Following the Career Lattice to Advance My Career
Have you ever stepped back and wondered how you got here? After more than 32 years with Sodexo, I find it interesting to look back and see how a dishwasher and prep cook job at Bob Evan’s Restaurant and a multi-decade career in Food Service Operations led me to a Recruitment Manager role at Sodexo.
Next to landing a job at Sodexo, attending Johnson & Wales University was one of the best career decisions I ever made. It helped me nurture my passion for working with people and food. When I graduated with a Master of Science in Hospital Administration, Sodexo was my second job out of college.
How did I find Sodexo? Well, it runs in my blood. My mom was the “salad bar lady” more than 35 years ago for Sodexo at Stonehill College, which is how I first got introduced to the company and ultimately landed a job as a Chef Manager.
I have worked at seven different locations and held six different positions. After 25 years in universities and 20 years as a General Manager, I joined the Talent Acquisition team as a Senior Recruiter. My operational experience, long-term tenure, and culinary background made this career choice a perfect fit for me.
My transition from General Manager to Senior Recruiter did not follow the natural progression of the career ladder. Why? Technically a Senior Recruiter role was a step back on the ladder, but I saw it as an opportunity to grow following the career lattice.
The career lattice is when you look at lateral opportunities to grow your skills sets and experiences. It gives you the potential for future advancement. And yes, that did happen in September of 2019 when I interviewed to be the Interim Recruitment Manager for the Healthcare food team.
After six months, I was able to remove interim from my title. As a Recruitment Manager, I now hold a new skill set beyond my experience as a General Manager and have continued opportunities for growth. Sodexo is where I belong because of the people and the values here. There truly is no other place I would choose to work!
Sodexo has supported me through the best and the worst times of my life: the birth of my two daughters, their high school and college graduations, 23 years of marriage, and my wife Tina’s stage IV breast cancer diagnosis and passing three years later. Throughout Tina’s illness, Sodexo stood by my entire family to make sure we had everything we needed, and when she passed away, they were there to support my daughters and me in any way they could.
There are countless opportunities to connect with others in this global company, and as you can see, networking is one of your greatest allies! In my many years at Sodexo, I have learned that you should always be willing to step outside your comfort zone; it’s the only way to grow your career as big as your dreams!