Faces of Unity – Kylie Szymesko

In this Faces of Unity post, we’re spotlighting Unity’s Technical Writer in Montreal, Kylie Szymesko. Read on to learn more about Kylie’s career journey, why Unity is special to her, and how she’s fulfilling a childhood dream.

What do you do at Unity?

I started at Unity as a Customer Success Advisor, where my job was to talk with our users to help them get the most out of Unity. This involved suggesting possible solutions to their issues, providing curated learning materials, and answering all kinds of Unity questions. A few months ago I switched roles and joined our Documentation team, so I now spend my time cleaning up documentation and making it more user-friendly. It’s a very different experience, but also a new adventure!

Any interesting jobs before working at Unity that led you to where you are today?

I often say that I have a pretty interesting CV, if a bit confusing. My first serious job was as a Librarian Page in my hometown before moving to Montreal to pursue a degree in Library Sciences. However, being in one of the biggest tech and gaming hubs in Canada changed my plans, and I spent years moving between startups in a wide variety of roles (QA, HR, Privacy Officer, and more!). I also volunteered with Pixelles, a local video game incubator/education group, before landing at Unity.

What are your favorite things about Unity?

My favorite thing about Unity is that our tools enable creators to realize their dreams. I wanted to work in game development for years, but then I realized that I much prefer a helping role. Unity lets me help all sorts of people make games and other projects that I never would have known about before working here.

The Unity value I connect with most is Go Bold. I don’t think of it as chasing the biggest, flashiest idea; to me, it’s about how Unity feels like a place where you can boldly be yourself and call out things you don’t agree with. It’s a quality I appreciate in my colleagues, and I’m hoping to build up my own courage to Go Bold.

Can you share a piece of career advice for others in the industry?

Surround yourself with people who respect and value you, and don’t stay anywhere you aren’t treated well. A career won’t love you back.

Can you share a few fun facts about yourself?

• I once spent a weekend getting a certificate in falconry to fulfill a childhood dream. I took a train out to a small town in Quebec and spent the weekend getting acquainted with all sorts of birds, from owls to hawks and eagles.  
• My favorite pastime is running Dungeons and Dragons. It’s only been a hobby for around five years, but I play twice a week, run my own campaign, and even published a small adventure online. I enjoy it so much that I considered becoming a professional Dungeon Master for a while.  
• When I was younger, I really wanted a pet but my parents said no to a cat, a dog, and a bird. They eventually said yes to two sugar gliders, which are a type of flying squirrel. This is likely why I still love squirrels to this day, and why I needed to get a tetanus shot last year after a cute-turned-bloody encounter with a park squirrel.

Connect with Kylie on LinkedIn and Twitter.

If you’re interested in joining Kylie and Unity on our journey to build a more inclusive and diverse workplace, check out our Careers page. We’re hiring in more than 40 locations around the world.