When you begin a career journey, you aim to find a place that is going to be where you want to retire from. A career is separate from a job. A career is somewhere you can invest in the company and they will invest in you. Before I began my journey with TitleMax® I was a department manager at a local grocery store. I felt as if I had met my growth potential in my current role and wanted to expand into something I am more passionate about. I decided I wanted to work in the finance industry because I have always been a fan of customer service and interested in banking. To get my foot in the door I decided to visit local lending companies and apply. Resumé in hand, I had mapped out a list of places I would go to and set off on my journey. My first stop, coincidentally, was TitleMax. I had the pleasure of speaking with the District Manager who was at the store that day. He took all of my information and the hiring process started.
The desire and the opportunity are only a small part in the journey. My interest was piqued when I came into the TitleMax store for an interview because of the almost “red carpet” experience that I had walking in. The General Manager thought I was a potential customer, and I was immersed into the experience. Once he realized I was a potential Team Member, the great service transitioned seamlessly into the available opportunities. I was so impressed by that scenario that I abandoned my plan to visit other companies and anxiously waited for the hiring process with the TMX Finance® Family of Companies to begin.
So, let’s say you found your place. You are passionate about the career opportunity; you have committed to this company and you start working there. How is it going? How are you doing? You must ask yourself these questions. Reassure yourself on your decision and make sure you can see yourself happy here. What do you stand for and does this company share those values? I have always been a huge proponent of self-motivation and propelling yourself forward by your own merit. Work hard for what you get, right? I learned we were a performance-driven industry. How we performed determined how successful we became. I took this motto and ran with it. I pushed to be the best CSR. Then, I sought out to become an Assistant Manager, asking a neighboring store to hold out on making a hiring decision until they could see what I was made of. This impressed the General Manager, so I was ultimately given the shot I desired, and I got the position! If the Company didn’t encourage working hard and internal promotion, would it have been different? Maybe, but the point is the TMX Finance Family of Companies and TitleMax see the value in opportunity, and that is another reason I love where I work!
A sudden promotion can give you a sense of euphoria. You are feeling strong, confident, excited, and you should! You should be proud of yourself. I was very proud of that achievement. Always be certain that you are ready for that leap. Want it, sure…but be sure you are ready as a person for more responsibility and more action. I was always looking to learn more and become a Store Manager quickly. They would joke that I was after my Store Manager’s job. I always stated back that it was no secret. I wanted to move forward, and I would show them how capable I was. I could take opportunities. There were always opportunities provided, too! I could show my worth. I was becoming part of a work family. We were able to help communities. We developed relationships with our customers. I felt like I was making a difference in my life both professionally and personally. That is what you want to feel. You want to be continuously growing as a person. Find a career that fosters that within you!
How did I grow? Well, I started as a CSR with the Company and worked my way up to General Manager. I was fortunate to hold the General Manager position for more than 5 years. I now am the Field Operations Training Manager for the Central East and South East Zones. That is the short answer. The real growth was seen throughout that time. I had my first tough conversation while working with this Company. I developed better leadership skills. I learned the type of leader that I want to be. I learned that I am passionate about seeing other people succeed. I learned that I want to teach and grow people on a larger scale. Not only those great things, but I have seen failure through this journey as well. I wanted to become a District Manager. It was a long and tough road of growing more and more and becoming the manager I knew that I wanted. Before I reached that goal, I was presented the opportunity to be a part of the Training Department. I realized my passion for to help others could be used in this new position. Through intended growth I really found my place (for now) in a company I have become so passionate about. My passion and intention for growth is ever present, and I imagine it will never go away. I started with the Company with the intention to work hard and be successful. I am now in the Company to work hard and see others makes strides and accomplishments. I want to see them become a confident, passionate, hardworking, and supportive person for others. The point is the same, love where you work, and you will see all the opportunity and growth you expect from yourself happen through opportunity and encouragement.