A Series: What it’s like to work at Wejungo – Kayla Schabbing

Which of the core values of Wejungo resonate most with you?

The value COMMUNITY, because I love that we do our part to help the community through donation drives and volunteering events. I think that is super important and it’s something I am passionate about in my personal life. I volunteer at an animal shelter in my personal time, and it is really cool to see your employer share your values and do something about it. I love that we put an emphasis on giving back to our community together as a team.  

Why did you choose to work at Wejungo?

The interview process was different than any other company I had experienced. Everyone I spoke to at Wejungo made me feel like they were getting to know me as a person. All the others interview processes I was a part of felt very robotic like there was no personal connection or care. Wejungo did a great job of sharing the culture in the interview process, it really felt like I was joining a community of people. I knew that I would not just be treated like a number in their eyes.  

What do you like best about working at Wejungo?

I feel like I am supported by everybody at Wejungo. I can go to anyone with a question and if they don’t have an answer, they can point me in the right direction. We are careful about who we bring into the team because we want to continue building our culture and supporting each other and that is only possible if you have a good team. Everyone is so nice. I have had experiences where not all my coworkers were pleasant to work with, and that can really impact every part of your job.

Every opinion is valued at Wejungo. We have done so many side projects to test something out and our team is so creative and amazing that often it turns into something that we can give to our clients. Because we are so small, we can make decisions really fast and take action when someone has a good idea.

I also love the work life balance. I know that if I have a doctor’s appointment or my dog is sick, I can take time to address that as long as I can manage my projects and get my work done. I can even work from another city or state sometimes, for example if I want to go on a trip or help my grandparents move into a new place, I can do that.

How has Wejungo helped you grow as a professional?

I have become much more confident in my abilities as a professional working at Wejungo. I am naturally inclined to keep to myself and work behind the scenes, but now as a senior on the team a lot of the work I enjoy is directly with clients. There is a lot that goes into working with clients and making sure all their questions are answered, and they feel fully supported.

The training at Wejungo is so amazing because they were really able to tailor it to me and what I needed to work on with each project. We don’t believe in cookie cutter approaches to anything at Wejungo. I was doing roleplays, sitting in on calls, reflecting back on my own calls, asking questions, and doing a bunch of things to build my confidence and be exposed to common questions so that when my time came, I could be confident that I was helping our clients.

What are your favorite projects to work on and why?

I really enjoy recruiting projects. The connection you build with the client and candidate is super strong at the end of the project. I just like being a part of that project, especially when it is successful. We stand with our clients every step of the way and show them our efforts, where the market is at, and our recommendations. It is really cool to share that with them.

Other client projects I enjoy are converting their Talent Profiles into an onboarding plan. I love these onboarding projects because we are able to implement a practice that we do at Wejungo and share that with our client. I remember how useful the onboarding plan was when I first started at Wejungo. It is so descriptive and a great guide for someone brand new coming into the company to be able to see what they need to do to be successful. And of course, our clients love the onboarding plans we create, which is always great to see and be a part of.

What is your proudest moment at Wejungo?

It is hard to boil it down to one singular proud moment throughout my time here. I feel the proudest when our clients are able to see the value of what we do through our follow-up and the work that we do for them. On top of that I am very proud of the relationships that I have built with my clients, I really feel as though I am an extension of their team and it’s a great feeling knowing that I can help them better their hiring, retention, career pathing, and onboarding efforts.

What is a favorite memory you have at Wejungo so far?

A recent client of ours was so great to work with, they really understood and saw the value of the work that we were doing with them. We always do a debrief with our clients at the end of each project to hear about how they will use the product and see if there is anything else they need help with. That meeting will stick with me for a while because they were so appreciative of the work we did with them and they were so excited that they were setting up their team for success in ways that they had not even thought about before we partnered with them. That is the best testament to the work we do and the coaching that comes along with it.

Why is the work that Wejungo does with companies so impactful?

I think of my own journey coming into Wejungo and everything that I had access to make sure I was on track. I want that for other candidates going through our processes and our clients’ employees. I want them to have a great experience, find their dream job, feel like they are successful, and provide them with the tools they need to be successful. It’s tough hearing from some candidate’s experiences when there is no onboarding or training. No one wants to be the person who is taking up space and not contributing. Our work really allows companies to refine processes or create new practices to make their candidate experience even better,

What are the reasons you choose to stay at Wejungo?

It is the same as to why I chose to join, everyone on the team is super personable, it is not just a business, we truly care. Sometimes things get crazy and busy like every job, but even then, we make time to connect through team meetings, book clubs, show clubs, volunteer events, and team events. And on top of that the flexibility to work from home, travel, and see my family really allows me to have a life outside work.