Blog.

Career SuccessMar 21, 2019

AMPlified Success: Cameran Fry

“I got a call from a Hiring Manager…which I let go to voicemail…”


Before joining the AMP Family in October of 2017, I had waitressed, bartended, hosted and trained new hires at a family owned Italian restaurant in Rockford for seven years. I loved the people there and it truly felt like a second home but I didn’t want to serve forever. I made the decision to quit in May of 2017 and told myself I needed to figure out what I wanted to do, or rather what I could do, with my Bachelor’s Degree in Biology I had earned from Northern Illinois University a year earlier.

By that fall, I felt like I had made a huge mistake; I was searching Indeed for hours each day telling myself that even with a degree, I wasn’t qualified for anything. Then I got a call from Hiring Manager, Alex Hogan…which I let go to voicemail. Luckily, she called again and told me about the company, what the Inside Sales position consisted of and where the office is located at. I was skeptical, doubting myself every step of the way and if my husband hadn’t convinced me otherwise, I might have let the second call go to voicemail too.

During my interview, I felt like I made another huge mistake–I was not cut out for sales. I described myself as a worrier with attention to detail and a desire to make everyone happy. As Brandi listened to me, she recognized that these aren’t typically traits of a successful sales person. Instead of ending the interview, she mentioned I might be a better fit for another position with the company. It turned out she was right and after interviewing with Melissa, the manager of the OPTIMA™ Verification Department she hired me. It’s hard to believe that was just 18 months ago.

When I started, I knew nothing about marketing, SEO, how Google searches work, or simply life in a corporate setting. After 7 months in the Digital Administrative role and on-the job learning different tasks and how the systems work, I felt ready to apply for a specialized verification position. As a go-with-the-flow personality type I never wanted to be the one to initiate change, figuring that if someone thought I could do it, they would tell me. What I’ve come to realize is that you have to voice your interest and not get caught up in the ‘what ifs’. What if I sound horrible on the phone? What if I don’t know the answer? What if I didn’t do well?

There were certainly times I didn’t have an answer, moments where I panicked, where I stumbled over my thoughts and words. At some point, with any position you just figure it out and develop the confidence to pass along your own knowledge. I worked as a Verification Specialist for about 6 months before gradually transitioning into a promotion as Fulfillment Trainer and Quality Specialist. I think my attention-to-detail and constantly asking questions gave me the foundation to continue progressing forward in my career.

From start to finish, everything we do as a department, as an office, as a company, relies on working together. We are constantly evolving together to create the best possible solutions for each of our customers which drives our overall growth. I find it easy to work with people who were once strangers and are now close friends for a company I believe in.


I’m proud to help small businesses grow and to see a return on their investment with us. I’m grateful for the opportunity I have here and look forward to continue growing with the company.

 

written by:
American Marketing & Publishing