Paula Carter

I think that I am a product of my environment, and I say that in a positive way. I believe that hardships can be something that strengthens you. I've overcome a lot. My mother was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis when I was very young, and she was a single mother at that, and so I became the second parent, as if you will, arriving to the occasion to help her with my younger siblings as the oldest of three. I feel like those circumstances made me who I am today. They've made me stronger. They've made me more self-aware. They've made me more gritty. I'm filled with perseverance. I'm agile in the workplace, the professional space, the personal space. I can pivot on a dime, and I'm very solution-oriented because of that background and because of that history. And then also my experience with the military - that time taught me a lot. It helped raise me and create the action-oriented, detail-focused person that I am today. The women in my family are very strong in general, and so I come from a long line of very strong-minded, very focused women. I just so happened to be the first that I know of that's really entered into that corporate setting and space, to bring those skill sets, and it's just paid me a lot of dividends. It's been a lot of success and a lot of fun.

My pastor, Pastor Darius Daniels of Change Church, is always a big proponent of 'If you don't know what to do, serve.' I feel that serving has led me to more opportunities, more resources, more connections, more family, more support. This advice has really shaped how I approach my career and life.

I would say, stay curious. Ask questions, challenge the norm, and then also build really strong relationships as you go. This field is largely about understanding people, being able to listen to them, actively listen, and connecting the right people, the right talent, with the right opportunities. Ask questions from those around you, male, female, whatever the background is - that's just adding to your info-gathering space. Seek mentorship, advocate for yourself. I see my vice president, and I have directly asked to shadow opportunities with him in his calls and his meetings, to be a fly on the wall, to understand the space that I hope to end up in one day. That work is done now, not later, when the role is open. You train today for the role you hope to attain years, or months, or whatever that looks like, later. Focus on continuing to learn - keeping that student mentality is very key in talent, and I think in any role. Stay ahead of the trends with what's happening in recruiting, what's happening in tech as it supports recruiting and hiring and retention, workforce strategy. Stay on trend so that you can remain confident and strong when you're trying to plan and strategize with your leaders, so that they can see that you are just well-versed. Women have fantastic instincts, and I think if you trust it, and you remain empathetic, and you remain determined, I think you could really make a huge impact on people's careers.

I think hiring and retention are goals and focuses of most large companies right now. I'm hoping that the next 5 years lends itself to providing me insights, unique understanding, and data that will allow me to formulate improved hiring strategies. Ultimately, that would lead me to enhancing more people's candidate experience, and then from there, I get to help more people find their dream work, find their passion, find their purpose.

I'm a follower of Christ, so I am a faith-filled person in this space, and I lead with that. I lead with the call to be the salt of the earth. I lead with the call to be prayerful and full of myself so that I can show up as my best self. I believe wholeheartedly that I'm guided by something much larger, much greater than me, in Jesus Christ and in my Christianity. All of that - my faith, my religion, my ability to refill my cup and stay happy and healthy - allows me to show up as my best self in the interview room, on phone screening calls, as I'm reviewing resumes and aligning people with opportunities. It just keeps me in the best space. I'm a big proponent of being incredibly self-aware of my own mental and emotional state, refilling my cup. You have to be singularly, for yourself, in a good mental and emotional place. Aligning someone with the right career is a life-changing opportunity that you are empowered to give and to help find. If you are not in a good place, pouring out all that empathy, pouring out all of that support and problem solving can leave you really deflated and really exhausted.