Get to Know - Skytap

As the long-term partner for our clients, we have the opportunity to learn and understand their unique company culture. In this series we're going to take a look at some of the companies we work with and the stories they tell.

By: Emily Gerhard

Three days a week, I pack up my laptop and gym clothes and venture out of my normal work corner to go work onsite with Recruiting Bandwidth’s newest client, Skytap. Located on the 11th floor of the historic Dexter Horton Building in Downtown Seattle, they have an amazing view and are steps away from anything you might need. Going up the elevator on my fist day, I had to admit I was a little nervous. It was kind of like the first day of school. Will I be able to find what I need? Will people be nice to me? Does my outfit send the right message? What is the right message?

As soon as I walked in I was greeted by Kari, possibly the busiest and most efficient office manager I’ve ever met, and all my worries melted away. Seated with the sales and marketing teams in their open office space, I settled right in. Several times that morning people came by to say hi and introduce themselves. I was encouraged to make myself at home in the kitchens and conference rooms and any time I had a question, people were happy to help me out. I was encouraged to just go “shoulder-tap” people I needed something from. Open communication was stressed to me several times from individual contributors and VPs.

As part of Skytap’s first internal recruitment team, I was charged with establishing new procedures and process to fulfill their ambitious hiring goals. I was pleasantly surprised by the openness of each hiring manager to embrace change and even offer creative suggestions to help make the recruitment process smoother.

One afternoon, the entire 80 person office packed up early and walked down to the Triple Door for the quarterly company meeting. Dressed in Skytap t-shirts, the staff crowded around the bar and grabbed a few drinks before the executive leadership team got on stage. First up was Thor Culverhouse, the new CEO. An engaging speaker, he spoke passionately of Skytap’s beginnings, where the company is currently sitting and what the future will look like. Others got up and detailed marketing forecasts, strategy and branding. At one point, Nate Odell, Senior Director of Marketing rallied the company around a new slogan - “Tap In!” He spoke of a unified vision for the company and as he pumped up the crowd, it was clear to me that everyone there truly believed in their product. The Skytap Cloud can and will go places.

Candidates always ask me questions about Skytap. “What’s it like to work there?” is something I’m often asked. It’s easy to list off perks that Skytap offers its employees and call it “Company culture.” But there is something more to culture than their famous “Free Food Fridays” and the unlimited snacks, ORCA pass, and standing desks. It is hard to describe the camaraderie I experience at Skytap. I am still trying to find the words to express how cool it is that egos get left at the door; that as you watch people buzz around the office, you can see they are energized by being on a team that works together for a shared goal. It is refreshing to experience open, informal communication and a “let’s do this” attitude. Skytap has a great leadership team and an empowered staff backing them up. I may not be able to fully describe it, but I, for one, am definitely “tapped in.”

If you're interested in joining Skytap's team, check out their openings here. They're a quickly growing company and there are positions for all types of backgrounds.