A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to fly from Arizona to San Francisco and talk to some of the very passionate employees who work at Coveo to see what makes it such a unique and successful enterprise. As a high school student, I didn’t know much about Coveo before I visited. Although I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, I was eager to meet with people that could tell me about their journeys to success in their careers. On the brink of college, it had occurred to me how limited my knowledge was regarding positions that were going to be available to the next generation of young people in the workforce. It seemed as though I had only breached the surface of possible career paths in school – in other words, my options were limited to ‘accountant, doctor, lawyer, writer, etc.’. I knew that those general job descriptions were very wide umbrellas that narrowed down to more specialized careers, but I had no idea of how vast the possibilities were.

Additionally, I was unaware of the ways in which I could use my skill set to foster a successful career in a field that seemingly unrelated with my area of expertise: writing.

I never knew that my passion could translate to a plethora of different companies besides those involved in print news, broadcasting, and investigative journalism. Talking to Coveo employees made me realize that there were millions of ways I could contribute my skills into growing companies. While in San Francisco, I had the opportunity to meet with people in positions I didn’t even know existed prior to my visit: from Strategic alliances to the universe of graphic design. I realized that in order to make Coveo such a successful company, many high-performers with diverse backgrounds and talents are required.

Three life changing takeaways

Although I only spent a brief moment in Coveo’s San Francisco office, I’ve learnt three valuable lessons I’m taking with me:

1. Coveo employees might have different skills but they all have one point in common: the desire to make an impact in their area of expertise. They all have inspiring success stories, and most began with the drive to use their passion to help build a successful career.
2. College paths are not the only way to get to your ideal job. Some Coveo employees mentioned their college degree didn’t lead directly to their current position. Dream jobs are a combination of academic path, passion and talent. This is one key lesson that some of the influential people I have met at Coveo made me understand. That encouraged me to stay true to my internal drive and to embrace change, which leads me to my next point.
3. Ability to adapt to change is key! Each person I spoke with was able to apply their qualifications to virtually any new opportunity or position that presented itself.

The few days I spent at Coveo were some of the most impactful of my life. Every Coveo employee I have met had not only a moving story, but great advices on how to apply my skills and passion to the workforce of the future and the rapidly growing field of technology. After this incentivizing experience, I am confident that the future is promising and that I will be able to use my passion as a cornerstone of the successful career I aim to have.