This month we are featuring Rachel Schotz, Senior Consultant in the Saba practice at Educe.
What do you do in your day-to-day role?
The day-to-day of a consultant varies. Currently, I work with one client to help implement their learning platform. My main goal is to showcase all possibilities for the client when it comes to Saba Cloud and provide them the pros/cons and downstream effects of each option so that they can make an informed decision. Each decision gets us a step closer to a strong go-live, so having strong demos and workshops is key. I also put out any fires that may arise in collaboration with other Business and Technical Consultants.
What skills does your current job require? How have you mastered those skills?
At Educe, we emphasize having strong communication, problem-solving, organization, initiative, and interpersonal skills. I don’t think I’ve mastered any of these skills yet, but I’m constantly growing and striving to better myself. I lead calls several times a week for groups of varying sizes from a handful to upwards of 45. I’ve learned to get to know each person at a client organization so that I can best cater my communication style to them. Sometimes clients need hand holding, and sometimes they need you to be direct with them. Learning when each style is appropriate is a large part of my job.
What advice would you give to others working in Educe Group about how to succeed in the organization?
Something I’ve noticed about Educe is that we aren’t competitive internally, which makes for a wonderful working atmosphere. Everyone is extremely supportive and happy to help. Putting in hard work is, of course, important, but asking others for assistance when I am stuck has helped me become extremely successful.
What project/s are you most proud of?
The project I am most proud of so far was my first real solo project within Educe. I was the only Business Consultant for a healthcare client already live with Saba Cloud. They needed technical support because they were short-staffed for their learning management system administrators. This was a unique challenge for someone new because every decision I made affected their live users in real time, and I was still learning the system. I’m proud that I took the time to dive deep into the issues, fix them, and create job aids for the client, so they can sustain with a cleaner system moving forward.
How do you successfully build relationships with clients?
On top of delivering strong work in a timely manner, I try to always ask clients if they have weekend plans or how their day is going. Oftentimes from this, I can find something in common with the client, which helps build additional trust and comfort. I also try to take advantage of opportunities to grab a meal with a client if they are in town or I am on site. These small gestures go a long way!
What do you feel sets us apart from other consulting firms?
The company culture at Educe is top notch. Everyone is friendly and supportive; they want you to succeed because that’s how the company succeeds. There is a strong work/life balance; we are not a firm that expects 80 hours. On top of that, the Educe management plans retreats for us twice a year, where we get to come together as a full company. This helps keep us united and allows us to build relationships with everyone who works remotely.
What are your hobbies/interests outside of work?
Outside of work, I like to bike; I’m working my way up to a century. I also play in a flag football league every weekend. Other than those, you’ll catch me at the gym, cooking, watching sitcoms, and reading a mixture of nonfiction and sci-fi novels.
