Rachel's Outdoor Headshots. Toledo Botanical Gardens. Sylvania Photographer.

Rachel contacted me about doing her headshots right after being let go of at her job. The company had experienced hardships due to COVID-19 and had to downsize by eliminating several positions. How stressful is that?! Not only living in a health crisis but also loosing a job you love. Rachel wanted to freshen up her professional profile with some amazing headshots as she jumped into the hunt for a new position. I am happy to share that she has found a wonderful new job.

Opting for a natural setting, I took Rachel to the Toledo Botanical Garden. We found some gorgeous flowers and a good variety of locations. I offer all my headshot clients the option of having a studio look or having an on-location natural look. Which look do you prefer?

Read on to hear more about Rachel as a professional and her career advice.

Meet Rachel:

What do you do, or hope to be doing long term? I am currently an Area Sales Manager. When I complete my training, in the next couple of months, I will be promoted into a Regional Sales Manager role.
Why do you love what you do? I love these roles because I have a passion for selling and people. Sales was never my first choice in college, but I fell into sales from taking an internship that was advertised as a marketing internship. It was selling advertisement spaces. I quickly found that I enjoy building relationships with all types of people, and being able to enhance the lives of others through a consultative approach to sales.
What is your education/experience background that has lead you to where you are now? I went to the University of Toledo - Go Rockets! I achieved a BBA, majoring in Marketing and Human Resource Management. I did a few internships in college, and since graduating have worked for global companies - ADP, Owens Corning, NSG Pilkington, and now Spartan Chemical. The Sales Development Program at Owens Corning helped greatly in my development, and I would encourage anyone new to sales to find this type of program starting out!
Is there a piece of professional advice you received that has stuck with you on your career journey? Always answer your phone, or return calls quickly. I’m not sure if anyone has said this to me, but I have seen the simplest of tasks create the most success for myself and others. People want to work with individuals that are reliable, and that will get them answers in a timely fashion. Don’t shy away from people if you don’t know the answer. Confidently tell them that you will find the answer, and get back to them right away.
What was one of your most challenging experiences as a professional? What did you learn? How did you grow? One of my biggest challenges over the past 5 years has been moving across the country for my career. I learned that you shouldn’t wait on anyone else to solve your problems. It can be overwhelming moving multiple times for a career, but if you take charge of your life then you can do anything. My relationship with my husband also grew immensely. We realized that together we could always find a way.
What value do you see in having professional headshots? Getting professional headshots was a great experience for me. Taking a selfie never captured what I wanted - a professional business individual looking to grow in life. When I got my headshots, I had just lost my job due to the company I was working for having to downsize from the impact of COVID. I never thought I would lose my job because of a virus. My headshots show my most confident self, and reminded me that I would make it through this with everyone else.
What stood out to you about your experience with Rebecca? Rebecca was filled with motivational words, which is what several people need during this pandemic. The world felt uncertain to me, and she reminded me that I certainly deserved an opportunity where I could leverage all of the experience I have gained.