Talent Manager Alanna has always had an innate desire to connect and help people.
Throughout her life, this manifested in various ways – from rounding up the neighborhood kids for Sunday school each week, to serving as a Resident Assistant and Peer counselor in college. When it came time to decide on a career path, she knew she wanted to continue helping people – and HR was a great way to do so.
Having moved to the US from Guyana at age 14, Alanna faced a difficult path to college. Her parents were immigrants who hadn’t attended college themselves and didn’t know how to navigate the process. “The college counselor at my school flat out told me not to apply and that I wouldn’t get in. I quickly realized that there would be no support and I had to do my own research in order to find a way to get into college,” she explains. Refusing to give up, she was ultimately accepted into multiple schools.
Building off this difficult but ultimately rewarding experience in her career, Alanna now helps consultants to achieve their full potential – whether that means making Partner or moving on to an external role. She consistently puts people at the heart of everything she does, an invaluable talent in a business where people are the most precious resource.
Although I am not a consultant myself, my work has a direct impact on our clients. As part of the talent management community, it is my job to manage global processes and systems that support the development and growth of the next generation of talent. In essence, I help our clients access the most bright and talented people.
Reflecting on her most memorable moments at the firm, Alanna recalls when a former consultant reached out and thanked her for the grace and kindness she showed to him, especially while he was transitioning to a new role. “He said that my words gave him confidence to pursue a new path. He has since gone on to head up a successful non-profit which has had a positive impact on hundreds of lives. It motivates me to want to help more colleagues so they can in turn help others,” she says.
In her more recent role, Alanna has been working to streamline talent management operations, focusing on performance management and other programs such as MBA and master’s degree sponsorships. A future ambition of hers is to continue helping people in an even more direct manner, whether that’s in a talent management role or helping young people of color in the non-profit space.
To people interested in pursuing a career in HR, Alanna’s advice is to explore all of the interesting roles within human capital. “There are lots of interesting roles in human capital, not just recruitment or generalist roles. Figure out what you are passionate about and talk to your HC colleagues to learn about the different areas.”