13 Years of Office Depot – interview with Carla David

About Carla 

I work as a Credit Manager for Accounts Receivable for UK/ IE/ DACH regions. My main responsibility is to coordinate activities that refer to the collection of payments from customers who buy from us in these countries. Mainly we have corporate and public sector portfolios and I have the privilege of working with the best people ever. I have around 37 people in the teams at any given point in time.  

Office Depot journey 

I have been working for Office Depot for 12 years. I started on an assistant level (new entry) with no specific background as I am a graduate of the Modern Languages Faculty. I think that due to my profile I was a good fit for credit and collection, which is a customer-facing process. It’s always dynamic, loud, funny, exciting, frustrating, and rewarding, all at the same time, so I don’t see myself doing any other type of job.  

Gradually I promoted inside the organization (around every 2 years there was a pleasant surprise at the other end), up until to my present role which I have had for the past 4 years. During this time, I have also graduated specialized courses to help me become a better professional. Also, I’ve met the most amazing people along the way (in the hundreds).  

First day at Office Depot 

I think I remember my interview the best. No less than 5 ladies, that I will come to appreciate dearly, interviewed me. It was like a 20 questions round. I was trying to keep up with each of their questions but at the same time, I was getting the best vibes from all of them. And it would turn out my instincts were correct. Each one of them was more special than the other. From my first day, I remember the first buddy I ever had who was the most relaxed person ever. He taught me everything he knew and made it great fun as well. 

Why Office Depot? 

The people. The team. The atmosphere. The work-life balance. The opportunities. The fun. The care. The parties. 

The people of Office Depot are… 

…fun, creative, caring, helpful, smart, and colorful. 

#GrowingStrongerTogether 

I was fortunate enough to have the best managers and mentors. The learning and development department in OD is great. The curricula are varied and interesting both personally and professionally. And the trainers are the best! I think the main reason that was able to grow is knowing that I did this for myself, not for an employer, not for others. I am the only one who benefits from all the training/ workshops/ exercises/ experiences. Also never presume that you are done with learning. There is always something new, interesting to learn and you never know when that information will come in handy. 

Advice to those who want to join Office Depot
If you join, get ready to work hard, meet a lot of wonderful people/square meter, grow and develop as a professional. The people make this place special so bring your special with you. We can’t wait to meet you! 🙂