Growing Where You Are Planted: Following the Career Journey of Alumna Amadea Dancu
In today’s job market, many careers stem from previous internships. Internships allow for skill development and professional growth in students, and many internships introduce connections that will lead to jobs later down the road. How often though do interns actually find their career within the company that they intern for? More often than it may seem. Amadea Dancu is an incredible example of turning an internship into a career within the same company.
Amadea began working with Dillard’s in Auburn-Opelika as a sales associate in women’s ready-to-wear. While working her sales associate job, Amadea applied for an additional role at Dillard’s as an intern. She was ultimately chosen for the internship and began interning alongside her sales associate position.
Juggling two jobs at once did not slow Amadea down. She approached every meeting and networking opportunity with excitement and fully dedicated herself to what she was doing. During our conversation, Amadea reflected on how she learned some of this work ethic from her mom. Growing up, her mother owned a toy store back home, and Amadea spent endless hours in the store merchandising and asking questions which are skills that she brought into her roles in Dillard’s.
At Dillard’s, Amadea had access to many mentors and co-workers who poured into her and her successes. In particular, a corporate merchandiser for Dillard’s, Heidi, helped to connect Amadea with her first job out of college as a Corporate Assistant Buyer for Dillard’s. This job led Amadea to move to Fort Worth, Texas, to begin her new role after graduating from Auburn University in Spring 2022. In this role, Amadea stayed curious. She kept asking questions and voicing her opinions, and this curiosity led to her making a name for herself and showing others that she was dedicated to this role.
In April of 2023, Amadea and her team found out that they would be relocating to Dillard’s headquarters in Little Rock, Arkansas. This big move scared many people, but Amadea faced the challenge head-on. Because of her determination and dedication, Amadea was promoted to Corporate Contemporary Collection, Denim, and Active Buyer. In this position, Amadea works alongside her assistants to buy for and merchandise every Dillard’s store.
As a young woman working in such a high role in the corporate workforce only a few years post-grad, Amadea has learned so many personal and professional skills. Now, Amadea pours into her assistants just as people poured into her throughout her career journey. What’s some of the advice Amadea has for the up-and-coming young professionals? Amadea encourages to “ask the questions and try to see things from another person’s point of view. Also, be everyone’s friend no matter what someone else may think of them. Prioritize your relationships.” The combination of her hard work, merchandising experience, and her honest confidence in herself has led Amadea to this point. The skills that she perfected in each step of the way to this position have helped her flourish and make important decisions in her current role.
