Fairygodboss Of The Week: Courtney Moore
As a mother of three girls and a leader in talent acquisition at PwC, Courtney Moore knows what it’s like to juggle a family and a career -- and she values her firm's understanding of this delicate balance. Whether she’s helping people to navigate job transitions or spending time with her kids, Courtney brings with her some solid advice: “Make it easy for people to find out what you can bring to the table,” she says. “Make your strengths visible to those around you so they can help you tap into them and realize your full potential.”
Fairygodboss of the Week: Courtney Moore
Human Capital Operations Leader, Advisory - PwC
Chicago, Illinois
FGB: Tell us about your career. How did you get to where you are now?
CM: I was pre-med in college, but during my senior year, I had a change of heart about my major. I determined that the medical field was not where I wanted to go with my career, but knew that I had to quickly consider my strengths and interests to evaluate other options because graduation was drawing near.
I turned to my network, as I have come to do so many times since, to help me assess that my passions were centered around building meaningful relationships and helping people. A recruiter was born! I began my career as a recruiter in an agency and then moved into corporate settings.
I have spent the last 11 years of my career with PwC in various talent acquisition leadership roles. Most recently, I led recruiting for our Advisory consulting business, first in the U.S., and then across the Americas and Asia Pacific this past year.
I will soon be moving into a new role overseeing Human Capital Operations for our U.S. Advisory business, which is an exciting opportunity for me to expand my human capital knowledge. What I love most is that every role and opportunity I've had boils down to those core strengths I identified at the onset of my career. I truly believe that I am doing exactly what I was meant to do!
FGB: What is an accomplishment that you are proud of?
CM: Professionally, I am most proud of the progress that the individuals that I have coached, mentored and/or recruited have made in their careers. As a leader, it is so rewarding to see them move around and up in the organization, and I feel a tremendous sense of pride when they are recognized and promoted. I have always felt that we, in the recruiting profession, help people navigate some of the most stressful, albeit exciting, times in their lives. It may sound corny, but I believe that we help enrich people’s lives as a result of the work that we do.
Personally, I am most proud of raising my three daughters (ages 8, 6, and 3) to be well-rounded, polite, and most importantly, happy and healthy! Despite an immensely rewarding career, I still believe that being a mom is my most important life's work.
FGB: What is a challenge that you've faced and overcome?
CM: One of the more humbling experiences I have had in my career was putting my hat in the ring for a job that I felt confident I was ready for. Initially, I was slightly shattered when the job went to someone else, but I quickly turned my focus toward growing my skillset, closing any gaps and continuing to build relationships.
It turned out that not getting that job was one of the best things that could have happened to me. My existing role, at that time, grew in scope, and I learned to work differently, while I gained exposure to new areas and new people that led to different opportunities. It taught me that opportunity can come out of disappointment when you choose to channel it in a productive way.
Lightning Round:
FGB: Who is YOUR Fairygodboss? And why?
CM: My original Fairygodbosses were my parents. They taught me at an early age that the only limits to my potential were those I imposed on myself. The confidence they instilled in my siblings and me to go out and pursue our passions will always be their biggest gift to us.
In addition to my parents, I have had a number of amazing mentors, both women and men, in my career. They have shown me that raising a family and growing your career do not have to be two separate and distinct paths.
In addition to my parents, I have had a number of amazing mentors, both women and men, in my career. They have shown me that raising a family and growing your career do not have to be two separate and distinct paths.
FGB: What do you do when you’re not working?
CM: Typically I'm catching up on laundry or trying to stay on top of our family's crazy schedule, but I love reading or binge watching shows (that I always seem to be a season or two late on).
FGB: If you could have dinner with one famous person - dead or alive - who would it be?
CM: Barack Obama.
FGB: What is your karaoke song?
CM: Anything by N'Sync!
FGB: What is your favorite movie?
CM: “It’s a Wonderful Life.”
FGB: What book would you bring with you on a desert island?
CM: The smart answer is something long and deep, but I'd probably bring something light and fun like “Something Borrowed.”
FGB: What is your shopping vice? What would you buy if you won the lottery?
CM: My shopping vice is online shopping. If I won the lottery, I'd first want to ensure that my and my husband's families were all financially secure, and then I'd love to use the money to travel around the world with my family (though I'd probably just end up using it for more online shopping).
FGB: What is the #1 career tip you'd like to share with other women who want to have successful careers like you?
CM: Do NOT spend your career on the sidelines and DO make it easy for people to find out what you can bring to the table. I was lucky enough to find my voice early on, and realized that I should not be afraid to share my ideas, opinions or perspective. It is in those moments that your strengths are on display. It doesn't mean that you have to be an extrovert at all times, but you do need to find a way to make your strengths visible to those around you so they can help you tap into them and realize your full potential.
FGB: Why do you love where you work?
CM: I love PwC because it espouses values that are core to my personal ones. It is a place that rewards hard work and results, but respects your need to be your whole self both in and out of the workplace. As a result of this flexibility, I am able to have breakfast with my kids and drive them to school every morning. The time I get to spend with my girls talking about our hopes and plans for the day is precious time that I would not trade for anything.
Professionally, the firm has seen potential in me that even I wasn’t sure that I had, and has provided me with multiple professional opportunities to achieve and demonstrate that potential. I will be forever grateful for all of the experiences that I have been afforded.
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