Her Story
About Jill
I've been working in support roles for over 25 years, and my career has taken me through many different industries and locations. I started right out of high school as a receptionist and worked my way up to executive assistant positions. Because my husband was in construction, we moved frequently for his job, and with each move I found myself learning a completely new industry. I've worked in healthcare, private corrections for both Corrections Corporation of America here in Nashville and the GEO Group in Boca Raton, Florida, and commercial real estate. Each time I had to pivot and adapt to a different field, which has been challenging but also really interesting and fun. Currently, I'm the Executive Assistant to the Senior Director of Human Resources at a correctional healthcare company that provides doctors, nurses, and other staff for clinics in jails and prisons. I've been in this role since May. What I'm really good at is wrangling calendars and helping executives with their busy days, handling all the details to make their lives easier. Right now I'm doing a lot of human resources research, helping with various lawsuits, and pulling files for my supervisor. I love being the behind-the-scenes person who takes care of everything. It comes naturally to me since I'm usually the cruise director in my friend group, organizing all our activities. I fell into this career because I needed a job, but I found that I truly love it.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Jill
01What do you attribute your success to?
I think being outgoing and diplomatic has been key to my success. In a support role, you encounter lots of different personalities, so as long as you are nice and diplomatic when you can't be nice, then you'll go far. It's really about how you interact with people and handle different situations with grace.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I've ever received is to be as transparent as possible. Honesty and integrity are so important, and I've learned that if you treat people well, it will come back to you and good things will happen to you.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would say keep learning and do what you can to set yourself up for success with education. I regret that I didn't finish college, and I was young and thought I knew everything. I wish I would have taken more advice from my parents. Education is important, and you should take advantage of those opportunities when you have them.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
There are a lot of opportunities in my field. I get scouted all the time and have recruiters reach out to me to see if I'm interested in changing my location or company. One of the challenges is being pigeonholed into being an executive assistant and people not realizing the various things that we do. I've been an executive assistant for a very long time, and I think some people have an idea in their head that you can't break out of that role or do anything else. It can be limiting when people don't see the full scope of what executive assistants are capable of.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Honesty and integrity are the values most important to me in both my work and personal life. I believe that if you treat people well, it will come back to you and good things will happen to you. Being transparent and maintaining those core values has guided me throughout my career.
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