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Today we celebrate the 10-year anniversary of Joanna Seminara working at David Allen.  Working as a Debt Recovery Specialist, Joanna is a key member of the team and her commitment to David Allen is second to none.

Joanna joined David Allen in December 2012 and now has a wealth of experience in this industry.

I had been working at my previous employer for a long time and I needed a change.  A former co-worker was working at David Allen, and she suggested I make contact to see if there were any opportunities.  I came in for a chat, met some of the other people working here, and decided I wanted to be part of the team here at David Allen.    I’m still here 10 years later so it was definitely the right decision for me.

We asked Joanna to take part in a Q&A:

What is your job title and what are your main responsibilities?

Debt Recovery Specialist – assisting clients and dealing with debtors in recovering unpaid invoices and rent arrears, advising clients on their options.

How did you get into Debt Recovery?

Previously worked as a litigation secretary so had some knowledge and experience in debt recovery.

What aspect of your role do you enjoy the most?

Obviously, I enjoy recovering monies owed to clients and it is especially rewarding when the client didn’t think they would recover it.

What do you feel most proud of in your life to date?

Personally, it would be being Mummy to my two children, Francesca and George.

What drives you to do what you do?  What motivates you?

Getting results for the clients is a good motivation.  If the clients are getting good results, they will refer us to other people, and we are helping businesses continue.

What three words describe you the best?

Trustworthy, hardworking, and efficient.

Can you please tell us about a defining moment in your working life?

In my previous job I knew I was unhappy.  After going home quite down one day my partner said I should leave.  It sounds silly but his comment made me realise that I should leave.  Of course, I had thought about it before but never did anything about it.

If you could trade lives with one person for an entire day, who would it be and why?

I have always loved animals and it would be great to see animals roaming about in the wild.  I could definitely work in a zoo for the day, however not with snakes or spiders!

What is your strongest personal quality?

Hardworking

Why should a client choose to work with yourself and the David Allen team?

Because we strive to achieve the best outcome for our clients, and we ensure clients understand what we are doing and use jargon free language.

What is the first piece of advice you would give to someone starting their career in Debt Recovery?

If you are speaking to someone who is disgruntled and sounding angry do not take it personally.  They usually don’t mean to aim their anger at you, they are just upset with the situation.

What is the highlight of your career at David Allen?

There is not one major highlight but a few smaller ones.  I have recovered some large debts for clients which was fantastic.  I also achieved a high grade in GCSE Law.

What roles have you done within the business and tell us about your progression path?

I started as a Debt Recovery Assistant and quickly moved on to Debt Recovery Specialist.  Although my job title is still the same, my knowledge and experience has increased massively over the years.

What is the top perk of working in #TeamDA?

After having children, I now work part time.  David Allen have really accommodated my needs and my working hours fit in with my family life.

If you didn’t work at David Allen, what would you like to be doing?

I would probably be working in an administrative role.

David Allen said:

Joanna has been a real asset to our debt collection team.  Her robustness and adherence to systems has enabled her to collect a lot of bad debts for businesses and made such a difference for them.  She has been a pleasure to work with.

Thank you, Joanna, for your dedication over the last decade you truly are a pleasure to work with, from all #TeamDA!

Contact us today if you have a debt that needs recovering!