Contemporaries Employee of the Quarter: May 2017
There are many wonderful adjectives we can use to describe Shardae, but the two that first come to mind are persistent and determined. She has completed many different assignments and has gained experience in a variety of work environments over the course of her time with us. The thing we love about Shardae is that she approaches each assignment with the same level of commitment, initiative, and overall positive attitude day in and day out. Shardae, you’re a pleasure to work with and are most deserving of the Employee of the Quarter award and $250 bonus.
Why did you apply to Contemporaries?
It was instinct— I’m going to click on this. I liked the tone; I think it was Sam I spoke with. I felt like it would be a good fit, it was just a feeling I had. I spoke to one or two other agencies, but didn’t like the service, really. They weren’t unfriendly, but Contemporaries paid more attention to what I wanted, and they were respectful of my academic background and me trying to be a well-rounded person. They seemed to be very excited about that and tried to implement that in their search for me.
What kind of roadblocks did you face in your job-search before working for us?
The biggest roadblock has been the resume algorithm. They say the system will pick up words from your resume, and I just hate the system from what I’ve heard in conversation… Everybody hates it… Many candidates don’t get opportunities because their resume wasn’t selected by a robot. That’s what led me to a temp agency– after being frustrated for probably 3 weeks, that’s what led me to Contemporaries, not wanting to deal with robots. Because of the CEO, Donna Fitzgerald’s, relationships, she’s able to get you in the door without your resume—she focuses on the value you add as a person, not how you look on paper.
What kind of training and experience have you gained since working with Contemporaries?
I think I definitely have gotten better at administrative duties and clerical tasks. They’re easy for the most part, it’s just about being quick and smart. I’m very much a free spirit and I like to use my creativity. I don’t always get to exercise that wherever I’m working, but that’s fine. I do appreciate that I’ve gotten better at administrative work– I think it will open more doors in the future, whether it’s the assignment I’m at or otherwise. That’s what I’ve gained the most since being with Contemporaries.
Did college prepare you for the roles you’ve stepped into here?
With college, looking back, I wish I was a bit more active with the classic office skills. I went to school for English, so I was all in my head about learning how to write, and looking for stories and being invested in stories. I did have work study in college that got me familiar with an office setting, but I didn’t have many responsibilities. It was more just sitting there and sending a couple emails.
How would you describe your partnership with us?
I love and appreciate the company. They really stood by me. They welcomed me with open arms, and I gave my word that I would do a great job and they trusted and believed in me when I said that, and I think that’s why it’s been such a great partnership. Just having that trust that I would keep my word. I’m happy where I am now at the MBTA– it took a year to get to an assignment that I really like and appreciate, but that’s thanks to Contemporaries.
Thank you for being you, Shardae! Keep up the great work, we know you’ll go far!