‘Just Be Yourself; the World Will Adjust’: Lessons from a Learning Advisor at a Leading Bank

“Just be yourself; the world will adjust.” That’s Sandra (Sandy) Adela Sanchez’s best piece of career advice — and something she’s used to advance on her own professional journey. 

One part of being yourself in a professional setting is finding a job that you’re passionate about. To achieve this, Sandy suggests looking within. “Passion comes from the heart,” she says. “Read anything and everything that sparks your interest and remain positive! Learn from your peers and mentors, and never stop growing.” And during it all, Sandy reminds us to, “enjoy the journey!”

Additionally, “get involved and say yes to any opportunity that comes your way, even if you have self-doubt,” Sandy notes. When Sandy began following this advice and saying “yes” to opportunities in her own career, she tells us that she was able to truly grow and advance. “We all struggle with confidence at times, but if someone sees your value and is offering you an opportunity, go for it” she urges. Believe in yourself and your ability to accomplish things you may have not even dreamed about before! 

Today, thanks to trusting in herself and taking on new challenges and opportunities, Sandy has grown her career to become a Learning Advisor at Barclays — a leading bank that has made a real and lasting difference to the economic lives of their customers and communities for over 330 years. In this role, Sandy has been able to find her personal passion, purpose, and voice. “I truly love what I do,” she says, “and [I continue to] look for opportunities where I can be of service.”

Here, she shares more about how she broke into the banking industry, what her job entails, how Barclays supports her, and more!

To start, what advice do you have for someone new to the banking industry like you were?

When I started, I knew nothing about banking. But you will be recognized and excel like I did by:

• Sticking with it and asking questions!

• Using your resources (we have many at Barclays). 

• Getting involved and being the best you can be. 

• Living by our Values: Respect, Integrity, Service, Excellence and Stewardship.

Can you tell us a bit about your current role? What’s your day-to-day like?

I have been with Barclays since April 2017 and in my learning advisor role since June 2020. 

My day-to-day work differs depending on business needs. At the moment, I'm observing an Elite training class that is being given by one of my peers. We also have agents who are in a discovery role learning about our jobs, and I have one agent assigned to me as a "Buddy." I check in with him daily, and we decide how to best help him learn about the learning advisor role. Currently, I’m here to answer questions while he helps another one of our trainers in their integration class, which gives him hands-on experience.

What do you find most challenging and rewarding about your work?

The most challenging part about my work is not having control over certain aspects, such as access issues. It can be a bit challenging and frustrating when agents don't have the access they need to work. It is the computer age so we all can relate. 

The most rewarding part of my work is seeing the agents grow! I have such a passion for this; I keep in touch with them as often as possible and celebrate their accomplishments during their journey.

Sandy. Photo courtesy of Barclays.

Switching gears, let’s talk about career growth. What’s your No. 1 piece of advice for women who are moving into or want to move into leadership roles?

Remain positive and be curious. Seek guidance, and seek a mentor. Let your team manager know what your goals are so that they can help you achieve them. Never stop learning.

At Barclays, we have an open door policy for all of our peers. Whether it's a team manager or our leads, we always have someone we can reach out to if needed. 

Speaking of Barclays, what’s your favorite aspect of your company’s culture, and how does Barclays help you succeed?

Barclays is very diverse and inclusive. We have many different resource groups that we can join, including The Asian Professionals, Black Professionals, Latin Professionals, Spectrum/LGBT+, Multicultural, Working Families, Disability, and Mental Health & Neurodiversity.

What I love about Barclays is that they give you the opportunity to join groups if you desire, and contribute to society by getting involved in volunteering, not just on the job but in the community.

Learn more about how Barclays prioritized DEI here. And, if you’d like to join the team, check out jobs via the following link! 

Fairygodboss is proud to partner with Barclays. Find a job there today!