Her Story
About Cheri
Cheri Carr serves as a human resources professional at the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT), where she has worked for the past three years. In this role, she supports employees throughout their workplace journey from pre-boarding and onboarding through engagement and retirement, including hosting quarterly retirement lunch and learns and analyzing engagement survey data to improve the workplace. She began her state service in January 2011 after spending approximately ten years with the Department of Treasury preparing individuals for retirement and assisting with disability retirement and Social Security applications. Prior to joining TDOT directly, she briefly supported the department through the Department of Human Resources. Carr earned a bachelor's degree in psychology from Fisk University and a master's degree in public administration with a concentration in healthcare administration from Tennessee State University in December 2008. She obtained her SHRM-CP certification last year and is a member of SHRM. Outside of work, she is involved with the Tennessee Prison Outreach Ministry, which supports children of incarcerated parents. Carr attributes her success to a commitment to excellence and continuous improvement in all she does, and she values her relationship with God above all, followed by her husband, family, and workplace.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Cheri
01What do you attribute your success to?
I want to produce work that's excellent. In everything I do, I want excellence to be reflected, and that's just a part of my nature. My mindset is just to be the best that I can be in every aspect. I'm not going to be perfect, but I am going to put forth and do my best.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Having a mentor or a sponsor that can help you along the way is critical because there's always going to be somebody that knows more than you, that's been through that already.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Write out why you want to enter the field of HR because you do have to have thick skin. Look at different people in your network to see who you can talk to about the field and get some more insight. Start networking in that field so that you can meet some people and get connected with people that are currently in that field. Get that mentorship that you need.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenge is retaining really good employees because the economy is shifting quickly and as a government sector it is hard to be competitive with salaries and bonuses. The biggest opportunity is AI which has helped reduce work time, streamline processes, and provide better customer service, reducing application time from 3 months to 6 weeks.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
My relationship with God would be first, and then with my husband, and then my family, and then my workplace.
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