Alison Faustin Moton

I attribute my success to my dedication, loyalty, and willingness to learn. I'm a hard worker and not lazy at all. I'm not the kind of person who's calling out all the time. In fact, I'll come in when I'm not feeling well, when I should probably stay home. These days, people are not as loyal anymore because they feel corporate America doesn't care about them, so they're not going to put in the effort to go over and beyond. But I believe I am that type of employee who does go the extra mile. My consistency and commitment have been key themes throughout my 20-year career in IT, even though I've never been a job hopper like some people who thrive on moving around every couple of years to get more money and better positions. That approach has never been for me, but my dedication to staying and growing within organizations has shaped who I am professionally.

I would definitely tell them to get as many certifications as they can. Join organizational affiliations, especially for women, because there's not that many women in the IT field. Everybody's different when it comes to job hopping. I've never been a job hopper, but for some people, they thrive on it. They stay a couple years, they leave, they get more money, they get better positions. That has never been for me, but if that works for you, go all for it, because that may boost your career faster than it did mine, probably because I didn't move fast enough between different jobs. That would be my advice to them. If they have no responsibilities, no kids, and they're single, they can move around, get their accolades, get their promotions, and keep moving.

The biggest challenges I see are the lack of women in the IT field and dealing with male-dominated workplace dynamics. Sometimes you do feel a little marginalized. Sometimes guys try to put their macho attitude forward, and I'm thinking, alright, hold up, I know what I'm talking about, trust me. Then they end up realizing, oh, you were right. And I'm like, yeah, I know I was right. I've done it a million times, and I'm telling you, I know this is how you do this. So you do run into that dynamic. There's also the concern about ageism in the job market. I'm currently looking for another position, and I had to redo my resume to not date myself. I removed a couple of previous job roles and only listed maybe the last 10 years because of the whole thing with ages and what have you. I'm concerned about information mismatches when someone does a background check for a position.

The values most important to me are dedication, loyalty, and hard work. I believe in showing up and putting in the effort, even when it's difficult. I'm the type of person who will come in when I'm not feeling well, when I should probably stay home, because I believe in commitment to my work and my organization. Beyond my professional life, I've remained committed to giving back to my community. Over the years, I've volunteered with organizations such as New York Cares, my church, God's Love We Deliver, and Helping Hands. I also had the honor of receiving Who's Who recognition during my college years, which remains a meaningful acknowledgment of my academic efforts. While motherhood and family life have dominated at times and caused me to put my professional career on the sideline in some ways, like not joining professional affiliations, I've always tried to balance my responsibilities and stay true to my values of service and dedication.