Culture

Career Conversations: Justin Hudgens

career conversations
career conversations

This month we are featuring Justin Hudgens, Senior Consultant in the Saba practice at Educe.

 

What do you do in your day-to-day role?

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As a Senior Consultant, I am responsible for business analytics, design, testing, and documentation for implementations and on-going administrative support. I conduct both virtual and on-site training and configuration workshops. In my free time, I also support projects as a Technical Consultant facilitating data analysis/migration and technical integrations.

What skills does your current job require? How have you mastered those skills? 

My dual roles as Business and Technical Consultant draw on a wide range of skills, the most important of which are attention to detail and problem solving. Having a true understanding of a client’s business needs and firm grasp of their data structures allow me to approach problems with an open and critical mind. I work consistently to hone my skills, but I wouldn’t say I’ve mastered them just yet. There’s always room for improvement.

What advice would you give to others working in Educe Group about how to succeed in the organization?

Draw on inspiration from others. The firm has years of experience in the talent technology space and there is always someone willing to extend a helping hand. When you’re not working on a project, keep things fresh by getting involved with other team members for exposure and additional learning opportunities.

What project/s are you most proud of?

My first project at Educe was with a big brand name; one that I grew up with as a customer and studied as a student in college. I was resourced to the project for my data analytics skill set and I quickly built the client’s trust and loyalty with my ability to articulate and mitigate data issues. To have the opportunity to work with a brand I grew up with, automating data processes, and work across LMS platforms, gave me the opportunity to showcase a number of my skills both internally and externally. It really set the mood for my career with Educe. I couldn’t be prouder of the opportunity.

How do you successfully build relationships with clients?

Follow-up and follow through is my mantra. No one expects you to have all the answers; they expect you to understand the problem and find a solution. You can quickly build rapport and trust with clients by actively listening and following through on requests. “I don’t know” is never an answer I want to give. I tend to resolve to “let me see what I can find” or “let me get back to you on that.” It is important that when you make a promise, you follow through on that promise in order to build and solidify credibility.

What do you feel sets us apart from other consulting firms?

At Educe, we understand that no single person retains all product knowledge. What sets us apart from other consulting firms is we work as a team to support a project from top to bottom. Our consultants utilize project experiences across the firm to quickly identify and mitigate risks. For a Business Consultant, it might be the first time you are approaching a solution, but it’s not the first time the firm has resolved a similar problem. Educe can provide a plethora of solutions that drive the most effective Talent Management solutions for each of our clients.

What are your hobbies/interests outside of work?

Outside of work, I enjoy the outdoors, hiking and camping with my fiancé of 5 years and 2 wonderful dogs. I am a huge science and technology fan. I read SciTech Daily and other technology focused articles. I collect astrological photography from the Hubble, Chandra, and Spitzer space telescopes and I am eagerly anticipating the launch of the James Webb Space Telescope in 2020. When I’m not reading about science and technology, I enjoy listening to various genres of music and I am an avid gamer (boards, cards, or console games).

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