Alumni Spotlight: Mary Bell, Class of 2013

Mary’s career story may resonate with many students and recent grads. This is the story of going from “I have no idea what I want to do in life” to the position of Senior Manager of HR and General Affairs in a subsidiary of a multinational corporation. Mary's story is one of perseverance and the power of networking. She emphasizes the importance of building relationships throughout your academic and professional journey. Read the full interview to learn how Mary transitioned from feeling lost after graduation to landing her dream career in HR.






Q: Hi Mary, thank you for letting me interview you, and thank you for your time.

A: Yeah, of course.

Q: Can you please introduce yourself to our students?

A: Yes, my name is Mary Bell, and I am the Senior Manager of Human Resources and General Affairs for Toray Composite Materials America here in Spartanburg.

Q: Can you share please for us your career story? How was your timeline after graduation?

A: Yeah. Okay. So, when I went to USC Upstate, I had no idea what I wanted to do in life. And I thought, I really like these business classes. That's what I'll stick with. So, I graduated with a degree in business administration and still had no idea what I wanted to do in life. Um, so I took one semester off, uh, went right back to school. Uh, so I went to Clemson and got my MBA there and halfway through still had no idea what I wanted to do, again.

Q: Classic.

A: Um, exactly, classic. But I had to do an internship to graduate. So, I met with an advisor there, at Clemson. And she was the first person who looked at me and say, “Mary, you're really good with people. I really think you should try something in HR.” I said, “OK, great.” This is the first direction I've got. Sure. I don't have anything else planned. So, let's go that way. So, that's what I did. And I got an internship at Phillips Staffing. And I started out interviewing people, which was a whole life experience in itself. But after I graduated from Clemson with my MBA, I stayed with Phillips, progressed in my career there, but I was very much underemployed. Um, so I had these big degrees and no real-life experience really, just a little bit of like interview experience. And that, that's really kind of where I was stuck at. It’s like degrees but no real experience, which, I think, is pretty common for the college experience.

Q: Common, right, for current students in any country.

A: In anywhere, right. So, the key to getting past that was the people I had met along the way. Right. So, the people I had met in my internship, at the job I was currently working, people in the HR committee or community, people at the colleges I had been at are the ones that helped me get my first big break. And I think that that's the key to it is the people you meet along the way.

Q: Yeah. Networking is a key.

A: Exactly. Exactly. I would have never gotten this job here if I had not reached out and met and formed relationships with the people I had. Along the way. So that's really how that happened. I was working as an onsite supervisor at another manufacturing facility and got to know their HR group really well. And she looked at me and she goes, Mary, you really shouldn't be doing this job. You're overqualified for this. But my friend is hiring. They're starting this new plant called Toray. I really think you'd be a great fit. Let me pass your information along. And the rest is history.

Q: What a luck!

A: It's been here ever since. Yeah.

Q: Can you highlight any interesting transitions and challenges you overcame when you got this position?

A: Well, I think that the networking piece of that was the biggest piece, right? Because I did have those big degrees and not really any experience. But knowing and asking for that. Knowing the people and asking them, hey, do you know anybody who's hiring? Hey, can you refer me to somebody you think? don't be sure a good company. Yeah, exactly. Don't be shy. Ask for what you want.

Q: What advice could you give to current students facing similar challenges? Because some people, they just, like, freeze when they, like, oh my god, I have to talk to somebody I do not know.

A: Well, for those people I think it is challenging because not everybody is naturally good at talking to people um or making that small talk, you know. But you can prepare yourself to be successful enough at it, right? So, keep a list of icebreaker questions on your phone. That's a really great one that I have used in all kinds of such, even like dinner conversations outside of the career world. Just having that list of questions prepped and ready, then you don't really have to think about it. One other thing is people really love to talk about themselves, in general. So, ask people about themselves. What do you do for work? Where do you work? Tell me about the place you work. Tell me why you got in the job you got in. What made you do that? I mean, just sort of those simple questions.

Q: Try to build a personal connection without maybe anticipating that it turned out into a job offer. So, you never know how it will work.

A: You never know how it will work. Legitimately, the person who connected me with Toray, I would have never had knew that there was a connection there because it was a personal connection, not even a work connection that she got me the interview here. You really never know who knows who and where they can help get you. And the other side of that too, is not letting those relationships sort of flounder over time. You know, like if you build a relationship with somebody, reach out to them occasionally, you don't have to be best and maintain that friendship.

Q: Exactly.

A: You don't have to be best friends with them. Um, but reaching out every couple of months and saying, “Hey, I was thinking about you” or “Hey, how are you doing?” And just keeping those relationships going. Cause otherwise you lose all the work you put in.

Q: Absolutely. What is your favorite memory or memories of being a student at the George?

A: I know this is going to be a very HR answer, but the people I met along the way. I mean, I have some lifelong friends now. I graduated in 2013, and I am still friends with some of the people that I went to college with at JCBE. So, knowing them, knowing the professors there, like the connections I made, made the hard classes fun to be in.

Q: Can you share a particular success story or maybe your proud moment in your career?

A: For me, it's seeing this plant run. So, I came in as what we call a greenfield project. We were in construction. This is a big field. There was nothing here. So, getting to be here during construction with work boots, and hard hats, and safety vests, and running around and seeing the walls come up has really been great. But the best part of that is being involved in hiring all the people who work here and watching their careers grow, watching them succeed is the best part.

Q: Yeah. I think it's so satisfying.

A: It is because I chose them and it's like, oh, they're doing great and they're doing fantastic. And now they're getting promoted or they're getting, you know, this certification and they're growing and they're doing and watching all that from, from here is really great.

Q: I think it is definitely like very nice feeling to be, to feel that you're part of this success.

A: Sounds like watching your kids grow up.

Q: How did your time at JCBE prepare for your career? Maybe you gained some certain skills or knowledge or, okay, we talk about network connections, maybe something else.

A: I think skills, knowledge, and networking are a little bit of everything, a little bit of all of the above. The skills, the classes that you take build that foundation for skills right. The knowledge that you learn is what you have to do to be successful. But the environment that JCBE gives you is one that prepares you to be successful in a career world. The setting that they have there is fantastic. And being able to experience that at the college level prepares you to know what to expect when you do hit that career stage.

Q: Yeah, it's like a trial version of real job.

A: Exactly.

Q: Yeah, I absolutely agree. What advice would you give to our current students about making the most of their time at JCBE?

A: JCBE offers tons of resources and extras, and all those things are really what put you above everyone else, right? So, use them. You know, if it's a panel interview, go to it. If it's somebody you can talk to, go see them. If it's an advisor, go meet with them. Even if you don't have something specific you need at that particular time. It is... building on those extras that will help give you that competitive advantage in the career world.

Q: Yeah, and you actually preempted my question about how they can get ready for the ever-changing job market. So, you need to talk to people and be on the edge.

A: Absolutely. I think adaptability is the key there. Things have changed so much from when I graduated till today. But being the champion of change, I think, is what sets you apart. People in general, especially in the work world, resist change all the time. And we've done it this way for years. We don't want to do it any other way. We're comfortable with this. You hear this is the way they do it. This is the way I do it. You hear that all the time. But being the person that says, why do we have to do it this way? And embracing that change and being the champion of it can snowball that effect of everyone around you. Because if one person is on board, It makes it more comfortable for the ones who want to be to be. Yeah. So that's the big key.

Q: What are three things students should keep in mind to be successful in their transition from college to their first job after graduation? Maybe it could be more than three.

A: I know. Well, the first thing is don't be afraid to ask questions, especially as, I think, new students, Employees, you want to come in and you want to show that you're prepared and you know exactly what you're doing, but we don't expect you to know what you're doing. We realize that you still will have opportunities for growth, and you need to know them. But having the confidence to ask the questions that you don't know is really imperative, number one.

I think the second part of that is not being afraid to ask for what you want. My mom always said, nothing ventured, nothing gained. But it really is a great life motto because what's the worst thing you're going to do is say no. I mean, if you want a certain job or a promotion, go talk to your manager and say, hey, what do I need to do to be prepared for when this comes available? Or if it's, you want a certain skill, hey, would the company maybe consider paying for me to go get the certification? That shows that you want to learn, you want to grow, and that you're going to help the company that you work for grow with it. Okay. Is that three or is that two?

Q: I think that's two. It's two. Okay. Let's do one more.

A: I know. What was the third? Oh, the third thing is just always be willing to do things outside of your normal job duties.

Q: Like do the extra mile.

A: Yeah. So, I mean, I think a lot of people are like, well, that's not really my job or that's something they handle. But some of the coolest experiences that I have had in my career have been things that I didn't have to do. I got an opportunity to get certified to teach DISC, which is a personality profiling. So, yeah. I went and did that. And now I get to travel all over the U.S. to different Toray locations, teaching those communication skills, using that DISC platform. But if I didn't stand up and say, hey, I want to go do this or I'm willing to do this, I would have never gotten the opportunity to travel and see and do as much as I do.

Q: Yeah, I agree. Because so in my current position, because when I was hired, I initially was taking another position, administrative, and I was ready to take so many initiatives like provide ideas and saying, hey, I want to do this, even though it's not my responsibility, I'm ready to take this.

A: Right.

Q: And I want to take this. And this is a part of success of why I was promoted to a marketing position because if people see that you are willing to take extra something, and you're ready to, make an impact. So, they will see you as a great candidate for promotion because you will stand out with your initiatives.

A: Yeah. Because you're going to do it.

Q: And what skills or qualities do you think are most important to success in the business world today?

A: We touched on this a little bit earlier, but I think it's really important to note that having the adaptability to change to moving environments is key to success. Things change so quickly and being somebody that's willing to go that extra mile to learn the extra thing, to be okay with the change, and to, I know I said it before, but to champion that change will make you successful in whatever you do. And even if you change careers or change jobs or change fields or industries, if, as long as, you can change, you will be fine.

Q: Yeah. Maybe you would like to wish something our students.

A: Oh, yeah.

Q: What would you wish them to accomplish during this upcoming academic year? This is a bonus question.

A: I think I wish for everyone that they have the confidence to do what they want to do. I think I wish everybody. I think sometimes you have to manufacture your own confidence. And if you haven't, you should go on YouTube and watch the 20-minute video about power poses. Cause I have not always been a naturally outgoing person. I was always scared to talk to new people and didn't really know how to do that, but I think you can learn those skills. So, I think in this upcoming year, if you're not that person, teach yourself how to be that. And I really hope that everyone gets the confidence to do whatever they succeed in.

A: I'm curious. So, this is my personal interest, but what would you tell yourself from now to you back then in JCBE when you were studying in the George?

A: I think...

Q: What advice would you give yourself?

A: I would tell myself not to be so... hard on myself about choosing exactly what I wanted to do in a job. I think when you go to school you take career aptitude tests and they're all like oh well maybe you want to be a teacher or a firefighter or a doctor and then you get in these blinders where you say “this is what I want to do” and you're really hard on yourself. And everybody's really really struggling with what they really want to do in life. But not being so hard on yourself and saying oh hey well I'm open to whatever, I think that's what I would do differently. It's just not stress about what exact career I'm going to go into.