XIMENA TALKS ABOUT MOVING FROM COSTA RICA TO CHICAGO

Friday, February 24, 2023

Tell me about your first role at Mondelēz. What was your goal in that role?

I joined the company as a Senior Sourcing Specialist, supporting the Sourcing Team Lead creating strategies to attract talent for Sales and Manufacturing roles for our US business. This was my first job after graduating college, as previously I had participated in a couple internships with other companies. My goal in that role was to learn as much as possible about Talent Acquisition, bring in my outside knowledge to make an impact. Being in that role made me realize my passion for Talent Acquisition and my desire to become a People Leader.

You had the opportunity to lead a small team early on, what was that like for you?

It was a great learning experience, a big responsibility, but overall a pivotal moment in my professional journey. I’ve had the opportunity to work with great professionals that have brought energy, passion, and knowledge to the team and have had an impact in our business and my personal life. What I love about MDLZ is that the leadership culture is very human, and I’m grateful I was able to learn from great leaders and now have the opportunity to lead others across different teams.

What is the most exciting thing for you at Mondelēz?

I love the look on people’s faces when I tell them I work for Oreo, Sour Patch, Chips Ahoy!, or any of their favorite products! I truly believe in our mission to empower people to snack right; and I love that I get to hire the people that do that too!

You had the opportunity to move from Costa Rica to Chicago and work right in one of our plants. How has that experience changed you? What was this experience like for you…a new country, a new apartment, a new car, snow???

Definitely one of the most challenging experiences of my life. It was hard leaving my friends, my family… MY DOG. It has been a fantastic opportunity, both personally and professionally, for me to expand my horizons and embrace the unknown. I’m lucky that I have the full support of my team, my manager and peers, as well as my new friends at the plant! Costa Rica is a tropical country so this experience has also taught me to layer up!!!!

What impact do you hope to have on plant recruiting. What do you think the key to recruiting is these days?

The key to recruitment is innovation and constancy. The market for skilled trades and supply chain is very tough right now. However, that empowers us to do better, take care of our people and our candidates, providing them with the best experience possible. By being on site, I’m able to talk face to face with stake holders, have onsite interviews, attend career fairs, distribute flyers, answer questions and.. overall, just have that human connection.

How has Mondelēz helped you grow through the transition?

My company has been extremely supportive as I navigate this experience. There’s a lot of firsts (new car, new apartment, new Driver’s License), but my manager has been flexible and allowed me to go to appointments, take time off if needed to take care of things. I was also able to take a week and a half of in December to go on vacation, unwind and even visit home for a couple days! Mondelēz is a very human company, and I am lucky to be part of a team that truly supports work life.

What is your favorite MDLZ brand? Any childhood memories you can share?

My favorite MDLZ product are Special Edition, Lady Gaga Oreos and Sour Patch Kids. During my childhood, SPK were not easy to find! But ever since I tried them, I loved them. For one Christmas in middle school, my younger brother (5 or 6 years at the time) gifted me a bag of SPK that he had found and begged my mom to buy for me as he knew how much I liked them.