Have you ever wondered what it’s like to work for Publishers Clearing House? Well, like many other jobs, there is no “typical” day at work. But I thought I’d give you blog readers a special behind-the-scenes look at what a day in the life at the Publishers Clearing House Play&Win office is like for me, a PCHgames designer!
Ready?
9:45 AM – Enter the office with breakfast in hand – two eggs and Muenster cheese on a hard roll from the corner bodega. 1st cup of coffee. I check my inbox. I’ve got over 100 messages from all parts of the business. Many of these include alerts about recent winners. Just because we’re not in the office doesn’t mean the winning has to stop!
10 AM – Work ‘starts’. Some folks have gotten in early to jumpstart the day, and the rest of our team gets in. Our NYC office sees folks from Long Island, New Jersey, and even Pennsylvania!
10:15 AM – Call with the PCHLotto team. Touch base with what we handled yesterday & what the plan is for today.
10:30 AM – Play games! I usually spend my morning catching up on new ‘builds’ – unfinished games that being developed for the site.
11 AM – Call with the PCHSlots, PCHBingo, & PCHBlackJack teams. Much like the lotto team, this group talks about what was accomplished yesterday, and how to move forward in bringing you new chances to win.
Noon – More games? Sort of! Sometimes, games that are currently on PCHGames have issues that need to be fixed. We play these games, trying to duplicate any issues encountered. After that (and after another cup of coffee!) we write up the issues, include screenshots, and pass it along to a developer who can fix the code (so you can enjoy playing the games you love!).
1:15 PM – Lunch! This usually involves walking a few blocks in the city for sushi, schwarma, burritos, or pizza for a buck! Then we come back and watch cartoons or educational videos, like TED talks. Seriously, it’s one end of the spectrum or the other.
2 PM – Meetings. We’ve got 3 conference rooms in our office, and on a busy day they fill up quick. Meetings get bumped to our open-air lounge, or even in the kitchen when someone’s going to get a snack! The big topic is mobile web: you know, the ability to play games from your phone & tablet! Have you tried it yet? Why not get your chance to win on your mobile device through games.pch.com, or blackjack.pch.com? Looking for a great app instead? Try out Cash Slots!
3:30 PM – Skype chat. Usually we touch base again to make sure everything is in order. Other times, we talk about requests to change out a picture on the homepage for a promotion that starts next week.
4 PM – Another cup of coffee! After that, it’s down to writing. Writing what? Umm… well, this blog, for example! Other than that, I’d be writing Hints, Tricks, & Tips – or a behind the scenes look at how one of our games is made.
6 PM – Work ends. Finish up a few emails, and add notes for myself in the morning.
7 PM – The neat part about being located in the big apple are the opportunities to continue the day after hours. You can usually find a meet-up of other developers, or a lecture on game design. We’re always looking to learn more & improve your PCH experience!
Greg L.
PCHgames Designer