Name: Nacie Pereira
Class Year: 2007
Title: Director of Talent Development
Organization Name: Rue Gilt Groupe
1. In one sentence, what does your job entail?
My job focuses on developing the skills, behaviors, and leadership qualities that Associates, Managers, and Directors at my company need to make the business successful AND enjoy satisfying careers.
2. What planned and unplanned events connected you to your industry and your first employer after Holy Cross? How did you learn/decide it was a good fit for you?
I wouldn’t say I have a particular industry that I serve, I would say that I have an industry-agnostic skill set. Learning and Development, Talent, and Coaching are industry agnostic in terms of their best practices in many ways. I got into my area of work because of my first job after HC. I was a History major and didn’t know what I wanted to do after school. I took the highest-paying job I could find, which was in financial software, and realized quickly that it didn’t align with who I was and how I wanted to contribute. At HC, there is such a wonderful emphasis on contributing to the world and serving others, and being in the wrong role helped me realize the way I want to contribute and serve is through walking alongside and supporting others on their career journeys – being in the wrong job inspired me to help others grow and ensure they were in the right jobs for them! I found coaching almost by accident and have been in love with that work, and all development work, ever since.
3. What were you involved in when you were on campus?
I was an RA in Healy for 3 years (my senior year I was the HRA). I was also involved in the Light Opera Company (long defunct, I think!).
4. What was your major and how did it affect your career decisions?
I was a History major and I loved it. The History Department at Holy Cross is my happy place. It impacted my career decisions by encouraging me to think big picture, to synthesize information, see themes, and make connections that might not be readily obvious. All important qualities in a coach!
5. What are one or two skills that you developed at Holy Cross that you use in your work?
Asking questions with genuine curiosity and bringing a service orientation to everything I do. The Jesuit philosophy of being an engaged, serving member of your community has helped me approach my work with warmth, helpfulness, and enthusiasm.
6. What advice do you have for students on campus today?
Allow yourself to slow down in the experience of being at HC; at times, college can feel like a vehicle taking you to whatever is next in your life. But HC is a truly special place that allows you to explore and develop your whole self, not just as a student but as a human in the world. Embrace that, and give yourself permission to go slow enough to savor as much as you can.
