From ADT Intern to Product Manager: Meet David DeRosa

In this Life at ADT Blog, we’re joined by David DeRosa, Product & Marketing Manager with ADT Health, whose story exemplifies why ADT stands out as a top employer. After serving in the United States Marine Corps, David’s ADT career began with an internship that soon evolved into a full-time position, showcasing his drive to succeed and ADT’s commitment to nurturing talent and fostering professional development. He highlights how ADT provided him with the platform and support to transition seamlessly into a pivotal role in product management, and his experience underscores ADT’s dedication to empowering employees to excel.

Share a bit about your career journey and how you came to work at ADT?

Straight out of high school, I left to go serve in the United States Marine Corps. Serving my country was something I knew I always wanted to do and figured it would be the perfect steppingstone for bigger things to come one day. I served a total of 5 years, and I was an airframes mechanic on the MV-22 Osprey. When I got out of the Marine Corps, I went to Florida Atlantic University to complete both a BBA in Finance and an Executive MBA and started looking for internships to start gaining some business experience. I applied to ADT for a project analyst internship, went through the interview process, and started at ADT shortly after. Upon the completion of my ADT internship, I was offered a full-time role at ADT and have been here since.

Can you describe your current role and responsibilities at ADT?

As a Product Manager at ADT, I oversee various aspects of the ADT Health business which focuses on senior safety and ADT’s Medical Alert product line. I’m responsible for managing and growing our digital sales channels; E-Commerce & Amazon. I also manage ADT Health’s brand marketing, advertising, and product initiatives.

What skills or experiences from your time in the military do you feel have been valuable in your ADT career?

There are numerous skills and experiences that I learned in the military that have been valuable in my ADT career so far. For hard skills, while aircraft maintenance and product marketing may appear completely different from the outside looking in, the ability to solve complex problems and troubleshoot issues lay at the foundation of both careers. When it comes to soft skills, things like time management, communication, dependability, commitment, and the drive to be the best are just a few of the many.

How has ADT supported your professional growth and development?

ADT has been my foundation for my professional career journey so far. The company and all my various team members took me under their wing and showed me everything I needed to know, but also gave me enough freedom to express my ideas. They supported my recommendations and suggestions for improvement which truly helped me accelerate and grow my career at a very fast pace.

ADT and all my various team members took me under their wing and showed me everything I needed to know, but also gave me enough freedom to express my ideas. They supported my recommendations and suggestions for improvement which truly helped me accelerate and grow my career at a very fast pace.

Can you share a story or example of a moment when you felt particularly proud to be part of ADT?

A few years ago, ADT had its first LifeSaver event for a Medical Alert customer. LifeSaver events allow for ADT customers to meet the ADT employees behind the technology that helped protect them. In this instance, the customer had fallen in his home and a bookshelf fell on top of him. If it wasn’t for his medical alert pendant and ADT getting him the immediate help he needed, who knows what could have happened. This story was so powerful and reminded me of the importance of what ADT does and how our products/services can save lives.

How did you handle the transition as an intern, and then being converted from intern to a full-time employee? How did ADT support this transition?

Going from leading a team of Marines to being an intern was an adjustment to say the least, but my team always supported me and frequently checked in to make sure I was doing okay. ADT does a great job at supporting any transitions and they have resources available like Business Employee Resource Groups (BERG’s), which give you the opportunity to connect with like-minded peers. As a member of both the Veterans & Young Professional’s BERG, there’s always a support system of ADT employee’s out there to help you in your career.

What resources has ADT provided you with that helped you take ownership of your career growth and development?

One thing I will always be grateful for is that ADT has always allowed me to voice my opinions, make high-level business recommendations, and see projects through from start to finish. As an intern and early career professional, I never felt like I was being micromanaged or having somebody feel the need to hold my hand. I’ve been in able to take ownership of my role, and my career, and I truly believe that this has led me to the success I have had so far at ADT.

How can new employees make the most out of their experience at ADT?

New employees can make the most out of their experience at ADT by always being interested in learning and growing. There is so much experience and knowledge across the different departments and everybody who I have worked with has taught me something along the way. I’m a firm believer in cross training and the more you know about different aspects of the business, the more valuable you can be as you grow in your career.

What advice would you give to current interns who are looking for full time roles?

One piece of advice I always try to give to any interns who are looking for full time roles is to do something in your internship to set you apart. This can be anything, but one big way I believe I differentiated myself and showed my potential for leadership was that I asked a lot of questions and wasn’t afraid to identify issues that I saw with the current processes or programs that the business had.

Identifying a problem, recommending a solution, and leading a project from start to finish shows leadership that you have the capabilities to be successful as a full-time employee.