In our staff spotlights, we get up close and personal with our amazing Sophos team members.
Up next is Ravi Patel, Senior Global Escalation Engineer 2 and FY24 Sophos Team 10 Member.
Let's Talk Career
1. Can you tell us about your role at Sophos?
In my role at Sophos, I primarily focus on delivering the highest levels of product expertise within our Technical Support division. This involves acting as a critical escalation point for complex issues that arise from our global support network. My role is critical in ensuring our customers receive timely and effective resolutions to their technical problems.
One of my primary responsibilities is to liaise closely with the engineering and product management teams. This collaboration allows me to influence the development of current and future products based on real-world feedback and insights gathered from our support interactions.
2. How did you get to the role you're in now?
My journey to my current role at Sophos began as a System Engineer on the Customer Engineering team during Cyberoam's days. When Sophos acquired Cyberoam in 2017, the Customer Engineering team was rebranded as the Global Escalation Support (GES) team. This transition marked a significant milestone in my career.
I have adopted a continuous learning approach to building competency and skill sets throughout my professional journey. This has enabled me to manage and navigate changes effectively, along with collaborative support from my team members.
3. What inspired you to get into IT and security?
My journey into IT and security was profoundly influenced by a senior colleague I met while in college. Encouraged by his mentorship, I decided to follow a similar path. I pursued a master's degree in network and telecommunications, which allowed me to delve deeper into the technical aspects of IT and security. This academic foundation and practical experience helped solidify my interest in the field. To further enhance my expertise, I earned a Red Hat certification. This certification was crucial in deepening my understanding of Linux systems and their security.
4. What do you enjoy most about your role?
What I enjoy most about my role is the opportunity to share my best practices and impart my knowledge to colleagues. There's something deeply satisfying about helping others improve their skills and understanding, and it’s incredibly rewarding to see how sharing insights can enhance the team's overall effectiveness.
5. What's something you've done during your time in the organization that you're proud of?
I am proud to have completed 13 significant years of my professional career at Sophos. I am grateful to my team members who supported me in this journey. In my 13-year stint with Sophos, some noteworthy moments are the Long Service Award Felicitation and the Global Support Services Excellence Award. These key recognitions and multiple quarterly recognition awards from the GES team have been instrumental in keeping me motivated and engaged in my deliverables and enabling me to meet expectations consistently.
6. Describe a typical day in your Sophos life.
A typical day in my work life at Sophos is both dynamic and structured, revolving around a blend of routine tasks:
- Collaborative problem-solving
- Reviewing and replying to emails
- Investigating and conducting remote customer sessions, reproducing the issue in the local LAB environment.
- Discussing new issues with colleagues.
- Triaging the cases with the Development team and the Support team.
- Addressing/helping team members with multiple technical queries simultaneously.
7. What's the best advice you can give to someone who has just started their career?
Be the captain of your own career. It’s crucial not to wait passively for opportunities to come to you. Instead, proactively seek them out. This means volunteering for projects, offering assistance, and showing a genuine eagerness to contribute in any way possible.
8. What would you do (for a career) if you weren't doing this?
If I weren't doing this, I’d love to be a Trek Leader. I am already doing this for my friends and family. The idea of guiding people through breathtaking landscapes, helping them connect with nature, and supporting their journeys in the great outdoors is incredibly appealing.
As a Trek Leader, I’d have the chance to combine my passion for adventure with the joy of facilitating transformative experiences for others.
Role in the Sophos Community
9. What's a fun fact about you that you could share with the Community?
A fun fact about me is that I’m quite an aficionado of Tsundoku— the art of buying new books or eBooks and letting them accumulate on shelves without reading them. It's a delightful quirk that I’ve embraced over the years.
My collection of unread books is a testament to my love for literature and my optimism about the time I'll eventually have to dive into each one.
10. Have you posted any Recommended Read guides on the Community?
Not yet. It’s on my bucket list of things to do this year.
Who is Ravi outside of Work?
11. What are your hobbies outside of work?
Outside of work, I have a range of hobbies that keep me engaged and energized. I love traveling and exploring new places, as it allows me to experience different cultures and landscapes.
Trekking and biking are also passions of mine because they keep me active and connected to nature. To relax, I enjoy diving into a good book or watching movies or TV series, which offer a great way to unwind and enjoy different stories and perspectives.
12. What’s something you’re planning on doing in the next year that you’ve never done?
I plan to travel on a bike trip to Leh-Ladakh (Himalayan region) next year.
13. What's one thing you're really good at?
I'm good at planning and managing my day effectively to meet both day-to-day tasks and long-term goals. My strengths are organizing my schedule, setting priorities, and staying focused and productive. This skill helps me balance various responsibilities, meet deadlines, and make steady progress on projects, leading to a more organized and fulfilling daily routine.
14. If you could learn how to do anything, what would it be?
Learning to play a musical instrument like the harmonium would be fascinating. Music has a powerful way of connecting people and expressing emotions, and mastering an instrument would give me a new perspective on creativity and artistry.
15. Tell us about where you live (and your journey getting there - if applicable).
I live in the small town of Chikhli City in the Navsari District of Gujarat, India. My journey here began when I grew up in the small village of Ponkda. As I approached secondary schooling, my family decided that moving to Chikhli would provide me with better educational opportunities. The transition from a quaint village to a bustling small town was a significant change, but it benefited my academic and personal growth.
16. What's your favorite thing about where you live?
I appreciate the proximity to my support system—my family and friends. Having them nearby is comforting, especially when I need a boost or want to unwind. Chikhli has a serene atmosphere that’s perfect for clearing my mind. Whether it's a quiet park or a peaceful corner of a café, these calm spots are invaluable for my mental clarity. Additionally, Chikhli is renowned for its excellent medical facilities, with a high concentration of hospitals and clinics in the area. A supportive community, tranquil spaces, and robust healthcare make living here a well-rounded and reassuring experience.
17. Tell us something that might surprise us about you.
My family and friends tell me that I am an excellent Financial Planner. My knack for financial planning is rooted in my ability to analyze and anticipate trends—something I’ve developed over years of keen observation and research.
18. Any favorite line from a movie?
“I’m just an extreme example of what a working-class man can achieve.” - Peaky Blinders.
19. If you had a superpower, what would it be?
If I had the ultimate superpower, I would choose the ability to make everyone happy. Imagine a world where I could instantly uplift spirits, ease burdens, and dissolve pain and sorrow. My power would focus on individual joy and foster a collective sense of peace and fulfillment.