Podcast
International
The European Microcredential Landscape
A new year means new beginnings and resolutions to keep. If yours includes looking for a new job, it’s time to give Parchment a look.
Founded over 14 years ago, venture-backed, and growing fast, Parchment’s mission is to turn credentials into opportunities for those who earn them. More than 160 employees—or “Parchies,” as we call ourselves—are working hard to make good on this promise daily, and we’re looking for more to join our team. It’s challenging but rewarding work: we partner with thousands of schools and serve million of students, and we’ve delivered over 20 million digital credentials so far.
But we’re also just getting started, which is why we’re hiring talented staff in several key areas. What it would be like to work here? We asked a number of current employees to weigh in and they identified four attributes that makes life as a Parchie interesting.
- Parchies work hard and play hard
Of all the words Parchies use to describe the company, none come up more often than fun. Whether it’s salsa dancing and piñatas for Cinco de Mayo, or taking a break to challenge a co-worker to a game of Mario Kart, or finding a creative and fun way to do the job, Parchment’s leaders understand and support the need to de-stress after long hours and difficult deadlines. Keeping the workplace fun achieves that.
“The people is where the fun starts. The leaders I have met challenge you in a light hearted way and make sure that you see the fun that can be had [in work], even when we are focusing on something that not everyone considers a sexy product … digital credentials,” says one Parchie who works in digital marketing.
- Parchment is breaking new ground
Others consider it important to be working on technology that’s not only important to our most treasured institutions—schools and universities—but which also is transforming how learners get value from the credentials they spend tens of thousands of dollars to obtain. Think of the recent political science graduate whose groundbreaking research into campaign finance would qualify her for much more than an internship on K Street in Washington, D/C. A digital co-curricular transcript could more accurately communicate her expertise in a secure and shareable way. The promise of bringing this sort of breakthrough to market gets Parchies excited.
“Look for a company that has a history of solid growth and is innovating its market in a way that no other company has done. Look for a place where you feel like you are building something, as opposed to pulling a lever every day in order to earn a paycheck. We’re fortunate to have that here,” says a Parchie who serves a number of large accounts as a program manager for the southeast U.S.
- Parchies are encouraged to take risks and learn from failure
Innovation is neither cheap nor easy, and you can’t get it without breaking a few eggs. Parchment leadership understands this and has created a culture that values and rewards experimentation. Teams are always seeking to break new ground as a result, sharing progress, results, and even missteps at the Every Other Tuesday all-company meeting.
“We’re allowed to push the envelope of our creativity, realizing that when we fail—because we all will at one point—we will at least fail together and have a good laugh. Nothing is better than knowing the risk you take that doesn’t pay off will be something everyone gets a laugh at … and we’ve learned something for our next try,” says the digital marketing specialist.
- Parchies laugh a lot
There are different types of “fun” work environments. Some stress work that’s fun in the sense that it’s never boring. Others stress fun in terms of games and company events. At Parchment, we work not only to make the lives of learners better, but we also strive to make our co-workers laugh. Because a staff that can laugh together can thrive, even when the stress of deadlines looms.
“It is okay to laugh, and loudly if that is your style. We can have a sense of humor and enjoy each other’s company. We laugh at YouTube videos that poke fun at our roles and memes can spread like wildfire throughout our internal memos. A spark of friendly competition on who can send the funniest email will have the team rolling. We are able to enjoy this environment, because at the same time, we all have each other’s back and know that while we are laughing, we are also working hard,” says an associate project manager who joined Parchment just under a year ago.
A business for the long run
Work hard, play hard. Innovate. Take risks and learn from failure. Laugh as loud as you want. These are the characteristics that define Parchies who, together, are working to make digital credentials a reality. It’s an important job. Credentials communicate expertise, and expertise leads to opportunity. Thus, when we make credentials digital and securely shareable, we help learners turn their expertise into real, verifiable economic opportunity. To us, that’s more than a good business—it’s a noble cause. Won’t you join us?
