A talent for collaboration and project management has made Abby Garcia a vital part of the company’s ambitious vision.
In 2015, Abby Garcia was studying radiology at community college when she decided that path was not for her. Rethinking her course, Abby knew that she wanted to continue her education, but was hesitant to take on the student loan debt associated with pursuing a four-year degree. When she began to consider business—excited by the prospect of it being “outside of her comfort zone”—a friend recommended that she apply to Year Up.
“When I heard about the program, I thought, ‘why not give this one year out of my life to try it out and see if it works out for me?’”
Choosing to Build Her Skills in Project Management Support
She enrolled in Year Up Greater Boston, where she specialized in Project Management Support. She opened herself up to the opportunity, and through it she found a company that recognized her talent and versatility.
“I was lost, and then I found something that I became really good at. I was blessed to find a job at Wayfair where they value your skill sets over your background.”
Candidate Experience Associate, Wayfair
Now, Abby is thriving as a Candidate Experience Associate at Wayfair, doing the vital work of recruiting and onboarding new talent. In her role, Abby is responsible for coordinating interviews, conducting background checks, and supporting new employee relocation, as well as finding innovative ways to make the hiring process as smooth as possible for the company and its incoming talent.
At Year Up, Abby learned analytical frameworks, project management techniques, and project management tools such as Gantt charts and Microsoft Project while specializing in Project Management Support. This broad range of applicable skills laid the foundation for her to excel in the fast-paced environment of a visionary company like Wayfair. While the primary focus was developing and executing projects, Abby noted that Project Management “can lead you to so many different positions in business.”
In addition to learning the technical skills required for project management support, Abby also developed valuable professional skills at Year Up, including networking, business communication, and collaboration. Abby’s learning community worked to create “a safe and positive environment where you’re able to work smoothly with people.” She developed tremendous rapport with her peers and instructors, and learned to build relationships with various stakeholders—a skill she has found essential to her role in the highly collaborative environment of talent acquisition at Wayfair.
“You realize ‘this is a place where I feel safe and people are being positive towards me,’'' she explained of Year Up. “Then you go to a company like Wayfair where you realize, ‘I’m actually going to be this person here as well because now I can create those same connections with people.’”
Using Her Year Up Training to Drive Herself Forward
Abby’s hard work and innovative approach throughout her time in the Project Management support track have given her the opportunity to establish herself at Wayfair, making an impact at the company and helping to carry its vision forward. She works with teams across the company to build camaraderie and foster a positive work environment, and has taken a leadership role in the LatinX@Wayfair Employee Resource Group, meeting regularly to identify ways to elevate the voices of the Latinx/Hispanic community at Wayfair.
“We try to represent the culture and try to make sure that everyone is well taken care of.” She also leads a cultural ambassador program which provides candidates the opportunity for a confidential, non-evaluative conversation with a culture ambassador about Wayfair’s workplace culture and community at the final round interview stage.
“At Wayfair, we’re committed to aligning with organizations that adhere to our values and principles and drive systemic change. Partnering with inclusion partners, such as Year Up, to build a more representative, equitable workforce is one way we bring that commitment to life. We believe our success is directly tied to three key elements: great people, great ideas, and great ambition—and with Year Up talent, we get all three.”
Recruiting Inclusion Partnership Manager, Wayfair
Wayfair has partnered with Year Up since 2017, and continues to reap the benefits of hiring Year Up talent like Abby as the partnership scales. Having been with the company for more than three years now and as ambitious as ever, Abby helps her manager mentor other employees, including Year Up cohorts, as she continues her personal journey, and looks forward to growing in her current role at Wayfair. She also hopes to explore other areas of the company that pique her interest such as learning and development, eventually pursue her bachelor’s degree, and take on more leadership responsibilities.
“I definitely want to continue to get out of my comfort zone over the next year. I’m having those conversations with my manager to go towards that path.”