Kareem: A Day in the Life of a Lead A/V Technician

by Gap Inc.

Gap Inc.

May 9, 2022

You may have shopped at one of our stores or heard about our perks, including the 50% employee merchandise discount for Gap Inc. brands. You may have even read about our creative partnerships with Dapper Dan, Alicia Keys, and more. But have you ever wondered what it's really like to work at one of the largest specialty retailers supporting brands like Old Navy, Gap, Banana Republic, and Athleta?

If helping team members work better together using technology sounds like your ideal day, then Kareem’s role may be the job you’re looking for. Kareem is a Lead Audio/Visual Technician on the Gap Inc. Technology team, where he helps deliver scalable tech solutions and supports thousands of employees to collaborate efficiently across our Hubs + Home.

Join Kareem on one of his workdays.

6:00 AM: I wake up and go for a walk to my favorite coffee shop in Oakland—a habit that I started at the beginning of the pandemic to get my blood flowing and some extra steps in (three miles). My order: 10 oz. Americano—triple shot with sugar and no cream. The entire crew knows me by name and I’m learning theirs. After my walk, I prepare to commute into the office.

8:00 AM: I start with a daily team standup to discuss our agenda for the day, along with new features or emerging issues and resolutions relating to Audio/Visual systems and Zoom.

Today, I’m managing two virtual events—one led by our Equality & Belonging team featuring an intimate conversation with one of our partners, Simone Biles; and another with our CEO, Sonia Syngal, who will be participating in the Equal Pay Day Summit with Vice President Kamala Harris.

9:00 AM: I join the Equality & Belonging webinar early. With our solid network connection at our 2 Folsom office, testing goes without a hitch. My partners in Global Events and Equality & Belonging join the session to discuss the final event plan.

10:00 AM: The webinar begins, and the event goes flawlessly, having one of our highest attendee-counts in any event for the year so far.

11:30 AM: I go to the 15th floor to prepare for my second virtual event with Sonia Syngal and The White House. I join the meeting using the Zoom Room system that Sonia will be speaking from. We connect with the White House Audio/Visual team and the additional event participants, including two players from the United States Women’s National Soccer Team.

After adjusting the camera position and testing the audio quality, Sonia arrives and the event begins. The White House team handles the broadcast from this point on. I watch the livestream with my team.

1:30 PM: It’s lunch time, so I go down to the Gap Inc. café and order a burger with sweet potato fries.

2:00 PM: I meet with the Global Events team from New York and San Francisco to plan for a future event. We’re piloting a new format where in-person presenters engage with in-person and virtual attendees.

We determine where presenters should speak from and save presets so the camera can quickly adapt to position changes. We adjust seating arrangements to avoid sightline obstructions, then schedule a follow-up meeting.

5:00 PM: I stop by Maya Halal Taqueria in Downtown Oakland to pick up a delicious burrito for dinner, then head home. I’m a gamer at heart, so I join Discord with friends, where we video chat while playing together.

'Fit Check with Kareem

"There is never a boring day at Gap Inc. I get to collaborate with so many talented people, across many different teams from all over, making this job interesting and rewarding."

What makes you proud to work with us? 

The support and flexibility to impact our operational and technical processes. Gap Inc.’s ‘Words to Live By’ also align with my personal values and I’m proud to use them for how I conduct my own work—own it, do it, done!

Your style?

99% black. Aside from my collection of streetwear and band/artist merch, you’ll find me in a black Gap Classic T-shirt (tall), black GapFlex Slim Jeans, and an awesome Banana Republic Car Coat. I’m extremely particular with my style, so it’s great that our brands collectively have something for everyone.

Work Day is a day-in-a-life series to show what it’s like to work at Gap Inc., and our purpose-led brands. Want to work with dreamers, creators, and change-makers like Kareem? Join us

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