Ashley Santos

In layperson terms, what do you actually do at work?

My current job is technical support for a corporate online training system. Our employees go into the website for training; anything that ensures that they have an amazing experience (minus the actual content itself) is what I manage.

When did you get your first Big Break? How did you get it? How did it go?

My first 'Big Break' came when I was chosen to become a Corporate Trainer. The hiring manager took a chance on me. She saw a 'diamond in the rough' that many others may have passed by. It is very uncommon within my company for someone to be promoted to a Trainer without first being a Manager within that business unit. She saw the potential I had through my presentation and I would not be where I am today without her. I think that my creativity, passion, and enthusiasm while 'teaching' them my chosen topic during my interview is what helped her see my potential.

When you were a student, did you do anything outside of school to build skills or get knowledge that has helped your career?

Volunteering and studying abroad! I definitely think it is important in any person's success to be able to relate to others that are different from yourself. During school, I volunteered with a group called 'Best Buddies' that pairs college students with mentally challenged people of all ages. My 'Buddy' was an 80+ year old man named Don. We had zero in common as far as interests are concerned but shared the excitement of simply getting to know each other. It helped me see that even in a situation where you think that there is no way that you can connect with someone, simply asking about their interests will open up the opportunity for a fun conversation. Relationship building is key to career success because often you rely on others to finish a task that is required for you to be able to complete your project/task. Having this skill really helps to get things done! Studying abroad did the same thing for me in a different way. I studied in France where I knew the language slightly (enough to get by) but was a completely different culture than what I was used to.

How did you start building your network?

Two ways: 1. There is no reason to ever be afraid to talk to anyone no matter who they are. 2. Let your work speak for itself. Here is what I mean by both of these: 1. Don't be afraid to talk to people even if he/she is a person who has a fancy title or high position within the company. They are just people too. They got where they are today from creating relationships and engaging in the same kind of conversation you would like to have with that person. They will almost always be willing to talk to you or schedule a better time to talk that is more convenient to ensure a quality conversation. If they are not willing to do this, they are either genuinely very busy and have to prioritize their time tightly or they forgot how they got where they are today and are not the best person to be a mentor for you (If either of these happen, it is ok! You will find the right mentor(s) for you!). 2. People want to stay in my network because they know that I am trustworthy and a problem solver. I know my resources and will either know the answer or how to find it. They know that when I commit to doing something, I will do it and it will be done well. This is important because if you do that first step I mentioned above, you need your quality of work to show why that person should continue to want to mentor you and be an active part of your network. This has also allowed me to gain people in my network without me proactively going to them; they often come to me! The combination of the two of these are key. If you have one without the other, your success will not be as great as what it could be! Put yourself in situations to network with people who know more than you or different things than you and prove your worth. You will go far!

What is the most useful piece of career advice you got as a student, and who gave it to you?

The most useful piece of career advice for me was actually received when I was already in the corporate world. I work for a very large company and a Senior Vice President said that it is important to grow your career sideways not just up. What he meant by that is that if you stay on the same track, let's say you are a Trainer then you become the Manager of those Trainers, then that person's Manager, and so on, do you really learn any new skills? Not really but if you are in Retail, then become a Corporate Trainer, then a Training Quality Assurance manager, then a Training System Administrator, those are all very different careers that give the opportunity to learn many different skill sets. When you have a wider variety of skills that you can do well, you are more marketable to hiring managers/companies to get a job because you have more to offer!