#yahoosyouneedtoknow

[careersatoath]

Step into Jerry Ralhan's shoes for the day and find out what it's like to be a Programmatic Optimizer at @yahoo7

[careersatoath]

[careersatoath]

Congratulations to Yahoo7's Lucinda James who won QLD Sales Rep Of The Year at the Media I awards.

[careersatoath]

Interested in programmatic? Read more about our Brightroll DSP offering and an interview with our programmatic guru Ben Green here:

https://mumbrella.com.au/yahoo-takes-local-brightroll-dsp-dark-pledging-data-access-customers-397123

[yahootalentcommunity]

Yahoo Black Network Profile: Jeremy Smith, Tumblr Brand Strategist

posted by Michael McGovern, Talent Community Manager

Meet Jeremy, Tumblr Brand Strategist, based in our New York, NY office where he offers Tumblr’s platform services to east coast based entertainment clients. Prior to Joining Yahoo in 2015, Jeremy was a Content and Digital Strategist with New York-based advertising agency Commonground/MGS where he integrated digital content into 360 advertising campaigns for clients like The Estate of Tupac Shakur, Verizon Wireless, and MillerCoors. For nearly 2 years, Jeremy created content strategies, executed social strategy, and managed Tupac’s social media community. His two person team earned Tupac 10 million+  followers making Tupac the 3rd most followed deceased celebrity in the world. Prior to working in social media, he worked in sales and marketing roles after his internship with Cintas Corporation. Jeremy received his Bachelor’s of Arts degree in Black World Studies from Miami University.

How did you get interested in tech?

I began typing at 5, and playing computer games soon after. My first computer entered my life around 11. By 15 all I wanted for Christmas was a 56K modem. I liked to learn and the Internet was an information rabbit hole. Meeting new people was the fastest way to learn. Next I was message boards and joining every social network that came about. Soon enough I was obsessed with web design, building computers and social media.

Growing up in Cincinnati, Silicon Valley seemed to far away to reach. After graduating from Miami University (OH) I spent several years working as a sales rep in facility services and 3PL industries. One day I had enough. I quit my job and free-lanced as a social media strategist. For the first time I used my passion for tech and people to make a living. I applied for jobs with every social and tech company I could find. I soon discovered "who you know" was extremely important. I decided working for an ad agency was the best way to use my skills and meet the right people. After interning with the Marcus Graham Project in Dallas I was hired by an agency in Chicago. That position allowed me to work with MillerCoors, Jordan Brand, Verizon Wireless and Coca-Cola.

In June of 2014 the Estate of Tupac Shakur became our newest client. As a lifelong Tupac fan, this was an extreme honor. For nearly 2 years, I created content strategies, executed social strategy, and managed Tupac’s social media community. My two person team earned Tupac 10 million+  followers making Tupac the 3rd most followed deceased celebrity in the world. In the process, I met some great friends with Tumblr. In September of 2015, I joined Tumblr as a brand strategist.

What is it like working for Yahoo?

The Tumblr and Yahoo combination allows me to see the past, present and future of tech at once. Yahoo is the established industry veteran that survived the dot.com era and continues to innovate. Tumblr represents the "cool kids lunch table" except anyone can have a seat especially if they create great content.

What’s your connection with the Yahoo Black Network?

Everyone is friendly. There is a desire to advance the tech industry by including the input of a more diverse workforce. I'm in support of anything that makes the internet a better place and advances my people.

Why is diversity important to you?

Diversity ensures that everyone is involved when innovation takes place. This allows for accurate advancements that are true to the people that will use them.

What is your advice to aspiring youth who are considering a career in STEM?

Never let anyone out work you.

Video credit: Jeremy Smith on Season 2 Episode 5 of the "The Pitch"

[yahootalentcommunity]

Yahoo Black Network Profile: Jahleeka Morris, Senior Stock Plan Analyst

posted by Michael McGovern, Talent Community Manager

Meet Jahleeka Morris, Yahoo’s Senior Stock Plan Analyst in our Sunnyvale office. Jahleeka has been with Yahoo for 5 months now supporting the Equity Compensation Department as a Stock Plans Analyst. She has been in the Stock Industry for 7 years and took an interest in Global Compensation 3 years ago. Jahleeka has about 10 years experience in Finance, Banking, Lending, and Marketing. She graduated from Georgia State University earning a BA in Finance with a concentration in Marketing and a minor in African American Studies. Originally from Boston, she moved to Atlanta, which is where she matriculated in her professional career as a business woman. Being from the northern area, her favorite teams are the New England Patriots, Boston Celtics and the Red Sox. Jahleeka's hobbies include boxing, being a dance mom, roller skating, Double Dutch, Basketball, Reading/writing and dancing. She plans to earn her Compensation Designation and finish up her MBA while here in the bay area.

How did you get interested in tech?

I got interested in tech due to the financial HR connection that tech based companies use in order to compensate their employees. I learned how to code by way of creating grant agreements for the employees of major start up companies and other reputable companies who offered stock based compensation. The coding I am experienced with is HTML using Dreamweaver which is a platform that allows a single document to serve as a legal contract for multiple employees. Learning this skill enticed a desire to learn more about coding on my spare time while still developing my compensation profession.

What is it like working for Yahoo?

Working for Yahoo is a great experience. It is a place that offers diversity, inclusion and awareness not only to tech industry specific subject matters but to individualism as a whole. I have met so many people here who have changed my perceptions and preconceived notions on the atmosphere of major corporations. The people who work here work hard and are constantly striving for efficiency but it is a group effort. Yahoo! also takes care of its employees in many ways. The employee matters here and it is very evident through the campus set up and perks offered. The people who work here are a pleasure and make the days very pleasant.

What is your connection with the Yahoo Black Network?

Being a young African American professional and educated woman, I have always had a desire to inspire and be inspired. Once I found out there was a group of young black professionals who were discovering ways to not only connect on campus but to also lay pipelines to give back to those in underserved areas, I jumped in with enthusiasm. It is important to work hard in order to ensure a progressive start professionally and individually but it is equally important to provide those who are starting with encouragement and a blueprint. It is important to provide mentorship and guidance. And that is one thing that YBN strives to do, along with providing a representation of black professionals in tech and encourage the need for diversity in Silicon Valley.

Why is diversity important to you?

Diversity = Inclusion. It is more than just race or skin color. Although it is important to have a strong mix of race represented everywhere for reasons that are supremely fundamental, diversity also includes factors like Man/Women representation, Sexual Orientation and acceptance of such preference, and the overall affirmation and appreciation of differences in individuals. It is important to expose diversity because it opens up the doors for potential experiences via people to people interactions. I have never been to India before and I have become really close with a native Indian woman who works in the coding industry here. Our conversations have changed our linear exposure to the world because we are engaging with people who have completely different experiences to share than what we are used to. This has provided has great enlightenment to me and I have made it a goal to meet as many people as I can so that I can keep an open perspective on life in general. Yahoo! assisted in providing that opportunity for me.

What is your advice to aspiring youth who are considering a career in STEM?

Hard work beats talent if talent doesn't work hard. You can go wherever you want to go in life. Most times people think computer science is too difficult of an industry or uninteresting but exposure is key. STEM provides opportunities in career fields that most people never knew existed. We are exposing our youth to Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. That is far beyond 100 potential careers that you may find interesting and suitable for you if given the exposure to it. I believe it is a great tool for youth to keep their options open.

What do you love doing the most?

I enjoy working out, mainly boxing. There is a ton of adrenaline in the sport of boxing and it is a great way to stay active and burn lots of calories. I normally train in Atlanta, but after newly relocating to California, I have to find a trainer who can help me do this…..

What do you love doing the most?

I absolutely love being a mother. I am the mother of 7 year old Myjoi Copeland (@iammyjoi) she is such a talented young lady. She is on a professional dance competition team and I enjoy being a dance mom and dance auntie to her and all of her peers. She love dancing and does quirky little things like insisting I record her free styling during an overlay in the airport. She is fun, loving and a burst of positive energy. She films commercials and television shows often and she enjoys every minute of it. I just love exposing her to different things.

[yahootalentcommunity]

Yahoo Black Network Profile: Marcus Tolbert, Physical Network Design Engineer for Data Center Operations

posted by Michael McGovern, Talent Community Manager

Meet Marcus Tolbert, Yahoo’s Physical Network Design Engineer for Data Center Operations in our Sunnyvale office. Marcus joined Yahoo in August 2011 and brings "in-the-trenches" experience in quality assurance, network installation and troubleshooting, field engineering, and team management to his position. Prior to joining Yahoo!, Tolbert held senior technical positions with Enron Broadband Services and Silicon Graphics, Inc. At Enron Broadband Services, Tolbert was the first Sr. Field Engineer deployed onto their nationwide fiber network. As the initial technical resource, Tolbert was primarily responsible for process development and implementation, beta-testing, audit verification, and staff training.

While at Silicon Graphics, Inc, Tolbert developed an Intranet Knowledge Transfer site. This site was designed to increase the amount of information readily available at the engineering staff's fingertips to reduce repair process cycle times. The site was directly responsible for increasing Repair & Analysis daily output by 200%. Tolbert additional process streamline techniques reduced aging material inventory by more than $1,000,000.00.

Tolbert is a certified telecommunications installer by BICSI Telecommunications Association. Tolbert holds a BSEET from DeVry University and an MBA/TM from the University of Phoenix.

In his spare time, Marcus enjoys working out and coaching his three sons in baseball.

How did you get interested in tech?

Early in life, I was recognized for having strengths in math and science. My uncle was an electrical engineer in Hollywood, and he often would bring me to his work. I would always be fascinated by the high tech equipment.

What is it like working for Yahoo?

Yahoo! has been quite an experience. I have found my versatility and ability to change directions quickly very valuable here. I love working with brilliant people coming together to achieve a common goal.

What is your connection to Yahoo Black Network?

I have been a member of the YBN for 3 years in a variety of roles, including co-chairperson.

What makes Yahoo’s Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) unique?

Yahoo!'s ERGs are great because we have executive sponsorship. At the highest levels of the company we are recognized and appreciated for our efforts. It's not just something to do, the company wants the activity to stimulate our cultural awareness!

How has being a part of Yahoo Black Network amplified your experience as a Yahoo employee?

Being a part of the YBN has allowed me to meet with and collaborate with other business unit members that I would have otherwise not known.

Why is diversity important to you?

Diversity is extremely important to me. My grandmother marched with Dr. Martin Luther King and always taught me about equality in all aspects of life. It's very important to allow people from all walks of life to exposed to the silicon valley lifestyle and realize it's an attainable path if they so choose.

What is your advice to aspiring youth who are considering a career in STEM?

Follow your interest! No matter what path you choose, make sure it feeds your soul and interests. Don't do it for the money. It will get old fast!   

[yahootalentcommunity]

Yahoo Women in Technology Profile: Shira Kates, Director, Product Design for Video Ads & Data

posted by Michael McGovern, Talent Community Manager

Meet Shira, Yahoo’s Director of Product Design for Video Ads & Data, based in our San Francisco office. She joined Yahoo through the Brightroll acquisition last year and almost immediately had a patent application accepted for her work on an iOS app for ad campaign management. Shira enjoys working with new colleagues on projects that have a direct impact on Yahoo revenue and building products that delight our customers.  She is passionate about mentoring women in STEM and has served as a Techwomen Professional Mentor twice. Before Yahoo, Shira was a Lead UX Content Strategist at Google where she worked on mobile maps and immersive search experiences. She has also worked for Autodesk and several startups, having moved to the Bay Area at the start of the first Internet boom in 1997. Shira has an MBA in Design Strategy from California College of the Arts. In her spare time she is learning French. Slowly. She and her husband Claudio (a music analyst at Pandora) met in 7th grade and hail from the same small town in Massachusetts. They are expecting a daughter in late May of 2016.

How did you get interested in tech?

When I moved to The Bay Area in 1997 I didn't know what I wanted to do, so I led with my strength of writing and ended up working in Healthcare Marketing, responding to Request for Proposals (RFPs) that I received from business consultancies. Around that time, a friend started working for Embark.com, a startup that built online college applications. I was offered a job there, provided I complete a two day course in HTML. I took the course and was getting paid to code on day three. We worked in a basement and had to stay overnight on the cusp of the millennium in case of Y2K fallout. This job led to other more interesting roles with more Human Interaction. The rest is history!

What is it like working for Yahoo?

Yahoo has been a supportive environment for me, overall. Even through an acquisition and managing a team through a lot of change, I have found opportunities for myself and my team to take on new responsibilities in more visible projects. My new boss, Marcelo Marer, has been a big part of making it all work. My team had some culture shock coming from a fast-paced agile environment to one with more process. I think there is a lot of room to improve Yahoo's culture and I'd like to see Design take more of a leadership role in product development across the board. I'm excited to be part of that conversation.

What is your connection to Women in Tech?

I'm a card-carrying member. As a Techwomen Professional Mentor, I used WIT as a springboard for recruiting other mentors last year. I was able to bring our visiting Emerging Leaders from Central Asia and the Middle East to a WIT lunch. It was fantastic for the women of Yahoo to hear from them and vice versa. I look forward to bringing more energy and ideas to WIT this year and would love to take on a bigger role, perhaps expanding the program to include an international buddy program for women across global Yahoo offices.

Why is diversity important to you?

As a Jewish woman who is the grandchild of Holocaust survivors, I'm deeply aware of what happens when we don't honor diversity. At the risk of sounding maudlin, I believe recognition and celebration of our differences is what brings about the biggest learning, innovation, and social change. Diversity isn't just about race and religion. It's about socio-economic backgrounds, gender, sexual orientation, and even politics. As a corporation, we are agents of social change as well as capitalists, so we need to champion diversity inside these walls and give everyone a voice. It sucks to be invisible or feared for something you can't control. It's important to recognize the unique challenges each underrepresented group faces -- and always work on ways to counter those challenges. Where diversity is concerned, we all need to keep the conversation going and to never become complacent or resigned to "that's just how it is". I feel lucky to be part of a really diverse team here at Yahoo and I wouldn't have it any other way.

What is your advice to aspiring women who are considering a career in STEM?

Remember: There is not one right answer. If you're considering a career in STEM because you're drawn to science, technology, engineering, and/or math, GO FOR IT! How can you lose in these fast-growing areas where you have the ability to be as weird as you wanna be while fixing wicked problems. But if you're considering a STEM career because you feel pressure to choose something viable that your parents and teachers think is smart/lucrative/secure, consider that you might need to find some different mentorship and go another way. The arts and humanities continue to be a great source of expression, creativity, and joy. Music, history, and social sciences also lead to fascinating careers and teach you valuable lessons. It's never too late to change careers, although it can be scary. Don't let fear guide your career. If you don't follow your heart, no one else will do it for you.

Photo: Team offsite GoGame wrap-up event in San Francisco.

What's one silly thing you appreciate about working in your office?

I love the fact that I sit close to not just one, but two private women's restrooms. Not having to walk a long way to the bathroom makes me and my pregnant belly so very happy.