At Perficient, we’re proud to offer leadership opportunities for all colleagues to make a difference. Our Bright Paths Program gives colleagues the opportunity to serve as a mentor to students as they complete a 16-week custom coding bootcamp and kickstart their careers in tech. Taking a leap to grow your professional skillsets can be daunting, and our Bright Paths mentors help students through the process by providing encouragement, career advice, and guidance throughout the program.
We recently sat down with Tyre Sellers, a project manager with our Dallas business unit (BU), to learn about his involvement as a mentor and leader for the Dallas Bright Paths cohort. He also shared details about his career and life at Perficient.
Hi Tyre, thanks for meeting today. I’d like to start off by hearing more about your role and your experience working at Perficient. What does a typical day look like on the job?
I‘ve been here for almost three years. I started as a business consultant and then my role shifted to a project manager role soon after I started. I’m in the Dallas BU and started during COVID when everyone was sheltering at home. Now, we go into the office periodically and have local town halls.
There are no typical days. I’m working with an automotive manufacturer client, and I work as a scrum master and product owner. My team is offshore, and my mornings usually involve meetings and scrum ceremonies to manage different time zones.
The remainder of my day involves:
Managing my product including backlog, roadmap planning, and budgeting;
Coordinating administrative responsibilities like budgeting, and reporting; and
Building presentations and guiding structure for Bright Paths mentors.
Whether big or small, how do you make a difference for our clients, colleagues, communities, or teams?
I try to be an example for my colleagues, especially those in my BU, by having a willingness to get involved. When your organization is spread out, I believe it’s important to reengage in activities in the community, step up, and get my hands dirty. I hope this encourages other people to get involved.
I make a difference for my clients because I take pride in the work that I do. My clients have said that they can recognize the value in the work I perform for them. What I hope to instill is that I’m doing everything I can to provide the best service.
For my team, I hope they see that I’m willing to do whatever it takes to make sure they’re as successful as I am. I also hope to give them appropriate credit and acknowledgment when they’re doing great work and see that their contributions aren’t unnoticed.
What inspired you to get involved in our Bright Paths Program?
I’ve always participated as a mentor, coach, or team lead with companies I’ve worked at previously. When I learned about the Perficient Bright Paths Program, I knew I wanted to get involved. I’ve been blessed to have tremendous opportunities throughout my career, so I believe I have a wealth of experience and knowledge that I can share with someone to help them on their career path.
With Bright Paths, I was in charge of the mentor program for our Dallas cohort. I was a part of the group that recruited mentors and paired them with a Bright Paths student. I helped create guidelines and roadmap what the relationship should be like. I’ve been a part of the program as a mentor before, so this was my first run at managing it from a leadership perspective. Putting together presentations, documenting, and preparing a teaching session gave me a new perspective.
My advice to others is that the experience of being a mentor, if you’ve never been a mentor before, it’s something everyone should take a crack at. It helps you explore things you may not know about yourself from a leadership perspective. Being a mentor is a simple first step at being a people manager; you make connections you don’t know you can make, and it helps further paint the picture about what kind of employee and person you really are. You can learn a lot about yourself from being a mentor.
READ MORE: Perficient’s Bright Paths Program
What advice would you give to colleagues who are starting their career with Perficient?
Be coachable, flexible, patient, and persevere. You’re not going to know everything and don’t take it personal if you mess something up. You’re going to make mistakes, but it’s the growth from those mistakes that will help you the most. Don’t get too comfortable and be willing to adapt to the changing environment.
Why did you choose to work at Perficient, and why are you #ProudlyPerficient?
There are opportunities to grow, navigate, and create your own career path. You can start on one path then change positions based on what fits for the company and your personal growth. I have leaders who challenge me to get outside of my comfort zone, so I feel blessed with leadership who push me to try something new and get involved. I’m #ProudlyPerficient because my company invests in their own and is growing from within.
READ MORE: Perficient Celebrates Growth for Everyone
What’s something surprising people might not know about you or your background?
I’ve worked in basically any industry that exists: pizza delivery, mail carrier, bartender, cashier at grocery stores, healthcare, call centers, accountant, etc. I can relate to a lot of experiences because of my work background.
It’s no secret our success is because of our people. No matter the technology or time zone, our colleagues are committed to delivering innovative, end-to-end digital solutions for the world’s biggest brands, and we bring a collaborative spirit to every interaction. We’re always seeking the best and brightest to work with us. Join our team and experience a culture that challenges, champions, and celebrates our people.
Learn more about what it’s like to work at Perficient at our Careers page. See open jobs or join our talent community for career tips, job openings, company updates, and more!
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