#WomenInTech: Elly Bradley
In this series, we shed light on some of the inspiring female figures working at TextNow, their views on their roles within the tech industry, and of the tech industry as a whole.
Among the many challenges of working in the tech industry is finding the right people to work within that industry. That’s something that our Head of Recruitment, Elly Bradley, is well aware of.
Elly has been a Kitchener-Waterloo native since a young age, but her roots are found in the U.K, which explains her predestined love for the Royal Family. When she’s not busy encouraging her recruiters to ring gongs whenever they sign a new hire, she’s encouraging her family and friends in the gym as a certified personal trainer.
The same drive that powers her busy extracurricular schedule (6am workouts, biking, running, cooking, baking…I’m honestly getting tired just from writing this list) can also be found in her professional life. She confesses that she “love[s] to coach and motivate people as they journey through their professional careers. [She is] personally thrilled when[she helps] others find new and rewarding careers.”
But at TextNow, we’re not just about helping others find their place within our organization. We continually ensure that once they are in, they’re accommodated in every which way. While our health and wellness initiatives include a personal gym space and various yoga, meditation, and personal fitness classes, one of the most useful and simple accommodations that Elly appreciates are the free books.
Our bookshelves are filled with personal recommendations from our CEO, Derek Ting, along with various other requested titles. While some may be purely for entertainment, Elly has credited some of her newfound approaches to communication and leadership to the material available to her in that coveted bookshelf. Her personal recommendations include Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance by Angela Duckworth and Radical Candor: Be a Kickass Boss Without Losing Your Humanity by Kim Scott.
Working within the tech industry presents its challenges across every discipline, including recruiting, as Elly muses:
One of the biggest challenges of the tech industry are ensuring that you always stay relevant as an employee and for other opportunities that come your way. Keeping your skills current and relevant to your field will ensure that you continue to add value to your team and company, along with continuing to grow as an individual and remain engaged.
Staying relevant in a fast-paced industry certainly requires an ongoing effort, but Elly truly believes that “you own your career, you drive its success and you are accountable for your own professional growth. You owe it to yourself to stay current and relevant.” It can also be said the very same fast-paced culture is what makes working in tech so rewarding. It’s the constant strive for innovation and improvement that drives us as a company, as well as our individual employees, to challenge pre-conceived notions and deliver fresh ideas.
Elly’s personal advice to any women looking to enter the tech industry?
I encourage other women in tech or who want to be in tech to take charge of their careers and own their successes and failures. Toot your own horn and ensure others know what you are great at, what motivates you and what value you bring to the industry! You are your own best ambassador!
Oh, and on a more fun note, we asked her what her favourite Starbucks drink is, and were surprised to find out that it was a black Americano. I mean, who would have guessed that a healthy crossfitter would choose something that didn’t involve 4 pumps of pure glucose?
You can reach out to Elly on LinkedIn if you want to chat careers, resumes or whatever else from a professional development perspective; her profile is always open.
