Career Stories: From New Recruit to Dream Job in Less than a Year

Opportunities for personal growth and career progression are significant at any company. Not only do they help attract great talent, but they also improve retention and overall team motivation.

However, all too often, companies in the customer experience and BPO space fail to offer anything past the traditional agent-supervisor-manager track, which can deter high-quality candidates. At Activus Connect, we’re breaking that mold by offering dynamic career opportunities in a fast-growing company.

Just recently, two rising stars, Sheba Coble and Jaclyn Riches secured their dream jobs at Activus. We sat down with each of them to hear their stories.

A Perfect Fit for a Mature Student

Jaclyn Riches joined Activus Connect as a front-line Ambassador in September 2020, working from her home in Florida. At the time, she was looking for a job that would enable her to support her family while pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Data Analytics and Report Analyzing.

Two months later, Activus posted an opportunity to become a Report Analyst, a serendipitous moment for Jaclyn.

“When I saw the job posting, I jumped on it immediately,” she said. “It was the perfect chance to do what I enjoy the most, so I discussed it with my supervisor, who encouraged me to share my interest and apply.”

After a few interviews in December, Jaclyn booked her dream role, kicking off 2021 with some new responsibilities and challenges.

As an Ambassador, Jaclyn was responsible for listening to callers’ concerns, finding the best answers to their questions, and achieving a favorable resolution. As a Report Analyst, however, her work requires a different level of critical thinking. Her objective is to help the executive leadership team find new ways to achieve and exceed business goals.

“I’m currently developing reports and dashboards that give a broad overview of everything that’s going on across all our campaigns,” she explained. “The idea is to provide an accurate view of all programs, allowing us to see where we need additional focus.”

For example, one of Jaclyn’s reports shows the impact of unplanned absences trending above assumptions, allowing leadership early insight to intervene when and where needed. She also enjoys creating executive reports that detail each program’s status and health, allowing key stakeholders to monitor near real-time. These include a set of executive dashboards that streamline leadership meetings and accelerate decision-making processes.

Alongside her mission to provide insightful reports, Jaclyn is also working with the workforce management team to enhance their reporting, reduce the need for manual entry, limit inconsistencies, and increase overall accuracy.

“I’m still incredibly excited about the future of this role because I know that Activus is the company I want to be with for the long term,” she said. “The kind of support they offer their employees is just completely unheard of elsewhere, so it’s an incredible place to further your career.”

Learning, Growing, and Evolving from Home

Sheba Coble’s career track at Activus Connect has also been fast and dynamic.

“Ever since I was a young girl, I’ve always been an energetic, avid learner with the desire to grow and evolve, and my time at Activus Connect has been a great catalyst for that,” she said.

Sheba joined as an Ambassador in May 2020, working from her home in Gwinnett County, Georgia. She started by taking incoming calls, helping claimants track their claims, answering questions, and addressing customer’s concerns.

Just over a month later, Sheba’s manager recommended her for a Team Experience Coordinator (TEC) role, based on her excellent performance during her short time as an Ambassador. Soon after that, she moved into workforce management (WFM) as an analyst, working closely with the operations team to enhance and improve internal processes.

“It was incredibly insightful in WFM as it gave me a new perspective on the inner workings of all of our programs,” she said. “We were able to look at everything from the top-down, find areas of improvement, and then try to innovate and come up with solutions. I really enjoyed it.”

Sheba worked in WFM for a few more months, eventually taking the golden opportunity to become a Customer Experience Manager in February 2021.

“With my previous career experience in similar roles, it was a perfect fit for me,” she said. “The CXM is essentially a direct liaison between Activus Connect and our client companies. It’s a highly collaborative role extending across many different functions. I’m either directly assisting Ambassadors on the front lines and supervising campaigns or relaying any impactful information to clients and leaders at Activus.”

Sheba’s career growth has given her the chance to learn about almost every aspect of the business, all in her first year. With her military background and previous work-from-home experience, she’s used to moving around regularly, so these past months have been like second nature to her.

“Luckily for all of us, Activus Connect provides the tools to do our jobs while always clearly outlining expectations along the way,” explained Sheba. “They’re awesome at nurturing you, allowing you to grow, and providing necessary information and tools to be successful. It is a wonderful company with a great leadership team that cares about employees, and I’m so grateful to be a part of that.”

Advice for Ambitious Ambassadors

We asked Jaclyn and Sheba what they would say to Ambassadors at Activus or interested candidates looking to join this dynamic company.

“Activus is such a new and fast-growing company that it has plenty of opportunities for people to develop a life-changing career,” said Jaclyn. “The company wants to promote from within, so for Ambassadors who believe in Activus Connect’s goals along with a desire to grow on an individual level, there’s a real chance to find long-term job satisfaction here. I’ve got no intention of going anywhere else until I retire.”

“If you come into Activus Connect with a positive, ambitious mindset, ready to bring new ideas to the table, some incredible opportunities are waiting for you,” said Sheba. “If you have a dream, go for it. Come in willing to learn, grow, and help out. The company heavily encourages people like that to advance their careers and will help you achieve that.”