Maddie Holmes completed her undergraduate degree at Purdue in 2017 and continued on with the Lamb School for her Master’s degree. During her time at Purdue, she was conflicted about pursuing a career in industry or in academia. Ultimately, upon graduation, and with very little “traditional” industry experience, Maddie decided to pursue a career in industry. She now works as a Regulatory Affairs Recruitment Consultant at a recruitment agency in New York City.
What’s your favorite Purdue memory?
Undergrad and grad were so vastly different. They didn’t feel like the same experience. I had a great group of grad school friends. We were a tight niche group. We spent time on schoolwork and just destressing and really bonded over the stressful time of our lives.
What do you do as a recruitment consultant? What are the most difficult and rewarding parts?
I work for a company called Real Staffing. I work almost exclusively with the candidates. I get job descriptions from hiring managers and look for people that would be a good fit for those positions. I also work with candidates to see if they can get roles in companies that they are looking for based on interests and qualifications.
This is definitely a job where to get results, you have to put a lot of time into it. A lot fo time it comes down to luck. Sometimes you don’t get the results you want and it can feel tedious or like your time was wasted.
The most rewarding part is getting candidates opportunities. A lot of finding these opportunities is research based. You get this “aha” moment when you find the person a company is looking for.
What experiences at Purdue have prepared you for your career?
I hit the job market with very little industry experience. My student experiences were able to get me into recruitment. Teaching as a graduate student helps you learn how to be objective, how to evaluate people, and project management skills. My research experiences also taught things like hiring assistants. My grad research topic was actually on marketing, and I’m in a sales role now.
What skills transfer over from academia into industry?
I gained a lot of skills from teaching. On top of being objective and evaluating people, it really taught me a lot about public speaking. I taught COM 114 and to teach about it, you have to be able to do it. I also had one-on-one opportunities with students where I could give mentorship and help advise them.
A lot of people overlook what you do in your coursework. There are so many applied opportunities. A lot of my coursework was applied. I was working with outside organizations to help them fulfill their goals. I was able to leverage this as experience when applying for jobs. Plus, it was a great opportunity to network.
What advice do you have for students that are debating between academia and industry? How do you know it’s the right fit?
Think about what you are currently doing. What do you get out of it? What does it take out of you? Research is really rewarding, but do you realistically see yourself doing it for your career?
The same goes with teaching. It’s only part of your job as a professor, but is it something you can see yourself doing for your career?
Where do you see yourself in the next 5 or 10 years?
I want to stay in New York. I’m working in an agency doing sales recruiting now, but I’d like to move in-house and do talent acquisition.
Going from college to real life is hard. How is the transition into adulthood?
Having a normalized schedule is great, but having to get up early every day and doing the same thing each day is a big transition.
I took a leap of faith and moved to New York before I had a job. Now in my free time, I like to take advantage of what New York City has to offer.
Any tips for applying for jobs?
For every job you are serious about, you should have a unique copy of your resume that matches what the company is looking for.
Keep your LinkedIn up to date. You don’t have to frequently post, but try to look at it often.
Look at what experience you do have and what coursework or research you can sell as industry experience.
Don’t get disheartened.
Do you have any final pieces of advice?
The Lamb School provides a lot of amazing opportunities and resources. There are so many people in diverse and interesting careers. Take advantage of opportunities in learning from them.
Don’t compare yourself to others. What you consider success may not equal what success is to another person.