Abby Olarte

Years with MIL: 3

What were you doing before joining MIL?

Before I joined MIL, I spent five years working on various Momentum projects for a large IT consulting firm. I actually started my career as a technical analyst since my degree is in computer science. I was lucky enough to be given the opportunity to participate in all stages of the software development lifecycle and found myself taking a keen interest in understanding the business side of Momentum along the way. As a result, I began to transition into more of a hybrid functional/technical analyst.

Why did you decide to join MIL?

Having been in the federal financial management space for several years, I was ready for a new set of challenges and I also wanted to experience the culture and environment that a smaller company could offer. MIL encourages employees to excel in the work that they do but they also place an equal amount of emphasis on ensuring the happiness and satisfaction of their employees. That philosophy struck a chord with me and I felt that MIL would be a great fit with what I was looking for as I aimed to take the next step in my career.

What are you working on now?

I currently serve as the lead over the NRC’s Momentum Reports Working Group (RWG). I manage all of the Momentum report requests and oversee the development life cycle in its entirety. I work closely with users across various offices within the NRC to obtain requirements, design, and develop reports. In addition to this effort, I also run the RWG service desk, which provides functional and technical support to Business Objects users within the agency.

What is important about your work?

My work is important because I can take raw data from a complex database and present it in a way that is much easier for the end-user to understand. My clients use the reports I develop to extract key information from Momentum without necessarily having much knowledge of how the system works. In an environment where the budget and spending are heavily scrutinized, it is vital that my clients are equipped with the proper tools to easily track and analyze this type of data.

I’m also involved with testing software releases prior to their deployment into the Momentum Production environment. Performing thorough testing on software releases is crucial in order to avoid rework and to minimize the risk of adversely affecting a live production environment. Software is constantly changing so it’s critical that we are smart about how we test to ensure that the client is getting what they expect in their system.

What are the best aspects about your current job?

Although it sounds cliché, the best aspect about my current job is the people! I’m privileged to have a fantastic set of clients that I genuinely enjoy working with on a daily basis. It’s refreshing to be in an environment where everyone shares the same goal of developing and implementing solutions to solve complex problems. Furthermore, I work with a highly knowledgeable team so they’re always teaching me something new. They bring a vast amount of experience to the table and they’ve provided me not only with invaluable guidance, but with a lot of laughs as well since I started working at MIL.

What is the best piece of career advice you can offer someone in your field who is either applying to or beginning a career at MIL?

I’ve always believed that some of the best analysts are those who don’t box themselves into having just one particular skillset. My advice would be to learn as much as you can from everyone around you. Take advantage of the wealth of knowledge that your colleagues can offer you but also take the initiative to figure out problems on your own. Make sure you take the time to listen to your clients and your team. There may be multiple ways to tackle a particular problem and you will truly benefit from keeping an open mind and considering the perspective of others.