“It felt like destiny. It’s like all the experiences I had were leading me here.”
That’s what Whitney Lutley – a Media Consultant at Cox Media Inc. – had to say about her journey to a career at Cox.
Whitney is a driven professional who meets sales challenges with poise and resourcefulness. A resident of Mobile, AL, Whitney serves as a media consultant for the Florida, Georgia, and Alabama regions.
“I create marketing plans for owners of small to medium sized businesses to help them better reach their customers through cable advertising and digital marketing,” Whitney said. “My favorite part about my job is presenting a solution tailored to fit their business needs. I’m most excited during the educational process when I’m explaining different digital marketing strategies to them. It’s so rewarding when the client understands our products and how effective they can be to their business.”
Prior to arriving at Cox, Whitney attended the University of South Alabama – going to classes during the day, and working in retail sales at night. After graduation, a frustrating process of applying for jobs ensued. Whitney eventually decided to take a break from job-hunting…and then the right door opened. Whitney was recruited via LinkedIn to join Cox Media’s sales team.
“When I got here and went through the sales associate training program, it was so eye-opening,” she said. “A whole new world opened up. A passion was ignited. I had no idea of the depths of the media industry, and every aspect of digital marketing and digital advertising was so interesting.”
In that training program, Whitney met her leader, Steve Allen. Steve is Cox Media’s Digital Sales Manager for the FL/GA/AL region, as well as the Sales Manager for Cox Media’s sales associates. Whitney said Steve was the perfect leader for her.
“He really coached me and led me to get out of my comfort zone. I think this position has given me the confidence to start conversations and be more open. I’ve always been a good public speaker, but this position has helped me learn how to nurture relationships.”
She added: “Cox has surrounded me with a lot of people who are smart and very good at what they do, and they make you want to aspire to be the same way. Seeing successful people motivates me.”
But Whitney didn’t rely solely on mentors and training within Cox in order to accelerate her career growth. She also leveraged Cox’s tuition reimbursement program to earn her master’s degree in Digital Marketing from Full Sail University and celebrated her virtual graduation earlier this year.
“Everything I learned in that program, I can apply to my day-to-day job,” Whitney said. “I got real-world courses for strategy and media professionals in today’s world. I want to pour this knowledge back into the company and continue to use this degree even more.”
What else has Whitney learned as a young sales professional at Cox?
“If I knew someone who was interested in a sales career here, I would tell them that they need to be excited about meeting new people,” Whitney says. “Listen twice as much as you speak, and be aware of different personality types. Be bold and brave. Feed your weaknesses just as much as your strengths. Always be coachable. And be open-minded to learn, grow, and give yourself a chance. That’s what my mom told me when I was going through challenges. She always said: ‘Don’t give up on yourself; just give your very best.’ ”
Whitney has her eye on the future and is hungry for new challenges and growth at Cox.
“I couldn’t ask for a better company to work for,” she said. “And I don’t think I could ever find a company as inclusive and compassionate. I know there’s plenty of room to move up and around – there’s so much opportunity here. It’s just about discovering what area would be a good fit for you.”
Interested in learning more about the salespeople who drive Cox forward? Check out the rest of our For the Love of Sales series and follow along on social media using #ForTheLoveOfSales.
Monique Cobbins describes herself as a “second-generation car girl.”
Because her father worked in automotive sales (and is still a dealer today), Monique grew up in-the-know about the behind-the-scenes of a car dealership – the lingo, the systems, and what makes them successful. But she didn’t initially envision herself following a similar path.
“I was turned off by the automotive industry because that’s all I saw my whole life,” Monique laughed. “But then I got into it and fell in love with it.”
Monique worked in a dealership for seven years before being recruited to Cox. Now, she draws on her rich knowledge of the automotive world and merges it with her joyful personality and her love for the products that Cox Automotive provides. She is an Inside Regional Sales Manager at Cox Automotive, working remotely in Mission, KS and specifically focused on selling VinSolutions’ customer relationship management (CRM) platform to car dealers in the New England area.
“If I was describing what I do to someone outside of this industry, I would say that I sell the software that is really the heart of every car dealership,” Monique said.
Monique loves the feeling of knowing a product inside and out and being able to educate dealers on the topic.
“Having the ability to demonstrate and explain the benefits to a dealer principal or a GM…I mean, there’s such a sense of achievement to be able to say: ‘I know my product, and I have the best product in the market.”
Monique recounts many scenarios that sharpened and inspired her as a sales team member at Cox – from learning the Challenger method of sales to clinching a deal with one of the biggest automotive groups in the Massachusetts area.
She commented that Cox sales employees like herself are recognized and rewarded for their diligence and the pride they put into their work.
“Working for a goal-oriented, family-owned company that understands the industry and market makes you feel so safe and protected,” she said. “You’re put in positions to succeed. I love the open-door policy at Cox: letting leaders know your career goals, and then them investing in you and pointing you in the right direction.”
When she’s not closing VinSolutions deals, you’ll often find Monique with her three sons, all of whom play competitive basketball. Being a basketball mom keeps her schedule full, but she also loves to travel with girlfriends across the country.
Working at Cox Automotive makes Monique feel like she’s part of something bigger.
“Working for a company where you actually feel like you’re part of the “why” and the bottom line just makes you have such a sense of pride in what you do,” she said. “If you’re serious about becoming a sales consultant, this is the place for you. If you are a dedicated person, and dedicated to growing yourself, this is the company where you need to be.”
Interested in learning more about the salespeople who drive Cox forward? Check out the rest of our For the Love of Sales series and follow along on social media using #ForTheLoveOfSales.
In celebration of National Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15 – October 15), Cox is casting a spotlight on some of the employees who make up our rich and diverse company culture. We asked people like Luis Avila-Estrada who leads the Compliance and Governance team at Cox Enterprises, about his hope for more Latino representation in corporate America.
The Latinx community is not one-size-fits-all. It is made up of people from many ethnic groups with diverse histories, languages, countries of origin, and cultures.
In this Q&A, Luis talks about his upbringing as a child of first-generation immigrants and shares his hope for stronger representation of Latinos in leadership roles in corporate America.
How has your culture and upbringing influenced how you have lived your life? How has it also influenced how you show up every day for work?
Being the son of Mexican immigrants, I am the product, along with my brothers, of my parents’ endless work to achieve the American Dream. My two older brothers enlisted in the US Marine Corp and served our country for many years. My younger brother and I were able to complete our graduate degrees at Ivy League schools, Harvard and Columbia respectively. Being able to visit Mexico and understand the conditions under which my parents grew up and witness how hard they worked to create a better life for us in the US, made me very aware that I owed it to them and to myself to take advantage of the opportunities that they had created for me.
How does your Hispanic / Latino heritage play into your traditions, beliefs and lifestyle? How do you keep those traditions alive?
I am unapologetically Latino, my heritage plays into all aspects of my life. I love the richness of our food, music, art, history and languages. I also love that our culture is so family-oriented. We are not only close to our own families, but we invite friends, including work friends, to join our extended family. That’s one of the reasons that the Cox culture resonates so strongly with me, the family feeling extends to all of our employees. We’re all part of the Cox familia!
What do you think is important for others at the company to know about your experience being Hispanic or Latino in corporate America and at Cox?
Unfortunately, Latinos are significantly underrepresented in corporate America, especially in leadership roles. While we make up the largest ethic/racial minority group of the workforce, our numbers are still quite low overall. I am hopeful that companies, including Cox, will realize that the Latino perspective is essential for business success.
What do you think is the greatest need to move the Hispanic / Latino community forward – and how can others help?
We need Latinos in leadership positions, and we need to urge Latinos to vote. Latinos are already the largest racial/ethnic minority in terms of population, the largest voting bloc, and have the largest purchasing power. However, we are disproportionately underrepresented in leadership positions. Everyone, Latino or non-Latino, should understand that bringing the Latino perspective to the decision-making rooms is essential. We also need to protect everyone’s right to vote and make sure that no one is intimidated from exercising their constitutional right.
Want to read more stories like this or discover a day in the life at Cox? Check out our employee blog or search for open roles to learn more.
The moment you meet Elisa Pulido, you can sense that she is a born collaborator.
Elisa exudes a vibrant energy that not only suits her well for a career in sales, but also for working closely with teammates in order to stand out in the whirlwind of the automotive industry.
“That’s one of the things I can tell Cox really cares about: teamwork matters,” Elisa said. “The collaboration is real.”
Elisa is a Senior Dealer Success Consultant at Cox Automotive, where she serves as a trusted partner and resource for automotive dealers. She specifically supports Cox’s Autotrader brand, helping dealers find opportunities to engage car shoppers online.
“[We’re] able to walk into a dealership and sit with a GM, a dealer principal, a digital marketing manager – whatever the case may be – and really help them,” Elisa explained. “It’s about providing a consultant-based opinion on a broad digital strategy; and helping them fine-tune their operations from inventory acquisition to pricing to merchandising. We help them not only become successful with Autotrader, but beyond.”
Elisa’s go-getter attitude has propelled her through a thriving career in sales, going from radio to pharmaceuticals to television to her current job at Cox Automotive.
“I was taught that if you do the right thing even when no one’s looking, those types of qualities and actions will get you further and help you rise to the top,” Elisa said. “Always be humble and try to be the hardest worker in the room. Do the right thing every day, and it compounds.”
Elisa embodies this attitude outside of work, too. A fitness guru, she is passionate about building healthy habits with her husband and their five-year-old son, Liam. She is also a big fan of the Peloton community and loves the sisterhood she has found by connecting with other cyclists.
“When we do live rides together, it’s not about who’s the best or the fastest,” Elisa said. “It’s about carving out time for yourself. I love being part of a team and uplifting others. Being a part of a community seems to be a common theme for me,” she added with a laugh.
Elisa knows that collaboration not only results in strong rapport with coworkers, but is also good for business.
“Handing off clients to other sales team members in different business units (BUs) was nerve-wracking in the beginning,” she said. “Delegating has always been hard for me. And when we work cross-collaboratively across BUs, you’re really talking about handing off a relationship. But last year, if you look at referral-based [sales], I was one of the top in different products because I realized that I could be confident in other teammates and build deeper relationships. Now, I always have someone in those BUs I can lean on. It’s never a fight of ‘let me be the hero.’ It’s true collaboration.”
At Cox, Elisa has discovered that teamwork habits are by no means limited to coworkers in the same location.
“One of the things I was concerned about coming into this position is that everyone is in a different location,” said Elisa, who is based in south Texas. “I was used to an office environment where everyone leaned on each other. I’ve been utterly shocked with the amount of collaboration that you can still have when you’re 300 miles away from someone!”
Elisa added that especially now, in a virtual world, she feels more connected to her colleagues than ever.
“There’s a true form of community across the nation,” she said. “I know it’s hard to believe, but it’s true. Being able to know that everybody has your back and that you’re all pushing for the same thing? Every step of my journey with Cox has been built on that.”
Interested in learning more about the salespeople who drive Cox forward? Check out the rest of our For the Love of Sales series and follow along on social media using #ForTheLoveOfSales.
Sergio Garcia has lived in the United States for 22 years. During that time, he’s worked for eight different companies – which makes him well-versed in what makes for a supportive workplace.
“Cox is the best of the best in all aspects,” Sergio said. Currently a Direct Sales Representative for Cox Communications’ Central Region, he lives in Springdale, AR.
Prior to joining Cox, Sergio was working in a high-stress setting as a car sales representative.
“I decided to look for a new career in the same field,” he said. “I resigned from my job and decided to spend some time off and go on vacation with my family. While I was on vacation, I received a phone call from a friend telling me that Cox was hiring a bilingual direct sales representative.”
Fast-forward to 2020: August marked Sergio’s fifth year of being part of the Cox family, and he still finds his day-to-day to be both exciting and enjoyable.
“Of all the companies that I have worked for, Cox has given more autonomy than the rest,” Sergio explained. “With Cox giving me more autonomy, it has allowed me to be less stressed and I have learned to be more responsible with my work because of the amount of freedom I am given.”
In fact, this kind of flexibility is Sergio’s favorite part about working in sales at Cox.
“I love the flexibility of my schedule, and the fact that I am not locked in an office for eight hours waiting for customers to call me or come to ask for services, but rather that I go looking for them,” he said. “I feel very blessed to have this because I know how rare it is in the sales field. For example, in my previous job my schedule was from 8 am to 8 pm, resulting in a lot of stress. At Cox, I can set my own schedule and this has allowed me to be more creative in finding new ways to accomplish my work goals.”
Sergio said that this more relaxed, entrepreneurial environment has given him more time to enjoy his hobbies – including soccer, boating, reading, and having Bible studies with friends – as well as family time.
“One huge impact from my flexible job is that whenever my wife and I started our process of IVF to have another child, I was able to travel to Tulsa early in the morning to my wife’s appointments,” he said. “Another thing is that whenever my oldest daughter had school events and orchestra concerts, I was able to attend, unlike in my previous job. I have also taken a lot more vacations.”
Sergio has ambitions of moving into a supervisor role at a local or regional level and finds the pleasant work environment of Cox to be a catalyst for professional growth.
“I think it’s important for Cox to offer an environment of independence and trust in employees because it allows one to grow more as an individual and learn and excel in managing their work,” he said.
Interested in learning more about the salespeople who drive Cox forward? Check out the rest of our For the Love of Sales series and follow along on social media using #ForTheLoveOfSales.
Global health and social justice. When we look back on 2020, these are the two topics we’ll immediately think of. But what if there was more? What if we also remember people coming together and performing conscious acts of kindness? The type — both large and small — that have a positive ripple effect on our relationships, communities and the world?
Cox is launching a new program in July to do just that. Called “Connecting Through Kindness,” we’re collecting all of the amazing acts of compassion, goodness and humanity that Cox employees perform that bring positive change to our communities.
Throughout the month of July, follow along on our social channels to see what our people are doing to bring more kindness into the world. And, if you’re so inclined, help us expand our efforts through your own kind acts, too!
Connect with us today and let’s get started.
Searching for a new job can be an intimidating process for many. Now, with a global health crisis fueling economic disruptions, it can feel even more overwhelming to prepare for a potential job interview. So how should you stay ready during this challenging time? Our recruiters at Cox have some helpful tips on how to stand out and land your perfect job.
Take time to reflect on your career experience and make a realistic assessment of the skills that employers are looking for that match your experience.
“Oftentimes, we wait until we find the right job to make updates to your resume, but it is a good habit to continually stay on top of your resume so that no projects or accomplishments fall through the cracks,” shared Erin Kinback, Technical Recruiter at Cox. “Also, make sure your previous roles are written in the past tense, while your current role is in the present tense,” she said.
“You also want to proofread for accuracy and grammatical errors,” Senior Recruiter Matt Mosher said. “If you are working with a recruiter, make sure the recruiter has the most updated version of your resume,” Matt added.
Since the majority of America is spending more time at home, now is the perfect time to make an effort to update your LinkedIn profile.
“When a recruiter, hiring manager, or a co-worker visits your profile, you want to make a great [virtual] impression,” said Briana Daugherty, Employment Branding Strategist. “Beef up your profile by updating those key sections that tout your ‘personal brand’: Start by uploading a headshot photo, add a captivating headline, and update your “About Me” section and career experiences. Those 4 updates should give you the boost you need to confidently network across LinkedIn for job opportunities.”
If you’re in technology, sites like GitHub offer accounts and profile pages for job seekers to tell the story of the work or the contributions they have made.
“It is good to show off that you have been working on some side projects or personal development initiatives if you’ve been recently laid off or furloughed,” added Erin. “Our hiring leaders for Software Engineers oftentimes check out a candidate’s GitHub profile to get a better feel for what projects they are interested in as well as a greater understanding of how they code.”
A job interview today will likely take place over Zoom or another video-conferencing software. Senior IT Recruiter Sherica Sampson thinks the best way to prepare for the interview is to practice.
“Practice mock interviews! It’s a great way to get rid of nervousness, and you can run through your responses to previous experiences at other companies,” she said. “You should also prepare at least 3-5 questions to ask during your interview. You are interviewing the company just as much as they are interviewing you, so to make sure the match would be a good fit, you should always prepare to ask questions.”
“I agree, try pairing up with a buddy and do as many mock video interviews as you need to until you feel comfortable,” said Matt. “Be prepared to explain any movements during your career and be able to provide examples of times you have overcome obstacles and contributions that you may have made to your organization. Be able to convince the interviewer that you have researched the role and that you want to work for their company/team specifically.”
“Research the companies before your interview,” Sherica adds. “This is a great way to show how interested you are in a company by doing your homework ahead of time. Be knowledgeable and enthused by what that company offers.”
“If there are a few companies you have been eyeing but have not yet pursued, be ready for that potential phone screen. Look into what the company has been working on and get a good feel for the overall objective of the business,” Erin added. “Showing recruiters that you have done your research and that you know a bit about the company you are interested in can go a long way.”
Despite the uncertainty in the job market, there are open positions, and landing your next job is all about making yourself stand out from the pack. As with all things, the toughest part is starting – and now is the best time to get ready.
We are committed to our employees and job seekers and encourage you to stay safe during this difficult time. For general questions on our hiring process, please visit our FAQ page. Check out our career site to see what openings are currently available at Cox.
In celebration of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, Cox is shining a spotlight on some of the employees who make up our diverse company culture.
The AAPI community is made up of people from many ethnic groups with diverse backgrounds, histories, languages and cultures. People like Daisy Kuo, a Chinese-American woman who works at Cox Enterprises as an advisory and assurance manager for Audit Services. In this Q&A, Daisy talks about her upbringing as a child of first-generation immigrants and shares her excitement about passing along traditions to her young daughter.
Q: Tell us about what you do at Cox.
A: I have been with Cox for four years and my job is to help provide independent and objective assurance and advisory services to improve the company’s processes from a financial, operational and compliance perspective.
Q: Tell us a little bit about how you were raised. How did your Asian American and Pacific Islander heritage play into your family traditions and beliefs?
A: I grew up in a big Chinese-American family as one of four children. With immigrant parents, my siblings and I served many roles at home to help our parents become better acclimated in this country. It was not uncommon for me and my siblings to read important pieces of mail or translate phone calls for my parents. Because of this, we naturally had a strong family bond together.
Looking back, my family worked as a great team! I think this is a reason why I love working for Cox – my team and I work together as a family and the company overall has such strong family-oriented values that I strongly resonate with.
Q: How do you keep those traditions and beliefs alive?
A: As a new mother, I hope to keep my family traditions and beliefs and modify and even improve upon them for today’s work/life demands. I’m in constant dialogue with my husband on what kind of life we want for our daughter, and I’m excited for what the future can bring for her.
Q: What do you think is the greatest need in the Asian American Pacific Islander community – and how can others help?
A: One need is to continue increasing awareness of the resources (such as Lotus, Cox’s new employee resource group) available to my colleagues to help them be even more successful in their careers. I’ve taken part in other opportunities designed to help ensure that the AAPI community can continue to be a part of Cox’s growth and success.
In celebration of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, Cox is spotlighting some of the employees who make up our diverse company culture. Learn how we encourage our people to Make their Mark at Cox.
The AAPI community is made up of many ethnic groups with diverse backgrounds, histories, languages and cultures. In this Q&A, we sat down with Marc Feliciano, an instructional designer at Cox Communications, to share some insights about his culture, his background – and, oh yeah, the food!
Q: Hi Marc, tell us about your “day-in-the life” as an Instructional Designer.
A. I started in January 2019 as an instructional designer for HR. I develop and publish training for all lines of business. I love that I can help and learn from different lines of business across the company. I enjoy working with different types of people and understanding how I can help them succeed by training their employees and their target audience. For the past year and four months, I have worked with Cox Residential, Cox Business, Cox Media, and the Technology team.
Q: That’s great, tell us more about your background.
A. I’m 75% Filipino and 25% Chinese. On my mother’s side, my grandfather is from Hong Kong and he is 100% Chinese. So, my mom is half-Filipino, half-Chinese and my dad is 100% Filipino. My upbringing was me juggling two worlds at the same time. I migrated to the United States when I was 8, but we moved to South Georgia where there weren’t many other Filipinos, much less Asian people. I was raised by a single mom and it was just her, me and my older sister. In terms of tradition, my mom cooked Filipino food for us and still spoke Tagalog when we were growing up.
Q. How do you keep those traditions and beliefs alive?
A. We flew to Manila and I brought my team some Filipino souvenirs and snacks. I also try to eat at Filipino restaurants here in Atlanta. I want to cook it for myself next, but I just need time to practice. I would love to learn how to make my mom’s lumpia. Lumpia is a Filipino type of spring roll. Not only do I love it, but my mom uses it as a side business and her customers love ordering it as well.
Q. What do you think is the greatest need in the Asian American Pacific Islander community – and how can others help?
A. The greatest need for the community is for us to be in leadership positions. I would like us to be represented, not just in pictures, but in a seat at the table. We need someone who can be a voice for the community. That’s why I love how our new ERG Lotus, puts a spotlight on Asian American and Pacific Islander Cox employees. It is always good to be part of an inclusive company that highlights their employees and not just the bottom line. I encourage my coworkers to join the ERG for insightful conversations, fun, and AMAZING food!
Special thanks to Marc for sharing his story with us. If you want to #MakeYourMark and join a diverse and inclusive workplace where everyone can grow, explore career opportunities today.
The 2019 Cox Summer Social was sizzling this year as we got a crash course in esports and welcomed players, the head coach, costumed fans and the general manager from the Atlanta Reign.
Our President and CEO Alex Taylor kicked off the Cox Summer Social with the introduction of our special guests the Overwatch League’s Atlanta Reign team, our company’s most recent investment. He shared how the team came about and admitted that he wasn’t sold initially on the idea of people watching other people play video games. But the more he learned about it, the more convinced he became that esports was on its way to becoming a booming industry. In fact, esports are predicted to have more viewers than every professional sports league but the NFL by 2021 — surpassing the MLB, NBA, NHL and MLS.
An Esports Overview
Soe Gschwind-Penski, a commentator, host and international celebrity in the gaming community, provided a quick overview of esports before hosting a brief discussion with our Chief Financial Officer Dallas Clement and our special guest, the President and CEO of Atlanta Esports Ventures Paul Hamilton. The discussion was about the journey of owning and operating our first esports team and our partnership with Province Inc. to form Atlanta Esports Ventures.
Raving Fans
Our event was decked out with vintage arcade games, while employees enjoyed ice cream on the outdoor lawn and more games under the tent. While others scored some free swag items, souvenirs and peeked inside the Atlanta Reign’s official team van. Fans also got a chance to meet Atlanta Reign players Babybay, Kodak and Gator, head coach Brad Rajani, and take pictures with cosplayers (costumed characters) from the Overwatch game.
We couldn’t be more thrilled to kick off the summer in a big way for our employees and learn and celebrate our newest investments together.
If you want to read more articles like this one, view our open jobs or experience a day in the life at Cox? Venture over to our Careers page to learn more.
We’re changing out our tools to provide a better experience for you. Between June 16-22, we will not have any open jobs published on our careers website, but please join our talent community and come back after June 22 to search and apply. Thank you!