One to Watch: Cassandra Bartley-Zemer

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Title: Corporate Trainer

  Title: Corporate Trainer

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Company: Claims Administrative Services, Tyler, Texas

Company: Claims Administrative Services, Tyler, Texas

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Education: MS student, human resource development, University of Texas at Tyler; BBA, management, University of Texas at Tyler

Education: MS student, human resource development, University of Texas at Tyler; BBA, management, University of Texas at Tyler

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LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/cmbartley

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/cmbartley

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Blog: Contributor to www.aboutleaders.com

Blog: Contributor to www.aboutleaders.com

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As the sole corporate trainer, Bartley-Zemer wears many hats at her company. She designs and delivers technical training, safety training, soft skills training, and leadership development initiatives.

As the sole corporate trainer, Bartley-Zemer wears many hats at her company. She designs and delivers technical training, safety training, soft skills training, and leadership development initiatives.

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Bartley-Zemer is thoroughly self-taught and self-guided in her role, which has encouraged her to seek resources and support both in and outside her organization. She has built e-learning and blended learning programs that incorporate games, participant interaction, and other activities.

Bartley-Zemer is thoroughly self-taught and self-guided in her role, which has encouraged her to seek resources and support both in and outside her organization. She has built e-learning and blended learning programs that incorporate games, participant interaction, and other activities.

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What qualities have contributed to your success?

What qualities have contributed to your success?

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I think my willingness to learn and ask questions has gotten me a long way, as well as not being afraid to get outside my comfort zone and get my hands dirty. I also think networking has played a big part. There's an art to networking—finding the cliques, the people to go to whenever you have a question. That's really important.

I think my willingness to learn and ask questions has gotten me a long way, as well as not being afraid to get outside my comfort zone and get my hands dirty. I also think networking has played a big part. There's an art to networking—finding the cliques, the people to go to whenever you have a question. That's really important.

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Time management is also a hugely important skill to have in the training and development field, especially if you wear many different hats. You have to make a schedule for yourself and actually hold yourself accountable to it.

Time management is also a hugely important skill to have in the training and development field, especially if you wear many different hats. You have to make a schedule for yourself and actually hold yourself accountable to it.

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Biggest Achievement

Biggest Achievement

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I might get in trouble for saying this, but I think it was getting my boss to agree to allow me to overhaul the certificate program here at the company. I say that because he used to be the corporate trainer and he is the one who developed it, so I felt like I was stepping on his toes a bit, but I was trying to look out for the well-being of our workforce.

I might get in trouble for saying this, but I think it was getting my boss to agree to allow me to overhaul the certificate program here at the company. I say that because he used to be the corporate trainer and he is the one who developed it, so I felt like I was stepping on his toes a bit, but I was trying to look out for the well-being of our workforce.

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Staying Current in the Field

Staying Current in the Field

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I do a lot of reading—books, blogs, emails that people send me. I'm the only trainer at my company, so I don't really have anybody to talk to here. I have to go outside to find everything.

I do a lot of reading—books, blogs, emails that people send me. I'm the only trainer at my company, so I don't really have anybody to talk to here. I have to go outside to find everything.

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I participate heavily in LinkedIn groups, mostly on leadership development, and I do a lot of work with Lectora \[a software database development and administration graphical user interface\], so I stay current with that. I also participate on Yammer.

I participate heavily in LinkedIn groups, mostly on leadership development, and I do a lot of work with Lectora \[a software database development and administration graphical user interface\], so I stay current with that. I also participate on Yammer.

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The Future

The Future

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I'd like to write a book on leadership development, specifically on developing young leaders in higher education. I would like to move more into instructional design or maybe consulting.

I'd like to write a book on leadership development, specifically on developing young leaders in higher education. I would like to move more into instructional design or maybe consulting.

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My first position as a corporate trainer allowed me to experience training and development as a whole, to pick out what I like and what I don't want to focus on. I want to focus on either consulting or instructional design, and writing.

My first position as a corporate trainer allowed me to experience training and development as a whole, to pick out what I like and what I don't want to focus on. I want to focus on either consulting or instructional design, and writing.

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Words to Live By

Words to Live By

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"No one can make you feel inferior without your consent," by Eleanor Roosevelt. I sometimes feel that maybe what I say is discounted because I'm female, I'm a Millennial, I'm young, and so forth, but I try not to let it bother me. I put my best foot forward and whatever happens, happens.

"No one can make you feel inferior without your consent," by Eleanor Roosevelt. I sometimes feel that maybe what I say is discounted because I'm female, I'm a Millennial, I'm young, and so forth, but I try not to let it bother me. I put my best foot forward and whatever happens, happens.

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Advice for New Trainers

Advice for New Trainers

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Try something new, get involved, and find somebody who can be a mentor to you. If you don't have someone in your organization, go outside the organization.

Try something new, get involved, and find somebody who can be a mentor to you. If you don't have someone in your organization, go outside the organization.

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At first I was afraid to fail, but I was able to talk to my boss about my issues or perceived shortcomings. He told me, "Don't worry so much about it; just learn as much as you can and you'll figure it out"—and it's true.

At first I was afraid to fail, but I was able to talk to my boss about my issues or perceived shortcomings. He told me, "Don't worry so much about it; just learn as much as you can and you'll figure it out"—and it's true.

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What excites you about the L&D field?

What excites you about the L&D field?

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Definitely leadership development, and just developing people as a whole. I also really, really enjoy instructional design. I’ve done a lot of it in my position here. I’ve developed classes and materials, and I’ve done asynchronous training, where I do a classroom session and then we’ll do online training as well. That’s really exciting to me. I think the shorter list is what I’m not excited about—and that’s pretty much nothing.

Definitely leadership development, and just developing people as a whole. I also really, really enjoy instructional design. I’ve done a lot of it in my position here. I’ve developed classes and materials, and I’ve done asynchronous training, where I do a classroom session and then we’ll do online training as well. That’s really exciting to me. I think the shorter list is what I’m not excited about—and that’s pretty much nothing.

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What groups or individuals do you follow on LinkedIn?

What groups or individuals do you follow on LinkedIn?

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I participate in the Center for Creative Leadership Group, and then ASTD; obviously, the big one.

I participate in the Center for Creative Leadership Group, and then ASTD; obviously, the big one.