Pivoting Towards Klaviyo

Have you ever been tempted to change course? Go back to school? Follow a newfound passion?

For many of us, these pivots come in our careers. The path we chose right out of university may not have withstood the test of time. In moments of questioning, it can be helpful to take stock of the path you’re on and make sure it still aligns with the person you’ve become.

Regardless of your background, if a role at Klaviyo calls to you, we want to hear from you. Senior Technical Recruiter, Kat Donoghue shares this piece of advice on navigating a transition: “Figure out how to tell your story in a way that makes it easy for recruiters or hiring managers to easily see how your skill set matches the job even if titles look different. If you get really good at this, you can help them recognize that your background not only satisfies their needs, but actually brings in a diversity of experience and additional value that they didn’t even realize they were looking for.”

Klaviyos come from all kinds of professional backgrounds: we are former restaurant managers, non-profit workers, studio managers, athletes, speech pathologists and marine mammal trainers. Some of us have even changed careers within Klaviyo. In the spirit of our value to “always be learning”, we celebrate these stories of growth and transition. What might we learn from our colleagues who were brave enough to take the risk towards a more fulfilling path?

Joanna Smith, Medical Speech-Language Pathologist → Product Expert

"In a former life I was a medical speech-language pathologist, but years of accumulating burnout in that field were only exacerbated by the pandemic. I wanted to pivot to tech for an opportunity to learn something new, but also wanted to work for a company that I felt could support me during this huge career transition. 

Klaviyo was a perfect fit. The interview process felt more like a series of good conversations, and the support I receive from my manager, team, and the company in general is more than I could have ever hoped for."

Reggie Smith, Professional Basketball Player → Principal Technical Recruiter

"The Portland Trailblazers selected me in the second round in the 1992 NBA Draft. Following my tenure in the NBA, I played professionally overseas. I jokingly tell people, 'This is my second favorite job.’  

As a Principal Technical Recruiter at Klaviyo,  I am blessed to have found a job that aligns with my past experience as a professional athlete. Being part of a team, competing at a high level, and playing a critical role on a successful team are all characteristics that I have found to be common ground within my two careers."

Rebecca Esterline, Marine Mammal Trainer → Product Expert

"I wanted to be a marine mammal trainer since I was old enough to talk, a hefty feat growing up in Indiana. As hard as it was to leave a career which had been my dream since childhood, I can honestly say Klaviyo has given me zero cause for regret and I am absolutely loving being in a community I respect and admire, serving a fantastic customer base, and learning new things every single day! Klaviyo matches the vision I have for my future toe to toe and I am so excited to grow alongside this company."

Simon Golaz, Pastry Chef → Senior Product Expert

“I first trained as a pastry chef. However, moving from Switzerland to the UK, I lost interest as being restricted to making sponge cakes and cupcakes was not really fulfilling my creative interests. After taking time off to think about what I wanted to do going forward I was offered the opportunity to work as a support agent in a tech startup which sparked whole new career interests for me. Shortly after, Klaviyo entered my life. I feel extremely lucky and grateful to be at Klaviyo, where for the first time I really feel happy in my job. I am constantly learning new skills and from day one have been able to count on my peers and managers to help me transition into this new career. I now truly feel in my element and where I want to continue to evolve in the future”

What's your story? We'll be waiting at careers.klaviyo.com