At Hireology, we put an emphasis on cultivating a work culture that caters to the employee experience. In fact, our leadership team prides itself on striving to make Hireology the best place you ever work.
Achieving this goal takes dedication and intention, which you can find in our competitive pay, benefits, and remote work options — but we don’t stop there! Our career growth opportunities and mobility offerings are top of class too; we want to support our people no matter where they are in their career so that they are fully prepared to make their next move, regardless of where that move may be. Each year, hundreds of employees experience both traditional and nontraditional career growth at Hireology. These opportunities allow them to expand their skills, gain new experiences, and feel fulfilled in their day-to-day work.
Each month, we’re featuring a different employee who has grown professionally at Hireology in our Career Mobility Spotlight blog series. For October, we’re focusing on Camilla Blackburn, who went from Executive Assistant to our Co-Founder and CEO to Growth Manager. Camilla’s journey shows how the possibilities at Hireology are truly defined by the workers themselves and demonstrates just how far one can go here.
When did you start with Hireology? What role did you start in? What role are you in currently?
I started with Hireology in February 2019. I was originally hired as the Executive Assistant (EA) to provide support to Adam Robinson, our Co-Founder and CEO.
Can you describe how you’ve grown professionally since you started working for us?
I had no formal EA experience prior to joining, so everyone really took a risk on me to trust that I could deliver in that role. The concept of “punching above your weight” has been consistent during my time here, not only for me but for many of my peers as well. I love how Hireology constantly provides you with opportunities that are outside of your comfort zone and challenges you to step up and rise to the occasion. It’s in those moments, while scary, that I have grown and developed the most.
What have been your most significant achievements working for Hireology?
There have been a few defining moments of my career at Hireology over the last four years. First, I would say it was winning the core value award for Create Wow Moments at the 2020 Kickoff. I was less than a year into my role and it was a really great feeling to be recognized for my work by the Leadership Team and my peers. After that, it would be when I was given the responsibility of moderating the Leadership Team’s planning sessions. Being entrusted by our leaders to lead a session where they can engage in meaningful discussion that dictated the direction of our business was not something I took lightly. More recently, being at the forefront of our product led growth initiatives has been my most significant achievement. There have been several PLG initiatives that we have launched that have enabled us to work smarter, attract the right customers, and provide a better experience to our end users that I am proud to be a part of.
What’s the best advice you can give to someone who is looking to move up in their role or has shown interest in a different role or department?
First and foremost, you have to be really good at your current role before you can start switching positions or moving to another team. When I first started, I dedicated all of my time to being an EA and didn’t start looking to take on other responsibilities until I was confident it would not impact my ability to do great work. When you are at the point where you are excelling in your role, start looking for areas of the business where there is a gap and offer yourself up to solve the problem. Also, you need to advocate for yourself and be vocal about what you want. If you don’t make it known, there is no way anyone can help you.
What do you like about our company culture?
I appreciate the flexibility and trust that Hireology provides to us. When the pandemic hit, it made me reevaluate aspects of my personal life which led me and my fiance to move out of Chicago so we could work nomadically across the country. Hireology was incredibly supportive of this change and I am very grateful that they enabled me to pursue this path.
What makes you want to stay at our organization?
The time I have invested in building relationships with others in the business and gaining the trust of my supervisors to get my work done without being micromanaged is truly priceless. Getting to this spot is something that takes time and is not guaranteed when you leave for another company.
What is the best advice you would give to someone just starting out at the company?
Take the time to meet people from every department and nurture your relationships. It doesn’t take much! It could be as simple as chatting about what someone did over the weekend before diving straight into work or checking in with them when you can tell that they are stressed or going through a tough time. Establishing strong relationships and understanding everyone’s personal motivations will allow you to get more done and have a bigger impact in the business.
Which one of Hireology’s Core Values or belief statements resonate with you the most? Why?
I have to go with the core value of Create Wow Moments! For me, this core value is all about the small, incremental things that you can do to make someone’s day a little bit better. This little bit more has a multiplier effect that is felt by the recipient ten-fold. Whether it’s remembering to send a congratulation note to a customer who just had a baby or going over on time in a meeting to help solve a problem for a peer, that extra amount of effort is what sets you apart.
Are you interested in learning more about Hireology’s culture and company history? Check out our About Us page for more information!
