During the month of March, in celebration of Women’s History Month, we’ll be putting a spotlight on some of the talented women who lead TalentWorld every day. From the woman who leads TalentWorld’s perm placement journeys-whom you’ll meet today– to a Regional Director that got her start as a Temporary Associate.
Our intention with this series is to give their voice a platform; an opportunity to be radically honest about their career journey, the successes and the struggles. For so many important reasons, but really only one – so they can be heard.
Meet Amanda...
Amanda Anderson is TalentWorld’s National Perm Director. She has been at TalentWorld since the start, when the staffing agency she worked at for 15 years was acquired. Her role has evolved since then, she now leads our direct hire or perm placement business nationally.
As a leader, Amanda is driven to win! She always leads by example, is humble (even when she shouldn’t be), and is really good at what she does! This combination makes for great leadership and our team agrees, having just awarded her with our Leadership Award.
So, let’s get to know Amanda a little more.
How it started…
How did your career in staffing begin?
In 2005, I was a young and motivated HR graduate looking to build a career. I recall saying in my interview that I wanted to find my forever (career) home. And in my early 20’s, I found just that. A place I could grow with an amazing team.
18 years later, I am very happy that I did. Because what was once a small employment agency is now TalentWorld (through acquisition). And now, the opportunities to grow are more than I could have imagined when I was starting fresh out of school.
What was your biggest struggle early in your career?
One of a few struggles I faced early in my career was a lack of confidence. When you are a recent grad and starting a new career, you obviously feel inexperienced. But unfortunately, that feeling doesn’t always go away. Sometimes you get lucky like me and find yourself suffering from Imposter Syndrome (Do I have to add a disclaimer for my sarcasm?).
Imposter Syndrome is a phenomenon where people, a lot of the time women, cannot accept their own accomplishments and feel like a fraud. And I’m not alone, it turns out that 75% of women executives have experienced it throughout their careers, a KPMG study reports.
What helped me was to surround myself with people that are “cheering me on”. Find yourself a leadership team that gives you the autonomy and space to be curious and try new things, even if you make a mistake because they know this is how you grow. I’m no longer afraid to step out of my comfort zone. Even if it means having to learn everything from the beginning!
I know this is easier said than done. But trust me, it’s worth it!
Maybe we can help you find that team? Check out our perm roles!
How it’s going…
What do you think shaped you into the leader you are today?
Growing up, I was influenced a lot by my brothers (one of which is a twin!) who were very competitive with me. They didn’t take it easy on me and that competitive spirit stayed with me.
In the late 80’s I convinced my friends to join a boys’ hockey league because at the time, there were no girls’ leagues. I figured I had been competing with boys my entire life, so why would something like my gender stop me now? That competitive spirit drove me to prove a lot of people wrong that year. And it still does today. Because these “boys clubs” don’t end when you get off the ice—they’re everywhere.
My desire to win is who I am. But it’s that little girl inside me saying “I can do it better than my brothers!” that motivates me to break the glass ceiling—it’s made of glass for a reason!
What led you to TalentWorld?
Its not what led me here, but what keeps me here. We are a team full of passion, with a strong vision, and motivated to win. All of this together is a recipe for success. And I like to play on the winning team.
Where do we want it to go…
Do you believe women encounter more obstacles because of their gender in their careers?
Absolutely! There are high expectations for women to have it all figured out and do it all. An example includes if you decide to build your family. Maternity leave slows down your career growth and you may even feel anxiety when you return to the workplace. Often, men don’t experience any of this.
If we want thriving careers, we must work like we don’t have kids. And if we want to be good parents, we must parent like we don’t have careers.
Do you have any advice you want to share?
Build your village! Make sure you have support to lean on both professionally and personally. And make sure the villagers are people who elevate you.
When you pick the right people, you’ll feel safe to be your authentic self. And that’s a beautiful feeling!
