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Ellen Waller
Director of Recruiting at Meta
Ellen Waller is a talent leader with extensive experience in recruiting and human resources, currently serving as the Director of Recruiting at Meta (formerly Facebook). Here are some key details about her:
Professional Background
Ellen Waller has been working at Meta for over 3 years, having joined the company in early 2020.2 Her expertise lies in:
- Organizational growth
- Recruiting
- Employee relations
- Performance management
She is certified as a Professional in Human Resources (PHR).
Career Experience
Prior to her role at Meta, Ellen has worked in both large corporations and startups.1 Some of her previous positions include:
- Executive Recruiter
- Executive Assistant
- Camp counselor
- Tour guide
- Bartender
- Daycare assistant
- Catering assistant3
Education
Ellen Waller attended the University of East Anglia for her education.1
Personal Insights
In reflecting on her 3-year anniversary at Meta, Ellen shared some learnings from her journey:
- The importance of influencing others in her role
- Insights gained from her experiences at the company2
Ellen also has experience as a Founder and Coach at Target Training for Irish Dance, showcasing her diverse skill set beyond her corporate roles.4
Highlights
I just hit my 3 year anniversary at Meta. I've been reflecting a lot on my journey here and a couple learnings stand out:
-
Influencing without authority is one of the most important skills when working at a large, matrixed company. I very rarely have sole authority over big decisions - usually I am a part of a group that collectively makes the decision. Being able to influence others is the skill I've improved most over the past three years and has been the most important driver of my career growth at Meta.
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Vulnerability and empathy are incredibly powerful leadership skills. Ami Vora shared great advice on this a few years ago: to lead you need trust, and vulnerability can accelerate the time it takes to build trust. I've learned over the years to be more open and share more about myself, my goals, and my fears. This makes others more comfortable doing the same and allows me to build productive relationships faster.
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Don't hide mistakes; shine a light on them. Our natural inclination is to highlight our wins and strengths. I've learned that doing the opposite is an incredibly valuable way to build a learning mindset within a team. We all mess up - highlighting the miss and learning from it helps everyone around you improve.
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Expect and embrace change, don't fight it! This one is hard. Especially for type-A people like me who love control, to-do lists, and plans. And yet, my biggest growth has come from times of huge change and uncertainty. Being uncomfortable often means we are learning, so I now try to lean into change rather than resist it.
I'm grateful for the people who have helped teach me these lessons over the past few years (especially Christine Oliver - my one and only manager at Meta- who is a dream to work with and learn from each day). I'm really excited about the path ahead, which promises to be both hard and full of growth. Onward! 💫
Really proud of what we are building. 2022 was a challenge and I expect 2023 will bring its own hurdles as well, but WOW I am excited for the path forward. Happy Holidays!
