My story on how I got into HR consulting is a little unique. I honestly did not know what I was getting into when I accepted an internship, but it has been a pretty awesome experience so far!

Fresh out of a long journey through college, I had no vision of a direction for my career. I started applying for all jobs that I thought looked interesting and, with that mentality, got several rejection letters. I was annoyed, confused, and concerned that I would not find a job; that I had wasted all this time and money (Thanks Mom + Dad!) on college and would have nothing to show for it.

In one of my final college classes, I attended a seminar class that focused on sustainability, corporate social responsibility, and a little topic called change management. As I was going through the course, I thought to myself several times that I would not use any of this. Well, I was wrong.

Susan Richards came to our class to speak on the topic of change management. At the end of the presentation, I was encouraged to grab her business card – even though it was entirely out of my comfort zone. Luckily, I did. Over coffee one morning, I connected with Susan and she offered me an internship right then and there. I had no idea what to expect, but I was excited and relieved to have a job.

Some days I feel like I could write a book on what not to do in the job search process. Here are a few things I wish I had known during that time:

• Resumé – have a clean and easy to read resumé; ATS systems are tough!
• Research the industry or department you want to be in – what are those entry-level jobs?
• Narrow down the job search – keep those entry-level jobs in mind!
• Your GPA does not define how smart you are – Read that again…and again.
• Take chances – get outside your bubble!

My journey with SteelBridge, now Sapient Insights Group, has been rich with learning, growing, traveling, and expanding my skill set. I continue to look forward to my next project and experience alongside this fantastic group of women!

Afterward by Susan Richards: I was delighted to speak to the Senior Management Seminar class at University of North Georgia about my personal passion, change management. I was not exactly looking for an intern when Allison reached out for a coffee meeting. However, during our meeting, it became clear to me that with her customer service orientation and well-rounded academic background, she would be a good fit for our organization. I stepped out of my comfort zone and offered her the internship on the spot. We both took a chance on each other. I am glad we did! I learn something new from her every time we talk!

(Cover photo courtesy of: Photo by James Wheeler from Pexels)