Career Path of a Department Secretary at Kaiser Permanente
Ariel's career journey, beginning with roles at Jamba Juice and Outback Steakhouse, showcases a progression from entry-level positions to increased responsibility, culminating in "key holder" status at Outback. The subsequent career path included administrative and recruitment roles, customer service at Alaska Airlines, and eventually a department secretary position at Kaiser Permanente, where they now "wear three hats," handling competencies, compliance, scheduling, insurance processing, and payroll for over 150 staff, highlighting a dedication to achieving a goal within the healthcare field despite "seven years" of effort.
Career Development, Overcoming Challenges, Achieving Goals, Motivational Stories, Real-World Examples
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Ariel Ayala
Department Secretary
Kaiser Permanente
N/A
N/A
General Studies / Not Applicable
Healthcare, Medical & Wellness
Operations and Project Management
None Applicable
Video Highlights
1. "Start with transferable skills": Ariel emphasizes the value of transferable skills gained from various roles, such as customer service, management, and staffing, which proved beneficial in transitioning to her current position.
2. "Persistence and patience": Securing a position at Kaiser Permanente took Ariel seven years, highlighting the importance of persistence and patience in achieving career goals, especially in competitive fields.
3. "Consider non-clinical roles in healthcare": For students interested in healthcare but not clinical roles, Ariel's career path demonstrates alternative opportunities in administration, compliance, and support roles within healthcare settings. She highlights the variety of tasks she performs in her current position which encompass scheduling, insurance processing and payroll.
Transcript
Could you walk me through your career path, starting with your experiences in college? Please include any internships or jobs you had before your current role.
I never went to college, but my first job was at Jamba Juice. I worked my way up for six months and became an assistant manager.
After that, I took a second job at Outback Steakhouse, where I worked for almost six years. I started as a hostess and became a key holder. While not a management position, it allowed me to manage staff and the front end.
Then, I started an entry-level admin position with Maxim Staffing, which handled onboarding and HR compliance. After that, I moved to Nelson Staffing and worked in recruitment.
Following that, I changed careers and returned to customer service, working for Alaska Airlines. I loved it because I enjoy traveling. If you love to travel, I recommend working for an airline; you can travel the world at a discounted price.
I left Alaska Airlines due to COVID and started working at an apartment complex as a leasing agent. I managed two buildings with over a thousand residents each.
From there, I realized I wanted to work in the healthcare field, but not as a nurse or doctor. I wanted to work on the backend. If you're interested in healthcare but don't want to pursue nursing or similar roles, I suggest trying to get into Kaiser Permanente. It's very difficult; it took me seven years.
Once I got into Kaiser, I landed an on-call position as a department secretary. I worked in that role for six months and then secured a full-time position. I'm currently with Kaiser working in competencies and compliance.
I actually have three roles in the office. I also handle scheduling and process insurances, including KSA or Medi-Cal. Additionally, I process payroll for over 150 staff members.
That's what I've done in my career so far. It's very much worth it to get into the field.
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