Welcome back to our employee spotlight series! We hope you enjoy getting to know the diverse and unique talent we have the pleasure to work with every day.
In this post, we get to know Harley, one of our Customer Success specialists based in Victoria, British Columbia (BC).
What is your role at Opensignal?
I joined a little over 2.5 years ago as a Customer Success specialist. My role is a bit like a one stop shop for a host of technical queries, which is great because no two days are ever the same. It’s a roll of the dice and I love that.
What attracted you to Opensignal?
This is my first office job where I am able to put my degree to use. My previous roles were very different to say the least - I used to be a climbing gym instructor and I worked in cafes.
Joining Opensignal was a huge change for me with so many positives: being able to do something I love, to challenge myself and grow in the data science field. It also gives me a lot more freedom, variety and flexibility. Even though I’m crunching data all day, in many ways, it feels far less mentally exhausting than my previous roles.
What makes this role work for you?
I would have to say the variety. My tasks are led by our customers, so they don’t tend to be set in stone and I get to figure out how I go about them in my own way. It’s a challenge but this is what makes it fun and you can get a really good sense of accomplishment when you succeed.
And what do you enjoy the most?
Working on the customer support side, it’s a fast-moving and very varied role. I wake up in the morning and have no idea what I will run into. That’s the thrill of it all.
There’s a lot of investigative work. Some issue pops up and I start digging into it, realizing that it’s actually a symptom of something else, and I get to go down a fun rabbit hole. Other days, I get to work on custom exports and reports, which are more “nose to the grindstone” type of tasks. There’s also the chance that I spend half a day working on what I think will be a solution only to realize it was a dead end. But that’s how you grow, right?
What project are you especially proud of?
I developed an engagement tracker that has evolved way beyond where it started. It’s a dashboard that pulls data from a lot of different sources and produces a same day view of where we’re at. It’s now used by many different teams across the organisation. I'm definitely proud of that.
What do you find unique about Opensignal?
The community. The environment is really friendly and open. The company is growing really fast, but even as it’s going through these big changes, you still get a familiar and friendly vibe.
There’s also a feeling of respect and appreciation from the company, they really want to give back to the employees. Little perks and gestures go a long way and I’m continually impressed by these efforts.
Finally, the managers are touching base all the way throughout the ladder. You get windows into the bigger picture which makes you feel included in working towards the common goals.
What was the last book you read?
The Alchemist by Coelho. It’s a super easy read, very whimsical, gentle and kind, with a light hearted approach. It’s not the type of book I’d usually read but I’m really happy I picked it up. I tend to read satire and horror; Vonnegut, King, Hemingway, and Gaiman are some of my favorites.
What is your favorite place in the world?
I wouldn’t say a set place. But being outside, in the woods, where all you hear is the sound of rain or wind through leaves. A spot surrounded by trees, where I can be at peace, sitting on a rock for however long I need to be there. That would be my favorite place.
I’m an avid rock climber, I spend 15-20 hours every week climbing. And living in Victoria I’m never too far away from the wilderness.
What’s your next big adventure?
Sometime around late February me, my girlfriend, and my dog will be running off to Sheffield, UK. Why Sheffield? It’’s both the climbing capital (or at least the bouldering capital) of England and is a good size population-wise. We plan on travelling Europe throughout our 2-year stay, specifically Spain, France, and Switzerland are very high on the list of places to see!
I’ve spent my whole life living on the west coast of Canada and am eager to try something different.
What superpower do you wish you had?
Oh I love this question. Let me start with some background - I’m very much a nerd. I was part of the Tetris club at high school. I was also a speedcuber so it’s fitting that my friends and I have spent hours discussing this question. My superpower would be being able to control and manipulate hallucinations, but also being able to set and forget them. Imagine you could just live however you wish, do whatever you like, go wherever you like. You could be strolling across Buckingham Palace right now or sitting onboard the next space shuttle… and nobody would know.
Interested in learning more about the Opensignal team? In our recent employee spotlights we get to know more about Ryan, a CAI manager, Sam, a Senior Analyst, and Lisa, a Data Scientist.
Want to know more about Opensignal? Have a look at our About page or browse around the Careers page to find your next opportunity!
Opensignal Limited retains ownership of this insight including all intellectual property rights, data, content, graphs & analysis. Reports and insights produced by Opensignal Limited may not be quoted, reproduced, distributed, published for any commercial purpose (including use in advertisements or other promotional content) without prior written consent. Journalists are encouraged to quote information included in Opensignal reports and insights provided they include clear source attribution. For more information, contact [email protected].