Meet Ashley Alford! Ashley has been an Account Manager at Flo Recruit since November of 2020. She works diligently to enable success for both our university and employer clients across the U.S. in addition to training administrative user teams to use the platform. Keep reading to learn more about her role at Flo Recruit!

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Q: When did you start working at Flo?

I joined Flo Recruit about a year ago after working as a legal recruiter in BigLaw. I was always interested in the technical side of things and was often the “go-to” person for my colleagues when it came to using any technology. At some point, I attended a webinar hosted by Flo Recruit about virtual on-campus interviews, which piqued my interest as a recruiter.

I remember going through the website and seeing that they had an opening for an Account Manager. I didn’t know if I really fit the bill, but I went ahead and applied anyway. It wasn’t something that I had planned on, but it felt right and it ended up being a great decision!

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Q: How has your role evolved since you have started at Flo?

Initially, it was a huge learning process. I generally knew what an Account Manager does, but I didn’t have a sales background coming into the role which made me a little nervous. While it was tough at first, I was able to draw on the wisdom of my coworkers and eventually became more comfortable hopping on calls and leading training sessions with clients. Even now, I can say that the learning hasn’t stopped, and I find myself learning from our newest team members too. 

Now, my role revolves around supporting our clients as they adopt our platform, and this has enabled me to understand the whole sales process from customer acquisition to retention. Given my experiences as a recruiter, I can also empathize with our clients to a greater degree since I know what their pain points are and I can provide input on how to adapt the product to fit their needs.

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Q: How do you feel like the people or your work at Flo have helped you develop professionally?

My role has taught me how to be more proactive rather than reactive, especially when it comes to client relationships. This has ultimately allowed me to be someone who my clients can confide in, which is definitely one of the most rewarding aspects of my role.

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Q: Can you describe what it’s like to work within your team?

Taking ownership of successes and failures is greatly emphasized. On one end, successes are recognized and celebrated. And on the other end, mistakes are accepted and resolved through group effort. Additionally, we hold transparency to the client in very high regard and go the extra mile to make sure they are taken care of when mistakes happen. We put the client at the center of everything we do and that motivates a lot of our processes internally. 

On a more fun note, we place a lot of importance on maintaining team unity. For example, we play kickball games as a team on Thursdays, which has been a lighthearted way for us to connect with each other in a space outside of work!

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Q: What has been your favorite part of working at Flo? 

I love how much our clients recognize the level of attention we place on providing quality customer support. It is so rewarding when our hard work and dedication are noticed. Also, I love the overall camaraderie we have and how tight-knit our team is. Our work environment is super positive and allows everyone to feel comfortable voicing their opinions!

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Q: What is something you are proud of regarding your time at Flo?

I am really proud of how I adapted to my role without directly applicable experience, and through this, I learned how to trust myself and my abilities. For example, I became a better public speaker through leading webinars and calls, which was initially daunting to me. My team has definitely been a huge source of support for me since day one and a reason for my success!

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Q: What do you enjoy doing in your spare time? 

I really just like to stay active and get in a good workout whenever I have the time! Sometimes, this looks like doing CrossFit or running around the lake. I also love spending time with my husband, Justin, and trying out new restaurants or traveling with him. We have two cats, Aria and Lola, who are basically our children!

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Q: What would you tell a candidate who is considering whether Flo Recruit will be a good place for them to grow their career?

Flo Recruit is a great place if you value collaboration in a fast-paced environment. It’s okay if you haven’t worked at a startup before as long as you have a growth mindset and are willing to learn. Above all, you have to love our clients as much as we do. One of the biggest things our clients commend us on is our customer support, so having a customer-centric attitude is key. If you’re interested in what we do, don’t be afraid to reach out and ask questions to anyone on the team!