Take 5 With Zions Talent: America Jenkins
Director of Recruiting Trina Eyring sits down with the Zions Bancorporation HR business partner to find out what makes her unique, what motivates her, and why she loves working at Zions Bancorporation.
Since America Jenkins started at Zions Bancorporation late last year as a Human Resources business partner, I thought she was an interesting person and I wanted to spend time getting to know her on a deeper level.
We said hello in the halls and breakroom, but I didn’t know much about her. This reminds me of how important genuine connection is in the workplace and how often we don’t take the time to learn about others. Sometimes the most remarkable people can be sitting right next to you. This was certainly the case with America.
America was born in East Los Angeles and moved to Utah in her younger years. She has lived here since and graduated from Utah Valley University with a degree in Business.
HR wasn’t a path for which she aspired, but rather it fell in her lap. Now, she can’t imagine a more purposeful profession.
Here is a bit of our conversation.
What makes you a unique person in the world?
A lot of people I work with don’t know this about me, but I am a serious gamer. This is a passion I share with my husband and we spend a lot of our free time engaging in primarily co-op games. Playing games has actually helped me achieve higher levels of emotional intelligence, essentially reading and understanding people. It might seem weird, but gaming helps me be a better HR professional. At the moment, we are playing Heroes of the Storm!
Also, I am mixed race (half Latina, half Italian), vegan, and an animal lover. I have a Great Dane puppy, a Golden Retriever and two cats. I am also a self-directed learner and am currently learning how to code in Java and Python.
What motivates and inspires you?
I am very blessed to be surrounded by an incredible group of people who demonstrate the right skills of motivation and inspiration daily. A special shout out to my one and only, my dear husband. I have a lot to thank him for, and one of those things is how to exercise kindness, understanding and compassion towards others. I could not do my job well if I didn’t utilize those three things. This makes me want to be better every day, regardless of what circumstances arise.
I find a lot of inspiration from those who do good, from one of my favorite inspirational people Michelle Obama to my neighbor who kindly bakes goodies for another one of my disabled neighbors. These large and small kinds of service make me want to pass it forward whether it’s at work or at home.
Why do you love working at Zions?
One of the many things I’ve been impressed with at Zions Bancorporation has been the sense of support and community I’ve received, not only from my leadership, but also my peers. Even those who are not directly under the same department as I am. I’ve been shown radical approaches and ideas to build great relationships with colleagues. This has developed me in ways I didn’t know I could do. I adore my team and the strides we are taking as a company.
Welcome to Zions Bancorporation, America!
Looking to transform your career in 2020? Learn more about career opportunities with Zions Bank and Zions Bancorporation on our Careers website.
Trina Eyring is Director of Recruiting for Zions Bancorporation.