Jen Lalla

I would say without my education, I don't think I'd be where I am today. Getting my bachelor's degree in communications from Southern Connecticut State University and then going to get my master's where I studied Title IX really helped me. A lot of my professors always talked about ethics and morally making good decisions when you're in the workplace, like ethical decisions, like don't gossip about people, make good moral decisions and stuff, like good ethics. That part of like the ethics for me, I think that's helped me in the workplace if I ever was in a situation where I had to make an ethical decision or choice or something like that. I feel like my education's really helped me. I don't think without my education, I would have got promoted at Gengras Motors. I think that really helped me be a good team leader.

Job shadow a role for a few hours to make sure its the right fit. Sometimes you may be just right for this position. Other times you may be suited for another job with a different focus based upon your strengths as a worker.

I would say if you like something or you're interested in something or you're fascinated by something, whether it's automotive, whether it's the medical industry, whether it's education, I would say go on a few interviews at a company, write down questions, and interview at like 3 or 4 different places. Go on some interviews, ask some good questions. Kind of keep a student mentality, so if you're going into something you don't know about, ask questions. Find out if they have a leadership program within the company you work at. One other thing I did is my mentor that helped me out at Gengras Motors if you have a mentor or somebody who could show you things, I would say if there's any way you could get a mentor on the job, or just ask questions and kind of keep like a student mentality, like try to learn something new every day.

I think for challenges, being a woman sometimes in the automotive industry, you kind of have to overcome a little bit of bias being a woman, like with more men in certain areas. I think when I first started, you kind of have to have a thick skin too a little bit. Just being a woman in the automotive industry, I think you gotta know your worth too and don't be afraid to make changes if you have to make changes or if there's something you gotta do on your job for yourself to make some changes. I think being a woman, you kinda have to also kind of stand your ground a little bit in the automotive industry because there's still a little bit of, you know, maybe men should be more automotive versus women. I think there is still a little bit of a bias, but I think you could overcome that through hard work and things like that.

My values that are important to me are being honest and having integrity in my personal and professional life. If I make a mistake, apologize and try not to do that again, you know, just own up to something and then at the same time try not to make the mistake a second time. My company has these core values: honesty, integrity, follow through, continuous development, all these core values, so I try to live those. Having honesty and integrity, that's what I try to do on a daily basis.