Just about a month ago I worked my last day at Strategic Data Systems (SDS), and in turn, I started my first non-consulting job ever since I graduated from Miami University in May of 1998. That's right, I was a software consultant (mostly as a developer) for the first 11 years of my career.  Truth be told, consulting fit me well - I liked the variety in work, the challenging and interesting projects, and working with many different people (technical and non-technical).  However, this past winter I was informed about a position with a great local company.  Considering the life changes that I was facing in my life, I looked into it further.  After several interviews and a bit of a waiting period, I accepted an offer to work with dunnhumby USA.  I always stated that if I left consulting to work full time with a company, it would have to be at a position where software development was an essential part of the business, not a place where it is considered a necessary evil (ie, a bank or some other monolithic organization).  I felt throughout the interview process that dunnhumby seemed to be this kind of company.  Even though they aren't explicitly a software company, software is an essential part of their offerings to their clients.  And, it helped that the company has been considered one of the best places to work in Cincinnati for the past few years. 

I've been at dunnhumby for about a month now, and I am nothing short of impressed.  The project work has been a bit slow right now, but this has left me ample time to learn more about the company and the business they are in.  One of the biggest parts of their business is to help their clients become customer centric, but it is apparent that the company is also employee-centric.  It is obvious to me that they want to foster a place where employees can build a great career and feel that their contributions are valued.  I haven't always gotten that with some of the consulting companies I worked with, several of them cared about nothing more than how many billable hours that we worked. 

I can't really go into too much detail of what I will be working on at dunnhumby, but I will state that I am part of a development team for a new software product line.  I am used to going from project to project, so it will be a change to be part of a project and to continue to work on it after the initial release is done.  However, I am excited about this new part of my career.  I'm still at a technology-focused company, the team I will be working with seems like a great bunch of guys, and my new company is clearly a great place to work.  I did enjoy my time at SDS, and I still think that it is a good place to work if you want to stay in consulting.  However, I truly believe that this is the right move for myself and my family at this time, and am looking forward to the upcoming challenges!