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A Day in the Life: John McKoll

By 01.10.20 John McKoll
Reading time: 3 minutes

Job Title: Consultant Advocate

Start Date: November 2017

What is a fun fact or something interesting about yourself?

I once dressed up as Jar Jar Binks for Halloween. I had the mask, costume, and voice down pat. I annoyed many friends that day. In truth, I think Jar Jar gets a bad rap. There are so many things worse about the prequel Star Wars movies and much of is it unfairly rested on that silly Gungan’s shoulders.

What is your position at Silverline?

I support a team of consultants in our Delivery department. My role involves typical managerial duties like one-on-one meetings, gathering feedback, paperwork, but it also comes with an expectation that I am here to support each consultant as a full human. At Silverline, as with many companies, we previously had senior members of the team serve as managers in addition to their client-facing responsibilities. We found that this was not ideal for our consultants or for the managers, so we created the Consultant Advocate position to be a full-time, internal role focused on the growth and success of our consultants. In short: I get to be a Hufflepuff at work.

What does your average day look like?

Lots o’ meetings. I spend most of my day talking and actively listening to the individuals I support. It’s a lot of work and fun.

How did you find out about Silverline and your current position?

I was already here at Silverline in a different role. I was working on a different team doing a more hands-on technical role when they announced the creation of the Consultant Advocate. I jumped at the chance to be in a people-oriented role and here I am.

What motivates you at work?

Helping people to succeed and feel empowered in their own success.

What are some interesting challenges you face?

The individuals I support are at varying levels of their careers and lives. I have to find a way to be supportive to all of them equally. No two people on my team need the same things from me and that keeps things interesting day-in and day-out.

What do you think makes Silverline successful?

The people, hands down. We have a bunch of people living all over the country, each with vastly different perspectives than the next. Great care goes into making sure we hire the right people for the atmosphere we want to cultivate and it shows.

What is your favorite perk?

Having access to One Medical is a refreshing and excellent perk. After years of going to doctors who didn’t know me from anyone else, I now have a regular physician who actually takes the time to talk to me, understands where I am coming from, and offers me medical advice I need when I need it.

What is your favorite memory from working at Silverline?

After Silverline’s annual holiday party last year, while a lot of other folks were heading to afterparties, my wife and I peeled off from the crowd with a buddy of mine on the Change Management team, Zach Baker and his wife Sarah. The four of us went to a restaurant down the street and had a quiet evening catching up and telling stories. It was great getting to know one another better alongside our partners and it was a wonderful end to a fun night of celebration.

What do you hope for your future at Silverline?

I hope I’m able to positively impact the careers and lives of the consultants I support.

What advice would you give someone considering a job at Silverline?

Be honest about where you are and where you want to be. It’s really tempting when you’re getting a new job to feel you have to inflate yourself or otherwise make yourself seem more than you are. The truth is that it’s better to be authentic, and if this is the place for you, everything will fall into place.

 

Interested in working with an amazing team? We’re hiring! Check out our Careers page to learn more and to see current openings. Be sure to check us out on Glassdoor and LinkedIn, too.

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