Employee Spotlight
From a Year of Service to a Career in Service
Donning the trademark red jacket of City Year – a Comcast partner organization that works to reduce the nation’s high school dropout rate – Daniel learned the hard work and discipline it takes to make a difference. He has since leveraged that experience to launch his professional journey – marketing XFINITY services to potential customers at apartment complexes, universities and other residential facilities in Massachusetts. Six months into his job as a Comcast account specialist, we checked in with Daniel to see how he is doing.
Q: What inspired you to commit a year to community service and join City Year?
A: I’ve lived in California, in Mexico and spent most of my childhood in Miami – and remember regular trips with family and friends to participate in volunteer activities in our neighborhood. I learned of City Year at the end of my college years at University of Florida, and was really intrigued. The opportunity to relocate to another part of the country to explore a new environment was also a big draw, so when my roommate and I landed spots at City Year New Hampshire, we both jumped at the chance.
Q: What skills from your City Year experience are most applicable to your job at Comcast?
A: While the environment at Comcast and McDonough are totally different – the thing that’s the most similar is the pace. City Year was a perfect training ground. I learned to multi-task, build relationships and juggle multiple projects at once.
Comcaster and City Year alumni Daniel Baralt.
Q: Each year, Comcast hosts Career Day for City Year members across the country to provide leadership training and professional development as corps members finish their year of service. Did you attend while you were a corps member, and if so, what was your biggest takeaway?
A: I attended Career Day in April 2013, and really found it to be a good platform for networking with current employees. There were some professional development workshops that I found helpful, including the one focused on resume review. Coincidentally, I applied for my job at Comcast the next day, and I think the pointers I learned at Career Day helped me better navigate the application process.
Q: What should today’s employers understand about what new hires are seeking in a company?
A: I think job seekers like me are looking for a company whose culture paves a way for individuals to contribute – even when they’re part of a large organization. As I learned at City Year, when you master your tasks at hand and come up with creative solutions to complete a project or troubleshoot a problem, you excel. That’s what drew me to Comcast.
