Information Technology/Systems

Name  Andrew
Education B.S. in Information Systems from Illinois State University
Department/Concise Job Description/Years Spent at State Farm
Property & Casualty Systems /
I am a J2EE developer on an AGILE project /
2 years
Location Illinois

I joined State Farm as an intern in the summer of 2007.  I learned so much on my first project that I choose to stay on as a co-op student until I graduated. My day usually starts at 6 a.m., by choice. The first two hours or so of the day I can work without interruptions.  After a morning project status meeting, the rest of my day is spent either working on my part of the project’s computer application, collaborating with other project members on a difficult or new part of the computer application, or on various weekly meetings.  My shift day ends at 2:15 P.M., so I still have a good portion of the day after work for relaxing or running errands. 

I have had the opportunity to make an impact early in my career because I was the first to configure several tools that State Farm had little to no experience in.  It’s a good feeling to be an expert on a tool and have other people looking to you to advise them on whether the tool should be adopted for further use.  One of the tools that I was involved with on my first project, Cruise Control, was instrumental in maintaining our quality standards.  My latest project is also using many cutting edge technologies to give users the feel of a desktop application from a web site.  

I really enjoy knowing that the projects that I work on can create efficiencies that lower rates for policyholders and position State Farm to remain in its stable position.  I am on an agile project, where we produce releases of our software iteratively with direct interaction with our business partners.  That direct interaction shows us how important each piece of our work is to the users of our software.  It really gives you that small company feeling, even though State Farm is a large company. 

The most interesting thing for me throughout my day is working in a collaborative environment.  Working closely with 15 other people in one room on one project really helps get work done and I know my co-workers really well. Having so many people around who can help with problems was especially great when I was a new employee and needed help with just about anything.  We often have food days and occasionally have other competitions that the project plans. 

State Farm is a company that truly cares about its employees.  We have too many benefits to list.  Financially, State Farm has contributed to my 401K every year, allowed me to invest in employee mutual funds at no cost, the retirement plan, and provided facilities such as State Farm Park. I’m free to choose a schedule that fits my life, and the casual dress code is easy on my wallet.  State Farm supports me with training and certifications, and would even reimburse me for an MBA if I decide to pursue one.  There are just endless advantages, and should I ever choose to leave IT, there are many opportunities to post for other jobs within the company.