‘When You’re Doing Something You Believe in … It Doesn’t Feel Like Work’: Brenda Arce, VP and Branch Director, Robert Half

Brenda Arce, pictured above, is a vice president and branch director for Robert Half in Miami, Florida. The original version of this article was published in Half Times, the digital magazine for Robert Half employees.

Brenda Arce seems to have found the key to a balanced career and personal life. Her firm “I’ve got this” disposition is softened by her role as a mother. But it’s also confidently planted on a foundation of helping women, especially other Latinas, develop their strengths and translate them into career successes.

Brenda has been with Robert Half since 2006 and is known for her dedication to the business and involvement in the community where she lives and works. She also recently published her first children’s book, Kissed by the Sun. In the book, Brenda explores family, acceptance, diversity and what makes each of us unique, through her own experience growing up Puerto Rican.

“When you’re doing something you believe in, a true cause to you, it doesn’t feel like work,” Brenda says. “My father always told me growing up that when you work hard, you’re planting seeds and that one day you can stand and pick the fruits of your labor. That’s been very true in my experience.”

She continues, “Kissed by the Sun is about a family that accepts and celebrates its diversity. The main character is a young girl who realizes she is different from her classmates and struggles with that. She has an abuela who makes arroz con pollo instead of a grandmother who makes meatloaf. I hope that parents and children find in my book a way to open conversations and explain to their children that being different is OK.”

A commitment to professional networking — and community work

While growing up “different” in the United States, Brenda says she did everything possible to succeed, toppling gender and racial barriers that emerged along her path. Today, she assists women in accessing the training and education they need to navigate the job search process and get hired in their chosen professions. She’s also made herself available as a one-stop shop for Latina business owners seeking guidance on hiring and onboarding employees for their companies.

The key to success, Brenda says, lies in professional networking. To that end, her volunteer work has included helping women access business clothing for interviews and polish their LinkedIn profiles, pairing them with mentors and conducting Instagram interviews on balancing work with parenting.

Brenda has also led Boys & Girls Club drives to provide gifts and clothing for families in need during the winter holidays. She’s also won awards for her personal growth and leadership multiple times at Robert Half. In addition, she heads up our company’s participation as an annual sponsor of The Latina Pro, a networking and professional development organization for Latinas.

“I love supporting women professionals and entrepreneurs in growing their careers and businesses,” says Brenda. “I especially enjoy supporting other Latinas in becoming successful in professional endeavors.”

Brenda says she was inspired to get involved in community work, in part, by her colleague Deb Montero, vice president for permanent placement services with Robert Half’s legal practice group.

“Debbie was the first person who invited me to work with a nonprofit,” Brenda says. “She was a board member for the Women’s Fund at the time, a nonprofit that invests in smaller organizations focused on women’s healthcare, education and the fight against domestic violence. With Debbie’s recommendation, I ended up leading their young professionals’ group for three years.”

Energized by volunteering and sharing social awareness

Brenda encourages her colleagues to volunteer, even if they feel they don’t have the time. She says donating her time is energizing and has caused her to expand her horizons. Along the way, Brenda has met many incredible people she’s helped, and who have, in turn, helped her.

“It’s so important to do things that make you happy,” Brenda says. “Some of my friends are like ‘Whoa, how can you volunteer when you’re a full-time mom of a 4-year-old and you work for a busy company?’ It’s true; it’s nonstop. But I’ve found a way to manage my time. My community work helps me create contacts and friendships. And it just feels good to share social awareness.”

Brenda says she’s grateful to work for a company that invests in the communities it serves and draws talent from. “Robert Half has supported my community efforts,” she says. “They’ve given me flexibility and encouraged me to participate in things that are outside the normal work routine.”