Alumni Spotlight: Keeley Howe, Amazon

Eller alumni Keeley Howe '21 (Marketing) works as an Area Manager at Amazon in Tucson, AZ.

Tell us about your job responsibilities (day-to-day and/or projects).

I am an Area Manager within Amazon’s TUS2 Warehouse. I work in the Inbound Stow Department, where we receive items in the building and are responsible for storing them in Pods. I lead a team of 50 associates, but during PEAK Season it can increase to over 100. Not only am I responsible for ensuring their safety and that they are meeting productivity standards, but I am in charge of making sure they have a great experience by engaging with them daily and coaching them to help meet their personal development goals. I have my own Process Assistant who helps me run production on the floor as well as assists me in coaching our Associates.

Additionally, I maintain working relationships with the other support teams in the building including Safety, HR, Learning, and RME (Maintenance and Engineering). We partner together to work on projects and improving our workplace. 

Not only is my job mentally demanding, it is equally physically demanding. As leaders, we are standing throughout the 10 hour shifts and often stay later to ensure we leave a good handoff for the Nights Team. We often jump in to help on the floor by getting work for our associates, keeping the area clean, and pulling pallets of work to the stations. I love this balance as it keeps me active throughout my day and shows my team that I am willing to get my hands dirty and do the physical aspects we require of them. It helps to be walking around all day, as the Warehouse is very large, and it prevents me from feeling stuck sitting behind a desk all day.

Why did you choose to work for your company? 

I chose to work at Amazon because I have always dreamed of a career in Management. My background in Marketing gave me a versatile launching pad to a wide range of careers. Honestly, I did not envision working in a massive warehouse for twelve hours per day, but I have grown to love it. This is due to the people surrounding me, who are so driven, talented, and down to earth. I am so grateful for Amazon’s dedication to College graduates and the time and attention they take in training and developing us as leaders. I actually took a four week training program before I was allowed on the floor and given my own team. We also have ongoing Leadership Development classes to attend and training modules to complete. I’ve never been in a job with so much time specifically dedicated to training before, as usually you are learning on the job. Time flies at Amazon, and I have grown so much in less than a year on the job. There is a special peculiar culture that makes Amazon stand out. We say “It’s always Day One”, meaning that we have a growth mindset and never settle. We are always striving to improve ourselves and our business strategies. 

What do you enjoy most about your job or company?

Amazon treats you like family, and they truly care about your personal needs. I specifically love all the growth opportunities within the company. Within Operations alone there are many levels of leadership to progress through, from Area Manager up to Senior Operations Manager. If you decide Operations isn’t for you, Amazon has endless opportunities in various Corporate roles, AWS, HR, Learning, and even movie production. 

My coworkers truly care about me and accept me, despite being so young and lacking in experience. What truly makes a leader is someone who is willing to dive in full-heartedly and continuously learn from others. My biggest piece of advice is to be open minded and never stop asking questions. I spent a lot of time with my Associates, who are the process experts, learning how our systems work so that I could better coach them on best practices. I learn from the other managers how to best manage my time, have difficult conversations, and inspire my team to perform our best. As a manager, you are the main point of contact for any concern, and you have to know where to direct people to get help if you don’t know the answer. I have learned so much simply through trial and error and pure experience over time. No one expects you to walk in the door and instantly know everything, it take lots of time and effort to gain confidence in yourself and grow in your industry knowledge. You have to put your head down and push yourself every day, as your work ethic will motivate your team to be their best. They are watching everything you do, so you must work with integrity at all times and be a positive role model for them. This will help you to earn trust as a leader, and when you have high expectations they will willingly surpass them. 

Please share what led you to your current job/company (past experiences, networking, classes, multiple rounds of interviews, or anything you deem relevant).

I put a lot of effort into my career search. I always advise using Handshake, as this is where I found my position. Don’t be afraid to respond to those messages in your inbox that seem too good to be true, they might just lead you on a journey you never expected. I actually got a message from a recruiter at Amazon saying I should apply. I thought, “no way they actually want me as a Manager, right?”. However, I applied online through a long series of interviews and exams. They even had me take a personality test. I continued to the final round of interviews, and less than a week later received my offer! Best interview advice: be yourself. Honestly, if you stay relaxed and come in prepared, it will allow your best self to shine. Make sure to leave a good impression by being personable and asking your interviewer about their experience to make sure it will be a good fit for you. Before I did my first interview, I studied up for hours on the company culture, mission statement, and values. I also prepared answers for any potential question they could throw my way, focusing on actionable outcomes from my experiences. The STAR method is no joke! Make sure you pay attention in BCOM as it really is the key to success! 

Please share an Eller memory: 

My favorite Eller memory is actually from my Senior Capstone class, where we had a project to raise funds for Campus Pantry. It taught me a lot about planning and seeing out your goals to the end. My team was awesome, and we built a great strategy to ensure we raised the most that we could to support an amazing organization that truly helps so many students in the community. We ended up winning second place in our class. More than winning, I cared about making an impact and leading our team. Always accept any opportunities given to you in Eller to take on leadership roles, as these moments will carry on into the rest of your career. The skills you are learning now will be a solid foundation to assist you in any future challenges that come your way.