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Reinventing Your Career at Crayon

Over the last two and half years, people have experienced tremendous change. It’s shown up in everything from our daily routines and rituals to our ability to travel and see friends and family. It’s affected people’s personal, professional, and social lives. At times it seemed scary and unwarranted, but other times it was exactly what we needed. 

In the spring of 2020, the coronavirus pandemic forced a near total shutdown of school buildings. At the time, I was a teacher assistant at Doyon Elementary School, working closely with students with special needs. Within a matter of 24 hours, everything that the students and I had been accustomed to changed. Adapting to virtual learning was difficult plus more was being asked of teachers and assistants (on top of what already felt like insurmountable responsibilities). By the time summer rolled around, I felt tired and uninspired to return to the classroom.

I was ready for a change, but a change to what? 

I’d never thought about doing anything different. I got my Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and spent the last 10 years working in the field. I asked myself a million questions: What other interests and skills do I have? Could I be as successful in another field? Who would hire me without any prior experience?

A friend of mine saw a job posting for a People Ops Generalist role at Crayon and offered to make an introduction because she thought I’d be a great fit. I was nervous but took her up on the offer. Throughout the interview process, I was honest about being green in the field. I only had a couple of months of experience under my belt, but I was hungry to learn and would work hard to do just that. Fast forward to today, I’ve now been happily employed at Crayon for nearly a year. Every day I’m thankful for the fact that they saw my potential and took a chance on me. 

This isn’t the first time Crayon took a chance on hiring an employee from a non-traditional background. Just to name a few, Kara Wevurski (BDR) was a costume designer for Disney Channel and Janel Sasso (BDR) worked in nightlife prior to Crayon. Erik Mansur, VP of Product Marketing, used to be a radio DJ and Allie Gurrieri, a Sales Manager, previously worked at a preschool. 

What I love most about Crayon is the company isn’t looking for an individual who simply checks the boxes on a job description. They aren’t looking for people who already know it all, but rather who want to learn it all. They want highly motivated employees who are excited about doing the best work of their careers. You don't need to have a tech background to join Crayon. Crayon considers people with all types of backgrounds, setting you up for success if you want to reinvent yourself with a new career.

If you’re interested in applying to an open role at Crayon, you won’t regret it! In fact, the Boston Business Journal named Crayon a Best Place to Work in 2022–Boston's first and longest-running awards program recognizing great workplaces. Check out our job openings here.

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Abby MacLeay
Abby MacLeay is a People Operations Generalist at Crayon. She has worked at Crayon for nearly one year and supports HR operations and procedures.
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