How Monica turned learning into career momentum

Monica, a senior manager and chief of staff in Finance Technology, never waits for an opportunity to come knocking at her door. She seeks out ways to stretch and grow, making the most of Capital One’s resources to expand her skills and fuel her curiosity. 

She’s got more than 20 internal courses under her belt—covering everything from the nuances of effective communication to the complexities of machine learning. 

When she joined the Boston office several years ago as one of its first team members, she stepped into an environment where mentors were always within reach and everyone was truly invested in each other’s success. 

“I’ve always believed that learning doesn’t stop once you get the job,” she said. “Capital One encourages that mindset.”

By leaning into this culture of continuous growth, Monica has had the freedom to explore multiple roles and teams in her time at Capital One. Her journey is proof that a career doesn’t have to follow a straight line—as long as you keep learning, every move is a step forward.

Communication 101: Advocacy and taking up space

Monica’s path began as an HR specialist in the Student & Grad organization, where she oversaw partnerships, strategy and events across all undergraduate and graduate programs. While she had some experience in the space, much of the work was new, and she treated it like a blank canvas. To level-up her skillset, she prioritized courses on communication and leadership.

These lessons gave her the confidence to speak up and start vocalizing her thoughts with conviction. By working with mentors to better frame her conversations with leaders, she learned how to own her value in real-time—transitioning from observing meetings to actively steering them.

Today, Monica passes these lessons on to other associates. She’s so passionate about the power of using data to tell better stories that she developed a custom analytical tool to help teams distill complex technical results into clear, high-impact insights for leaders to make key decisions quickly. She’s since shared the tool with others, helping the next generation of associates find their voice and advocate for their work with clarity.

Intro to Machine Learning: Curiosity as a career catalyst

For Monica, she’s learned that the best way to prepare for her next role is to stay curious about the ones still ahead of her. The Capital One courses she’s taken to broaden her expertise range from online modules to in-person sessions with subject matter experts on a number of topics. One of her favorites was on machine learning, a topic she pursued purely for her love of learning.

That curiosity paid off when Monica pivoted from her role in Students & Grads to a specialized role in Compensation before ultimately transitioning into Finance Technology, where she still works today. While the shift from HR to Tech might seem like a jolt, it was Monica’s foundational understanding of machine learning basics that helped bridge the gap.

By learning the “why” behind the technology before she ever held a tech-focused title, Monica was able to step into her new role with an immediate understanding of her team’s technical hurdles. Today, that knowledge allows her to better serve the technologists on her team, as she speaks their language and understands the nuances of the software and models they build every day.