Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Ashlie Journet. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Ashlie, we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.
Whew… I found my purpose through what I once considered setbacks.
Let’s rewind back to middle school; I failed 9th grade and tried my hardest to catch up on my credits to graduate on time with the rest of my original class in 2006. Fortunately, that didn’t happen, and I say “fortunately” because little did I know that these life events would lead me to my purpose later in life.
I was devastated and embarrassed about not graduating high school, fearing that I’d be judged by others. I struggled for years, thinking I wasn’t good enough or couldn’t accomplish anything great.
I went on to receive my GED in 2007; still feeling lost with no real sense of direction, I literally felt like I was playing double-dutch with my education and career: enrolling into community college, cosmetology school, and medical assisting school, not completing any of the programs, while also working various part-time and full-time retail jobs until I was about 22.
Giving birth to my twin boys in 2012 was a game-changer; something clicked in me, and I started taking life more seriously. I enrolled in community college, graduating with an A.A. in 2017, and later graduated with a B.S. from East Carolina University in 2021 at the age of 32.
In 2017, I began working in Human Resources, supporting over 300 warehouse workers; one day, a new hire employee said, “Ms. Ashlie, I’m happy to have this job, but I don’t think I’ll be able to go much further than this because I don’t have my high school diploma or GED”; I looked at the employee, smiled from ear to ear then responded, “I didn’t graduate from high school either, but I did get my GED and you can do the same. Your story doesn’t have to end here, keep pushing through”. The employee was shocked to hear that the HR lady didn’t graduate high school.
This is just one of many stories where I’ve been able to encourage and motivate others through my story. I like to say, “My Story is God’s Glory”. I would have never guessed that me not graduating from high school would allow me to empower others; I’ve had the opportunity to speak with k-12 and college students about the importance of taking their education seriously. I’ve helped countless adults realize their God-given potential despite their life circumstances.
My purpose is to inspire, educate, and relate! I’ve been passionate about helping others since I was a child, but I never knew that God would use what I considered setbacks as a prework-out for my purpose.
I embrace my story, wearing it like a badge of honor; it’s my testimony. I will continue to share it to help others.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I’m a Corporate Recruiter by day and a Resume Renovator by night!
I’ve pivoted between Human Resources and Talent Acquisition over the last 6.5 years, working as a Human Resources Business Partner, HR Specialist, Corporate Recruiter, and Talent Sourcer.
My purpose is to inspire, educate, and relate. I’ve been a job seeker and a Recruiter; I understand the challenges on both sides of the hiring process. (I also often create LinkedIn posts about both perspectives) I passionately advocate for job candidates, ensuring an exceptional experience at every step of the recruiting process.
In 2023, I launched my business, The Candidate Advocate Resume Writing Services, LLC, officially making me a work-preneur! I help job seekers articulate their professional skills and accomplishments through their resumes while empowering them to realize the value of their God-given gifts.
My journey into writing resumes began over a decade ago, writing resumes for friends, family, and colleagues, helping them secure new jobs, promotions, and more money. I’ve always been passionate about helping others, so writing resumes never seemed like a chore or a job.
My husband and a friend motivated me to turn it into a business; the rest is HerStory!
My services include:
Resume Audits
Resume Renovations
LinkedIn Optimization
Though I’ve been writing resumes for over a decade, my experience in HR and TA has elevated my skills over the years.
Aside from working with my clients, I’ve created a “My First Resume” template tailored for K-12 students, instilling the importance of having a resume, tracking achievements, and embracing their skills from an early age. I’ve had the privilege to speak to children, guiding them through completing their resumes; seeing them own and embrace their achievements and skills are priceless!
I’ve also had the privilege of speaking to college students via volunteer work and paid speaking engagements, sharing my non-traditional education journey and helping them to realize and embrace their skills and achievements.
This year, I hope to secure more speaking engagements to continue to motivate and inspire students of all ages through my personal story and resume writing services. My passion for education and writing goes together like peanut butter and jelly, lol.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
God gets all the glory for me getting through my journey! He transformed my test into a testimony.
Servant-hearted: Being selfless and willing to serve others, expecting nothing in return is extremely important.
Having a servant’s heart has allowed me to dive deeper into my purpose.
Resilience: It allowed me to bounce back from setbacks and maintain a positive perspective on life.
Adaptability: Being able to learn and adapt to changing circumstances is crucial.
Advice:
– Give yourself more grace! As people, we set high expectations for ourselves, not giving ourselves credit for our small wins.
– You don’t need hundreds or thousands of dollars to start your business. Start it now; learn as you grow. Do it scared.
– Stop comparing your journey to someone else’s! Your journey is unique; it was specifically designed for you. Your journey and your story are going to positively impact the lives of others.
– What’s for you is for you! There is no one that can do what you do the way that you do it.
Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?
Absolutely! I look forward to collaborating and/or partnering with like-minded individuals or companies to create a meaningful impact!
I’m extremely passionate about education and resume writing, and I am eager to partner with K-12 schools, colleges, universities and non-profits. My goal is to share my personal journey, from facing challenges in high school and not graduating to overcoming life’s hurdles and building a successful career and business. I want to inspire and encourage students to persevere and push through adversity.
Additionally, I’m open to collaboration with educational institutions and organizations to provide career development, resume writing, and LinkedIn optimization tips. Many of us struggle to recognize our achievements, and my goal is to help people realize their God-given talents, enabling them to articulate their value through their resumes.
If you share a passion for education and helping individuals recognize their potential, I would love to connect and explore collaboration opportunities.
You can reach me via email at support@candidateadvocate.com.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.candidateadvocate.com/
- Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/candidateadvocate/
Image Credits
N/A, my husband took every photo except 2.
