This series highlights amazing employees who exemplify the 'Collabie' way. Each month, a new hire who hit the ground running or a tenured high-performing employee will be featured to share about their experience working for Collaborative. From career paths to culture, get the inside scoop directly from those who bring the talent and fun every day, making us an award-winning workplace!
March Spotlight: Carlene Hoover
Title: Principal Consultant, Payroll
Location: Brookville, OH
Been with Collaborative for: 4 months
Why did you choose Collaborative?
Over the past five years, I’ve had three coworkers from my previous career reach out to me to tell me about Collaborative Solutions, the wonderful company they work for, and that I should consider making a change. Each of them told me this was an amazing place to work with a lot of wonderful people. I decided I needed to stop my busy life and check out the opportunity for myself! During the interview process, I felt very comfortable and excited about the organization. I knew immediately that my friends were right, and I would love to be a Collabie! I am very happy here and I know I made the right move.
What does your day-to-day look like in your role?
I work remotely and have been doing so for 25 years. I’m new to cloud-based ERP systems, so I’m still learning and relying on my coworkers to help me learn the ropes. I’m working on my first project, so it's very exciting to see the solution come together before my eyes. I’m also working on some internal documentation for our implementation teams - based on my experience as a new hire - to provide guidance for other new hires on what to expect in their first few months with Collaborative.
What do you love about your job?
I love putting the puzzle of customer requirements together into a workable solution that pleases the customer. My coworkers are helpful in guiding me through each step and empowering me to feel like I’m not alone on the journey. Each project is a team effort: none of us can do this alone. I love that my fellow Collabies work together for our customers and allow me to feel a sense of accomplishment at the end of each day.
What does it take to be successful in your role?
The ability to pay attention to all of the details. Being detail-oriented is key to keeping track of all of the moving pieces in the requirements of the payroll system. People depend on their paychecks, so they need to be correct. Checking and double-checking information, making sure that it all fits as expected, is critical for ensuring that there aren’t any unexpected mishaps causing the "puzzle" to not fit together properly.
How does Collaborative help you grow as a person and in your career?
Being a certified cloud-based ERP consultant is a big step in my career. Going through the certification process was not easy, but it was rewarding. I know that I can grow with Collaborative, and if I want to be certified in other areas such as Time, Absence, Benefits, or even another Payroll country, Collaborative would support me in those goals. Collaborative has given me back the work-life balance that was missing in my previous career. The core values here are real: not just something that we talk about, but truly live out!
If you could have one superpower, what would it be?
I would be able to clone myself. One of me would work and be the productive citizen that I need to be, and then my clone would spend the entire day playing, crafting, and learning things with my grandchildren.
What TV show are you watching right now?
The Walking Dead. I was ready to stop watching last season because there wasn’t much going on. I’m so glad I stuck with it one more season because it’s REALLY ramping up!
Carlene is a great example of the Collabie way! If you're interested in joining Team Collabie, check out our openings and apply by clicking the button below.
