My introduction to Pariveda
I was first introduced to Pariveda while attending career fairs and hackathons as a student at Seattle University. When I helped plan a hackathon, I noticed that Pariveda made donations to make it possible and also sent employees to help students and judge the competition. So, when I started my job search, Pariveda was already on my radar. I reached out to someone I knew from school who was working at Pariveda, asked them some questions, and got answers about consulting, the offices, and the culture. That’s when I decided to apply.
“He talked about things that really mattered to me, like educating and growing team members as whole people — beyond just technology or business skills. He wanted his team members to feel comfortable bringing their true selves to work. It was refreshing to hear that kind of mindset.”
I went to the interview prepared to ask questions. I wanted to make sure I cared about the company I was joining. At one point during the process, I was being interviewed by the head of the Seattle office. He talked about things that really mattered to me, like educating and growing team members as whole people — beyond just technology or business skills. He wanted his team members to feel comfortable bringing their true selves to work. It was refreshing to hear that kind of mindset. He told me I would be encouraged to ask questions and share my opinions here. I understood what he liked about the company, and he learned what was important to me, such as ERGs (Employee Resource Groups) and Pariveda’s work to advance diversity and inclusion. I couldn’t believe I was able to talk to someone so senior in the company in my second interview with the firm. These early conversations, in addition to wanting a role in technology, drew me to want to work at Pariveda.
Getting involved and making a difference
Once I started at Pariveda, I was encouraged to get involved in the culture immediately. As part of onboarding, we are encouraged to join certain Slack channels. I remember being added to different Slack community channels and learning about all the events that were planned. I went to the office, and people were asking if I was planning to attend this event and that event. There were so many opportunities to meet people and build relationships!
I then began to plan events of my own. As the Seattle lead for our women’s group, Esprit de Femme, I planned a candle-making event where I brought in a small Black-owned business to lead us in the event. I had never worked with a partner company to do an event like this, but I jumped in and figured it out. It wound up being so positive! There were around 25 women in the room, and one of them said, “There are so many women in this room right now. This is incredible. I never want to go back to something that doesn’t look like this at a company where I work.” We’re making significant and generational changes at Pariveda. Saying that doesn’t feel dramatic to me. As a firm, we’ve looked at where we were, where we are, and where we want to be. We are making good progress, but we also acknowledge that there is still work to be done. I value and need that kind of honesty and transparency from my workplace.
At Pariveda, you’re encouraged to care. Client work involves one-on-one meetings with your teammates to discuss your project work, yourself, and your career desires. And those answers matter here. Our mentors ask us questions about what we want, intending to help us make it happen. So, when it comes to getting more women into positions of power in corporate America, we’re encouraged to talk about how we want to make that happen.
“At Pariveda, we’re respected peers. I don’t have to go through three people to get answers. I’m able to rely on my direct manager and my direct support network for help and advice.”
Transparency and autonomy in my work
One of my favorite moments here involved working on a project and having many questions I needed answered. I was able to schedule a meeting and speak directly to the client. Not only did I get my questions answered, but I was able to really engage with him to understand what he needed and show him where we were headed. I showed him the research I had done and the direction we were headed. Having that honest dialogue with the client, and still effectively and efficiently getting work done made me feel that I had so much autonomy and ability. That’s different from other places in the industry, where there is much less discussion and a lot more hierarchy. At Pariveda, we’re respected peers. I don’t have to go through three people to get answers. I’m able to rely on my direct manager and my direct support network for help and advice.
What I love most about Pariveda is that I am not afraid to say the thoughts in my head out loud. I don’t have to second guess myself. I like that in team meetings, whether we sit down at lunch or have stand-ups, I can always be honest and be my true self.
