12 things I've learned in 12 months at HubSpot!

I can’t believe I am already writing this, but today marks 12 months for me at HubSpot!

Since joining this amazing company I’ve had the opportunity to grow and learn in ways that I never could have imagined. I've been involved in conversations and projects covering everything from candidate experience through to social responsibility. I’ve learned how to invest in stocks and also how to make a mean cocktail. I’ve participated in Queer Trivia & Drag Bingo and also engaged in some really raw conversations about racism, gender inequality and mental health.?

Get you a job that can do both, I say!

So here you have it, 12 things I’ve learned in my first 12 months at HubSpot:

1. The power of social networking.

I was made redundant (like many of us) due to the pandemic at the beginning of 2020. At the time I was like “Great, a little break, a nice paycheck, and I’ll have a new gig in no time!”. It was not great. It was horrible.?

It was my first time ever being unemployed, lockdown measures were in place, I’d just moved to a new suburb where I had no friends, I had no motivation and some weeks I never left the house (though I did smash through 13 seasons of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, so some would call that a win).

In 4 months alone I applied to 96 jobs. From that, I got 3 interviews, 47 auto email rejections, and 46 I just never heard back from (yes, I made a spreadsheet). All we’re “No’s”, and I was defeated. Granted, I wasn’t that excited about most of the roles I’d applied to, but I had pretty decent experience and couldn’t understand what was going on.?

Eventually, I wrote a post on LinkedIn sharing some of my observations which gained more than 124k views and scored me quite a few phone calls. During one of those conversations someone mentioned HubSpot amongst a few other companies, and after hours and hours of research I decided that HubSpot was going to be my next employer.

I started connecting with HubSpotters on LinkedIn and saw a job posted for a recruiter which prompted me to reach out to Luke Shepherd and ask for a chat. The rest, as they say, is history. 96 applications and all it took was one well thought out post and a connection request to land my dream job (plus a few interviews ??). Luke has since informed me that there were over 300 applications for the role and if I hadn’t intentionally reached out to him, he may never have even seen my application.?

Connect with recruiters, introduce yourself to leaders in your space, engage in conversations and become a familiar face to those who can help to open doors for you in the future!

2. Preparation is key.

Interviews, meetings, 1:1’s. Whatever you’re walking into, prepare.

I had to go through 5 interviews plus an hour long case study presentation in my recruitment process. It was tough, but knowing that I was prepared for any questions they threw at me got me through it.

I hire for our sales teams and sometimes I interview 20+ candidates a week and I can promise you, the standout candidates have done their research and come prepared.?

Same goes for once you’re in the job. I have learned the hard way that if you walk into a meeting and haven’t clearly laid out your agenda and the outcomes you’re wanting, you’ll likely lose control and walk out without everything you need (requiring more meetings). Credibility is everything and there’s nothing worse than feeling like you’ve wasted someone’s time.?

3. It’s okay to make mistakes.

I know this is so cliché, but it really is okay! And if your workplace doesn’t enforce this mindset… run.?

What’s not okay is making the same mistakes over and over again. It’s important to grow and to take accountability. If you can put your hands up and say what you’d do differently next time your colleagues/leaders will not only appreciate it, but reward your growth.?

What I find the most refreshing about working at HubSpot is how open and honest our leaders are when they make mistakes or have an off day. It happens to the best of us, and sometimes it's better to just shut your laptop, take the arvo off and start fresh tomorrow.?

4. Work-Life Balance is possible.

I know, controversial! But it is. Output > Hours.?

I honestly feel like I have a job that fits around my life, not a life that fits around my job. A few months ago in my weekly 1:1 with my manager I began asking if I could start late on Friday as I had an appointment (full disclosure, it was the only time available at my nail salon in the first week post lockdown). He politely interrupted me mid sentence and said “Brie, stop. You’re an adult, you do not need to ask my permission to adjust your hours.”

This was a game changer. Not because I now felt like I could take advantage of this flexibility, but because it was proof that my manager trusted me.?

I’ve worked in roles before where they’ve claimed to be ‘flexible’ but I’ve still found myself running back to my desk, hair still wet after the shower because my lunchtime gym class ran 10 minutes over.?

Trust is everything, and it’s top down. Flexibility shouldn’t be ‘earned’. You shouldn’t need to prove yourself before being allowed to work from home. If your company is still resistant to working remotely or flexible hours, I would strongly suggest that you ask yourself why.

5. Diversity is more than a buzzword.

HubSpot’s commitment to Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging was the main reason I wanted to work here. So much so, that in my very first interview when Luke asked me what DI&B meant to me... I cried.?

Let me state a few facts. I am a woman. I am not white. I am not university educated. I had never worked in tech.?

Finding a company that had representation of people like me in positions of leadership was my top priority when researching where I wanted to work. Seeing the raw emotion from Yamini during the company meeting when it was announced that she was our new CEO was one of the highlights of my career.

I cannot tell you how many conversations we have that centre around DI&B here. It’s at the core of everything. It impacts every decision. It’s not just a buzzword.

6. The power of recognition.?

In my second quarter I won an award at our Global POPs Quarterly Meeting. A few weeks later, a physical award arrived in the mail which now sits on my desk at home. Every quarter, every single employee has the opportunity to give a $100 bonus to a peer for living our HEART values. Every month, we have the opportunity to nominate a ‘Champion’ for an award at our monthly ANZ meeting.?

These are just a few of the ways that we recognise great work and it is so, so powerful. Rewarding our people for not only performance, but also behaviours that align to our culture is what I love most.

Personally, I love showing that I add value. Every personality test I have ever done in my life has told me that I am a ‘do-er’. I like to make an impact, and I like being rewarded for getting things done. Obviously we’re not all the same, and as great as it is for me to have this constant motivation I know that it might not work for everyone. But in my 12 months I have seen so many of my colleagues recognised for their meaningful work and every single time the energy is lifted and the positive vibes are flowing! And besides, who doesn’t love a cheeky bonus?

7. I miss making friends at work.

Working from home is great, but I do miss pacing around the office talking loudly with my headset on, and chatting to colleagues in the kitchen getting to know more about their lives, and just walking up to someone's desk when you have a question, and long lunches on a Friday and after work drinks.

At HubSpot you can choose how you work. I am a ‘Flex’ worker, which essentially means that I can go into the office whenever I want.

Now, here I am saying that I miss the office vibes but in 12 months I've only been to the office twice (granted, it has been shut half the time). I could obviously go in more, but having so much flexibility usually just means I choose to stay home with my dogs because the allure of walking them down to the beach after work trumps sitting on a train for an hour each way, and because most people are Flex it also means that whenever I have gone in, the office has been really quiet.

For those of us who started post-pandemic the opportunity to form friendships at work has been lost. We spend so much of our lives working that I've met some of my best friends through previous jobs, but that hasn’t really been an option here when every interaction is scheduled. I'm not sure how we tackle this as I do believe that flexibility is the way forward and I love that at HubSpot we’re passionate about being remote inclusive. I guess I just hope that as we continue to move into the ‘new normal’ we will be able to reintroduce a slice of pre-pandemic 'in person' days and events, for those who want them.

8. Candidate experience does not come before my mental health.

Now this one is tough for me to write as anybody who knows me knows that candidate experience is my thang! Some of the most positive feedback I have ever received has been from candidates who were unsuccessful.?

After having such a tough time last year not hearing back from so many companies, I vowed to up the ante and never leave a candidate feeling how I felt. Since I was new and I had capacity, I (ignored best practice guidelines) and made it a priority to call every single candidate who was rejected from the initial phone interview onwards and deliver personalised feedback. For context, I’ve interviewed over 450 candidates in my 12 months.?

This is not sustainable. Sure, it’s time consuming; but furthermore not everyone takes feedback well and it’s resulted in several uncomfortable conversations where candidates have disagreed with my reasons for not progressing them, or have flipped their answers entirely and left me backed against a wall (Me: You mentioned that you wanted to move away from outbound to more of an account management type role. Them: Did I say that? I LOVE COLD CALLING!!).?

This was a huge emotional strain and would leave me feeling so deflated when I was just trying to do the right thing.

Needless to say, I will be leaving this process behind in 2021 and moving back to email rejections in the early stages, and offering candidates the opportunity to book in time for a feedback call if they would like one.?

9. Get yourself a mentor.

I think I’ve read this on every single “How to be Successful” guide since before I can remember. I just never knew where to start. Sure, I’ve had some great managers in my time who have worked really closely with me on my development, but never anyone who’s sole purpose was to be a ‘mentor’.?

Lucky for me, HubSpot has a mentorship program called RISE which is open to all HubSpotters who self-identify as a person of color and/or are located outside of North America, who would like to be mentored by a company leader.

I jumped at the opportunity and was fortunate enough to be accepted into the program and this has possibly been my favorite part of working at HubSpot so far. My mentor is based in another country, in another function, and I cannot tell you the value this program has given me in only a few short months. There are no real guidelines, every session is fluid and you’re free to work with your mentor however, whenever you like. My mentor has helped me to identify possible career paths that I had never thought of, skills gaps, they’ve provided me with resources and frameworks for dealing with tricky situations, they challenge me to think differently, to come up with my own solutions, and we have a plan in place to reach my goals. I’ve never felt more confident in my ability or more positive about the future of my career.

Ugh, I love it. Get yourself a mentor.

10. Your leaders should be accessible.

Not just your manager, but your managers, managers, manager! HubSpot preaches a ‘No-Door Policy’ in its Culture Code but I wasn’t really sure how that would work. We’re a big company, surely our leaders are too busy for time with little old me, right? Wrong.?

In my first few months our VP of Recruiting in North America reached out to me and asked to catch up on zoom... Another time, our Chief People Officer sent me a slack message recognising my work. WHAT?! I’ve worked on the same floor as people who haven’t even known my name!

And I should point out, I’m not special - they make this effort with everyone. I was shocked at how many people at all levels are on a first name basis with our senior leaders & execs.

This is a crucial part of HubSpot’s culture. We have regular AMA’s (Ask Me Anything) with our exec team where we can submit questions, or chat live on the call. Our CPO sends weekly loom videos updating us on the company, our team, and often, her personal life. The result? An environment that feels truly transparent and leaders who feel human and approachable. It’s a game changer.?

11. Figure out how to switch off.

After the 2 years we’ve had mental health is more important than ever. I cannot stress enough how important it is to figure out how to switch off, especially when you’re working from home. If you’re anything like me, you can generally push through just about any situation that comes up during the day and finish strong, but when you lay down at night that one uncomfortable interaction will play over and over in your head preventing you from sleeping (this is actually called ruminating, knowing it had a name helped me manage it).

It’s so important to figure out what works for you. Don’t ignore your feelings and let them build up until you feel burnt out. I’m not saying you need to meditate every day, or do yoga or eat clean or take up marathon running. But figure out the one thing that actually works for you after a stressful day to really help you unwind and take your mind off work. My job is important, but I'm not saving lives.

12. Perception is not everything. Delivery is.?

I want to finish with this one because it is by far the biggest thing I have learned in the last 12 months.

A previous manager (who I still really look up to) was once trying to help me when she said “Brie, just because you might be right, does not mean that people will want to listen to you. Perception is everything.” Those last three words have haunted me ever since.?

This has always felt like an uphill battle for me. I’m loud, I like to have a laugh, I move at 100mph, I’m constantly changing my hair and my nails are usually brighter than the sun. “Tone it down” is not a phrase that is foreign to me.?

Until recently, I think I almost used ‘perception is everything’ as an excuse to make myself feel better whenever a meeting or interaction didn’t go my way. I would say to myself "it doesn’t matter what I do, they just don’t take me seriously".

It’s taken a lot of internal reflection (and a great mentor) to realise that most people (most…) don’t care if I’m the loud, chatty joker running from meeting room to meeting room with a laugh like a seagull. What’s been letting me down in important meetings and sometimes rubbing people the wrong way was not their prior perception of me, it was my delivery.?

You should never have to dull your shine. I want the people I work with to know the real me. As I continue to focus on my personal development, I’m confident that I can be myself and still be perceived as professional, valuable, and an expert in my field.

And that’s all from me. This ended up being much longer than I anticipated so if you made it this far, thank you! If you have any thoughts or comments please reach out for a chat and if any of the above has you interested in HubSpot... we're hiring! ??