Life at OPENLANE: Q&A with Zachary Carter, Contact Support Engineer

Zachary Carter was in the military when he decided to pivot into the world of technology. Read more about his career growth at OPENLANE in the Q&A below.

What has your journey at OPENLANE looked like?  

I was in the military and in the final year of my contract with the national guard. So it was time to decide if I wanted to stick with it or pivot to a civilian career. My family and I decided to pivot so I got an IT certification and did self-study, applied to a job on one of the tech teams at OPENLANE, and got it.  

I started as a support engineer for the OPENLANE IT Service Desk. I did that for about a year. My director at the time looped me in on an opportunity at TradeRev. I got promoted into that role and that gave me a lot of opportunities to learn that line of business. In November 2020, a Contact Center Engineer position opened, and I got promoted again.  

What is something you are most proud of during your time with OPENLANE?  

I really enjoyed my time at TradeRev and working closely with all the teams there. Before my position, they didn’t have a dedicated onsite support engineer. So digging into the problems and streamlining a new process for the IT department was great.  

For instance, to streamline new hire on-boarding and orientation, I created a brief training module dedicated to technology. I would walk new employees through set up for their computers, the apps, access to sites, getting supplies – you name it. This helped the new employees have a better understanding and first experience with us.  

What do you like the most about working at OPENLANE?  

The focus on development. My leaders have always encouraged me to develop and grow my skills. My previous director encouraged me to get the TradeRev job and another encouraged me to get my current position. A lot of companies talk about promoting from within, but OPENLANE actually does it.  

I also appreciate the work-life balance. I’ve never felt like I’ve had to choose between work and my family.  

What’s a piece of advice for newcomers to the company? 

Take advantage of any opportunity you see. Also – just because we’ve been doing something a certain way, doesn’t mean we have to keep doing it that way. If you see room for improvement, speak up.   

What’s your favorite aspect of technology that is integrated into your everyday work? 

There’s always a solution and room to be creative in coming up with those solutions. There are so many options and tools to leverage in technology. If you keep digging, you’ll always find a way.