I was hired in June 2021 as an In-Home Expert. My previous career was in small business. The idea of embarking on my next chapter at a vast company with such a well-established culture was somewhat intimidating. My fears subsided immediately after I was offered this opportunity. My mentor instilled in mea work ethic and value system I still abide by today. I came to her as a sponge with no experience and I soaked up her knowledge, wisdom, and standards. I am eternally grateful for her support and I quickly learned that I would depend on other women daily.

Finding my Support System

As I went through my training, I would sit side-by-side with my Sales Support Lead as she taught me to use our systems. She helped me absorb the operational side of my new role. After relocating, I connected with my current Sales Support Lead, and I could not imagine this role without her support or knowledge of our polices and how they affect me. There have been many late nights and weekends she has come to my rescue.

Today, I work under THE Octavia Evans. Wow, what a powerful force to be led by. Octavia has structured her organization to be a foundation for leadership, growth, and opportunity. Within Octavia’s organization I found something I’d longed for my entire life: the feeling of belonging. We have internal programs that provide us with the support and resources we need to maximize our potential and tailor our own narrative. Octavia provides us with a road map to navigate this large company. She encourages us to remain engaged, participate, and investigate the possibilities available at AT&T. I absolutely love being a part of it. I’ve connected with my direct leadership who taught me the importance of personal branding.

My next challenge was how to apply these skills to my career goals. I work alongside technicians every day. I decided to take on an initiative to uphold our core value of #WinningAsOne. I partnered with local technicians to bring our leadership teams together to take action to better our company as whole. This has been an exhilarating experience.

Being Fierce

Our leadership council is the reason I have a Twitter account. Creating my professional online presence has been essential to so many of the opportunities I’ve been granted, including this opportunity to share my story. Becoming a #LifeAtATT brand ambassador would never have happened if I wasn’t informed about the value of being engaged.

With access to these resources, I’ve become more confident, I seek out opportunities to learn, and join groups within the company that connect me to other amazing women within the organization. Groups – such as Fierce Females – were able to provide me with direct insight and input from leadership. These courageous women forged a path for people like me. They inspire me to not be afraid to speak up and use my voice. Fierce Females taught me, “If you’re given a seat at the table, it’s your responsibility to speak”.

As a person, I’ve grown so much I’m almost unrecognizable to myself some days. As a corporate woman, I’m just getting started and I have so many fiercely phenomenal examples all around me. To women looking to join the company, I promise we have something for you. Something you may not even know you’re missing until you find it.

Everyone has a different journey; we’re all walking along side of one another going different places. Be gentle with yourself, ask for help when you need it, be kind, and do your best. You can’t lose because you’ll always learn something that will inevitably make you better.

I’m very proud to be amongst some of the most inspiring individuals that I’ve ever met. These individuals are the women of AT&T. I’m happy to say that includes me.

Find your place with AT&T