Name: Derrick W.
Position: FLEX Recruiting Coordinator
Location: Remote
Dream destination: Kenya, Tanzania, Seychelles, Zimbabwe, ending with getting in a shark cage in South Africa to see the Great Whites
Drink or treat of choice: I love a good Reposado Skinny Margarita!

This former US Navy Corpsman didn’t have a career in hospitality on his radar before joining Marriott’s Talent Acquisition team as a FLEX Recruiting Coordinator.

After being stationed in Italy and Bahrain for five years, Derrick came back to the US and was trying to figure out his next career move, when he received a message that would change his life.

“I didn’t really know what was next for me until I got an unexpected message on LinkedIn from a gentleman [at Marriott] who was looking for individuals he felt would make a great team to launch a new hiring program,” he recalls. “I can’t tell you how grateful I am for the opportunity he has given me and my team.”

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Derrick and his team work with an interview scheduling technology called Paradox, which basically helps make the hiring process easier and faster. How? As he explains, this tool automatically schedules and conducts more interviews, syncs with the recruiters and applicants calendars, communicates with them via text and email, and essentially makes a process that is nerve-wracking enough for most people, smoother and more time efficient.

As someone with no previous background in hospitality, this self-professed “huge huge huge Star Wars fan,” shares that one of the main highlights from his Marriott journey so far, has been learning something new every day. That and his team.

“The entire Talent Acquisition team is literally the best and a dream to work with,” he says. “They make work not feel like work and we genuinely bring out the best in each other.”

Derrick’s position at Marriott is a FLEX role. FLEX roles are a great option for candidates looking for flexible or temporary work opportunities at Marriott while still being able to take advantage of the great benefits that Marriott offers its associates. For example, FLEX associates are eligible for Marriott’s benefits, including our renown employee travel discounts. There are FLEX roles across a wide range of departments and specialties, from Global Technology to Marketing and Finance and more.

Learn more about how Derrick applied what he learned in the Navy to his Marriott experience, and how he’s making the most of it in his own words below.

What was your specialty in the Navy?

I enlisted as a Hospital Corpsman (medic) with a specialty in Dentistry after I graduated from Georgia State University in 2013. My time in service was some of the greatest times of my life. I lived in Naples, Italy, for three years. I was a 45-minute ride away from the Amalfi Coast and an hour train ride to Rome. I got to live amongst Italians and fully immerse in the culture and traditions of the city. I was blessed with the opportunity to travel and cross places off my bucket list that I never thought I would ever get to see. After that, I also got the chance to be stationed in Manama, Bahrain — I got to have another unique experience that was completely different from my time in Europe, but equally as awesome.

And how do you think that experience helped you in your current job?

Being in the military means you come in contact with A LOT of people from different places, backgrounds, customs, and traditions. [There I learned that] the more effective you are at communicating the easier it makes your time in service. Working with so many different kinds of individuals helped shape the way I speak and, more importantly, listen, as well as solve problems effectively. The military instilled in me the confidence that if someone teaches me a skill there is no doubt I can master it — and that’s the current path I am on with Talent Acquisition, learning every day and just trying my best to master the skill one step at a time. With the experience from this position, I hope to rejoin the Navy as a Reserve Human Resource Officer. Wish me luck!

What would you say to veterans looking to pivot their careers?

Keep that resume up to date, take advantage of all the veterans’ resources, stay active on LinkedIn, actively seek out individuals in the companies in which you’re interested and just stay positive in your search!

Do you remember a time at Marriott when you’ve felt like part of a community?

Our first Talent Acquisition team trip was actually my first professional career work trip. Meeting my team and engaging in team building activities really helped me get comfortable with my role and gave me the peace of mind that I needed going forward to be confident in my position.

Any advice you would give someone who’s looking to make a career pivot, but is feeling unsure or lacking confidence?

Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there, continue to seek out knowledge and stay consistent!

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