Connector Spotlight: Katyayni Sharma

Estimated Reading Time: 5 minutes

Katyayni Sharma is Connected’s HR Business Specialist who helps us streamline our systems, processes, and policies for our Connectors. She’s a big fan of Lord of The Rings, an amateur painter, and indulger of true-crime media. More importantly, she is learner at heart and reminds us in her spotlight why it’s important to embrace a love of learning!

Tell us a bit about the projects you’re working on.

I’m currently working on streamlining our internal talent processes and also contribute to a variety of HR initiatives as I transition from the Recruiting Team to the HR Team. What I love about my transition to HR is it allows me to shift my focus to also include Connectors. Being part of the HR team allows me to build improved policy, processes, and programs to support the many important facets of the Connector experience including onboarding, training, and our performance bonus program.

What’s the most interesting challenge about the project?

Optimizing backend processes to be shorter, more efficient, while maintaining or improving employee and candidate experience is definitely an interesting challenge. Layered on navigating to being remote-first as we scale-up hiring talent across Canada.

Where did you work prior to Connected?

Prior to Connected, I worked at Dimagi also supporting talent initiatives and operations at scale across our global network of teams. Headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA, Dimagi offers technology for social impact.

What achievement are you most proud of in your career to date?

I’m proud to have worked on projects that have enabled employees and candidates to do great work across a variety of geographies in Asia, Africa and North America. I’m excited to take my learnings in this work to help us scale our Work Abroad program at Connected.

Do you have a mantra you live by?

This quote by Julia Cameron really resonated with me – “Give yourself permission to be a beginner”. For me, having a learning/growth mindset is very important. That often means being a beginner at things, both professionally and personally. I appreciate that Connected encourages this mindset with “learning” being one of our core values, and I’ve seen it be true in spades in our culture

What do you love to do outside of work?

I enjoy reading, especially fiction books like Lord of the Rings, Catch 22, and Midnight’s Children are some favourites that come to mind. I also enjoy painting (poorly but like I’ve said before, we all begin somewhere!), and going for walks around the city. 

If you were stuck on a deserted island, what album, movie, and book would you take with you?

• Album: I thought way too much about this. It’s hard to pick one, but probably 7 by Beach House. 
• Movie: Can it be 3? Lord of the Rings trilogy. 
• Book: A recent one – Whereabouts by Jhumpa Lahiri

Describe yourself in three words.

Kind, curious, and thoughtful.

And finally, what is your favourite product and why?

Netflix – made living through a pandemic a lot easier. I’m currently really into true crime docuseries and occasionally indulge in reality TV. But I’m pretty much open to watching anything. Now, if only Lord of The Rings was available to stream on Netflix in Canada!