The job title: Technical Editor, Dev Div
What is it that you do here?
I edit help documentation for developers on the Dev Div team, and I’ve been an editor here at Microsoft as a contractor and then full time for about seven years now.
How is it working in Dev Div?
There are times when I walk around and just think, “Wow. These people are way, way smarter than me.” There’s a lot of uber-nerd cache about being in Dev Div, and it’s been great being on the team.
How did you get here?
I fled the game industry. I used to work as an editor for Wizards of the Coast, while also freelance editing for friends who wrote role playing games. A friend of mine was working as an editor on Microsoft Reader, and she said “Give me your resume! Come here!” And so I fell into technical editing and then realized “Hey, wait! This is a pretty cool company and no one cares that I come to work wearing petticoats and a top hat! I’ll stay here.”
Ok, let’s talk about the petticoats and top hat. You’re more than goth. You’re super goth!
Every team I’ve been on, I’ll get someone who wanders into my office and says, “So, my kid’s getting into this wearing all black kinda thing, listening to weird music … can I bring them into to talk to you?” And I’m always like, “Sure! I’m happy to explain that you can still be a freak and a gainfully employed grown-up.”
How much of a grown-up are you?
I’ll be turning 40 this year.
So, here’s the simple question: Why? Why do you dress like this?
Ever since I was little, I wanted weird fancy clothes. My parents used to tease me about how I said when I grew up I wanted to be the Wicked Witch of the West — or marry Dracula. So this is kind of a long-term thing for me. This is what I look like all the time — unless I’m home doing housework, and then I’m in bloomers and a concert t-shirt.
What responses do you get from your coworkers?
I don’t do this for other people’s attention. This is just who I am. But I also acknowledge that I’m going to get stopped and get questions.
It’s always fun for me, when I switch onto a new team, to have the countdown for how long it takes before somebody stops me in the cafeteria and asks me if I’m in a play, or is it a holiday in my country? That’s my favorite — I’m like, “No, actually. It’s Wednesday.”
Have you found Microsoft to be accepting of your eccentricities?
So, what are your interests outside of work?
For almost ten years now, I’ve written an online advice and etiquette column for goths and alternative culture people called Gothic Charm School. I’ve gotten questions like, “So I have this coworker who likes to wear a lot of black and has vampire posters. Should I treat them any differently?” And I say, “No! Goths are not Satanists. They’re not murderers.”
What MSFT benefits have you enjoyed the most?
The company is so accepting of people’s differences and lifestyle needs. I’m nocturnal. I’m not a morning person. So the fact that I don’t have to be in the office until 10am is a Godsend.
And the training! I’ve done a lot of training on technical aspects of my job, and I really like the Clear Communication classes at Microsoft. Communication is very important to how I do my job, and you need to communicate clearly, you need to be able to get your point across, you need to be able to communicate with people from all different backgrounds and of all different fields. Being able to go take these sponsored training courses is great!
Do you use these communication techniques outside of work?
Yes. The classes have helped me at work, but they’ve also helped me become much more articulate in my everyday life. I’m not just an ambassador of goth culture — I’m also an ambassador of Microsoft. People will stop and ask me about my outfit, and ask me where I work. And I say, “I work at Microsoft!” And they say, “WHAT!?” And I explain, I’m a tech editor and they don’t care that I come in like this as long as I get my work done, everything’s great.
What do you think about the perception of both Goths and Microsoft being evil?
I have friends who are like “Oh my god, you’re working for the evil empire!” And I’m like, “Yes, and you know what? They’re really awesome!”
My advice to folks thinking about Microsoft would be this: Try not to buy into the hype of the Evil Empire. That it’s the borg. That they’re out to absorb and crush everyone. Cuz that’s not the case. I have met incredibly cool people here.
Oh, so you want some links, hmm?
Comments on "The Goth in the Office
Angela said:
31 January 2008 9:33 amTwo thumbs up to Jillian for having an incredible sense of style! I wish I could pull that off…
And yay for freaks!
The Microspotter said:
31 January 2008 10:43 amPingback from An Accident of Hope / Work Life
… Not many companies are as accepting as Microsoft … I mean, how many employers can say that when their employees go home they say “Where I work is AWESOME”? …
Read full post
Kambriel said:
31 January 2008 2:56 pmWhat a charming interview and photographs! Thanks for being such an intelligent, witty, and delightful lady representing some of the very best of what the gothic scene has to offer.
Thea said:
31 January 2008 3:53 pmIt is inspiring that a Washington State Company is accepting of creative individuals like Jillian!
And it is a good message to show that grown-ups can be who they wish and work too.
LegendGirl said:
1 February 2008 12:50 pmHow nice to see a positive role model from the goth subculture. I’m not surprised to see that it’s our beloved Lady of the Gothic Charm School. And oh, how I lust after those boots!
Marta said:
2 February 2008 10:20 amThank you so much for posting this interview — Jillian Rocks!!! It’s fascinating, though, how I have two very different images of Microsoft presented to me within several days. One is Jillian saying in her interview that Microsoft is not the Borg, not the evil empire. Microsoft (or at least some divisions of the company) is a truly progressive company, with infinitely cool hiring and management practices — extremely accommodating of individual needs and lifestyles. On the other hand, I read in a newspaper this morning that Microsoft is trying to buy out Yahoo, in an effort to check Google’s power. So, Microsoft IS a huge supercapitalist company, and they DO want to absorb every computer company. They ARE like the Borg – but like a Big, Friendly Borg. (?!)
I hate to see completely unchecked supercapitalism, with too much power concentrated into a few huge goliaths. (Witness Rupert Murdoch in the publishing world, for instance). But Bill Gates may be kind of a benevolent despot who treats his “subjects” with great kindness. Moral of the story: When too much power becomes concentrated into too few hands, we can at least be extremely grateful when some of the rulers turn out to be open-minded and progressive (?!!!?) I guess the benevolence may be seen as another face of greed, e.g. “We will boost productivity if we do our best to flexibly accommodate employees’ unique tastes and lifestyles. If we treat the creative types with respect, we’ll get better work out of them.” But somehow it’s difficult to see all that as so diabolical. It seems enlightened to realize that if you treat people as fairly as possible, they will perform better. And it’s hard to square that enlightened impulse with the impulse to gobble up every competitor in sight. How does it all fit together?
Josh said:
7 February 2008 9:48 amIt may be kind of naive to assume that Microsoft wants to buy Yahoo in the intrest of “absorb[ing] every computer company.” I’d encourage you to look on the flip slide. Google owns a *vast* majority of the market share in some online applications, especially search. Yahoo and Microsoft, fall far behind. By combining the two companies, Microsoft has the chance to finally do something really innovative in the web-search arena. This can only serve to push Google harder to innovate even more. Sure, Microsoft’s desire to purchase Google is not altruistic (like any business-with-shareholders-move, it’s all about gaining marketshare and money). MS is willing to say “hey, Google has been dominating us in this area, so absorbing a lot of great talent, and content might help us step up to the plate.” The more talented competition Google is forced to face (or any company for that matter), the more they are forced to make great products.
Lady Tam Li said:
11 February 2008 12:50 pmWhoa! She’s the one who does Gothic Charm School?
I…I think I have a new hero! <3 <3 <3
Offbeat Bride | Offbeat employee said:
27 February 2008 8:09 am[...] The goths in the house might enjoy this post I wrote for my work blog, about Jillian — who com… [...]
john said:
18 March 2008 9:44 pmi have an office near her. she dresses up every single day. no weekend ghoulier here. i’ll accept her revisions any day.
Danelle Dragonetti said:
30 March 2008 12:18 pmI love it! Great to see companies recognizing “out of the box” thinkers!The company I work for has no problem with my dark aire either. Although, where I work in the building is called the “Dark Side”. (LOL) My style is steamer punk (Neo Victorian), all black with some color highlites. Great article! Inspirational!
GothiCello said:
8 May 2008 7:09 pmIt’s great to know I’m not the “only Goth in the Village”! Microsoft is the best company I’ve ever worked at and I can be myself completely. It’s awesome to know I can make a difference and still have a life. Goth On @ Microsoft!
Andrew Becraft said:
9 May 2008 10:15 amI’ve shared a Metro bus with Jillian and attended some of the great writing/editing talks and training she alludes to, but never talked to her. Inevitably, all those questions about her ran through my mind. Fantastic profile, and another confirmation that I work for a great company that doesn’t just tolerate our differences, but truly celebrates them.
(My favorite piece of Jillian’s outfit? Her coffin-shaped purse. 100% pure awesome.)
pashiz said:
21 June 2008 5:47 pmyour…such an inspiration!