Aleatha Oaks

I attribute my success to a lot of hard work, people supporting me along the way, and tremendous opportunities. Honestly, a lot of blessings from the good Lord above, because my story is a little unique. I never thought I would have done the things I've done in my life and my career. But it was just a lot of perseverance, a lot of hard work, a lot of learning, and a lot of growing and being grateful along the way. I've been fortunate to have mentors who saw potential in me, like the VP of HR who told me I was in the wrong department and changed the trajectory of my entire career. And I've always tried to pay that forward by mentoring others and helping the next generation find their path.

The best career advice I've ever received is to give something new a try, even if you don't know anything about it. Just like when the VP of HR told me I was in the wrong department. I said, but this is what I've always wanted to do, and he said, trust me. And it led to a career that I could have only dreamed of. It's been so fulfilling, and I'm so grateful for that leap of faith. The second piece of advice that has guided me is that sometimes things don't work out because they're not aligned with your true path. You have to own that, recognize it, and as hard as it is, go with that flow and follow where your path leads you. Just always have gratitude and be grateful for every opportunity and every lesson along the way.

My advice would be to make sure you take pride in the reflection you see in the mirror. When you wake up every morning and you're going to work, you should be going because you love your job. And when you come home at night and you're looking in that same mirror before bed, you should be able to say, wow, I did a good job today. I did my best today. And you should be proud of the things you did throughout your day. Find the fit for you professionally that not only feeds you creatively and helps you pursue your goals and dreams, but also lets you grow. I grow every day in my role. Being in that instrumental role that is the human of human resources, you need to love it and be grateful for the opportunity. And if you don't love your job, there are many more out there, because in order to serve people, and an HR role is a service role, you need to enjoy what you do every day. Find your voice. Love what you do. You have to be able to balance things out within your own moral compass. I'm very proud to say I've never worked for any leader that asked me to do the wrong thing for the right reason.

Honestly, the biggest challenge for anyone in the front-line HR role today is finding the right people for those available positions that we have. It's a tough job market. And not only that, it goes beyond getting a person in the door. It's getting the right person in the right job that's a fit for them and for the company. Our turnover is very low, and it's more about the right fit. So it's an art and a science, I think. One of my biggest goals is to always fill at the lowest level and promote up, which I'm very, very proud of how we do that. It's about building people into the organization and helping them grow into roles where they can thrive and contribute to our mission long-term.

Integrity, honesty, and hard work guide everything I do. I value compassion and empathy, especially when supporting others, and rely on mental strength to navigate challenges and make principled decisions. These values shape both my work and personal life, keeping me grounded and true to who I strive to be.