Ama Atobrah
Listen to the interview (approximately 53 min), or download it.
Graduated in 2010 with a major in Electronic Production & Design (EPD). Principal Instrument: Voice
Position: Front Desk Coordinator at Appian Corporation. Ama answers the phones, greets people as they enter, helps mail packages, helps at trade shows, and keeps the company kitchen well-stocked.
Overview: Ama spent her first two years after graduating in a band and gigging. Eventually the band broke up and she felt the need to make more money. She started as a waitress in various places, but found that she preferred to be the hostess who greets people as they enter. Some months later, a friend who works as a hair stylist at a PR Partners Hair Salon in Oakton, VA suggested that Ama would be a good fit for the receptionist, as there was a job opening. The money and hours were better, so Ama took the job. After a while, Ama resumed her job search for something better, primarily by using Indeed. Many, many applications and interviews, and nearly a year later (during which time she went back to restaurant hostessing), Ama got the job at Appian Corportation.
You can see her LinkedIn profile here.
Choice Quotes: “I feel like the office wife. I try to know everybody. I feel like everyone’s best friend. If they need to book a conference room or ship something, I help them. If they want to vent, I keep secrets.”
“I do well by being myself and being really excited about what Appian is about and wanting to learn more.”
“Base your next career move off of something you did well. Ask yourself, ‘What’s close to something that I do?’ Are you a charismatic performer? Businesspeople are just a different kind of audience.”
Ama a few years ago at her home studio. In her spare time, she likes to get together with friends and make music. “In the past I really wanted to get famous, but now I make music to socialize and express myself.”
Ama credits her Berklee experience with helping her be more responsible and ready for the business world. “Berklee’s EPD program was really hard and like a job. I couldn’t get a free pass if I missed a day or came in late.”
She also credits Berklee for her people skills. “Berklee got me to meet people I never would have met in my entire life, and I had to interact with with them to succeed. If it weren’t for Berklee, I wouldn’t be able to talk productively with so many people of so many backgrounds.”
See the full index of successful Berklee alumni.