By Ocient Staff
Ocient has some of the most talented employees in the tech industry, and much of that is thanks to the people who put processes into place that help attract and retain this talent. Many departments contribute to Ocient’s success, however, Human Resources is one of the first touch points our employees get to experience. They play a key role in developing, reinforcing, and changing the culture of our organization. This week, we spoke with Luiza Tollkuci, a Senior Human Resources Generalist, about her passions both inside and outside of life at Ocient.
As a member of the HR team, you must be responsible for the needs of employees and implementation of best practices to uphold Ocient’s core values. Luiza handles a range of tasks like employee relations, training, performance management, onboarding, policy implementation, and so much more. Let’s dive into Luiza’s background and learn how she fits into her role here at Ocient.
Where are you based and how do you take advantage of our remote first policy?
I am based in San Diego, California, and I take advantage of our remote first policy by changing where I work. From local coffee shops to across the country when I come visit my family back on the East Coast, I really appreciate the flexibility it brings.
How long have you been with Ocient?
1 year + 1 month
What are some things you like to do in your free time?
I like to cook, specifically recipes from different cuisines. I also enjoy taking sunset beach walks (Cali has the best sunsets) or going out to eat (I am a total foodie!).
What is the next place you would like to check off on your travel bucket list?
Africa – I really want to go on a safari!!!
What is one item you could not live without?
An oven/stove. First off, I don’t know how to start a fire, and secondly, food truly fuels my soul.
What is your go-to comfort food?
What do you find unique about your job?
The most unique part of my job is that I am able to touch on all parts HR. From administrative, to compliance and strategy, I get to maintain the knowledge I have and expand on knowledge I don’t! What I find unique about working at Ocient as a whole is the access I have to the executives. I am constantly in communication with c-suite, and our CEO addresses the company every week and opens the space up for all sorts of questions.
Describe your growth journey while at Ocient.
Here at Ocient, I was originally hired as a HR Generalist, and was quickly promoted to Senior HR Generalist within 9 months. With small teams, and impressive hiring plans, there is significant room to grow as Ocient continues to grow its workforce.
What career advice would you give to your younger self?
Learn how to say “No”. This may be a controversial one, but as you start your career journey, people feel like they have to say “yes” to everything. But, there comes a point when you have too much on your plate and saying “yes” starts to hinder you. Only say “yes” to things that you want to learn and that will help you grow and learn how to say “no” to things that may not matter as much. Your co-workers will not be mad at you, I promise!!
What advice would you give to someone entering the tech industry?
Tech can seem scary because there are big words and things that don’t make sense at first, but that’s the whole point with growth, it’s scary! So do it anyways, you’ll learn along the way, and I bet in six months time, you’ll look back and say, “Hey that wasn’t so bad!”
Would you like to give an employee shoutout?
My team!!! I really credit Jamie as a manager, she cares about my growth and the things I want to learn, and she’s taught me a lot of laws, regulations, and processes I didn’t know. Marisa, is my right hand, I can lean on her for anything, and she’s always willing to help me out!
Come Join the Team.
Ocient is a remote-first company looking for craft-driven contributors. We are passionate about delivering the very best in hyperscale data solutions to our customers and providing the best working environment for our employees. If this is something that piques your interest, check out our open jobs or explore our partnership opportunities.