Our mission here at The Muse is simple: to help you find your dream job. So, there’s nothing we love more than hearing about it when you do!
Today we chatted with Rebecca Mills Shenkman, who recently landed a great new gig as a Sales Associate at Schoology, connecting with educators and showing them how the company’s learning management tools can change they way they teach and their students learn.
Read below to learn more about Shenkman’s story, then check out Schoology’s offices and see how you can land a great new job of your own.
What were you doing before you landed your new job?
I’ve had a bit of a varied professional past. I graduated from Quinnipiac University in Connecticut in 2013 with a degree in Sociology and have always been interested in society and culture. When I first graduated, I was a Prevention Educator with a local nonprofit. Once I moved into Manhattan, I was doing residential real estate and beginning to explore sales a bit more. Many people in my family have similar backgrounds, and I found it appealing because you can drive results—and be rewarded for them—based on how hard you are willing to work.
At first I thought that sales may be stressful as it is measured with metrics with specific goals to meet, but I found myself drawn to measuring my performance and competing against myself to exceed those goals. I think the stress of performing in sales helps me to work my hardest!
What attracted you to the company or job when you found it on The Muse?
When I first found Schoology on The Muse, it immediately caught my attention with its startup feel and its focus on education technology, which combined different pieces of my background and passions.
I instantly searched through all of the jobs that were posted and saw open sales positions—a match made in heaven. After continuing to research the company, read employee reviews, check out news articles, and anything else to give me a better understanding of what it would be like to work for Schoology, I really felt strongly that it had the sort of culture I was looking for.
What’s something most people would find surprising about working at Schoology?
I often read company profiles about how employees love their jobs, feel valued, enjoy many perks, and have flexibility in their work. I was hopeful this would be the case with Schoology as well, especially after reading nothing but positive employee reviews. However, you never know until you begin—and I was truly surprised how accurate all of the reviews were. Everyone here is passionate, accepting, and knowledgeable in their departments. The company listens to employee feedback, and I know that anyone I speak to will be more than willing to help if I ever have any questions.
What’s your favorite part so far about working at this company?
There are many things I love about Schoology—I love the culture of the company, am proud of the product that we have, and have never worked with better people. Everyone I have met is more than happy to help any team member with anything, from things related to work to things outside the office like recommending the best pizza place in the city or events happening around us. From day one, I felt welcomed by everyone and comfortable approaching anyone, even in another department that I may not see on a day-to-day basis.
People often ask me if it is cutthroat or overly competitive working in sales here, but everyone wants each other to succeed and works together to achieve our goals. As a company, I would say I have been impressed with how funny everyone is—a very welcome addition to my work life.
The free food and snacks, generous benefits and vacation programs, and fun events and company activities that are frequently planned don’t hurt either!
Learn More About Schoology
How did you use The Muse to help you in your job search?
I visited The Muse every day while I was searching for a new job, using tons of the site’s features, from company and employee profiles to job postings to the articles about how to structure my resume and cover letter and market myself more effectively when it came time to interview.
The company profiles and easy search options for job postings made the process much easier, and I made some changes to my approach based on the tips I found on the site, which I really think helped me to find the opportunity that was the right fit for me.
What advice would you have for someone who is stuck in a difficult job hunt right now?
Find out what you would like to do, and don’t be afraid to combine interests. I have had jobs in various fields, and lots of interests. This can seem like I am all over the place, but I decided not to limit myself and searched for jobs that would combine my passions as well as a company that would be a fun, dynamic, and stable place to work.
Then, once you think you’ve found a great place, research it extensively. It is tempting to apply anywhere that has a position you qualify for, but taking the time to read employee reviews and about the company allows you to be much more sure of your interest and knowledgeable when you interview. And when you do, be confident and prepared. As the process continued at Schoology, I made sure to prepare extensively and practice my pitch until nerves didn’t get in the way.
It is stressful searching for a new job, but if you put the time into the search and research, ask questions, and prepare, you are much more likely to land a job that you are passionate about with a company that you love!
