We continue our Best Advice Q&A series with Tia Eskandari, senior director of national field service for Allied Universal. She shares the best advice she’s ever gotten, offers tips for young security industry professionals and names the person to whom all others in the sector should always listen.
Security Sales & Integration: What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
Tia Eskandari: One of the best pieces of advice I received was from my late grandmother. She told me that if I loved what I did, I would be good at it. That advice stuck with me as I navigated through various roles at my previous employer.
Like any young person given early-career promotions and new assignments, I had to identify what I loved most about my work to achieve the best results. It wasn’t until I reached a point where I was no longer challenged or happy that I knew it was time for a change. This is what landed me here in the security industry.
I sat and reflected on the roles I enjoyed most throughout my career and thought about how I could translate that into my next opportunity. I leaned into the opportunity to try something different in a new industry, which organically led me to do exactly what I love to do today.
SSI: What advice would you give to those looking to achieve success in the security industry?
Eskandari: The best advice I can give is to not be afraid to network and to demonstrate your personal brand. Networking is just one piece of the puzzle; it is important that people see you as you want to be seen. What is your personal brand? Beyond the LinkedIn profile, you want to be remembered.
Participating in thoughtful discussions is where strong connections and bonds are built and they are critical to your professional growth journey. Networking can be scary at first, but as you build your connections, it will become much easier.
You may find yourself surrounded by an entire community of people ready to support you in ways you never thought possible. It starts with putting yourself in the places you want to be and letting people see who you really are. That’s the magic!
SSI: If you could point to one person in the security industry and tell up-and-comers, “Make sure to listen to what they have to say,” whom would you pick and why?
Eskandari: This is a difficult question to answer as I have met so many incredible people since joining this industry. I am inspired by all the women I have met through the SIA Women in Security Forum, PSA and ASIS. One person who has had a significant impact on my journey into the security industry is my very good friend, Carla Manzanilla.
When I started with G4S, she was one of the first women I met and I thought she was an absolute powerhouse. We became fast friends and, as we worked together over the years, I learned a great deal from her. Over the years, I have recruited female early-career professionals to work under Carla’s leadership.
It has been an honor to watch Carla build these women and help them grow and flourish in our industry. She is amazing at what she does every day for our customers and organization.
Click here to check out all entries in SSI’s Best Advice series!
