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Summer staffing job turns into a 20-plus year career



By Chris Officer | Staff Writer

At 17 years old, Mayra Garcia was a recent high school graduate and completely undecided about her future path. She worked a few odd jobs and landed a receptionist gig for a staffing company that was just supposed to be a summer job. She never left the industry.

Her role has evolved since, but after more than two decades in staffing, Garcia said what she loves most about her job is connecting with people, listening to their stories and identifying how she can help. “We have a unique opportunity to not only find someone a job but a career, where they can excel,” she said.

At Express Employment Professionals, Garcia said she works for “two of the most amazing people,” which is important to her as a mother of nine children, ranging from 8 to 24 years old and a grandmother of three.

“My oldest daughter has a terminal illness and they are the ones that show up at the hospital,” she said.

Garcia grew up in Oxnard and has lived in the area ever since, working her way up the staffing ladder from the human resources department to branch manager, all the way to her current position as a vice president over the past 20 years.

She is described as a “profound optimist who loves people” by her company and reiterates that it’s the relationship she gets to build with people that keeps her coming back every day and doing what she does.

“I am a true believer that you have a designated path and this is what my life is supposed to be,” she said.

• Last show/podcast you binged? Sex in the City.
• Guilty-pleasure food? Blondies.
• Music on your playlist? ’50s and ’60s.