Not Every Sports Company is a Bro Fest This Womans Experience Proves It

Not Every Sports Company is a Bro Fest This Womans Experience Proves It Because of her poor experiences in male-dominated industries, a career in sports welches not on Mikaela Taverneses radar. It wasnt until a conversation she had with her recruiter that she decided to consider a role at GameChanger. The tech company, which joined forces with DICKs Sporting Goods in 2016, runs an app for Ios and Android devices that gives users access to live games and advanced statistics.Though Tavernese was skeptical about applying for a job in the sports field, her soon-to-be babo also had a lot to say about how women were respected and celebrated in the workplace. After accepting the position of senior UX designer at the company, so does Tavernese.She recently shared with Fairygodboss her onboarding process, which prepare her for success in this role, her opportunities to collaborate with other kollektiv members and the no. 1 thing she and her coworkers have in common which youd be surprised i s not a love for sports.How long have you been in yur current role, and what were you doing previously?Ive been at GameChanger since May 2019, and was previously designing experiences for mobile and television set-top boxes at AE networks.Tell me a bit about your current role. What are your priorities??Im currently the sole designer on a multi-disciplinary team creating an Ios and Android app with a little web thrown in there. I create experiences for coaches, players and parents on multiple sports from youth through high school. These experiences are beneficial for both coaches and fans, while honoring our priorities as a business.What were the three most appealing aspects of this job/your company that led you to apply??I came in through a recruiting agency, and was skeptical about applying for a job in the sports field because the tech industry is already male-dominated and Ive had poor experiences in the past. But I ended up taking the interview because the product itself sounded interesting, and the recruiter was passionate about this being a good place for women to work.After that, I spoke to my eventual boss and noticed how open he was to answering my questions, not only about the role, but how women fit into the landscape here. This conversation led me to believe it would be a positive experience and worth pursuing further.How did the hiring/interview process stand out to you as being a positive experience?The questions that were asked of me were thoughtful and not superficial. In the presentation, which is a big part of the process for designers, everyone was clear on what was expected of me. Everyone was also very responsive and didnt leave me hanging post-interview.Tell me a bit about your first day (or week). What kinds of things (whether formal onboarding programs or casual interactions) made you feel comfortable??Im a pretty practical person and formal onboarding made me feel very comfortable. Having a checklist of things to get done was new since I havent had that at other companies. Additionally, having documents on who Id need to speak to and other little things Id need to know was very helpful. And I was crystal clear on what was expected of me in my first couple of weeks, which being paired with a buddy outside of the design team helped aid.Its easy, especially on a small team, to interact with the same people all the time. Having someone outside my circle helped me build other relationships random people would come up to introduce themselves, which I found nice as an introvert because I wont always do so myself.Whats your favorite aspect of your companys culture and/or your favorite company perk??The company culture of quiet confidence is one of my favorite aspects. Everyone trusts each other to do what they do and do it well. Everyone is also very supportive of whats going on I dont feel like anyone is in it for themselves. That kind of culture is very hard to cultivate, and Im proud to have landed here to take part i n it. Were all comfortable trying new things, maybe even making mistakes and getting done what we need to get done without the interference of ego.Whats something you think most job seekers dont know about your company that you think they should??Its not a bro fest It may be hard to believe, but not everyone here knows everything about sports. What we have in common is the goal to create genuine experiences for families. Id even go as far as saying that our focus is less about sports and mora about human connection.--Fairygodboss is proud to partner with GameChanger.Find a job there today