Team Blog
Posted on by Courtney Meznarich

Hired on During a Pandemic? It's No Sweat for SoCreate's New Designer, Holly Capp

Holly Capp in front of the SoCreate mural

You read that right. Even during a global pandemic, SoCreate is still hiring. We just couldn't pass up a talent like our newest UX designer, Holly Capp. Plus, her story with SoCreate actually starts way back in 2019. Remember that year? Phew, it's been an interesting few months!

Our founder Justin Couto first approached Holly on LinkedIn late last year (keep your LinkedIn's up to date, people because this is how SoCreate found me, too!). Impressed by her resume, which included a BFA in Graphic Design from SUNY Oswego, home and office product design, and design and project management at J. Carroll Screen Printing & Embroidery, Justin introduced himself and a potential UI/UX position opportunity at SoCreate. But there was a catch.

"The opportunity was pending that I learn Adobe XD," Holly told me. SoCreate uses Adobe XD to design, prototype, and share our website and app designs. "I was ecstatic for the opportunity and eager to rise to the challenge," she said. "A long, unique, and extremely rewarding interviewing journey later, I'm a UX Designer at SoCreate, and I couldn't be more excited!"

The hiring process at SoCreate is challenging and often requires that candidates learn a new skill to qualify for the interview. This helps us attract the most qualified team members who are not only up to the job's tasks, but also align with our culture of continuous learning and high-quality output. Holly spent some time learning Adobe XD and blew us away with her skills.

"SoCreate has already inspired and challenged me to learn so many new skills pre-hire," Holly added. "I can only imagine the knowledge and skills I'll gain from working with this all-star team. The team's relentless passion to learn and create great things with detail-focus is contagious."

Her onboarding process, of course, looks a little different – a little more virtual, you might say. At the time of writing this, I had just wrapped up a virtual "walk around the office" call with Holly, where she was meeting each of her team members to learn more about them and their role at SoCreate. We made sure to hand-deliver a SoCreate swag package to her ahead of time, so she'd have all the SoCreate clothing, mugs, and office equipment she could need to feel like she is part of the team while working remotely.  

During our call, Holly told me that she had always wanted to live in San Luis Obispo since a brief visit here in 2011.

"My dream was realized in 2015. I love the weather, the proximity to the beach, all of the outdoor activities, and festivals. What I love most about SLO is the sense of community. Everyone in SLO cares deeply for the city and the people within it," she said.

In her free time, Holly likes to create art, adventure around the area, hike, do yoga, and play soccer. She also told me she can weld! A real jack of all trades.

"I'm excited to be joining the ranks and contribute to the team," she concluded.

And we're excited to see new faces during this crazy time! Welcome to SoCreate, Holly. We hope that we'll be able to celebrate in person soon.

Courtney Meznarich, Director of Community Outreach
Courtney Meznarich Director of Community Outreach
@courtonthecoast

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