Meet the Team – Corey De La Rue

Technician Corey De La Rue discusses his experience of working at Resolution IT, the transition from education to full-time work, and the importance of a supportive team.

What is your daily job role?

I work as a technician. I start at 7.30, so I’m one of the first ones in. I manage all the unassigned tickets that have come in over-night or over the weekend and get everything in a nice position for the main team when they arrive and the phone lines open at 8. I also work on the service desk on the first line, answering calls and dealing with any questions or issues.

How do you find dealing with clients over the phone?

I don’t really mind it; I’ve never had an issue talking to people. It’s all about managing expectations, being patient and communicating with the client. Of course, if the client’s issue is more complex, it can get a little challenging – but when it comes to socialising and talking to people, I really enjoy it. I just get to work and try to be as friendly as possible.

Tell me a bit about yourself, what do you enjoy doing outside of work?

I love the outdoors and I’m a big fan of water-sports. Travelling is important to me too – it’s great to get away from the island sometimes and explore different places.

When I’m not at work I enjoy gaming with my friends and socialising – which is something I really love about working here. I’m a really sociable person, so it’s great having so many work events to look forward to.

Has that helped you meet new people and settle in?

Definitely. I’ve been here just over a year now and the social calendar has really helped me get to know my co-workers on a more personal level, outside of work. There are people here that I speak to every day that I genuinely consider my close friends. There’s a real sense of community here.

What did you want to be when you grew up?

I was never really sure – I went through a few different phases. The first big decision that I settled on was being a police officer, so I went to university and studied criminology.

After a few months I found myself getting bored. It just wasn’t hands-on enough, which made it difficult to stay engaged. It seemed like a lot of money to be spending on a subject I wasn’t passionate about.

After the first term, I decided to come home and get a job in Guernsey. I joined a garage doing sales administration and washing cars. My plan remained to end up in police work, but when the application came around, I just wasn’t sure it was right for me.

At the start of last year, still unsure of what career to pursue, I planned to leave to work in America at a Summer camp, but unfortunately the coronavirus got in the way of that – so I needed a new plan.

I’d always enjoyed IT at school and studied it at A level, so it seemed a good direction for me. I’d worked with Resolution IT at my previous job as a client of theirs and the team always seemed cheerful and professional. So I decided to apply for a job here and I’ve enjoyed it every day since. It feels like I found the right direction.

Since then, how have your aspirations changed? What are your plans now?

I’m not sure what the big plan is, but I’m working my way through qualifications and study- which is a great thing about working here. Resolution IT really supports learning and development. Once I’ve got my CompTIA A+ qualification, which is a base level IT exam, I’ll have more freedom to decide which areas I want to specialise in and can then take further certifications to develop specific skills.

How was the transition into office work from the job you had before? Have you felt supported by your colleagues?

I feel a lot more supported here than at previous jobs. It’s a much closer-knit team here and everyone supports each other.

We have the different tiers of positions here, from assistants to managers to directors, but you feel as though you can ask anyone anything. Nothing is below anyone and it genuinely feels like one big team. It’s great knowing that if you have a problem – even if it’s not to do with work – there’s always someone that will try and help you, and I’m grateful for that.

It’s great having a big open space with no closed doors, all departments sit together, directors and all. Everyone is treated equally without a hierarchy, and I know not all workplaces are like that.

Is there anything that surprised you about working here?

Genuinely – and this sounds bad – but I was surprised by the people that work here. There are certain preconceptions about people who work in IT, but there is such a wide variety of different people and personalities in this office. There are so many different roles – everyone brings something different to the table, but we all work together towards the same thing. We might all have different backgrounds or skillsets, but at the end of the day, we’re all here for the same reason.

Is there anything that you would have wanted to hear when you’d been at college?

One key thing for me is that you get pushed towards university a lot when you’re in Sixth Form, but the truth is, it’s not for everyone. Not everyone knows the answer about what they want to be or have a career in, and you don’t necessarily need to decide straight away. I rushed into a decision about uni, and it wasn’t right for me. It’s important to try new things and work out what you’re interested in and what inspires you – and that can happen in further education or in a career.