Recognizing and acting on opportunities

Nancy Molina’s story

Much has been made available to me, professionally and personally, and I feel strongly about giving back. In my recruiting role with Grant Thornton, I get to do just that. I lead a team that offers career opportunities to deserving job seekers.

Opportunities don’t come with labels. You need to see them for what they are in order to act on them. I had the chance to grow into a strong individual as a result of a trying time in my childhood, when I spent formative years far from my parents. It took until early in my career to recognize this as an opportunity. I realized then that my perseverance in making my way into and through college, without a close role model, came from needing to learn independence at a young age. It’s what equipped me to deal with future challenges.It’s also what prepared me for a career in recruiting; I help others become empowered by recognizing their opportunities.

That’s what my team of eight and I do at Grant Thornton. We help candidates recognize the value in what they offer to the firm and what the firm offers to them. As the associate director of recruiting for our Advisory service line, I work with my team to support a rapidly growing sector in the firm. We filled over 100 positions in the first two months of the fiscal year; our goal is to fill almost 200 more in the next few months. This represents a lot of opportunity for all involved.

Many of those who come to us or whom we seek out are multicultural. Grant Thornton is eager to hire individuals from a healthy mix of cultures, so we develop relationships with a wide range of organizations to connect with potential employees.  The firm supports my involvement with the Association of Latino Professionals for America (ALPFA). As a Latina, I’ve been active in the organization at the national and local levels for 13 years. With its mission to empower and develop Latino men and women as leaders in the nation and around the globe, ALPFA is an excellent partner for Grant Thornton in our efforts to ensure a diverse workforce. About 25 of us recently represented Grant Thornton at ALPFA’s national conference, where we facilitated a session for university students and held interviews for intern and associate positions. It was exciting to me because I’m especially drawn to university students who, like I was, are the first in their family to graduate from college.

In further embracing diversity, the firm actively supports a range of business resource groups (BRGs). Each BRG comprises people with a shared interest or background, e.g., Latinos(as)/Hispanics, Equality, Women in Business and African-Americans. They do an incredible job of empowering employees of all viewpoints and from all walks of life.

That focus on diversity and empowerment was an important factor in my decision to come to Grant Thornton. Before joining this firm, I was contacted by the executive sponsor of Grant Thornton’s Latinos(as) BRG because he was interested in becoming involved with the ALPFA professional chapter in Houston. My interaction with him confirmed that if I left my job at a Big Four firm, I would find great opportunities with the people of Grant Thornton. The people were the attraction for me, and they’re the reason I continue to love my job.

At Grant Thornton, I appreciate that core values about people and relationships are a top priority. They are CLEARRly spelled out as Collaboration, Leadership, Excellence, Agility, Respect and Responsibility. I always tell candidates that what differentiates us is our culture. It is leaders and colleagues living out our values to empower each other. This is the reason I want to be here and to show others why they might want to be here, too.