One of the coolest things about working at Yum! Brands is the ability to complete an STA. An STA, also known as Short Term Assignment, is the ability to work across corporate, brand and business affiliate offices. This allows employees to grow their skills, learn more about the different functions and gain further insight into business operations without the permanent commitment of a role switch. In this story series, we’ll spotlight those who have completed STA’s and how it’s grown their career.
“Hi, my name is Gabby and I’m a Capricorn.”
Gabby G., grew up in sunny southern California with three siblings. She was the first in her family to graduate college, as she obtained a degree in communications with an emphasis in public relations.
“In a nutshell, I started my career in marketing for a small business and then went into event planning for a few years. Then COVID happened and that changed my course and started a brand-new role at a popular beverage company supporting executives, regional directors and event planning for their operations team. After that, I found my way to Taco Bell supporting Heather M. (Current Chief People Officer, KFC U.S.) before taking on an HR coordinator role for another few months as a short term assignment. From there, I went on to do another STA supporting our Chief Development Officer Matt S., for about six months. Now, I sit on the Talent Acquisition team.”
Remember the term “corporate lattice” used in Jason’s story? Well, you could say Gabby took the same approach!
“My path was by no means linear, as I tried a lot of different things. When I first started off in marketing, it was easier because I already had a background in public relations. That job made me realize I wanted a more creative role that involved project management, which led me to my next job. During this time, I networked and would ask mentors what they thought were my biggest strengths and how I could leverage that with next steps.”
When COVID hit, Gabby’s role in events changed dramatically, and she found herself working with leadership.
“Working with leadership was a challenge because I'd never done that before, but also, everyday was different and nothing was planned, so I had to be 10 steps ahead, which I found to enjoy soon after.”
So, how did she end up with two STAs? For her, it was a little bit of right place, right time and networking!
“My STAs came about by networking, building relationships and understanding functions I was interested in within HR, which ultimately led me to raising my hand to help. By doing so, I was able to showcase my adaptable skillset. This, and patience! Overall, these opportunities have shown me how much I’ve grown since coming to Taco Bell.”
Not sure what your next step is or how you want to grow? The possibilities are endless, especially at Taco Bell. So, here is Gabby’s advice!
“Network! Build relationships in your own function but also cross functionally. Speak up for opportunities you're interested in, even if it seems crazy.
Find mentors! Look into getting mentors as those are the people that will make it easier to help you get access to resources you need to grow.
Seize opportunities! Change is uncomfortable, but I wouldn't have had grown if I hadn’t been exposed to change. Opportunities don’t come by often, so just take advantage of the moment because that will put you one step closer to where you want to be. Be open to learning new things while also building your career.”