August New Hires!

Oliver Bell

Tell me about yourself:

I graduated with an undergrad in CompSci where I had an internship with a large tech company. After I completed school, I was presented with a full-time offer which gave me the opportunity to work in the middle east. I came back to the US and had the urge to try something new, which brought me to DNSFilter. I personally enjoy skiing, running, white water rafting and really anything that can be done outdoors.

Why did you apply to DNSFilter?

I've always been fascinated by startups. The pace, the opportunities, and the chance to do work outside your job description. This all really appealed to me. I also wanted to stay in the same domain—security. Throughout the interview process I felt really welcomed and felt the energy to be part of something new and special.

What has been going really well so far?

I think the encouragement and collaboration on my team is really motivating. It makes me feel comfortable exploring new tools, processes and trying new ways of doing things. There is enough structure to get things done, but not enough where I feel pigeonholed into doing things a specific way.

What are you looking forward to the most?

I'm looking forward to being able to grow - both individually and with the company. Specifically, I’m excited about growing my technical skills outside of my domain.

What advice would you give candidates?

Don't be afraid to ask a lot of questions and take it one step at a time. Define priorities and set a path forward with your team.

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Goce Trenchev: 

Tell me about yourself:

I've been in DevOps for a long time now and it's become a part of who I am. I'm a 'normal' geek who likes hacking into things, researching things, learning things and generally I'm looking forward to the future. I've lived in all the continents except Australia and I really enjoy learning and immersing myself in new cultures. I'm especially interested in seeing how other regions develop over the years and how people with different experiences react differently to similar situations. I think that is why remote work is great because we're bringing people together from around the world with these different experiences.

Why did you apply to DNSFilter?

The way the company presented itself, from the recruiting calls and interviews, to my own research exploring Glassdoor reviews, even customer support reviews were really good. I also went through the blog and did a deep dive into some of the technical things and it led me to understand that there are some quite knowledgeable people working here.

What has been going really well so far?

Things are going better than I expected. There is a lot of flexibility, not much pressure, good team chemistry, and a lot of learning! One thing that I noticed is that even in team meetings there are no interruptions, when you have the floor people are listening and are open and receptive to ideas. I've also been really impressed by how helpful people are here. Even if someone is super busy, they'll find time to jump on a call to explain a process or help develop a solution.

What are you looking forward to the most?

I've only been here for a short while, so the thing I'm looking forward to most is the ability to prove myself. I know that I have room to grow, to learn new things, but the work is very rewarding and it will give me an opportunity to do great things.

What advice would you give candidates?

Research where you want to be. Ask yourself what you want, what type of work culture you want, and then see if DNSFilter can be a good fit. Things here can change fast, but it's not super high pressure. There is a strong sense of work life balance. The preference is not to turn out a vast quantity of work, but rather to deliver your best work.

Anything else to add:

One thing that really makes us stand out from the competition is that we have a great product, a great functioning team, and a great rhythm with remote work. We're able to beat out some of our large competitors even though they have more resources and headcount than us. This is really impressive, and something that I'm really proud to be a part of.

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Sarah Safarzadeh: 

Tell me about yourself:

I grew up in Houston where I completed a BA in Journalism. I relocated to Austin to pursue a career in digital marketing, however things took an interesting turn when I completed my first full stack coding bootcamp. I knew that I wanted something more, and as it turns out DNSFilter offered me a chance to use my technical skills. Now it's me and my Bernedoodle, Indie, hanging out and working remotely! Truth be told, I'm super excited about the flexibility that remote work offers and am considering exploring the US while working! 

Why did you apply to DNSFilter?

I was looking for a tech startup and as soon as I came across DNSFilter, I had my heart set on it. I was blown away by the team's authenticity, which is really rare. The questions that were asked in the interview allowed me to get to know the team a bit more, rather than acting as a contestant on a game show, where if you get the answers right you get a prize. That and the fact that it was a fully remote position which was really important for me in my next role.

What has been going really well so far?

Even though we're a remote company, I feel like there is a strong emphasis placed on collaboration. We're all busy, but everyone makes time for me. It's easy to lose direction when you're not constantly in your managers 'face', but here it's been really easy. Also, a lot of the perks were really well timed, including rolling out the 4-day work week which is just awesome.

What are you looking forward to the most?

I'm really excited to see where we go and where the product takes us. Who will we partner with? Who will have the next best idea? Who will be next to join the team? Where will I go? So many questions and such much excitement!!!

What advice would you give candidates?

Be curious and collaborative - those are keys to success here. Ask questions, reach out to people for help, we're a remote company but we definitely have each other's backs.

Anything else to add:

Thank you for hiring me - it's the best. I love this company!!!

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Carmella Arroyo: 

Tell me about yourself:

I graduated from the University of Central Florida with a degree in Digital Media. My original focus was web design but through different internships, I found a love for marketing and haven't looked back. I'm pretty new to the cybersecurity scene, but have been around tech companies for a while. In my spare time, I like to visit the theme parks in Orlando, as well as paddle boarding and kayaking, and am looking forward to running the 10K at Disney soon!

Why did you apply to DNSFilter?

I think the biggest reason is the fact that it was a tech startup, and the startup culture really appeals to me. I feel that it's very fast paced, you have to learn a lot, the team is growing a lot and that presents opportunities to work on pretty cool projects within the company. I told myself that the next job I applied for needed to have a better work life balance and DNSFilter was perfect! 

What has been going really well so far?

The best thing so far has been the team. Everyone is really nice and helpful and has a mutual understanding that the company moves fast. I feel super lucky to have Serena as my manager. She’s taught me so much within such a short amount of time, it’s incredible! I’m excited to be learning from her. Jillian is also a rockstar and is an amazing leader for the team! Everyone else has been awesome and really willing to jump in and help out.

I was a bit scared when I was hit with all the programs and apps, but I was able to learn everything with the help of the team. I'm starting to find my mojo and am excited about what comes next!

What are you looking forward to the most?

Definitely taking on more projects and learning new things. I really enjoy the collaboration here, everyone is so talented and motivated. This is definitely the place to grow.

Oh yeah, and Cabo. 🙂

What advice would you give candidates?

Well, my first week here was daunting. I was hit with a lot of new apps and found it all a little overwhelming. One thing I'd say is don't feel the need to know every single thing right away. I felt much more comfortable after the first few weeks. Don't put too much pressure on yourself. You'll find that everyone here is really helpful and approachable.

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Anything to Add?‍

It's been a lot to learn so far, but I've been enjoying every second of it and am really looking forward to the future here!
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Want to be part of the DNSFilter team? Check out our open positions!