!"
Every team I've been on, I'll get someone who wanders into my office and says,
Office Professional Plus 2010, "So, my kid's getting into this wearing all black kinda thing, listening to weird music … can I bring them into to talk to you?" And I'm always like, "Sure! I'm happy to explain that you can still be a freak and a gainfully employed grown-up."
How much of a grown-up are you?
I'll be turning 40 this year.
So, here's the simple question: Why? Why do you dress like this?
Ever since I was little, I wanted weird fancy clothes. My parents used to tease me about how I said when I grew up I wanted to be the Wicked Witch of the West — or marry Dracula. So this is kind of a long-term thing for me. This is what I look like all the time — unless I'm home doing housework, and then I'm in bloomers and a concert t-shirt.
What responses do you get from your coworkers?
I don't do this for other people's attention. This is just who I am. But I also acknowledge that I'm going to get stopped and get questions.
It's always fun for me, when I switch onto a new team, to have the countdown for how long it takes before somebody stops me in the cafeteria and asks me if I'm in a play, or is it a holiday in my country? That's my favorite — I'm like,
Office Home And Stude/nt 2010 Key, "No, actually. It's Wednesday."
Have you found Microsoft to be accepting of your eccentricities?
This company is so accepting of all lifestyles. It doesn't matter if you have to duck out early for a D&D game, or if you have to duck out early to pick your kids up at daycare — Microsoft is really accepting of the "We know you have a life outside work" thing. The company really understands that people have non-work passions -- and you're then expected to bring all of that enthusiasm and inspiration into your job.
So,
Office Home And Stude/nt, what are your interests outside of work?
For almost ten years now, I've written an online advice and etiquette column for goths and alternative culture people called Gothic Charm School. I've gotten questions like, "So I have this coworker who likes to wear a lot of black and has vampire posters. Should I treat them any differently?" And I say, "No! Goths are not Satanists. They're not murderers."
What MSFT benefits have you enjoyed the most?
The company is so accepting of people's differences and lifestyle needs. I'm nocturnal. I'm not a morning person. So the fact that I don't have to be in the office until 10am is a Godsend.
And the training! I've done a lot of training on technical aspects of my job, and I really like the Clear Communication classes at Microsoft. Communication is very important to how I do my job, and you need to communicate clearly, you need to be able to get your point across, you need to be able to communicate with people from all different backgrounds and of all different fields. Being able to go take these sponsored training courses is great!
Do you use these communication techniques outside of work?
Yes. The classes have helped me at work, but they've also helped me become much more articulate in my everyday life. I'm not just an ambassador of goth culture — I'm also an ambassador of Microsoft. People will stop and ask me about my outfit, and ask me where I work. And I say,
Microsoft Office 2010 Home And Business, "I work at Microsoft!" And they say, "WHAT!?" And I explain, I'm a tech editor and they don't care that I come in like this as long as I get my work done, everything's great.
What do you think about the perception of both Goths and Microsoft being evil?
I have friends who are like "Oh my god, you're working for the evil empire!" And I'm like, "Yes, and you know what? They're really awesome!"
Every big company has its problems and bureaucracy and weirdness, and as long as you know that going in,
Office Standard 2007 Key, then you can find a place that's good to work.
My advice to folks thinking about Microsoft would be this: Try not to buy into the hype of the Evil Empire. That it's the borg. That they're out to absorb and crush everyone. Cuz that's not the case. I have met incredibly cool people here.
Jillian Venters - A Goth inside the Deathstar Oh, so you want some links, hmm?
All about why flextime work schedules rock Benefits of Working Flex Time: Where to find it, how to get it The VP of Dev Div blogs about nurturing innovations Gothic Charm School, Jillian's site
Office Standard 2007 Key blog goth-in-the-office
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