Being a Working Parent at Swoon

Sara Riggs

Vice President of Recruiting

Swoon does a great job at having a flexible work environment. What I mean by that is we are flexible on the hours we work, and we are also flexible on where we work. You are responsible for getting your job done, and if that means shifting the hours you are working to accommodate that, you can do so. We are also flexible because while our headquarters is in Chicago, we can work from home or go on-site as well. From the mom perspective, it is nice because you can be there for drop-off or pick-up from school, taking them to practice, or just popping downstairs for lunch. However, you can also go into the office if you need a little bit of space or need to get away and have a more collaborative session with other team members. For me, that flexible schedule quite often means getting the kids ready for school in the morning. So, maybe I log on a bit early to get some work done ahead of that. Also, I always pick my kids up from school every day. It is a major priority for me and the highlight of my day. My team knows that I am not available at 3:30. They can call me, but I am not available to be on video at that time. I am prioritizing picking up my children. So, if I need to, I log on again later at night after they go to bed to finish some of my tasks.

Lauren Burke

Director of Major Accounts

The support is there. Whether it is the flexibility that Sara mentioned, the openness of understanding different family dynamics, the ability to have open conversations about being a working mom, or just having that support in every certain aspect. Swoon’s leadership is genuinely supportive, and they always show compassion and empathy. They are our true advocates. We can all say that this past year has been super difficult for all of us, and I think the ability to work from home is the key for working parents in general. As a mom of three that are all under three and a half, it has been a game-changer. It is super important for me to stay engaged, and it has been nice to be able to sit and enjoy my mornings with them. Something that I could not do before we had flexible schedules, where it was get up, get them up, and get everyone out of the door. Now, I can sit with them, play a couple of games, and eat breakfast together. It helps me manage my day while still embracing and prioritizing my family.

Sara Riggs

Vice President of Recruiting

I think we all feel that mom guilt as well. Having that flexibility to be able to pop down and see them, get them ready for school, pick them up, go to a conference, or take them to practice creates a nice balance between two huge priorities in our life – our personal lives and our families and then our work.

Jadaia Pearson

Business Development Manager

I began my journey with Swoon right after coming off maternity leave with my daughter. I was working at my previous employer at the time, and they had no regard for the pandemic. They wanted us in the office five days a week, and they did not care that I was a parent to a newborn. It was crazy. When the opportunity at Swoon presented itself, I dove right in and fully immersed myself into a brand-new role doing something that I had never done before, but I was up for the challenge. To the moms that are out there and are trying to figure it out at companies that just do not understand your true value — because as a mom, you are usually the strongest person in the room, and you are carrying the heaviest load. Know that you bring a lot to the table. When a company values that and sees that, just jump right in and take the chance. The bigger the risk, the bigger the reward. That is how I look at it, and it was by far the best decision that I have ever made.

Jadaia Pearson

Business Development Manager

At my previous employer, it was not easy to get time off. If you wanted to go to your child’s first day of school or certain things like that, you just could not do it. You had to be in the office at your scheduled time, and if you did request it off, it was not a guarantee that you would get it off. It was challenging, especially if someone else’s kid started school the same day or just needed that time off. At Swoon, however, I can almost drop everything and run when my kids need me, and my team lead is always supportive. My team has my back and is always so willing to help out. I feel fully supported.

Sara Riggs

Vice President of Recruiting

I agree wholeheartedly. It is that flexibility that we are talking about to start and stop your day to be there for your children, prioritize them, and get your job done. This group is a significant support system as well. Knowing other moms are going through the same thing and how it can be rewarding and challenging at times. Our leadership team also knows that our children are a priority, and it is about that balance. Having a work-life balance also makes you a stronger and more engaged employee. You start to appreciate both of those essential parts of your life just a little bit more. We know being a working parent is a challenge and it is especially tough coming out of a pandemic and recession. This is uncharted waters for all of us. We have never been through something like this before, so it is reassuring to know that others are going through the same things you are. Plus, you have the support of your team, supervisors, and leadership — we have each other’s backs.

Heather Tillmon

Senior Direct Hire Recruiter

I have been working in recruitment for over nine years now, and I have been with Swoon for three. Burnout has been inevitable, and I think it is unavoidable for anyone working in the recruitment industry. The two most significant key factors have been transparency and work-life balance, which has been huge for Swoon. Also, having a leadership team that understands that you are a working mom and that you have other things going on that can be causing stress. It’s such an open environment where you can have a transparent conversation to let them know that you may need a mental health hour at the end of the day or take an entire day off and not feel guilty about it at all. When I come back the following day, I will feel recharged and ready to complete whatever tasks I have.

Melinda Simon

Sales Operations Manager

I think a big part is admitting that this is a new boundary. I have always approached it with “do I want my son to burn out when he is working and an adult?” It is a priority to vocalize that I need to take an hour off to not get burnt out. We cannot just keep going and going and then expect our children to know when to call out. I want my son to say that this is too much, and I need a break. It is okay to take breaks and prioritize your health, whether physical or mental.

Sara Riggs

Vice President of Recruiting

The reality is that we all work to give our children and our families the best life possible. All of us are role models to our children. I want to work hard and be successful because I want my children to see that, and I want them to strive to be like that too. So having that support and that flexibility is so important. We do it for them, they are our motivators, and they are our drivers to go out and accomplish things.

Lauren Burke

Director of Major Accounts

There are so many things that I could mention, but without a doubt, and I think many of us on this call will say the same, it is our coworkers and our innovative culture. The people that I continue to work with day in and day out really strive to be the best that they can be. Everyone demonstrates passion, resilience, determination, and in this wild industry that we are in, there are so many different attributes that my coworkers and teammates portray. So, I think Swoon’s culture and just the creative and visionary ideas kind of probe our teammates in the right direction. It allows us to be a collaborative and innovative company.

Heather Tillmon

Senior Direct Hire Recruiter

In terms of Swoon and what I love most about it, I would have to say that it is the melting pot of culture, ethnicities, and different backgrounds. The fact that we can have this working mom panel, and there are people that I can relate to, from our leadership team to the coworkers that I speak to on a day-to-day basis. I feel like I can share my background and my whole self here. They understand having to run out and grab a sick kid from school, and there is never any guilt there. There is an understanding that I never had in previous companies. So, I love the culture, the fun coworkers, and just the flexibility that we have at Swoon.

Sara Riggs

Vice President of Recruiting

When I joined Swoon, I was employee number seven. It was a completely different company than where we are now. I have seen so much growth and advancement both for myself and the teams that I work with. So, my most significant accomplishment has been continuing to rise within the organization. I was hired on as a Recruiter when I first started. I then made my way up to the Recruiting Manager, Recruiting Director, and now the Vice President of Recruiting. To say I am proud of that is an understatement, especially when it was all while having two children and being on maternity leave twice while at Swoon. However, one of my biggest accomplishments now is being able to see where my team started and where they are now. It is so motivating and rewarding to me.

Sara Riggs

Vice President of Recruiting

It was such a crazy time in 2020 during the pandemic and recession. We did see that, unfortunately, many people were losing their jobs and being furloughed. The recruiting industry definitely got hit hard, but rather than following suit with what other companies were doing, we decided not to lay off anyone. We moved people into different roles temporarily, and all positions looked a little bit different. We were wearing many different hats, but it is what we had to do to push out of that difficult time. We also saw all these people that were out of work and looked at it a different way. We saw all this talent out there and took it as our opportunity to hire some amazing people and make them Swooners. We hired more than 60 people in 2020 while other companies were laying people off.

Melinda Simon

Sales Operations Manager

I was one of those Swooners who pivoted my position in 2020. It worked out so well that we just made it my full-time role. I love it because it gives me a better balance and challenges me differently from my career, which is what I wanted. Swoon gave me that support and opportunity to change up my career path during what was one of the most difficult times for all of us. I feel so grateful to be a Swooner and have such a great supportive environment that saw potential in me and made it work. I cannot remember 2020 too much because it was so crazy. It was such a blackout period because my husband was working full-time, I was working full-time, and my son was in the middle of his toddler years. So, I’m very grateful to know that Swoon just keeps thriving, and we rise to the challenge. That is what I think it means to be a Swooner.