Once hired as a Racker, there are a few surprises the organization has in store for you.  As you might expect, you will have a chance to sign up for benefits and learn about our internal systems.  But, in addition, you will partake in the Rackspace® tradition of attending Rookie O (Rookie Orientation).

Over the course of four days, new Rackers are exposed to numerous facets of our business.  From Cloud Computing to Finance or discussions from our Founders and C-Level leaders – it’s your chance to learn as much as possible about Rackspace from the people who actually work in the roles!

Over the years, the departments have continually raised the bar and a competition of sorts has sprouted from all the excitement.  The “Tear It Up” award, which is given to the presenter/s who receive/s the most votes from the class, is highly coveted among the speakers.  During Rookie O graduation, the secret ballots are tabulated and the award is presented to the winning team.  Special congrats to the Marketing Department for winning the most recent award!

Rookie O also serves as a great opportunity for new Rackers to start the process of developing relationships within the organization.  Each Racker is assigned to a group that becomes their team for the week.  The teams decide on a name and decorate their spaces accordingly.  It’s a blast to see what the teams come up with!

Over the past 6 months, I have had the opportunity to photograph a number of special moments from Rookie O – here are two of my favorites.

One of the decorated team tables – fun with race cars!

Graduation Day – a fun celebration for all!

Most organizations have some sort of on boarding process for new hires.  What I enjoyed most about the Rackspace process was the energy and enthusiasm that goes into welcoming new members of the team.  It becomes evident that for the many departments that contribute to the overall success of the company, we are united by the common cause of delivering a Fanatical® experience to both our external and internal customers.

By the end of the four days, you will have a firm grasp on what we do, how we do it and the various Rackers that contribute on all fronts!

Did I mention Sugarbear?  Well, I guess I’ll have to leave that as a surprise for now.

In 2010, Michael joined Rackspace Hosting in San Antonio, TX to head up global employment branding initiatives.  Since becoming a “Racker,” Michael launched RackerTalent.com and has brought together internal bloggers from five continents to share the authentic culture of the organization.

Michael is a graduate of Georgetown University with a degree in International Relations.  He has lived multiple years abroad in both Guatemala and Argentina.  In his spare time, Michael enjoys guitar, photography and exploring the social web.

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