A little more about us
Our story
We've all been there. You spend hours applying for hundreds of jobs - only to hear back from a handful of them. And when you do, it's a generic "you are no longer under consideration" email that provides no value.
Employers are ghosting job applicants, it's cruel and unprofessional. You'll spend weeks in progress with unclear interview processes. It hurts as candidates and it damages the organizations reputation at the same time. We decided it was time for a change.
We were chosen to represent our university on the international stage at the European Innovation Academy - a three week intensive incubator where we would build a business from scratch. We connected over our experience in talent acquisition and the disconnect between the poor candidate experience due to current applicant tracking systems.
From there, we won top 10 at the EIA and decided to bring the idea back to Canada. We won top 10 the Velocity Pitch competition hosted by the University of Waterloo and then presented as keynote speakers for the Wilfrid Laurier University pitch competition. We are currently a part of StartUp Lab and Velocity, we are running pilots to get out platform in front of organizations and recruiters. It's time to foster an environment of growth and establish a new standard of integrity for everyone on their climb.
Mission
Our mission is simple. We want to create a new standard of transparency and integrity for candidates. One where they are no longer sitting in the dark with nothing to show for it. We want to arm recruiters with the tools to provide the candidate experience they want. We want organizations to attract and retain top talent. This way, candidates, recruiters, and organizations can win together.
Vision
A future where applicants can make educated decisions about where they are applying because they are given the information they need right at the beginnning of the process. Where recruiters aren't drowning with a countless number of applications that they simply can't get through. Where organizations can put the human back in human resources and use that to their competitive advantage.
Meet the founders
Dea Sokoli
Hi guys! I'm in my final year of Business Administration at Wilfrid Laurier University with a concentration in Strategic Management and minor in Political Sciences. I love going out and experiencing things - you could refer to me as a "chronic side-quest collector" if you will. I have worked in various business, strategy, and marketing roles at a variety of organizaitons, I even founded and run the women's health advocacy club. I try to stay active and keep as busy as possible. I try to hit the gym everyday, cycle, and have trying out pilates. My favourite past-time is running and I am currently training for my next half-marathon! I joined Ascent just as it was getting started, I am super excited to see where it goes and learn a lot along the way.
Shahzeb Atif
Hey everyone! I recently graduated from the Honours Computer Science and Business Administration Double Degree program at Wilfrid Laurier University and am pursuing the Masters of Business, Entrpreneurship, & Technology at the University of Waterloo. I started off working in quality assurance and automation, went into full stack and software development, and am now pursuing project and product management roles. I have worked across a variety of industries and have really enjoyed working cross-functionally with many people I can now call my friends. Beyond work, I try to stay as active as I can. I play mainly soccer and badminton but I have gotten into basically every sport at some point in my life. I enjoy keeping busy and seeking out new experiences, ventures, and people to meet. The newest and most meaningful addition to this is right here - Ascent!
Accolades
Ascent is growing with the backing of the European Innovation Academy, the Laurier StartUp Lab at Wilfrid Laurier University and Velocity at the University of Waterloo.
