Inspired to code: Jordyn Marcellus on joining Pinterest Canada

Pinterest Engineering is growing in Canada! We’re looking for creative minds to join the team. What’s life at Pinterest like? Take it from real Pinterest employees! Jordyn Marcellus, Software Engineer in Toronto, sat down with the Life at Pinterest Team to share their Pinterest journey, an inside scoop into engineering life in Canada and advice for those interested in joining the team.

Hey Jordyn! We’re excited to get to know you. Let’s start with an introduction. 

Hi I’m Jordyn, pronouns they/them. I’m a Pinterest Software Engineer in Canada. I’ve been at Pinterest for around two years, starting my journey here in May 2022. I work on the Merchant Success team where we get merchants onto Pinterest and sell products through advertising. I love what I do. I’m someone that likes to do a lot of shopping and fashion discovery, so connecting brands with Pinners has been my passion since day one. 

How did you get into engineering? 

I like to say that I failed as a journalist and succeeded as a web developer. I started my career writing about new and emerging arts, music and culture while working day-jobs in Toronto. Then, I worked in technical support, and I really liked the coding aspect of it. I went from saying “I like this” to “Oh, I should do this.”  I went to a coding bootcamp in Toronto, where I learned so much in nine weeks. I realized very quickly that I love to build really cool web experiences. In my first role after bootcamp, I built interactive news infographics, and then I worked in advertising as a creative developer for mobile web advertising.

I fell in love with Software Engineering from the very beginning and have been doing it for nine years now. You can reach the highest highs when you finally solve a problem you’ve been working on – I’m getting goosebumps talking about it. 

How did you learn about the opportunity at Pinterest?  

I decided it was time to find a new opportunity. A Sourcer from the Talent Acquisition team had reached out to me on LinkedIn. Initially, I was interested, but I thought there was no way I was going to work at Pinterest. I interviewed with the Recruiter and Engineering Manager, and both of those meetings set me up for success throughout the process. To prepare, I studied Computer Science fundamentals, and I just kept passing the interviews until I got the offer. It was a combination of hard work on my part and the Pinterest team wanting me to succeed during the interview process. I’ll admit that the process was rigorous, but I felt supported by everyone.

Ultimately, what made you choose Pinterest as an employer? 

From an engineering perspective, I wanted the opportunity to work at a scale that few people will ever get to work on. At Pinterest, we’re working with hundreds of millions of users and a wide collection of data; this isn’t an opportunity I’ve had anywhere else. Joining the Pinterest team is how you turn your professional development into a rocket ship and achieve exponential growth. 

When you think about Pinterest, most people know what it is and like what we’re doing. I wanted to work for a brand that others were passionate about and can share their thoughts and feedback on.That feedback is something you, as an employee, can bring back to your colleagues and take action on them. For example, my mom says she loves how much more relevant Pinterest is, specifically the ads. It shows that our work is being talked about by our Pinners. 

What surprised you about Pinterest Engineering / Toronto? 

What surprised me most is that there's an opportunity to improve practices and processes that you wouldn’t necessarily think. There are many teams that have a culture of continuous improvement. One of our core values is Aim for extraordinary, and it’s truly felt. 

Something else that surprised me was I thought there was no chance I could make an impact, but I’ve had those opportunities and I’ve done it. People tell me, “Hey, you have good ideas, be open about them and be fearless when you share.” My manager has always encouraged me to share my ideas and offered suggestions. This is the first company where I’ve felt that level of support and encouragement from my manager and teammates. 

What advice would you give someone looking to join Pinterest Engineering in Toronto? 

For interviewing, I encourage you to go to prep sessions. Our interviewers want you to succeed, so don’t be scared. Enter your interviews with confidence, and be yourself. Be ready to crush it! 

Come with your ideas, contribute to our culture and make Pinterest Toronto the best! We’re looking for people with the skill set, drive and passion that want to connect with engineers and have fun. Come ready to represent this amazing engineering organization.

What are you currently Pinning? 

I’m exploring my 2024 fashion vibe!