How a Millennial Chose a Recruiting Career

I have heard that few people ever intend to get into recruiting, but somehow, they stumble upon it early on in their careers, and next thing you know, they’re hooked. My colleagues tell me that I’m a unique breed because I developed an interest for it early on, choosing it as my path right after graduating college.

So, How Did This Millennial Decide on a Career in Recruiting ?

I’ll tell you my story.

My degree is in family science and human development. Like many students my age, I originally thought that I would go into a field different from the one I ended up pursuing. I wanted a career in mental health counseling for youth and adolescents. I’ve always had a passion for helping people, so I thought the counseling route made the most sense. I participated in an internship in this field my sophomore year and realized that I didn’t have the passion that I thought I did. Around the same time, I started a job at the University Career Center & the President’s Promise at the University of Maryland, where I served as a peer career educator.

Soon, My Job Began to Feel Like What a Recruiter Does

At the career center, I counseled my peers by helping them with their job searches. I edited resumes and presented workshops to help students with their professional development. This was the counseling aspect that I always knew I enjoyed. I soon realized that I loved counseling college students and giving them the resources they need to successfully find jobs that align with their career goals.

During my final semester at Maryland, I was the teaching assistant for the Job Search Strategies course. My mentor Kara Kehoe, a professor, career coach, and recruiter, allowed me to teach the students about personal branding and other various topics. I discussed my interest in career counseling and working with others with Kelley Bishop, the director of the University Career Center & the President’s Promise; he suggested that I look into recruiting.

Then, There Was a Recruiting Lightbulb

I thought about Mr. Bishop’s advice and how I had interacted with recruiters many times throughout my three years at the career center during job fairs. It was as if a lightbulb went off in my mind, and I thought to myself that I could potentially be very good at recruiting. My supervisor, Neal McKinney, worked in recruiting, so he shared his perspective on the industry with me.

Moving From Introspection to Action

Of course, I did my research and practiced what I preached:

– I networked with individuals in the field by asking for informational interviews on LinkedIn.

– I reached out to individuals who mentors recommended to me, and I found some fellow Terps in the UMD Alumni group on LinkedIn.

– I spoke with Katie Wiggins, Lexi DiBonaventura, Ben Gotkin, Michael Bernard, and Mike Bruni about their experiences in this field.

– I even connected with the company that, unbeknownst to me, would be my future employer via social media. By using Twitter effectively, I connected with Scope Group ahead of a recruiting conference, which led to an internship my last semester of school and, ultimately, to my current role as a software recruiter.

These proactive activities opened up the doors for me, leading to interviews — and my first job.

My Advice for Millennials?

Be proactive in seeking out opportunities to kickstart your career. Even if it turns out to be a field that you’re not passionate about, the experience will be valuable to you in the future. You can always learn from any job that you hold, regardless of your position and responsibilities there. Take your duties seriously, and contribute to the team environment. These are the best ways to grow where you are for the time being and gain strong support from your supervisors, should you choose to take another path.

I am so happy with where I am today, and it all started with the first career fair I went to my freshman year! Start early and continue to be proactive!

Be sure to check in with us regularly to follow along with Evelyn’s adventures as a new recruiter!