When Merrilynn transitioned from an elementary school social worker to an HR Coordinator at Indeed, she never imagined the incredible journey ahead. Over the past 11 years, what started as a leap has evolved into a fulfilling career marked by growth, internal opportunities, and a commitment to helping others.
From HR Coordinator to Employee Development Specialist and eventually to Director of Sales, Merrilynn’s career progression at Indeed exemplifies the power of nurturing talent from within. Discover how she connects job seekers looking for better work with employers needing to hire great talent, all while exploring her reflections on a decade filled with invaluable experiences, global connections, and the incredible support that has shaped her professional and personal life.
Before joining Indeed, I worked as an elementary school social worker. With a Master’s in Social Work, I have always prioritized working for organizations that value people and the community. When I transitioned from social work to Human Resources (HR), I stumbled across the HR Coordinator position at Indeed on indeed.com. It’s kind of poetic when you think about it. When I applied, I had no idea what Indeed really was - other than a job site. I could never have imagined how much a company’s culture would impact my decision to accept the role in Stamford, Connecticut.
I remember my interview as if it were yesterday. Stamford’s Office Manager, Katrien - now working in our legal department - greeted me with the warmest, most sincere smile. Sales representatives were walking the halls, smiling, laughing, and chatting with each other as they made coffee in the kitchen space. The energy was palpable! I felt an instant sense of hope and realized that I could work in an environment where my job could feel like so much more.
Nearly 11 years later, I’ve held multiple positions across different organizations within Indeed. My career at Indeed began in 2013 as an HR Coordinator in the Stamford, CT office. At that time, Indeed had fewer than 500 employees globally. As the company grew beyond 500 employees, the need for an HR Training & Development team became apparent. I advocated for a role focused on deepening our employees’ personal and professional growth, and soon after, my new position as an Employee Development Specialist was created.
In my EEDev role, I conceptualized, researched, created, and facilitated training on leadership, coaching, career pathing, giving and receiving feedback, and personality typing to improve communication styles. As an Employee Development Specialist, Indeed provided me with the opportunity to travel and teach colleagues in our offices in Stamford, New York, San Mateo, Seattle, San Francisco, Scottsdale, Toronto, Austin, Dublin, London, Dusseldorf, Amsterdam, and Sao Paolo. I’ve had the privilege of meeting employees from all over the world and connecting with people from all walks of life.
In 2016, I had the privilege of attending the first-ever Global Sales Kickoff, not as a sales leader but as an HR EEDev Specialist. I was there to facilitate manager training on personality assessments, helping them deepen their understanding of their leadership styles. After spending three days with sales leaders from around the globe, I knew with certainty what I wanted my next career move to be: Indeed Sales.
I’ll be the first to admit that transitioning from human resources to sales is quite unconventional. One of the best sales leaders I’ve worked with often said it takes a special kind of person to thrive in sales—to come in day after day, quarter after quarter, face rejection, endure hang-ups, and still wake up ready to do it all over again. After eight years in sales, I agree – it takes a special type of person to be in this field, and I’m so proud to be that person.
I’ve now been part of the sales organization in the Austin, TX, office for nearly eight years. In my current role as a Director of Sales in the Enterprise organization, I help people get jobs by ensuring my team and employers have a well-rounded advertising ecosystem strategy. This involves assisting employers in developing or enhancing their recruiting strategies to reach job seekers through multiple advertising channels. In sales, we often act as the voice of the job seeker, providing employers with a glimpse into the job seekers’ behaviors & patterns that impact their ability to attract & retain talent. We shed light on what types of advertising draw potential candidates to companies and help employers effectively reach all job seekers.
What keeps me in sales, and what’s so rewarding, you ask? THE PEOPLE. My job has given me the opportunity to coach, support, create, connect, lead, build, try, fail, progress, challenge, and be challenged - all while surrounded by incredibly bright, intelligent, compassionate people who genuinely want to make a difference.
Within our sales organization, I’ve transitioned from Acquisition to High Growth, Upper Mid Market, and now Enterprise—all within eight years. I’ve learned from leaders who started as sales representatives, excelled in their roles, got promoted, moved into leadership positions and now manage entire sales organizations. Reflecting on this, I realize how incredible Indeed is. Working for a company that values internal mobility and both forward and lateral career progression is pretty special. Indeed recognizes potential in its employees and fosters their growth into leadership roles Indeed values our people.
After nearly 11 years at Indeed, my loyalty to our mission of helping people get jobs has kept me here. We are a people-first company, and I deeply respect that we prioritize the job seeker in every decision we make about our platform and solutions. This commitment to job seekers has remained consistent throughout my time here. Simply put, we help all people get jobs.
From day one, Indeed has been a place that’s felt inclusive and forward-thinking with a mission that aligns with my core values. Reflecting on my time here, my gratitude is limitless. I have immense appreciation and love for my colleagues, who have become friends and the leaders who became mentors. The personal and professional growth I’ve experienced at Indeed has been invaluable.
Indeed has truly made a lasting impact on my life, and I am so honored to continue working for a company whose mission is to help people get jobs.