Enjoying the opportunity to operate outside his comfort zone

Meet a Veevan is a series that looks at the employees who bring us life. For this edition, we spoke to Cody Berchem. Cody absorbed technology from his surroundings growing up in Silicon Valley, Cupertino, California. After completing the EDP program, he built a foundation in performance engineering on the Vault team where he applies many of his strengths — organization, structure and helping improve efficiencies while still enjoying challenges that take him outside his comfort zone.

What is your personal and professional background and how did you get to Veeva?

Cody: I was born in Cupertino, California — a tech-forward community — a huge factor in the path I would eventually choose. Another influence were my parents who are both professionals. My father, who recently retired, worked in the electronics engineering field for large entities and my mother does executive leadership training for a large software company. My high school years outside of my studies were filled with team sports — from soccer to water polo to volleyball. I can definitely see how leading sports teams gave me a foundation for leading teams at work.

I was always interested in two areas — building things and technology. So, when I looked for colleges, I landed on the University of the Pacific in Stockton where I could major in engineering physics — a mesh of electrical engineering, computer engineering and physics. I also enjoyed astronomy but didn’t want to linger in theoretical areas and research. Through a co-op program, I undertook several internships with a large enterprise software company.

After graduation, I began my job hunting and research, looking broadly at software engineering, and in that search, came across Veeva. When I began to speak with people at Veeva, I really became intrigued by the fact that it was in a niche industry really making an impact through the development of new technologies. I was also really impressed with the company culture.

I was accepted into the Engineering Development Program when it was still pretty new. I really benefited from being part of this program — particularly with all the relationships that I formed. It also gave me exposure to areas outside of technical skills development which helped me complete the puzzle of my professional development. I began as an Associate Engineer and have advanced to an Engineering Manager in my 5.5 years at Veeva.

In my current role, I manage the Vault performance engineering team. Our team tests, analyzes and looks for any way to improve the performance of the software applications. We also develop tools that can automate various functions to help other performance and development teams test and build their applications.

What’s unique about the work environment and culture at Veeva?

Cody: When I began at Veeva, I didn’t really know what to expect being new to the industry. All I knew was that it was smaller than where I had been an intern and more fast paced. Looking back now, I realize just how fortunate I was to have chosen Veeva. When I compare notes with my colleagues outside of Veeva, I realize just how well things are done here. Specifically with regard to engineering, what I value is that it’s highly collaborative and people are accessible. I can talk to people at all levels, get feedback, and learn.

I have seen both sides of the hiring process — being hired and hiring — and observed the very stringent process and focus that Veeva follows. We look for the right people to do the job and whose values align with those of the company.

Veeva treats its employees well and lives up to its value of employee success. I appreciate the quality of life at Veeva as much as compensation and the other benefits. When I first joined, Work Anywhere was not in place, but I can see it’s had a positive impact. I used to go into the office every day and had a 45 minute to 1 hour commute. Now we all have more flexibility to spend more time with friends, family and outside activities. For me, this means spending more time on house projects and with our recently adopted puppy!

How will Veeva help you grow?

Cody: The opportunities for growth and learning are plentiful and have been an important part of my time at Veeva. Our Performance Engineering team has already grown from four to thirteen.

I’ve enjoyed the challenges that come with growth and I like getting out of my comfort zone. What’s great is that when I do need it, the support and guidance are there. As the team grows, I am learning how to lead and I enjoy that aspect of the job. I am still figuring it all out, but I enjoy giving others a chance to grow and regularly ask people on the team about their interests so I can help them find the right opportunities.

Working at Veeva has also exposed me to people with diverse backgrounds — both professionally and personally. I am learning from people that have been in the industry long and short term. I am now realizing that as important as the work is, the people you work with and for are equally, if not more important.

What would you say to someone who was thinking of working here?

Cody: For anyone looking for a company where you won’t get stagnant, have growth opportunities and experience stability, Veeva is a great place to work.

What makes it even more special is the way it treats the employees — the people, the team and sharing those values with everyone with whom you work.

As an engineer you will get exposure to new technologies and new things. While we have a set of tools and technologies from which we work, we are always evaluating the best possible solutions and looking at things from all angles.

While other companies are experiencing a slowdown, Veeva is steadily hiring.