Majors: Labor Employment Relations and International Politics

Minor: Business in the Liberal Arts

Hometown: Tenafly, New Jersey

How Did You Learn About This Opportunity?

I found this internship through the career fair website. One of the tools on the website allows you to see a list of attending employers with interest in the majors you may be involved in. Through this and after doing research on the company, I made it a point to go and see the company at the career fair. I spoke to Ripp Kardon, who is the head recruiter for all college campuses and he suggested applying online as well as signing me up for an interview the following day. If I had not attended the career fair, I would not have received such a great opportunity!

Tell us a little bit about your experience.

My experience gives me insight into the role of a Human Resource generalist. This position is extremely integral to the company because it is the way an employee can reach directly out to the administration regarding anything they are unhappy or happy about. I have worked with several different people to get an understanding of dealing with something as small as entering someone into a New Hire System, to as large as dealing with accusations of noncompliance issues. The most interesting aspect of this internship was the variety of situations I was introduced to, there was never an easy day. Each day brought a new obstacle that was just as important as the last since it dealt directly with the employees and their ability to do their job.

Academically, there could not have been a better decision regarding an internship.

How did this experience impact you academically?

Academically, there could not have been a better decision regarding an internship. I am a Labor Employment Relations major who would like to further her career in human resources. Prior to this internship, it was difficult to decide whether I wanted to be a specialist or a generalist – and here I am confidently willing to say I would like to start my post graduate career and become a generalist. The internship also gave me a taste into the real world, where mistakes are not just poor grades they are in fact hours spent to fix the issue, and multiple people needing immediate answers.

What are your career goals or plans? How did this experience impact them?

Post-graduation, I would like to pursue my working life in the field of Human Resources. I would like to be a generalist, but I am not sure what type of company I would like to work for. I have also learned that getting a Master’s Degree would be essential; I would like to get this degree in either Business Administration or Industrial-Organizational Psychology. I believe this will only further my knowledge and understanding of Human Resources, and deepen my understanding of other aspects of a business as well. I hope to continue working in Human Resources and also spend some time working for non-profit organizations.

Would you recommend this experience to other liberal arts students?

Yes.