Into the unknown: exploring a career in a new industry
The journey to FCM
After graduating from college, I wasn’t sure of what I wanted to do. I decided to get my thoughts together by cycling from New York all the way to Seattle alone. It took four months, and I even had to camp by the side of the road! I moved to Rhode Island after I completed my trip, and I guess I’d been bit by the travel bug because traveling was still on my mind once I’d settled in. I found out about FCM through Indeed and I applied, even though I didn’t know anything about corporate travel. I originally started as a Jr. Consultant and worked with the Warwick, RI team for two and a half years. A year and a half ago, I made another leap applying for a new position as an Account Manager, and I made the move to Philadelphia, PA!
A culture to write home about
The one word I’d use to describe FCM’s culture is flexible. They value creativity and critical thinking, so you’re encouraged to think outside of the box to solve problems. There’s no micromanaging. My manager trusts me to get my work done, and my hard work is acknowledged. We absolutely work hard and play hard. Events like National Ball and Global Gathering really make all the hard work worth it. It’s nice to be celebrated, especially while having fun in cool cities like Las Vegas!
Management is also super approachable. I’m never worried about reaching out to senior leadership for answers or advice. It’s easy to strike up a conversation, and there aren’t the typical corporate barriers between individual contributors and upper management. It makes for a great learning experience.
Choosing account management
As an Account Manager, you are the link between the customer and the business. It’s important for us to build trust with our customers because we’re the ones they come to with concerns and questions, or even advice. We also need to have a good pulse on what the current travel trends are so we can adequately advise our customers. Exploring new travel news is one of the main things I love about this job, since I enjoy stepping into the unknown. I’m proud of myself for making the leap to account management from operations and stepping outside of my comfort zone. It's opened up my career path in so many ways, and it helps that FCM has my back.
Where to next?
I love Germany, especially Bavaria. Great beer and even better mountain views. However, I think my next stop is going to finally be Ireland.