Leading Managed Security Services: Growth, Hiring Advice, and Playing to Your Strengths with April Jenkins

Thomas chats with April Jenkins, Senior Director of Managed Services/Service Desk at Elite Ops, about her career path, and how she prioritizes both customer outcomes and team growth, balance, and psychological safety. April explains her organization’s expansion from 9 to 42 people through new hiring and team consolidation, and discusses current market conditions: high candidate volume, employer decisions about remote vs. office, and the importance of responsiveness, accurately matching job requirements, and adding short notes with resumes.

She shares career guidance on focusing on strengths, staying authentic, reading the room, building relationships through problem-solving, and sustaining momentum via small daily wins and protected thinking time. Recommendation: a strengths-focused book (described as “maximizing your strengths”) and the “do unto others” golden rule from a Dr Pepper Museum exhibit.

00:00 Welcome and Introductions

00:26 April’s Career Origins

02:45 Life Running 24/7 Support

05:03 Team Culture and Mindset

06:31 Scaling from 9 to 42

07:13 Hiring in a Tough Market

11:10 Standing Out as a Candidate

14:39 Internships and Career Switchers

15:12 Advice for Career Growth

17:19 Strengths and Relationship Building

20:15 Finding Your Niche in Security

21:29 Find Your Strengths

22:20 Define Your Core

24:12 Write It Down Daily

25:24 Protect Thinking Time

26:29 Start Small Habits

28:40 Momentum From Small Wins

29:51 Ignore Social Media Timelines

32:15 Relationships As Deposits

34:33 Authenticity And Feedback

37:36 Golden Rule Leadership

40:00 Wrap Up And Thanks