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 sales– 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 Vicki...
Meet Vicki Cook, the Business Development Director at TalentWorld. Vicki has worked in the staffing industry for over 25 years.
As a leader, Vicki goes by the motto of treat others the way you want to be treated. She is a leader who is open to trying things a different way and give a voice to her team. She also considers how people like to be managed and works with them to create a leader-employee dynamic that caters to individual needs. She is very hands-on when support is needed, but also gives people the autonomy they need to succeed.
How it started…
How did your career in staffing begin?
I moved to Canada from Michigan and was working in a customer service job. I was noticing that I was working harder than all my co-workers in the department but getting compensated the same. I started thinking that it might make sense for me to look for a job where the harder I worked the more money that I would make. This led me to sales because of the commission component.
While those thoughts were going through my head, a good friend told me that she managed the Mississauga branch of a staffing company. She told me that their Toronto branch was looking for a salesperson. I submitted my resume, and the rest is history! It’s really one decision that can change your entire life.
What was your biggest struggle early in your career?
My biggest struggle as a salesperson earlier in my career was breaking the stereotype of what a salesperson really is—that they’re outgoing, the “life of the party”, and always networking. I never looked at myself in this way (and still don’t!). That made me question if I was truly in the right career because I was always more reserved.
I had to evolve my thinking. I realized that I still had qualities in me that could make me successful. I was persistent, honest, and had a competitive edge—you don’t get into university on a softball scholarship without these things! I realized that these were skills that were transferrable to my new role, and they are what I still sell on to this day. It really shows that even if you don’t fit the typical mold for a job, you can still be successful in it. It’s all about persistence!
How it’s going…
What do you think shaped you into the leader you are today?
Lots of hard work and working with some amazing people whom I learned a lot from. I spent close to 20 years at the largest staffing company in the world. I learned so much from the many mentors that I had at that company. At the core of everything I've done, and still do today, is my strong work ethic and competitive spirit.
What led you to TalentWorld?
I kept in touch with Tracy Rocca, the National VP at TalentWorld. We previously worked together for almost 10 years, and I had a lot of faith in her ability to lead the team at TalentWorld. I also previously worked with Jessica Rowen and thought that she was great at what she does as well. Learning that TalentWorld was powered by Garda, a global security giant, also interested me. It was these women and the credibility of the organization that made me want to work for this company!
Where do we want it to go…
Do you believe women encounter more obstacles because of their gender in their careers?
Earlier in my career, 20 years ago, I would have said yes to this question. The pay disparity between men and women was glaring. We didn’t get fair compensation for the same work.
But today I feel like that gap is closer to being closed than ever before. With the rise of social media spreading awareness about the issue and the culture shift that’s occurred, there are more women at the table now, making company decisions and getting paid fairly. According to Statistics Canada, the gender wage gap has decreased 7.7% since 1998 and hourly wages for female employees have increased by 28.6%. Fun fact: the employment industry has been the largest contributor to the decrease in the pay gap, which is something I am proud to be a part of!
Of course, I don’t think that this is true for every industry. There’s still some work to do when you go company to company and culture-to-culture. But overall, I feel proud to be a part of a company and industry which advocates for equal pay for equal work.
Do you have any advice you want to share?
The staffing industry is not for the faint of heart that’s for sure. It’s a hard industry to be a part of. There’s so much competition and no two days are the same. Everything can be going fantastic and then one phone call happens that changes everything. These are the parts of my job that I enjoy but a lot of people like consistency in a job and may not enjoy the constant change.
But for people that can manage these things, adapt, and be tough even on hard days, it’s very rewarding. You meet so many interesting people and connect with them. If you have a great work ethic and are a true problem solver, then the sky is the limit in the staffing industry!