Who: Paula Cervoni
Position: Engagement Manager
Employee Since: June 2014
Fun Fact: One of my favorite moments as a Silverline Engagement Manager was our client team winning the 2014 “Most Collaborative Team” Award.”
Where were you prior to Silverline?
Prior to joining Silverline, I was an independent consultant doing freelance consulting on technology-related projects. The main areas of my consulting were CRM evaluations/assessments, user adoption, and email marketing. Before my freelance consulting days, I had spent many years passionately leading teams on client CRM implementation initiatives of all shapes and sizes across the globe.
How did you hear about Silverline & your current position?
I wanted to work as an independent consultant rather than work in a full-time position, unless an amazing opportunity, that was truly a great fit, came up. Through discussions and meeting people at Silverline, it seemed that Silverline might have that amazing position.
Key factors that led me to join Silverline were the flexibility and opportunity to utilize my skills and extensive experience in the best way possible; the specialization in CRM with focus on the Salesforce ecosystem; and most importantly the dynamic energy of a diverse, progressive, supportive, and “fun” culture. Ten months in, I can happily say Silverline is a great fit and it has been the right move for me.
How would you describe your average day?
The engagement manager (EM) role at Silverline is not a traditional cookie-cutter position. Some EM’s are more technical, while others have more business and industry experience. They also range in experience from novice, junior EMs, to seasoned, senior EMs. Each EM brings their unique skills and expertise to the table and is assigned to client projects accordingly. This strategy maximizes both employee and client satisfaction and fosters a strong, diverse, high performing team.
Thankfully, each day is different and the reason I love consulting. A typical day for me involves working on client’s projects, leading the Silverline project team, and being the primary “go-to” person for the client. I prepare project strategies, plans, status updates, budgets, communications, facilitate meetings, address obstacles, and work closely with the project team to create awesome solutions which exceed client expectations.
Change is a constant in this position. This requires me to be flexible and agile especially in unexpected and/or urgent situations. My role involves being a facilitator for the client and internal teams. I focus on clarifying communications to make sure we are all on the same page in order to ensure our mutual success. As an EM, facilitation along with creative, effective communication is paramount and is what I enjoy most. To create successful teams and deliver the highest level of client service, knowing what, when, how, and to whom to communicate is key. The challenge of creating the flow and balance of communication is exciting to me. This includes making sure that everyone has the right breadth and depth of information at the right time to help them succeed independently and for us to thrive as a team.
Has gender inequality affected you as a consultant?
While there has been significant progress, gender inequality still is prevalent in the workforce today. Unfortunately, I know stories of women who are not treated equally in terms of what is expected from them, how they are addressed, and what they are paid. Over the course of my career, I have been in work situations where I have been treated differently than a male counterpart, under the same set of circumstances, in ways cleverly articulated by Sheryl Sandberg in her book “Lean In.” Silverline is ahead of the game and presents equal opportunities for all genders. It is about who you are and what you can contribute to Silverline first and foremost.
What excites you about coming to work every day?
I love the teams I work with. I am always learning something new. I enjoy solving business problems and doing work which results in success for both our clients and Silverline. One of my favorite aspects of my job is the fact that I can teach and positively impact more junior members of the team and, in turn, what they teach me every day. It is extremely important for me to enjoy what I do at work because I spend a lot of time doing it! It is awesome how Silverline prioritizes professional development and education. Silverline offers ample opportunities to help individuals grow and develop skills to achieve their goals. At Silverline, we are committed to continuous improvement and we eat, sleep, and breathe the powerful concept of “lessons learned.” Some of my favorite things about working at Silverline are the morning meditation and yoga classes; our amazing office space; the cool events we offer the Salesforce community; and the great energy and support of our team.
What is your favorite memory at Silverline?
I have many amazing memories since joining Silverline, most of them involving the awesome teams with which I have had the pleasure of working. One of my favorite memories is when our client team won the 2014 “Most Collaborative Team” award. It was unexpected and was a great moment to have all of our hard work and dedication acknowledged and applauded. (see picture above!) Our team worked together through many challenges presented on a large, complex project, and ended up being close colleagues, stronger team members, and friends by the end of the project. Another memory that stands out was when I broke my ankle right after getting hired. Silverline was supportive and accommodating during a very difficult time for me, enabling me to continue to succeed in my endeavors.
If you had a friend that wanted to work at Silverline and asked for advice what would you tell them?
I would tell them that Silverline is a unique place and a close-knit team. I would let them know that is is important that individuals hired here are a good fit and are the “cream of the crop.” I would tell them to expect a rigorous interview process and to be yourself. It is important to be yourself because most likely, you will not be successful being “someone else” during the interview process than you would be when you are actually hired and working. Silverline offers many great benefits and requires hard work, dedication, and commitment to excellence by always learning and improving.
Interested in a career at Silverline? Check out our Careers Page for open positions!