NCCC Success Story

Hometown
Annapolis, Md.

Degree programs

• Bachelor of Arts, Business Management 2007
• Master of Science, Human Resource Development 2009

Year of graduation
2009

Place of employment
Department of Commerce, U.S. Census Bureau, Washington, D.C.

Job title and work responsibilities
I am a human resource specialist in the Human Resource Division. In that capacity, I extend official "offer letters" to new employees and am responsible for recruiting for the Mathematical Statistician job series. I travel to career fairs all over the country to provide students seeking co-ops and permanent jobs an opportunity to work for the government and I encourage other people to consider government employment as well. Right now, I'm also the Presidential Management Fellowship Coordinator for Census. We have awarded fellowships for five people to complete two-year internships that will convert to permanent employment. Part of my job is to support the fellowship awardees by finding them assignments in other agencies to help them grow in their careers so that they are ready to become permanent employees.

How my career relates to my degree from RIT/NTID
I use the writing, analytical skills and knowledge I got from my college experience, as I work to positively impact my organization’s outcomes. My business management and human resource development courses taught me that things change constantly. It is important to keep researching and keep up to date on the latest job trends.

Advice
Be very patient. Realize that an entry-level position is a good place to start because it forces you to learn about a company or agency. Once you have demonstrated that you are familiar with how a company operates, you will get more challenging assignments. Also, finding a mentor can really make a difference. Finally, observe how your supervisor and upper management people handle situations—you can learn from them. Ask yourself, "What would I do in that situation," and keep it in mind when you become an executive someday.