Sherry Jones
Sherry Jones is a dedicated professional from Covington, Georgia, with a career spanning over two decades across administrative support, staffing, procurement, and human resources. Her journey began in administrative roles, supporting attorneys, managers, and executives, and evolved into leadership positions in retail and pharmacy management, where she honed her skills in operations, team coordination, and client service. Over the years, Sherry has demonstrated a remarkable ability to adapt and thrive, navigating career transitions while maintaining a focus on helping others succeed.
In the past five years, Sherry has excelled as a Buyer Coordinator at Actalent, ensuring that orders are processed efficiently and that production teams have the resources they need to perform their work effectively. Her experience also includes working as a recruiter in staffing, where she made a meaningful impact by connecting individuals with employment opportunities aligned with their skills and interests. Colleagues and clients have consistently recognized her for her encouragement, dedication, and ability to create systems that improve workflows and drive results, including contributing to increased sales and enhanced client satisfaction.
Sherry is currently pursuing her Master’s degree in Human Resources Management and Services at Strayer University, where she maintains an impressive GPA while serving as a Strayer Alumni Ambassador and participating in Phi Beta Kappa. Passionate about human resources, she aims to transition fully into this field, leveraging her extensive experience in staffing, payroll, and administrative leadership to help individuals identify and develop their strengths. Sherry combines empathy, organization, and strategic thinking to foster environments where both people and businesses can thrive.
• Strayer University- B.B.A.
• Meridian Community College
• SHRM
• Strayer Alumni Ambassador
• Phi Beta Kappa
• Volunteer service for homeless men in Greenville
• Career counseling through Goodwill
What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to steadily working and being in different roles, which I think will make me very equipped and better prepared when I do get an HR position. I'll be able to understand what is required of somebody in different roles like payroll or buyer positions, and I can identify the skill sets and if they would be a good fit for companies. Prayer is a big part of it, and the fact that I just see myself doing what I love to do - helping people. That's what keeps me going. I'm not going to let anybody around me say they can't do something. I'll sit down with them and see what they're good at. I have a passion for helping people identify what they're strong at and what they're weak at, and the weaknesses are, and how I can help them, because helping them, I'm helping myself. I like to help others in their career, and I know it's helping me in mine.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best advice I ever received came from my branch manager, Camapuccini, when I was working in staffing. At the time, I didn't have my degree, and she told me I was doing awesome without my degree because it showed I really cared about people. She said she liked the fact that I stepped up when we were losing our program manager from one of our clients, and that it didn't seem to scare me. I worked on location at the client site, NCR, managing over 100 plus employees while also working at the branch, going back and forth for 6 months until she could get the right person for the job. I think the fact that she believed in me and gave me the opportunity, and I learned so much under her - all of that she was giving me was the opportunity to keep going forward, to keep moving forward all the time.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would tell them to take it step by step. If you see an opportunity and you have that desire to go into HR, you may not have to go the staffing route that I did, but if you can come in as an HR assistant, just take that. Learn, watch, and just soak up everything you can while you're in that role. And that means even taking classes. Don't be afraid to invest in yourself through education and professional development, because if you don't invest in yourself, you're not going to invest in others.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenges in my field right now are the pricing of everything going up and having to find vendors that will help keep costs down. Another huge challenge is getting products here when they're supposed to be here. Some companies aren't doing enough business, so they're going out of business. Some supplies are coming from overseas, so they're coming on a boat across the water, which means a longer transit time. Then you have people jumping up and down because if we don't get the parts here at a certain time, the line goes down.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
My faith in God is the most important value to me. I value people who are on a journey in serving God. I like people with honesty and integrity - even if you mess up, just be honest and say you messed up. I value people who keep their word, but if they can't meet a deadline, they speak up beforehand so you can help get things back on track. I value people that take an interest in themselves and in the conversation and the work they do. I value people who take pride in their families, their friends, and their community. Education is also very important to me because I've been going to school from the time I graduated until now, taking classes here and there. It's about self-accomplishments and investing in yourself, because if you don't invest in yourself, you're not going to invest in others.