If you’re pursuing a career in government or government contracting, you may have some preconceived notions about what such work looks like. Are dynamic, cutting-edge and innovative a few of the terms that come to mind? They should be, if you’re considering a position with Geo Owl, a government contracting company that focuses on geospatial systems and IT networking.
“Our approach is new and different, and I think people want to see what’s up with that,” said Geo Owl CEO Nicholas Smith. He described the work they do as serious, but their approach fun. “We’re the new generation of government contractors. We eliminate red tape by having direct access to decision makers. That’s not the case across the board in the industry, but that is the case with us.”
Geo Owl is currently staffing positions from GEOINT analyst to network engineer. If you’re applying with this unique company, expect a unique hiring experience, as well.
“We have a whole person approach that really considers who they are,” said Smith. Geo Owl wants to get to know its team members. They want to know what their employees enjoy outside of the office, and how they approach solving problems. Those dynamics are critical because it’s not just placing individuals into contracts, its building teams, noted Smith.
“We do formal interviews, of course, just like any other company,” said Smith. “But we go a step further, and do an informal interview, as well.”
Those informal interviews may consist of playing pool, bowling, or just grabbing a coffee. The idea is to get a candidate outside of the static (and often stressful) formal interview format and get more insight into how a candidate acts outside the office. That’s how they gauge personality and ensure a candidate will be a great fit with the team.
And while you might not expect ‘fun’ to be a phrase that comes up in the government contracting space, it’s key at Geo Owl. Because of how intense the work can be, emphasizing a fun culture ensures a proper work-life balance, and helps Geo Owl keep its employees happy – and loyal, noted Smith.
Geo Owl has enjoyed an extremely high retention rate, and Smith credits company culture for their ability to both hire and keep great talent.
Geo Owl provides opportunities for growth. Candidates who began working on one contract are now managing programs, said Smith. They don’t just want their analysts to be analysts, Smith noted. They want to prepare those analysts to be managers, and to take on other roles in the future.
The ideal candidate is somebody who is energetic, has a positive attitude, and approaches problems pragmatically.
Giving a Hoot
Once on board, Geo Owl keeps the fun going with a peer-to-peer bonus program. Anyone in the company can give a bonus to anyone else in the company if they think they’ve done a great job. Those bonuses are called ‘Hoots.’
‘Hoots’ are just one aspect of building a team culture and encouraging great peer relationships. As a distributed company with positions across the globe, those principles of team dynamics are important. From the East Coast to the West, and positions overseas that they can’t even disclose, Geo Owl is building an organization that shares its commitment to innovation, noted Smith.
At just three years old, Geo Owl is a company with a lot of room to grow. Learn more about applying and check out their current openings here.
