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 Solutions. 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: Blake Nichols
Title: People Development Senior Program Specialist
Location: Atlanta, GA
Been with Collaborative for: 3 years, 8 months
Why did you choose Collaborative?
I chose Collaborative because of the importance of culture, flexibility, and balance. Throughout the interview process, the importance of connection and work-life balance stood out to me as different from other consulting firms. I loved the idea of taking part in a Culture Club and having the opportunity to plan and take part in fun events around Atlanta!
What does your day-to-day look like in your role?
On the People Development Team, I get to sit at the intersection of professional growth, personal development, and employee engagement. No day is the exact same on our team, as we are always trying to find new ways to better enable Collabies to perform in their roles and give them the tools and resources they need to grow. These efforts include working cross-functionally to maintain and improve our ongoing talent processes, continually developing new programs/resources for employees, and coordinating company-wide communications to ensure everyone is kept “in the know.”
What do you love about your job?
There are many things I love about my job. The first I will mention is the people. Whether we are internal or delivery, it does not matter. I continually encounter some of the most helpful, kind, and genuine people here at Collaborative. Another thing I love is the balance and flexibility. I have always felt empowered to take my work-life balance into my own hands and have autonomy over my work schedule. This, in addition to programs such as flex days, has been instrumental in allowing me to stay connected with friends and family while also maintaining a productive work schedule. The last thing I will mention is the culture. Through Culture Club events and Employee Resource Groups involvement, I have been able to connect with so many great people and build friendships that I am extremely thankful for.
What does it take to be successful in your role?
I think creativity is one of the most important skills to have in a role like this. Finding new and creative ways to approach issues is a necessity, and being able to think on the fly is crucial in high pressure situations. I also think having strong project management skills and being an effective communicator is vital.
How does Collaborative help you grow as a person and in your career?
I joined Collaborative directly out of college and started as an Associate Consultant in the HCM Practice. I loved consulting but I also expressed my interest in getting involved in the Talent area as I started to see it more on our clients’ implementations. Because of me expressing this interest, my manager and my manager’s manager actively looked for opportunities within Collaborative in the Talent space. Because of their support and investment in my development, they encouraged me to apply for an opening on the People Development Team and advocated for me to get the role. I am incredibly thankful that my management chain took an active interest in my growth and helped accelerate my career while also keeping me with the company I love.
If you could have a superpower, what would it be?
Teleportation! Would love to be able to travel anywhere in the world in just a moment. It would be even better if I could teleport anywhere in time as well to go on some real adventures!
What’s your favorite TV show at the moment?
Um, Actually – It’s a game show where the hosts read a false statement about something in pop culture and the contestants have to buzz in and correct what is wrong with the sentence by saying “Um, actually…” and then correcting the statement. It’s all nerd themed and it is strangely addicting!
Blake 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.
