Alexis Walton

I attribute my success to my passion for helping people and for healthcare in general. Whether it's social work or working as a nursing home administrator, my passion for healthcare is really all I know. It's what drives me every day. I've been in this field since I was 15, and helping people has always been at the core of what I do. That passion keeps me going and motivates me to continue learning and growing in my career.

The best career advice I've received is to keep an open mind and don't give up. Just keep going. Keep jumping the hurdles and keep going. This advice came from my mentors who helped guide me through my career, and it's really stuck with me. No matter what challenges come up, you have to keep pushing forward and not let obstacles stop you from reaching your goals.

I would say learn as much experience and skills as you can. Definitely enhance your skills, because that's what I did. Even though I don't have my full degree yet, I enhanced my skills to be able to perform the duties that are required to be a social worker. If someone's looking for more pay or just to do better in general, then that's what you would want to do - enhance your skills. I would also tell them to choose a mentor who is open to teaching and who would be patient with them. It doesn't have to be someone you know personally, because I've met many people that have taught me many things. Just align with someone you can learn from that will help advocate for you and take you under their wing.

Healthcare always has open opportunities for everybody. There's always room for growth and advancement in this field. One challenge I see in the industry today is that a lot of companies focus too much on credentials on paper rather than actual skills and experience. You can have someone with a master's degree who might not last past two or three months in a position because they lack the knowledge and skills to perform the job duties, even though they have the education. Meanwhile, someone without degrees but with strong practical skills and experience could be more sufficient and excel at the job. That's a problem in the world today - the focus on paper credentials over actual capability.

The values most important to me are continuous learning, teaching, and helping individuals in the community. I'm all for learning because the more you learn, the further you go. I believe in helping people with things like home placement and being able to get them closer to their families. Learning and teaching go hand in hand for me - it's not just about what I know, but about sharing that knowledge with others. I also value organization and taking time to regroup myself when things get overwhelming. In my demanding role, I sometimes have to block everything out, close my office door, and have that moment to myself to talk things through and then get back to business. Family is also very important to me, and finding that balance between my work and personal life is essential.