In this episode, Katie Whittaker, a 2020 college graduate and HR professional, shares insights into how she started her career in HR. Katie's career has moved along at a pretty fast pace despite graduating at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. The obvious things that have helped her get established and build momentum were figuring out what she wanted to focus her career on by her sophomore year and completing two professional internships prior to graduating.
But there are some other not so obvious decisions that I think have significantly influenced the trajectory of her career. The first was transferring schools midway through her freshman year when she realized that she didn't want to major in what had drawn her there. It was a bold move that took a lot of courage. Another was deciding to continue interning during her senior year of college on a part time basis and making a decision to change her approach and timeline for getting a masters degree. Katie shares how she navigated these decisions and how she flexed her plan to make the most of the opportunities she had.
Katie has been focusing her professional career on supporting learning and development, so sharing her story to help others is totally on brand. We hope Katie's journey inspires you as you write your own career story!
What is The Career Chat Room?
The Career Chat Room is a podcast that focuses on job search, career launch and professional transitions. In the Chat Room, we provide insights on career navigational skills that you can use whether you are a college student, new grad or experienced professional.