I'm originally from Birmingham, AL. So, Roll Tide! I’m a big football fan. To begin, my journey to NCR has been a very long time coming. I've been in Georgia for about 10 years and I heard about NCR maybe five years ago when I started recruiting. I originally worked for the state of Georgia and I was a probation officer, ironically. So, I worked in probation and social work and the people I used to have on my caseload used to always count on me. Whether they didn't know how to pay their probation fees or how to get back on their feet, I always had to figure out different ways for them to get money. So, I would find them ways to make money and get jobs, which subsequently gave them better interviewing skills. After doing that for a couple years, one of my managers actually came to me and asked if I would ever want to work in recruiting because their facilities were hiring. So, I volunteered and I loved it. I got to talk all the time and I didn't have to drive people back and forth to houses and job interviews. At this time, the role was a volun-temp position, so I volunteered for a year. Then I became a recruiter.

For greater context, becoming a recruiter for the state of Georgia is totally different in the public sector because it requires longer approval times and follows a stricter process. So, I took a leap of faith and left my state job to take a position with Randstad and that's how I initially found out about NCR since they had recently moved down the road to the office in midtown. At the time, my friend was interviewing for a position at NCR and I was driving her near the office to pump her up for the interview and we took a picture of her outside of NCR, thinking about how she might soon be there. I remember thinking I wanted to be there, too.

So, fast forward to now, I actually still have that picture of her and that was five years ago. Since then, I had kept in contact with a lot of the NCR recruiters, one of them being a recruiter that was overseas in Serbia. This past summer, I saw a position open up, so I reached out to him and sent over my resume. That next week, my soon-to-be manager called me and told me I got the job. I was super excited and maybe even over-excited because I could not stop smiling the entire time.

As a recruiter, I get to help people fulfill their dreams. Just like I was that person five years ago, wanting to work for NCR, seeing the big building in midtown and the logo when I was in the checkout line or at the ATM. After seeing the brand everywhere, I wanted to know how I could get in that building. Now that I’m on the recruiting side, my biggest goal as a recruiter is to go above and beyond to give my candidates all of the background information they need. I teach my candidates how to negotiate before they even speak to their manager. I want my candidates to get the best option possible. I want my candidates to know their worth and stick to it. So, I'm going to fight for them and I'm going to equip them. I prepare my candidates with questions to ask their managers that will give them a better sense of the broader team because I want the job to be the right fit for them and I want them to have all of the information necessary to make informed decisions about the role. Ultimately, my goal is to teach them the critical thinking skills that help them feel valued on their team and empowered in the roles they assume at NCR.

Just knowing that I was a candidate before being in this role and seeing how far I’ve come. My first interview out of college, I just knew I wanted to be a probation officer so when I started interviewing and being asked about the companies I was applying for, I wasn't prepared to talk about past internships and I hadn’t been taught how to interview. So, I was heartbroken after the interview and thinking back to that is something that really empowers me because it reminds me how far I have come. This part of my own career background definitely impacts how I act as a recruiter because I want my candidates to know that no matter their experience, we can work with it and they can grow in their role. I also love getting to guide my candidates through the interviews and encourage them to bring their own sauce to the interview because that’s what makes them stand out amongst their peers. It feels really good to see the candidates I’ve helped end up landing the job and that’s probably the most empowering aspect of my role.

Something I’d love to be is a brand ambassador or social media recruiter. I’d love to create a Wednesday video series called Tea with Moe that provides a space for people to drop in, ask questions and learn. I’d love to be a recognized name so people will know I’m the sales recruiter from NCR, who also has cool colored hair. Information is free so I’d love to create a space as a social media recruiter where I could share this information and reach more people. This is a project I’m really excited about tackling.

For me, my manager was very personable. A lot of positions can feel like your manager is very superior and you have to run to them. In my case, my manager was conversational and very open, and I liked that. Some of the positions I hire for are not like that, so I would like to continue seeing that growth across the board. But when I came in, my manager was very open with me and flexible with my work schedule. So, I was very comfortable with my manager and this really influenced my decision to join NCR.

I would describe NCR’s culture as fun, open and laid back. During my limited time here, I've already joined so many groups like Women in NCR, the Black Professionals Group and I’ve participated in two volunteer events already. I love groups. So if it exists, I’m going to join it, wear the T-shirt and spread the word. I really appreciate the culture of NCR because no matter your background, there’s a group for you and an inviting culture of teaching and learning. It’s not only an environment of learning about our peers and customers, but also a happy environment filled with fun, like we see on our weekly Fun Thursdays.

I've had experience working from home before and I'm a pretty follow-the-rules type of person if that's what’s needed, so I didn’t have a hard transition working from home. On that note, however, I know I'm in a different stage in my life than many others because I don't have any younger children. My daughter is in college now, but if she were five or six, I imagine that would be much more challenging to balance. I’ve really enjoyed the versatility of working from home because I have some team members that cannot come into the office because they have smaller children so now, they have options that may not have existed before. Thus, I think the versatility of the hybrid work schedule helps everyone feel included and connected because it meets people where they’re at, whether it’s at home or in GHQ.

I really like going around Georgia and finding different trails. One of my favorites is in Roswell, called Victory Creek, and has waterfalls! So, outside of work I'm likely discovering a new trail or creek to walk and also probably wearing a pair of my many different, crazy-colored tennis shoes.

In departments such as IT, marketing and business-related ones, I would really encourage younger students to get those internships because I see where I lacked in this area. As a result, I had to work my way up in this industry, whereas, if I had an internship on my resume, people would have looked at me faster. So, definitely get an internship and definitely get a mentor. I have people contact me on LinkedIn all the time asking about open roles. In this light, remember that people don't owe you anything. You need to start a conversation. Start by asking how my day is going or if you see that I’m from Alabama, then mention that. Finding a job is a lot like sales; you have to create a connection. I always tell people to get a mentor. Apply for those internships or volunteer — even walking in with some coffee and leaving your resume. Have hunger. People need that in order to succeed.