Travis Byars is a 2021 graduate of Walden’s Master of Science in Management program with a specialization in Leadership. He also holds a Bachelor of Science in Organizational Management.  He shares his insights into what led to his recent promotion.

Tell us what motivated you to pursue your Master of Science in Management with a specialization in Leadership at Walden.

Travis: I have a long story. When I moved up to Cleveland, I started my bachelor’s degree at Cleveland State. It was hard trying to find a balance between taking on-site classes and expanding my work experience. During this time, I gained a lot of experience including my first taste of supervisory experience at the Cleveland Clinic. I thought my bachelor’s was the end of the road, but once I started diving deeper into management, I understood that it was important for me to have my master’s degree if I wanted to continue to grow. My mother is a Walden graduate, so she suggested I go to Walden. We earned the same master’s degrees! She told me how convenient it was to attend Walden and how it could work around my schedule. As the Surgical Support Services Supervisor at the Cleveland Clinic, my program aligned with what I did every single day and offered me the flexibility that I needed. Finishing my master’s at Walden elevated me to that next step in my career.

Is there anything about your specialization in Leadership that you found especially helpful in pursuing your career goals?

Travis: Absolutely. Because the Cleveland Clinic is very big on leadership behaviors, my specialization went hand in hand with my position leading daily meetings, engaging employees, engaging with the people who are caregivers in the clinic, and using emotional intelligence. The skills I gained were key in my development, making me a better supervisor and manager and furthering myself within the enterprise. I am very appreciative of that.

Tell us about your job search after completing your degree.

Travis: I had been in my position as a Supervisor of Surgical Support Services for about two years when I finished my degree in 2021.  That position was probably considered the first step into higher management within the enterprise. I wanted to advance after I finished my degree. I thought it would be fast, that I would be able to go into something different, but I found myself hitting roadblocks and I wasn’t sure exactly why.

On many interviews, I would make it to the third or fourth stage. I would be one of the final two candidates in many situations, but there was something that was missing, and I couldn’t figure out what that was. It took a few years to just say to myself, “Ok, let me take a step back. I feel like I am performing well in my interviews, but what is stopping me from advancing?” I wondered if Walden had any resources to help. What can they do for me as a recent grad who is stuck? I really felt like my feet were in the sand, so I made a call to an advisor, and they connected me to Career Planning and Development. It was amazing from start to finish.

The career advisor took the time to really listen, and I think that made the biggest impact for me. They broke the process down and guided me to resources. They have tremendous resources on the Career Planning and Development website. They said, “Let’s peel it back and start by taking a look at what’s going on with your resume. Are you matching it up to the position that you are applying for? How are you aligning yourself and preparing yourself for the interview?” They went step by step. Dissecting what was keeping me from taking that next step was imperative to my success and my story. They gave me the time and guidance that I needed to figure it out and it was amazing. I realized what was missing from my resume and what wasn’t needed.  I had the opportunity to see samples of other resumes and utilize the systems and resources they have available to perfect my resume. I learned to do the research and break down what the employer was looking for and what set me apart from other candidates. The resources taught me how to use key words from my real-life experience to put myself out there as the best candidate.

I realized that I had the skills and the experience; it was all about putting it in black and white on paper. It was about the first impression that the employer is getting. Are they initially looking at the right information? And, I kid you not, the next interview I had, I went through four cycles and sat in front of a panel of about ten leaders in the final stage and they did not stop complementing me on my resume – what was in my resume, how it was laid out. I kept hearing “your resume is very impressive.”

I had heard a lot of things before when I made it to the last cycle of the interview process, but I never heard that before – that my resume was very impressive. That gave me the indication that I think I got this one; the resume was the missing piece.

Tell us about your promotion. What do you enjoy about your new position?

Travis: My new position is Operations Manager of Patient Transportation, Volunteer Services, and Patient and Guest Service Representatives so I have a lot of caps on now. I have about 30 direct reports. I have already met twice with the COO who is excited that I am coming in with so much experience and education. He wants me to spearhead and develop a number of different initiatives. Volunteer Services stuck out to me because it would allow me to give back to my community. The COO asked me to rebuild Volunteer Services and get into food drives, food trucks, clothing give-a-ways, and adopt-a-family events during Thanksgiving and Christmas, and work hand in hand with the Red Cross. I just finished a blood drive yesterday.

There are so many facets to my position. I also manage patient transportation, making sure that patients are taken to the right area of the hospital, taken to their appointments, and taken home after discharge. I also manage the first impression people have when they walk into the hospital. A lot of times patients don’t want to be coming into a hospital; I make sure patients are comfortable when they come in. I believe that establishing the culture that the Cleveland Clinic wants and upholding that culture is why they brought me in, and it has been nothing but good vibes and praise from people around me. I am just so excited that I can bring what I learned at Walden and my experience to the table. I am very excited!

I can see that you are really involved in Walden’s mission of social change in this position.

Travis: Yes, my position goes hand in hand with the teaching that I had at Walden about making a positive social impact. I am actually able to do it now!  I felt so rewarded by the blood drive that I did yesterday. It was the first one, but just knowing the impact it is going to have on lives – that is the type of social impact that we are looking to do as alumni.

Do you have any advice for other Walden students and alumni?

Travis: Absolutely, I would say whenever you hit those roadblocks as you pursue your career, don’t ever give up; take advantage of your resources. Get to the Career Planning and Development website, talk to a career advisor, and utilize the resources that they have for students and alumni. I only got a taste of it; it was amazing how much their support added to my overall success. Walden has resources to support their students and alumni and that makes me proud to be part of this organization, absolutely.

Resources:

Career Planning and Development website
Resumes & More resources
Interviewing resources
Career Hubs
Schedule a Career Advising Appointment

Interview Contributed by Travis Byars, Walden Master of Science in Management Graduate

Edited by Denise Pranke, Specialist, Department of Career Planning and Development