Maeann’s inspirational story on the barriers she faced returning back to the workforce

“The first challenge was my headspace around it – I haven’t worked for 5 years, and it pushed me into some sort of emptiness. I didn’t think I could make it to any company! I’m sure a lot of women would relate to this, you feel like you must start from ground zero all over again, especially after facing the bias.”

My first interview was with Lorraine and Michael – looking back at it, I was just throwing around information, I would just freeze after every technical question, I was nervous, my confidence was low, and I had not been interviewed in a long time. The team here at Class were very accommodating, empathetic, and compassionate. They believed in me and then all of a sudden I got the job offer of my dreams. I couldn’t believe it, after months of job searching, this was it.

As a fintech company, everything is fast-paced. It is important for those restarting their career to feel connected and supported at work. How can workplaces help them tackle getting up to speed with everything?

I still remember – on the very first day, I was assigned a buddy during onboarding; her name is Leila! She is a wonderful woman who helped me navigate everything in the office, step-by-step. We sat down for a chat, and I told her that I did not understand any of this – she was super supportive and patient with me! I never even knew what AWS was, I last heard about it when I left work 5 years ago. It was all very new for me, but what’s important is that Class understood my need – I felt empowered.

Alex and the rest of my team were also incredibly supportive! They constantly reminded me that we were one team, and no question is a stupid question. I was always encouraged to be open about what I needed help with, so whenever I was stuck, it was all easy to reach out. My team got me through everything!

What surprised me the most was Class’s focus on employee wellbeing. There are tons of programs and resources in place for everyone! Whether you’re a new parent, or simply someone who likes going to the gym, Class has got you. We are a company that takes headspace seriously – some of our free consultations and memberships are simply the best! I was amazed that we had a WOW wall. From my experience, it was either an amazing team or an amazing culture but never both together. Class proved me wrong here, we are a beautiful blend of great teams and great culture”