Paladin strives for the constant evolution and growth of our people. The first value of Paladin’s C.A.R.E. culture is to be “Curious” by seeking opportunities to learn and grow. We believe employee development and security career ownership are the best ways to create a strong team. Through our promotion-from-within philosophy, employees can plot their career paths within our organization. Our goal is not just to fill shifts; it’s to nurture careers and professionalize the security industry.
In our feature, Paladin Then & Now, we showcase amazing and inspirational stories of our employees rising through the ranks. This week, we’re featuring Operations Manager Heidi Hamilton.
Heidi came into the world of security, knowing that she wanted to be in law enforcement. As she gained knowledge and experience within Paladin, her career goals switched, focusing on the security industry, where she realized that she wanted to become a leader and plunge into her growth. She discovered what she’s most interested in – business and people.
Her Paladin Journey
Heidi joined Paladin in 2012 as a Healthcare Security Officer, working at many hospital sites in Edmonton. After one year, she was promoted to Patient Watch Coach/Supervisor. The program included 30-40 patient watch guards that she supervised and supported. Shortly after, she moved up to a scheduling role, where she quickly progressed and got yet another promotion to Client Service Manager (CSM) after only 1.5 years with Paladin. She spent a total of eight years in Edmonton as a CSM and then moved to Calgary.
“I spent time learning and growing as a Healthcare CSM in Calgary, which led to my promotion to Healthcare Operations Manager, where I am today. Moving to Calgary really catapulted my career. Now being able to oversee different sites, I feel like I have gained a well-rounded perspective and background of knowledge to boost my career.”
Leading with Empathy and Experience
Heidi knew right away that she wanted to move up within Paladin. She started from the frontline and saw hands-on what security professionals do day to day. She wanted to make a real difference and made it her personal mission to do just that.
“When people say, ‘I understand where you’re coming from,’ I can actually say I do understand where they’re coming from. It usually comes as a surprise to people when I tell them that I was once a frontline guard. I’ve found that it’s a lot easier to motivate others by coming from a place of understanding. Like you’ve been in their shoes before. It’s challenging to give direction, but knowing I was in their position once, helps us relate and understand each other better. Having my background helps when talking with clients too; I can level with them and relate much more.”
The Power of Paladin Mentorships
At the beginning of Heidi’s journey with Paladin, her former Client Service Manager became her mentor. They provided her with great advice, which sent her in a direction that helped her grow and learn quickly while taking on new challenges. Jason Grocock (Director, Healthcare Security Alberta) has been a true mentor for her these last few years. She has spent lots of time working closely with him to understand the ins and outs of the Healthcare Security sector and its goals. Tony York (Healthcare, Executive Vice President) has also helped her a great deal. He has really taken the time to coach her through her Operations journey and showed interest in her career path within Healthcare Security.
Inspired by our CARE Culture
Being a true Paladinian means to be Curious by seeking opportunities to learn and grow, Accountable to do what you say and own your behaviours, Respectful by taking care of one another and celebrating our differences, and Exceptional by having the courage to be great!
Heidi is a shining example of these values, and this is how she lives them every day:
“I love the ‘family’ work environment. Especially in Healthcare, we work very closely every day. We offer each other endless support. It’s one big support system. Without my Healthcare family, I wouldn’t be where I am today. Everyone is super open to working together respectfully; it’s not just segregated to certain teams or people. Cross-departmental teams work together towards common goals as well, making it a fun environment to collaborate and learn. It’s also really cool to see our accountability come to fruition by creating a “we work for the employee” approach. If our teams aren’t happy, then we work as a team to find answers and solutions, so we’re all happy at the end of the day. We offer and extend a level of support which sets us apart from other companies, making us an exceptional team that thrives in continued success and growth. Our clients see that too. It’s a positive trickle effect.”
Heidi’s Advice to Empower your Security Career
Heidi continues to grow within Paladin, furthering her knowledge and skills while pursuing leadership roles. She also wants to help Paladin grow as a company and explore new opportunities by networking and putting herself out there. She has truly enjoyed her journey and wanted to offer her piece of advice for anyone looking to grow in a security career and follow in her footsteps:
“Continuous learning – be willing to take the coaching and learning. Clients and coworkers will help and share their knowledge. You just have to be willing to listen and ask questions. Speak up and advocate for yourself. Talk to your Shift Lead, Zone Supervisor, CSM, or People & Culture team and share your goals and aspirations. Always be positive. Tell us where you want to go, and we’ll help you get there. Drive is huge when it comes to career growth and promotion from within. Our commitment to our people is strong, so don’t shy away from opportunities or even just starting a conversation with someone to learn more. Healthcare Security is a growing industry, and there are many opportunities as we continue to grow as a whole. Once upon a time, being a woman in Security wasn’t so common, but now I believe it’s almost 50/50 (women/men). Do not be intimidated and be confident in your abilities as a female.”
If you were inspired by Heidi’s story and are interested in starting a meaningful and rewarding career in security, check out our careers page. There are endless opportunities to create your own career path within a booming and high-demand industry.
Unsure about how to submit a strong resume for a security position? Here is a free downloadable template to write the ideal Security Guard resume.
If you're still not sure, be sure to listen to The Difference Makers podcast and read our blog to learn more about us and the exciting world of security.
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I want join your prestigious organisation with your kind perusal concerning consideration.
Hope to hear from you soon.
Regards.
Vikas Sharma
India