When teams are genuinely connected, people feel valued, ideas flow freely, and optimal solutions are reached. At SingleStone, our problem-solving starts with our people. We invest in people, so we do our best work. We’ve been fortunate to continue hiring throughout a year of uncertainty.
In this series, we're highlighting some incredible new teammates and proving that it’s possible to virtually onboard and genuinely connect in this new remote reality.
We caught up with Ana Mendez, UX Designer at SingleStone.
At what point in your interview process with SingleStone did you go “Okay, I want to work here.”
I researched the design team because I wanted to learn more about the people. Kevin, Orlando, and Victoria were such great representations of the core values at SingleStone. After meeting them during the interview process, I knew I wanted to work here.
Kevin radiated positivity and a human-centered connection. Orlando described his college career, starting off as an engineer and pivoting to be a designer. That immediately yelled aptitude to me because he’s a quick learner. And Victoria represented skills development because she joined SingleStone as a junior designer and is now a senior. That really inspired me because I’m starting as a junior and still developing my skillset, but SingleStone prides itself on continuous learning, so I knew I’d have room to grow.
They were pedestals of each of those core values and I knew I wanted to work with them.
And when did you think to yourself “Okay, I’m in the right place.”
I feel it every day. I’m currently working closely with Orlando on a project and regularly tap him with questions. I appreciate his guidance—he’s responsive, hands-on, and I’m learning so much already. I’m dipping my toes in Adobe Photoshop and InDesign, two areas I was still developing, and I already feel like I’m getting better at using those tools.
Have you experienced a situation that surprised you in a good way?
I read Tricia Rhodes’ article about the culture at SingleStone and how it’s different from other tech companies and consulting firms that tend to be draining and all-consuming. I actually have friends who work at larger companies and regularly hear how drained they feel, especially during this time when we’re working remotely and our home and work environments are the same place.
I’m surprised and thankful that SingleStone sees me as a human and not just labor. I also love that SingleStone acknowledges mental health right now and that taking a break from the screen is OK. On top of that, in a recent firm-wide meeting, we got in touch with a lot of difficult questions. Vida Williams asked questions in the chat and we responded with anonymous yes or no answers. It felt like such a safe space where we could share our experiences from the past year and see the similarities in real-time.
Tell us about a time that made you feel welcomed, valued, and/or supported by your team? What happened?
Every week I’m invited to meetings that benefit my development. Victoria set up information design office hours where I can get extra feedback on designs. That’s really important to me. I’m still early in my career so I need all the feedback and insight I can get. I also have one-on-ones with Kevin and these check-ins with my team are so beneficial. I’m not having the traditional first job experience where I’d be in the office, but my team has done such a great job simulating that environment virtually.
We’re thrilled to have you on the team, Ana! We've said it before and we’ll say it again, best team ever. Shoot us a message if you’re interested in learning about our career opportunities, or head to our careers page to explore our current open roles. We’d love to hear from you.