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Martine Haines, Management Consulting Director, shares the atypical career path that led her to corporate consulting.
Her unusual career path, which includes human resources, continuous improvement, teaching and community involvement, demonstrates how the right work environment can transform a career.
Martine Haines always wanted to work in the consulting field. “I purposely chose the business sector and held various positions over the course of almost 20 years,” she explains. And what was her goal? To build up solid experience of the real-life issues that companies face before embarking on corporate consulting.
Her career path included roles in both the health care and veterinary fields. During each stage of this journey, she gained valuable experience and honed her vision of the professional sector.
“I’ve been involved in every aspect of human resources,” explains Martine. “This includes developing training programs, managing labour relations, liaising with unions and occupational health and safety. I even managed an entire HR department.”
In 2022, a job posting at Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton drew her attention. “When I read the job description, I noticed that it really matched who I am and where I was in my career. I reached out to the recruiter immediately,” recalls Martine enthusiastically. This step was a major turning point in her career.
Game-changing work-life balance
Within the firm, Martine has obtained much more than just a job. She found her place in an environment that allows for a work-life balance without sacrificing either her passions or responsibilities.
As the mother of two children with particular needs, Martine appreciates the flexibility that her employer offers her. It is this flexibility, the wide range of assignments and the quality of her team that makes her say that it’s probably the best work environment she has experienced. “My other employers were great, but this environment best suits me.”
Shared values
In addition to flexibility, Martine particularly appreciates the corporate culture at Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton. “The company focuses on its employees and talent and it shows,” she says.
This culture truly reflects Martine’s own values. She is active in her community as President of the Board of Directors of West Island Youth Action (AJOI) and Ricochet, a shelter for individuals experiencing homelessness, and she appreciates that the firm values her commitment.
The importance of sharing know-how
She also truly enjoys delivering lectures at Université de Montréal. This gives her the opportunity to share her knowledge and to keep in contact with the next generation of HR professionals. “Seeing such interest on the part of the next generation is very rewarding,” she explains. This experience gives Martine the opportunity to act on her desire to pass on her know-how, support others and help them on their career path.
Martine, who previously considered a career in theatre, believes that her current roles of consultant and university lecturer allow her to fully explore her creativity. As she explains enthusiastically, “Creativity and communication play a significant role in my work. I reflect and consider information, share my opinion and present ideas in an interesting manner.”
Professional and personal values: the perfect combination
By juggling the roles of consultant, mother, lecturer and volunteer, Martine proves that professional success and personal values go hand in hand. Her experience highlights the importance of choosing a position that allows for professional development without sacrificing personal aspirations.
For her, happiness at work manifests itself through a sense of accomplishment, a sense of community and the opportunity to contribute to something greater than oneself. At Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton, she has found all of these elements that allow her to reach her full potential on both a professional and personal level.