Levi Campbell joined Stryker in 2011 as an HR Intern at Stryker’s Flower Mound, Texas office. 10 years and 5 roles later, she is currently the Director of Talent Acquisition (TA) for Asia Pacific (APAC). Join us as we hear from Levi about her career journey at Stryker.
Why did you join Stryker?
I joined Stryker because of the opportunity to make an impact while working with amazing people. From day one, I've had the opportunity to work on projects, bring new ideas to the table, help improve things to make them better which I know will ultimately help our mission. Getting to do impactful work with a fun and engaged team makes it that much more special!
Describe your role and what a day in your life looks like.
I have the honor of leading our TA center of excellence (COE) across Asia Pacific. I work with the team to lead TA strategy and recruitment delivery while partnering with HR and business leaders to support our mission and growth goals for the region.
What has been your career path?
I started as an intern at Stryker thinking Recruitment Coordination with our communications business in Texas would be a steppingstone to other parts of HR - little did I know I lucked out and found a growing part of HR that I was super passionate about! I graduated and landed a recruiter role back home in Canada and then over the years I progressed through roles of increasing responsibility within TA in Canada, the United States, and now APAC. I've had exposure and opportunities to work on projects for other HR specialties along the way, but always came back to my first love of TA. I'm so happy that I've had the chance to be part of building something that can now be a destination for others. As the leader for the APAC region, I now get to continue this journey in building and developing the team across the region.
Do you have any regrets in your career? Is there anything you would have done differently?
Learn how and when to listen to your body, and practice setting boundaries that work for you. I'm like the energizer bunny and am self-motivated to work hard and want to be there for people (and then overschedule my personal calendar). Early on, I didn't know how to listen to my body when I was getting tired. Every manager I've had has been super supportive in making sure I manage everything, but I should have listened to them earlier and learned how to be more self-aware of my energy (but we're not always self-aware when young, right?). Reading the book “Thrive” by Arianna Huffington a few years ago was a game changer. I'm in a great place now and still have to monitor this, but now have the right tools and support system to do so.
What is life like outside of Stryker?
I love travelling and living in Asia helped me to tick off many bucket list items over that past few years - so grateful for that time! Lately, I've been trying new restaurants, recipes, and local experiences in Singapore with my fiancé. I'm also a huge outdoors and fitness fan, so always like trying new hikes or workouts. And, with less travel, I've been able to start volunteering regularly at a kitten shelter - it's way tougher than it sounds but is worth it when you see them adopted! Downtime is spent watching TV, reading, re-organizing my closet (love Marie Kondo), or catching up with friends and family back home (thank goodness for technology!).
Tell us something about yourself that people don’t know.
Before moving to Singapore, I had never been to Asia. I did have one work trip prior to the final decision, which was lucky timing, but in my heart I knew it was the right move before I'd even gone. I did some study but spent a lot of time in market meeting people, went in curious and ready to learn, and a whole new world opened up. It's been the most incredible experience over the past 4+ years and I love working with the diverse teams here!
I try to live with the wise words of Wayne Gretzky in mind and I think it’s part of what has helped me approach big decisions like moving overseas: "You miss 100% of the shots you don't take.”