Leadership Starts with Listening
For nearly 30 years, KRESS Employment Screening has been led by Chandra Kill, our President and CEO. Since 1997, she's built this company on a foundation of accuracy, integrity, and human judgment; values that shape everything we do.
As a woman-owned business, we know firsthand the power of diverse perspectives in leadership. That's why, this International Women's Day, we wanted to step back and listen.
We reached out to women across HR, compliance, and hiring to ask a simple question:
What's one piece of advice you'd share with another woman in your field?
Their answers were honest, practical, and rooted in experience. Here's what they told us.
Advice from Women in the Field
"HR is about people first."
Samon - Talent Acquisition Specialist
"No matter the function, HR is about people first. I've learned that when I slow down and stay open to the perspectives of the peers and leaders around me, I almost always walk away with perspective that helps me grow."
Samon's advice captures something essential: HR work isn't just about process. It's about connection. The best decisions come from listening, not rushing.
"Treat others the way you want to be treated."
Rosemarie - Human Resources Manager
"The Golden Rule: Treating Others the Way You Want to be treated is a principal that has served me well throughout my career."
Simple, timeless, and harder than it sounds. Rosemarie reminds us that professionalism doesn't require complexity. Respect and fairness never go out of style.
"Compliance is to keep everything in check."
Judi - FSO, Human Resources
"When you are referring to compliance with the conditions of a contract, the conditions of employment, and requirements for the company, always make sure your communication is clear for requirements and the expectations.
Be sure it is always communicated often. Employees come and go and management changes, this information is not always known nor passed on. It also keeps open communication going with the 'why's' of the requirements.
You don't want to be in the middle of some serious audit or security review then a discovery is made that something was not done properly. There are always moving pieces of a business; compliance is to keep everything in check."
Judi's advice cuts to the heart of compliance work: clarity and repetition aren't optional. People change, priorities shift, and institutional knowledge walks out the door. The only defence is communication that doesn't rely on anyone remembering what was said six months ago.
"Systems create freedom."
Constance - Chief of Staff, KRESS Employment Screening
“The best advice I can give is to build your systems before you need them. When your processes are solid, you spend less time firefighting and more time improving. Track what's working, review what isn't, and never assume last year's solution is good enough for this year's problem. Consistency is what creates the space to grow.”
Constance's advice is a reminder that organisation isn't just a personality trait. It's a professional discipline. When the right systems are in place, teams can stop reacting and start improving. In compliance especially, that shift from reactive to proactive is where real progress happens.
"Know your worth, and document it."
Chandra - President & CEO, KRESS Employment Screening
“The advice I'd give any woman building a career is this: know your worth, and don't wait for someone else to recognise it. Keep a record of what you've built, what you've solved, and what you've delivered. That record becomes your confidence on the hard days, and your case on the important ones.”
Don't wait for recognition that may never come. Know what you've contributed, keep the evidence, and let that record do the talking. In fields where women are often expected to deliver quietly and advocate rarely, that discipline isn't just practical. It's essential.
What We Heard: Common Threads
Different roles, different paths, but the same instincts kept surfacing. Listen before you act. Treat people the way you want to be treated. Communicate clearly, and then communicate again. Build systems that don't rely on memory or luck. These aren't soft skills. They're the infrastructure that keeps teams, audits, and hiring processes from falling apart.
What struck us most was how practical the advice was. No one talked about climbing ladders or playing politics. They talked about showing up with respect, staying curious, building processes that hold up under pressure, and never assuming that what worked last year is good enough for this year. In HR and compliance especially, that kind of disciplined, people-first approach is what protects organisations and the people inside them.
The through-line? Care about the work. Care about the people. And build something solid enough that both can thrive.
A Big Thank You to the Women Who Contributed
To every woman who took the time to share their perspective: thank you. Your advice will help others navigate the same challenges you've faced.
And to the women reading this who are building careers in HR, compliance, or hiring: your voice matters. Your experience counts. And the field is better because you're in it.
About KRESS Employment Screening
KRESS is a woman-owned employment screening company based in Houston, Texas. Since 1990, we've provided FCRA-compliant background checks, drug testing, and employment verification services to businesses across industries. Our approach combines technology with human judgment to deliver accurate, defensible results, because hiring decisions deserve more than data. They deserve truth.
Learn more at kressinc.com or contact us at 888-636-3693.
Happy International Women's Day from the team at KRESS.