Jun 22, 2016

Conversion Rate Optimization may be their focus, but it's not the only thing CROmetrics is doing right.

Work Lyfe

A few months after graduating from The Iron Yard, I started doing contract design work at CROmetrics. Now that I’ve been there for about three months, I thought I’d share some thoughts about my experience so far. TLDR: It’s been a good experience.

Hiring Process

To be honest, the gig kind of fell into my lap. I was invited by Laura Stude to try my hand at some contract work, on a trial basis. It’s been about three months now, and they haven’t asked me to leave yet, so I must be doing something right. Actually, the hiring process is one of the many things I think CROmetrics is doing right.

Without getting into details, all candidates are brought on for a trial period that is effectively a paid interview. During that time they will be assigned projects and tasks like any other member of the team. It’s a great way to see how people work and if there’s a good fit, culturally. In an industry where the hiring system seems completely broken, CROmetrics stands out as a company who treats candidates as team members before they’re hired.

I realize a system like this isn’t feasible at every company, and maybe someday, due to growth or other factors, CROmetrics will need to change their hiring practices. But I trust that they will always find a solution that continues to benefit both parties and does not reduce potential candidates to mere numbers.

Work

The CRO in CROmetrics stands for conversion rate optimization. So basically the one goal of the company is to improve companies’ websites so they can grow. This is done through data-driven experimentation and rapid iteration. CROmetrics’ mission is one I can really get behind. Coming from a background in freelance web design, I was accustomed to making sites and deploying them, but never having the time or capacity to test or iterate on my initial designs. It’s been really great having a hand in making sites better and easier to use. I’ve definitely added some usability knowledge to my design tool belt. So yeah, I thoroughly enjoy the work I’m doing.

Most of what I do is visual design, no coding involved. But one of the things I like about CROmetrics is their growth mindset. I’m sure there will be coding options for me.

A Snippet Of My Day

  • Log into Trello, move some cards around
  • Start timer on Harvest timekeeping app
  • Depending on the task and the level of design direction, research best solutions for given problem
  • Open Illustrator, push pixels
  • Log in to Marvel, create / edit prototype
  • Edit / move card in Trello
  • Stop timer on Harvest
  • Check email / get coffee / change a diaper

Culture

Like many other teams these days, CROmetrics is a distributed company. As with everything, there are benefits and challenges to this sort of working culture.

A Few Benefits

  • Freedom to work from anywhere
  • No cost to rent office space
  • No need to relocate new hires

A Few Challenges

  • Difficulty working across time zones
  • Communication requires more work
  • As independent contractors, everyone pays for their own tools and work space

CROmetrics does a great job of keeping its team members connected via tools like Slack, Trello, and regular video chats. Additionally, there are a handful of team members in Austin who are starting a coworking space. I’m looking forward to the possibility of sharing an office space with colleagues.

Things I Love About Working At CROmetrics

  • The mission of the company is something I can really get behind.
  • I get to work on a variety of projects.
  • I get to work with some insanely talented individuals.
  • I can work from anywhere.
  • Company culture includes use of the word y’all.

In Summary

It’s only been three months, but my experience at CROmetrics has been positive; it’s a great place to learn and grow. Because they are distributed, they can put together a team of the best people available, without being limited by location. As a result, I work with a super talented group of individuals. I consider myself lucky to work with such a team and company.

Interested in learning more about CROmetrics? Check out their website!