Stefan Crisp
Technical Marketing Engineer
Telcom Network Test Division
Edinburgh

Life at Agilent?

It's busy, varied, challenging - and definitely rewarding. Career development prospects also look very good.

I started here in July 2000 after graduating from Napier. As a local, I'd always heard good things about HP from people who worked there. So when a friend working for Agilent recommended it, I applied. Because my degree is in Software Engineering, I assumed I'd work in Software Development. But my interviewer told me about a different option – Technical Marketing. The combination of technical and business aspects appealed to me a lot.

And that's where the part-time job I did as a student came in handy. I'd worked as a Team Leader at Sky TV in Dunfermline, handling customer enquiries. The experience really developed my communications and customer handling skills – essential in my current job. Perhaps the thing that strikes you first about working here is the friendly atmosphere. It's busy, too – but people always seem to have time for you. I'm in a team of mixed generation and we all work together really well. That kind of buzz carries on after work, too. You can meet new people at the excellent gym or on social evenings. There are regular graduate nights out too – a strain on the liver sometimes, but always a laugh. And if you can't find some kind of good time in Edinburgh at the weekend, maybe it's time to check your pulse.

I've been given a lot of varied work and plenty of new tasks to get into so far. Along the way I've had formal training combined with learning on the job. For one course, five of us hired a Volvo and drove down to the Lake District. A week of intensive training followed by some fine nights out. And I've also attended training events in Cincinnati and San Diego - good fun, very useful. I've already put some of the skills I gained into practice, leading development workshops here. Soon I'll be using more. I'm off to meet customers in Spain, Portugal, Italy and Austria. I'd better check that passport.

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Fiona Hunter
R&D Engineer (Graduate)
Telecom Network Test Division
Edinburgh

Life at Agilent is never the same – each day brings a different task, a new situation to deal with. And life in Edinburgh is good, too. The city is an endless source of things to do, people to meet and nights out to be enjoyed. I was a little apprehensive about moving here after graduating from Dundee University. I didn't know anyone at all - but with a bit of effort, it's worked out OK. There's a strong graduate community and someone is always ready for a night out or a lunch.

My first day at work was a bit daunting. I was in a large office where I knew few faces. I still didn't know exactly what project I was working on. And I was unsure of the building layout. But the people I worked with made sure I knew where the essentials were and soon helped me feel at home. Overall, Agilent has measured up well to what I was looking for. I wanted to work for a renowned, global company. One with a track record showing them to be among the most successful in their field. I wanted challenges on both a technical and personal level. And I think Agilent has scored well on all those counts.

There are lots of opportunities to learn and develop your skill set. If you fancy a particular training course, it's up to you to justify why. If you can do that, you do the training. Simple as that. And Agilent is so broad ranging, there are lots of different areas to move into. Also, if you put in the effort and work hard, it gets noticed. You're well rewarded and valued - that's the Agilent culture. There's a strong focus on ensuring that people's needs are cared for. Flexible working is handy. There's a good canteen. A well equipped gym. And after work, all kinds of sports, ranging from squash, football and Frisbee to golf or swimming.

Actually, I used to be heavily involved in athletics. Due to an injury, I had to stop training. But my dream is still to compete in the Olympics. It's all about fulfilling my potential. And that's why I'm at Agilent, too. Watch this space…