Archives for June 2020

Readers note: The following story features two different perspectives. One showcases the thoughts of Ami, the candidate, while the other showcases the HCSS representative, Allan’s, thoughts. This was a special moment that occurred as part of the HCSS recruitment process.

Ami: From the first mention of HCSS, I was hooked. My friend had worked there for a few years and had such wonderful stories she constantly shared. After my jobs in the services industry, and working for companies that didn’t truly care for their employees, a place like HCSS sounded like a dream.

As I looked at the open positions on the careers website, I was looking for ways to impress and boost my resume. I had my degree in business management, but I had spent the last couple of years as a stay-at-home mom. I knew I wasn’t overly qualified for the initial position of Project Coordinator that I was interested in, but I still went for it.

Allan: When I first read over Ami’s resume, I saw that she had taken on roles as a Girl Scout Leader and Substitute Teacher. Prior to those roles, she had worked in services positions in more corporate environments. Others could have quickly passed on the resume due to the lack of direct experience, but knowing that we’re a company that also evaluates talent from a nontraditional lens, her background intrigued me. She was also highly recommended by one of our employees. Therefore I decided to pick up the phone to learn more about her and her story.

On our call, I asked questions to dig deeper into her experiences. Ami shared with me that she had left the corporate world to stay at home with her children and was ready to step back into a professional role. What I liked is that she continued to stay actively involved in her community and I saw some skills that may be able to translate over into the role she was interested in. More importantly, I was drawn to her shining personality and was willing to go to bat for her to ensure HCSS becomes her next career home.

Ami: The interviews were a collection of some of the most enthusiastic people asking me real-life questions, trying to get a feel for who I really was and understand how I might fit in. Starting with the phone call with Allan – he immediately put me at ease, and I was able to be my normal, cheerful self from the beginning. I got to talk about personal projects and goals I had worked towards, and relate them to a company in a fast-moving industry that demanded self-motivated workers and innovative thinkers. Fortunately for me, Allan saw all of that and passed it along! 

Allan: I anticipated that I would encounter a situation where some of the interviewers would do a double-take and ask me why I wanted them to meet Ami based on her resume. Given that I have been recruiting for HCSS for some time, I had a better understanding of the cultural nuances and shared how Ami would be a great cultural addition to the team. What I saw in Ami was potential and I knew that the others would see the same if they met her.

Ami: After interviews with various members of the Professional Services team, I came in for my in-person interviews with some of the Executive team. Allan was there to greet me, put me at ease, and offered me words of encouragement, which was something completely different from any other company I had ever interviewed for. The last interview with Chris was one of the most intense interviews I have ever had. He was passionate and had high expectations from the get-go. Looking back now, I realize that interview is the one that made all the difference.

Allan: The feedback I received from Ami’s first set of interviews with the hiring team was very similar to my initial interaction with her. When it came to the final round of interviews, the consensus was that Ami has a positive, customer-focused personality. However, she would need training and support to be successful. After some conversations, it was decided that we were going to create a role specifically for her on the Customer Success team.

Ami: After what felt like ages (but in reality was just a few days), I finally got a call from Allan. The first words he had were, “I have good news and bad news. Which would you like first?” Of course I asked for the bad news first, wondering how a position could possibly include both good and bad news. That’s when he told me I did not get the Project Coordinator position. In all honesty, I forgot there was good news coming – I felt the disappointment, but I was determined to remain polite and appreciative of the opportunity. Allan must have heard the disappointment in my voice though, because he said, “wait! I haven’t told you the good news yet!” He went on to tell me that everyone I had interviewed with thought I would be a great addition to HCSS and a new position would be created for me as a part of the Customer Success team. I was completely blown away – I had never expected that kind of response from a company in all my life.

A few months after I joined, I learned Chris was the driving force behind convincing the necessary people to hire me for this new position – it was a new concept and a new approach to how HCSS interacted with customers and the products they used. Chris told the Customer Success team just to hire me, sight unseen. The first time I met my manager was the day I started!

Every day, I am so grateful for that entire process – from the first phone call to the last.

Allan: What makes HCSS special is that we look at hiring talent not just for an immediate need, but how they can grow with us in the future. Ami quickly grew from being a Customer Success Analyst to now being a Technical Product Manager. She continues to carry her positive demeanor and is a joy to collaborate with. We are so fortunate to have her on the HCSS team!

Stories such as this begin with an interest in joining our team. Explore our open opportunities at careers.hcss.com.