Building community: The highlight reel of my second month with Jobber
My second month with Jobber is complete! It’s safe to say I’m settling in quite nicely. You can read about my first month here and how my early days at Jobber helped give me a sense of place.
I’m definitely no longer the new kid on the block. I’ve gone from being the person asking for help to now giving help. If I had to sum up my experience so far, I’d say it’s been… refreshing.
Here’s my highlight reel as a reflect back on this past month.
Highlight 1: We gave back ❤️
At Jobber, we give a shit — and not just about ourselves but also about the community around us. We have our Jobber Cares Team, which is a volunteer committee made up of one member from each of our departments. They get a budget to organize and help do some awesome things in the community.
This past month, we supported Sistering in Toronto, and the Sage Senior Association in Edmonton. Our team donated toiletries, clothing, small appliances, and gift cards to those in need. For every item donated, Jobber also donated $1.00.
Highlight 2: We hacked the company 🧠
On January 25 and 26, it was hackathon time at Jobber. The goal of Jobber hackathons is to provide the opportunity to work on projects outside of the constraints of our normal duties. This creates an opportunity to experiment and learn at a faster rate than normal. Winning projects are voted on by the entire company.
Hackathons happen every quarter and they take place during working hours — this final point is super important. Taking place during working hours demonstrated a commitment that this is an opportunity for everyone to make the changes they want to see. In the past, I’ve always said no to hackthons because weekends are my preferred space for alone time to recharge and focus. But here at Jobber, I didn’t have to sacrifice my me time.
Highlight 3: We helped connect LGBTQ folks to opportunities in tech 🏳️🌈
On February 7, we sponsored Venture Out’s Career Fest. Myself and a few of my colleagues had the chance to engage with job seekers from a range of fields. As member of the queer community, I recognize and know that diversity in Toronto tech is not a given. Many LGBTQ people still face barriers to career opportunities in, so participating in this event meant a lot to me personally.
Highlight 4: We recruit differently 🎯
Sure, hiring managers and recruiters share a common goal of finding great new team members. And yes, there’s always plenty of collaboration along the way. But I’ve never been in an environment where the hiring manager’s own so many parts of the recruitment process — from reviewing resumes, to booking phone screens, to even sending out release emails.
As a recruiter, I’ve usually had to manage the recruitment process a lot more, some might say even micro-manage it. Though I’m still adjusting to this new way of working, I got to say — it’s damn exciting.
Highlight 5: We talked about imposter syndrome 🎓
On February 13, we hosted a presentation and panel for post-secondary students all about keeping yourself in the “race” of your career — not disqualifying yourself when reading through a job posting, how to interview with confidence, and how to fight through Imposter Syndrome.
This event was part of JUMP, a series of events launched by Jobber in January 2018 with the intent to help post-secondary students bridge the gap between curriculum and career. For students, making the transition into the working world can be daunting and very intimidating, so these events are a way for us to help change that experience for students.
Hi, I’m Yiorgos! I’m the Recruitment Manager with Jobber.
My mission is to help attract, develop and retain great teams. I’m also passionate about bringing people together and finding opportunities that help make a difference at work.
I feel very lucky that every day, I get to listen to people’s stories and help set them up for success.
When I’m not busy interviewing, you can find me hanging out with my dog Ouzo, consuming endless amounts of podcasts and spending too much money on sourdough bread.
