Max banks on the spirit of mentorship at Freshworks to learn and grow
Max Koplar has been a solution engineer for software as a service (SaaS) and contact center as a service (CCaaS) spaces for almost four years.
And yet, when she joined Freshworks in March 2021, she was pleasantly surprised at how “different” her role was in the organization.
The level of involvement I have experienced as a solution engineer(SE) here is widely different from other places I have worked. The SE role at Freshworks is different because you get to be more involved in a wide range of projects, which is fun. Only a year in, I have already curated demo environments for customer experience (CX) for North America and global teams and become a subject matter expert in chat. I have also helped other folks in my team get up to speed.
Max was recommended by one of her previous managers for this role. Recalling the “memorable” interview and onboarding process, she says: “As part of the onboarding process as a solution engineer, you are paired with an assigned mentor who works hard to enable you and get you up to speed before going live and helping customers. While my previous roles involved a lot of self-teaching and self-learning, at Freshworks, I was delighted with the culture of mentorship and the endless resources that helped me ace my role here.” Building on the spirit of mentorship and helping each other grow, Max relates that her proudest moment was closing her first big deal shortly after joining the Freshworks Kudumba.
“There’s never a dull day at Freshworks; there’s always something new to learn and work on and help the team work better,” says Max in a virtual watercooler chat for ‘A Freshworker’s Life’ series. She also opens up about her motivations, the ‘great energy in the team,’ and the power of mentorship in shaping lives and careers. Keep reading to know more about this delightful Freshworker.
Growing together
At Freshworks, Max’s team focuses on continuous learning and development across pillars to do their best work. She reflects, “I’m incredibly proud to be part of a team that’s a trusted advisor to our customers and one of the first people to set them up for success with Freshworks.” In her daily role, Max relies heavily on the endless resources from the Solution Engineering center of excellence — which is stocked with “SE processes, best practices, unique use cases, and in-depth product information”— to help set her up for success. She explains the importance of her role at Freshworks. “The success of our customers directly impacts the success of the company. So part of our onboarding plan as an SE involves presenting a demonstration of two Freshworks products to a panel of peers who will then certify that you’re ready to go live and help customers.” She relates that presenting and passing the certification was an incredible feeling.
Max shares that starting a job during the pandemic was a “whole other experience.”
“Everyone is remote. And as a new employee, you have a lot of questions, but you don’t want to be that annoying person reaching out to people all the time.” What really helped her build relationships was her team’s focus on team-building activities.
I love our Happy Hour Hangouts over Zoom calls where we can all get to know one another, share our ideas, build relationships, and foster camaraderie while playing Pictionary and Jeopardy!
Building on the “great energy” in her team, she relates that she would set up one-on-one calls with new folks to share her learnings and experiences and build lasting relationships. Being part of the Freshworks Women 360 group also helped her feel more connected with the Freshworks Kudumba.
Interested in working with passionate Freshworkers like Max who have discovered their potential, passion, and purpose at work? Look no further! At Freshworks, we empower people who power businesses, and we are hiring across roles.
