Name: Ashley Wever
Organization: Indiana University
Position: Specialist, Talent Acquisition Process & Technology (Recruiter)
Location: Position location is Bloomington, Indiana, but I work remotely from Austin, Texas
Alma Mater: Indiana University – Bloomington
Can you tell our students a little bit about yourself and the work that you do?
I maintain/create Talent Acquisition’s process guides, some of which are only used for our team and some that are used on our training page for hiring managers and HRBPs. To help keep our Applicant Tracking System up to date and user friendly, I request enhancements to the site both for applicants’ and hiring managers’ benefits, and test those enhancements for implementation. There is a lot of collaboration with other HR functional departments.
What did your professional journey look like from college to your position today?
I graduated with a degree in Psychology and my first post-college position was teaching life skills to children and families at a non-profit organization. My goal then was to pursue a career as a School Psychologist, but while working there I learned that some aspects of that career weren’t for me, and discovered an interest in HR. I took a Master’s certificate course that used the SHRM Body of Competency and Knowledge, and eventually left my position for a short-term contract with an HR consulting firm. My first experience in HR through that contract was as an FMLA administrator, but I was also handling life change benefits enrollment, I9 auditing, and other tasks while that company was going through an acquisition. I stayed with that consulting firm for one more contract, helping out with full-cycle recruitment, some conflict management, and a workplace assessment. Both contracts got extended at least once, but near the end of the second contract, I knew I needed a more stable environment (and income). I ended up becoming a Talent Acquisition Coordinator on my current team at IU before being promoted to my current position.
What advice do you have for someone who wants to follow your career path?
- Don’t be afraid to change course and start over. What you thought you were passionate about or interested in could change once you learn how many other things are out there. I was already 27 when I veered into HR, and there are so many specialties in this one field.
- Take a chance.
- Contracts are great for learning a great deal in a short amount of time and figuring out where you want to go next; however, they usually do not come with benefits and you may find yourself out of work for a time before landing another contract. It can also be somewhat isolating to not be a full-time employee at an organization where you spend most of your working time.
What skills are most important in your role?
Communication and relationship building are probably the most important skills I’ve needed to have in all of my roles. So many different areas of our organization are required to work together just to hire one person. No matter what area you work in, I would bet there are more hands in the pot than you’d think that are needed to accomplish a certain objective.
