I’m writing this post after all of eight days on the InterWorks payroll, but I’m not exaggerating when I say that walking into the office already feels like a homecoming.

I learned about InterWorks a few years ago when I got involved at my local community theater and made a forever friend, Renae Perry, who is a client manager here at InterWorks. She spoke often about how much she liked her company and what a refreshing contrast it was from her previous role. She later recruited a coworker to the theater, Aaron Carmichael, and their bond was so genuine it was downright inspiring. I’d never had coworkers I could be that close with, and it seemed like they had so much fun working together.

Above: A snapshot of the community theater’s cast and crew. Circled are Renae (Left), Aaron (top, right) and me (bottom, right).

Over the next couple of years, I met other Stillwater InterWorkers in personal and professional contexts who worked in a variety of departments, and I was consistently impressed at how talented, creative and happy they all were. Last spring, Renae invited me to Portland for a long weekend getaway on a whim. That Saturday night, an entire group of her coworkers from the Portland office made time to take us to dinner, give us a tour of the neighborhood and help us plan the rest of our time there. I was blown away by their camaraderie and, if I’m honest, a little jealous that she got to work with such cool people. They welcomed me with open arms and felt like fast friends.

Above: Renae and me, out and about in Portland.

When I made the decision to start exploring a career change, InterWorks was on my radar but I was SO nervous. Job hunting will bring out all your worst insecurities, but the application process here was surprisingly fun. I walked out of my final interview more excited than ever about the prospect of working here. Spoiler alert: I got the job!

Best Work, Best Clients, Best People may be their official mantra, but from my perspective, it’s been their culture for a long time. There’s a sense of community here that you just can’t fake. I’m so excited to work for a company that walks the walk, even if I’m only taking baby steps so far. Cheers to playing and winning the long game!