Editor’s Note:
This week, we asked Digital Outreach Director Amanda Hennigan to tell us what keeps her growing in her career, here at Terakeet, after six years. Amanda is the beloved leader of the outreach department and she has spearheaded a number of important initiatives. Most recently, she brought the Terakeet Apprenticeship Program to life! Read the whole interview below!
I can’t believe, six years in, that this is the first time I’ve ever asked myself this question. I suppose that speaks volumes in its own way. When you actually enjoy going to work every day, it’s not a question you often find yourself thinking about. I often think about how I can be doing more, be more creative, more entrepreneurial, more adaptable. Lucky for me, there always seems to be “more” to do at Terakeet.
Sure, “more” can be daunting but it can also be what drives you forward. [It can be] the challenge you have been looking for when you didn’t even know it. I’m not someone who can sit stagnant. I always want to be changing and challenging myself to learn new skills, change our environment for the better, or build something new. Terakeet has managed to create a culture where I can do all of these things, day in and day out, and that is what keeps me here.
I’m an ideas person. Lots and lots of ideas. I hand them out like Halloween candy to anyone who will listen. If you’ve been in even one brainstorm with me, you’d know I can’t help but spout random ideas (both good and bad) into existence. Luckily, sometimes the good ones get heard by the right people and big things can happen. Thankfully, Terakeet is a great place for big ideas.
In the spring of 2020, the world erupted in hurt and anger and the need for change became more apparent than ever. We all found ourselves asking “What can we do?” And to be honest, I was sick of asking and not taking action. Lucky for me, I wasn’t alone. Terakeet surveyed the team to ask, “What should we be doing to create the change?” And I knew that was time to officially share one of my ideas. Terakeet has always harnessed the spirit of giving back, but I wanted to challenge that and see how much we were willing to invest in our community.
I wrote to our founders that we should launch an Apprenticeship Program to cater to non-traditional background candidates that would teach them basic SEO knowledge and put them on a successful career trajectory. Lower the barrier to entry to traditional office jobs. Allow people to learn on the job, rather than being forced to move through a system that is not for everyone. A week after I submitted that response, I had a meeting on my calendar to discuss this idea with one of our founders, Pat Danial. A week after that, he asked me to put together a plan to get this off the ground. We hit the ground running. We teamed up with Human Resources, Talent Acquisition, Marketing, etc. We were all in on making this program everything it could be. A few, short weeks later, we were presenting this program to the entire company. It was happening. We were launching an Apprenticeship Program.
Now? Not even a year later, we have five amazing apprentices that are working diligently to sharpen their SEO skills. Five incredible individuals with unique backgrounds that makes each one of them an incredible asset to our company. So when you ask “what keeps me here?” This is it. Working for a place that will listen to my ideas and actually believe in me and trust me to make something good happen with that idea. A place that never once questioned the investment in our community and immediately got on board to do everything they can to change the course of someone’s future.
That’s why I’m here. That’s why I’m going to stay here. Honestly, I have a feeling that’s why some of you will end up here too. The power of someone believing in you is something we all deserve to feel.