The Capgemini Talent Acquisition Team Presents: Haley Wagner, Manager
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Posted By: HBCU CONNECT on June 30, 2021 Capgemini continues to build a more inclusive and diverse workplace, where freedom of ideas and a culture based on equality are paramount. To celebrate this culture, we are proud to bring you up-close and personal stories from some of our exceptional, diverse colleagues. In these Q&As, they share lessons learned, advice on how to overcome challenges, and why it’s important to find an employer that celebrates our differences. Haley Wagner is a Manager in the SAP Insights & Data (I&D) practice. In this Q&A, Haley offers insights into her career journey and what she has learned along the way. To learn more about career opportunities at Capgemini complete this interest form (https://forms.office.com/r/ZHNeSCFzfK) or visit us at https://www.capgemini.com/careers. Q: What is your role with Capgemini? Haley Wagner (HW): I am a manager within the SAP I&D practice and currently a data migration lead on a services project. In the last six years with Capgemini, I’ve had the opportunity to be on three different projects, all in different industries – retail, oil and gas, and now services – which has allowed me to gain knowledge in different modules. Q: How did you discover the consulting field? HW: In college, I majored in database science and was introduced to consulting through one of the senior-level courses. In that class, the professor would invite representatives from various firms to speak to us about different career opportunities, including consulting. That was really the first time that I even knew that consulting was an option. I always thought that it was only for people who had been in industry for 10-plus years and had a depth of knowledge. Those interactions sparked the interest to experience different industries and client cultures through consulting. Consulting has pushed me to explore things that I may not have necessarily thought to explore had I decided to go into one specific industry or one specific role. Q: What was your first day of work like? HW: It was nerve-wracking. Capgemini has a really cool, immersive campus hire program and I remember that I had so many expectations that I placed on myself. Going into the program I was so focused on how I wanted to be perceived that I wasn’t fully absorbing everything that was being taught. I started off as an entry-level analyst and essentially just took on more responsibilities over time. I was completely new and at that moment I didn’t know anything, and that was OK. Capgemini gave us the opportunity to ask questions. Q: How has Capgemini supported you in your career? HW: In various ways, in the opportunities I’ve been given, but also the team members and friends that I’ve made through Capgemini. I’ve been lucky enough to have, in every project, someone who was looking out for me and didn’t just see me as a body or resource on the project. They are genuinely interested in not only what I could bring to the table, but also in what I wanted to explore in the future. They have also been really good about making sure that I’m balancing life and work. That is one of the best ways in which Capgemini has supported me, but also in the opportunities I’ve been given through those professional relationships. The ability to take on stretch roles that I didn’t think about or wouldn’t have put myself up for consideration. My project leaders have come to me and said, “I know this isn’t what you had planned for on this project, but this is what the project needs and we want you to do it.” I couldn’t say no to that because I knew they believed in me and supported me. They recognized in me what I didn’t recognize in myself at the time. I wasn’t focused on leadership roles, I was just trying to do my job well, but they saw the leadership potential in me, and they encouraged that and helped me grow into it. Q: In your opinion, what are some of the biggest roadblocks to success that underrepresented professionals experience? HW: If I had to label it in three things, the first one would be general exposure. I talked about that when I was first introduced to consulting in college. I felt that when I first started with Capgemini, I was behind everyone in that they understood consulting and had exposure to it, at least that’s what it seemed like. Maybe their parents did it or they themselves or their classmates already had consulting internships. That wasn’t my experience at all, and I think in general that wasn’t a typical African American experience or even the typical woman experience. If you knew someone in consulting it was an uncle or a father, but as a woman it wasn’t necessarily something that was presented to us as an option. I think general exposure to opportunities is a big barrier. The second roadblock is confidence. A lot of the time, I feel that women are more likely to feel like they have to already be performing at a level to put themselves up for promotion or put themselves up for that position, and a lot of the time it’s really just about potential. We have to be confident to say, “That’s a great role. It’s a bigger role than I necessarily planned for at this moment, but I know I can do it. I know it is the best thing for me and I want to do it.” I have experienced the opposite where I knew I could take on the role, but I wouldn’t unless I absolutely had to take it. It would have saved me months of grief had I just taken on the role before waiting for others to fail at it. Then the third one is the ability to leverage your network. I think a lot of times, in general, people feel like they’re alone and must figure things out themselves, but we need to recognize that it’s okay to ask for help. Lean on those around you that have been doing it for longer and have the experience and learn from them and pull them in if you do need the help. Q: Where do you see women advancing in the workplace and what will help advance gender equality in business? HW: In the last few years, I’ve seen a lot more women in leadership roles, which is very exciting for me. However, I want to get to the point where being on a call with all women leaders is just the day-to-day business. It has now become an expectation and account executives want to continue to see women in more leadership roles. They want to bring women up and pull or push them up the ladder and get them into leadership positions. I think building programs that increase the exposure of technology careers at a younger age to women will help advance gender equality in the field. Now, for women already in technology-focused programs, we need to continue reaching out and foster their growth. Consulting is not always seen as a long-term career for many women and at times it does not perfectly mesh with family goals; but companies, including Capgemini, are trying to make it more feasible. Q: What advice would you give to the next generation of women in business? HW: I would tell them just to go for it and be your own biggest advocate. If you are lucky enough, you will have people in your career that will be those advocates for you; but no one knows your work like you do. Don’t step away from the table or opportunities. Stand up for yourself and be your own biggest advocate. Q: What is the best part of working at Capgemini? HW: The professional relationships as well as pure friendships I’ve made through this company have been by far what I’ve enjoyed the most about working at Capgemini. The collaborative spirit is strong at Capgemini and my colleagues are always there to help and support day and night. All my projects have been good about emphasizing the bonding and the people part of the culture. Those relationships can make any project enjoyable, and we bond over team dinners. Team spirit is definitely the biggest thing I miss about not being on a project site due to the pandemic. Q: Tell us about your favorite client project HW: I would say the it was an oil & gas client based in Houston. The project consisted of long hours and quick deadlines, but that project team comprised of people that I genuinely hope to keep in touch with for the rest of my life. They were fun and hardworking. The functional team was willing to sit down with the data team and explain concepts so that we understood not just at a data level, but really a general business level. Then we also had a lot of fun on the project, both in the office and out of the office. To learn more about career opportunities at Capgemini complete this interest form (https://forms.office.com/r/ZHNeSCFzfK) and visit us at https://www.capgemini.com/careers. If you enjoyed this article, Join HBCU CONNECT today for similar content and opportunities via email! |
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HBCU CONNECT
From Gahanna, OH Central State University class of 1995 Member Since June 1999 |
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