Career Options
Intuit Canada's Jane Sillberg wouldn't have it any other wayExtreme commuteJane Sillberg loves her job and she loves her community, even though the two of them are 2,634 kms apart, as the crow flies. |
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 [ 2007-05-01 ] |
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"I just love it, but it's not for everybody," she says of her twice-monthly commute from London to Edmonton. "It would suit somebody who wants adventure and has a supportive family."
Sillberg's latest adventure began nearly a year ago when she was recruited by Intuit Canada, the company behind the wildly popular QuickTax and other e-finance solutions for individuals and small businesses.
Headquartered in California, the company's Canadian base is Edmonton , with offices in Calgary, Toronto and Montreal.
"I expected to be working in Toronto, which wouldn't be a big mind shift," said Sillberg, who is married and has a daughter who attends high school in London. "I've had to commute for other jobs."
When faced with an "amazing job" being offered so far away, many might be tempted to uproot the family, but that just wasn't an option, Sillberg explains.
"My daughter is in Grade 11 and my husband is employed in London and we love the community."
After a rigorous interview process with Intuit, which included multiple interviews in Edmonton and California, Sillberg and her family decided the job would be worth the commute.
"Intuit is a values-driven company and that's what really turned me on to it," said Sillberg.
Her job, as the director of human resources for the company's Canadian and U.K. branches, see her contributing to strategic planning and overseeing several departments -- ranging from organizational development to facilities.
And travelling. Sillberg has a condo in Edmonton and travels back to London twice a month and her daughter and husband travel twice a month to spend time where she is -- whether it's out west, down south or across the ocean.
What really makes it work is her family's support and the way the company treats employees.
Prior to joining Intuit, Sillberg was vice-president of human resources for Cartier Partners Financial Group and manager of strategy for learning and development at Canada Trust, She also owned and operated Hummingbird Consulting, in London.
Intuit Canada was recently named one of the top 50 employers in Canada, a distinction it also received in 2002 and 2003.
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INTUIT CANADA
- The Employee Value Proposition is to listen to the employees, let employees know how they're doing and plan for employee growth and aim to have employees develop the 'whole self'.
- To develop the 'whole self', Intuit Canada is continually developing tools for each employee to grow professionally, to grow emotionally and to thrive at work.
- Perks include: Nap rooms; flexible work schedules; no dress code; Bose Quiet Comfort 2 Noise Cancelling headphones for open work areas; gymnasium for basketball, volleyball and yoga classes.
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