Designing with EQ Featuring Sydney Kozyrev, Carat US
We’re back with our content series, Designing with EQ by Carat. In this series we take a closer look at the unique backgrounds, passions and talents that make up the agency team, and how they come together to design for people and brands.
For March’s edition, we sat down with senior manager of paid search, Sydney Kozyrev. Read on to learn more about what she wishes she knew before entering the media industry and her favorite aspect of Carat.
Q> What was your first job? And then what was the most important skill or lesson you learned from it?
Sydney> My first job was working in the equipment room at one of the NYU gyms. It was a disgusting, rundown gym that had been built decades ago and doesn't exist anymore. My job was to work with all the athletes, do their laundry, keep inventory of everything, and rent out lockers and equipment to patrons. The most important lesson I learned was the value of hard work. It wasn't a job I would have chosen, but sometimes you do what you need to do to support yourself and make money. Also, accountability was important since I couldn't call out sick or take a day off without finding someone to cover my shift.
Q> Do you have a certain morning routine or ritual that sets your day up for success?
Sydney> Yes, I wake up around 7:30, do my normal morning routine, and then do 10 minutes of yoga. I've been doing yoga every morning since the beginning of COVID to keep myself sane. If my husband is home, we'll do yoga together. After that, I'll have coffee and spend an hour either reading, editing, or taking Duolingo lessons in Russian and Spanish. I need that hour to wake up and get myself together before work.
Q> What is something that you wish you knew before entering the corporate or media world?
Sydney> When I first started working after college, I struggled with taking myself too seriously and being a perfectionist. I wanted to do everything perfectly all the time, but I was new to working full-time and to the industry. It was an unrealistic expectation, and when I made a big mistake as an assistant, I found it difficult to move on. However, over time, I’ve learned that mistakes happen and it's important to learn from them and do better next time. Everyone makes mistakes, regardless of their level, and that's something I needed to learn and grow from.
Q> What is your favorite aspect of Carat?
Sydney> For me, the people I work with are the best part of the company culture. Whenever I'm interviewing someone for a new role, they always ask me about what I like most about working at Carat, and my answer tends to be long-winded. But to put it succinctly, I enjoy talking to and working with everyone on my search team, which is pretty large at around 20 people. It's rare to find a team where you get along with everyone, given the various personalities involved, but that's the case with my team. Leadership at Carat is also genuinely interested in everyone's growth, and they care about us as people, not just employees. It's not just about getting tasks done and going home, which can be the norm in many other companies. Carat is different, and my team is like a family.
Q> Anything else you want to share?
Sydney> I have a personal example of how Carat goes the extra mile for their employees. After college, I worked at the New York office for two years. Then, I met my now-husband who lived in Rhode Island, and we did long-distance for a while. I was interested in transferring to the Boston office to be closer to him and was trying to find an open team to join. However, my manager suggested that I work remotely and stay with my current team instead of transferring. This was before the pandemic, and nobody was working remotely at that time, so it was a bit of a challenge to work out. Carat’s leadership and my team worked with me to make it happen, and they genuinely cared about my well-being and my ability to continue working with them. It's a great example of how Carat values employee retention and goes above and beyond to support their team.
