3.8 million.

That’s how many students are expected to graduate from college in the 2019-2020 academic year and become early career professionals. When I think about it, it’s rather daunting that all of these students making decisions on their first jobs, which will help shape their career path and their future. How can a 22-year old be expected to confidently grasp the ideal role for them when so many different possibilities exist, even within a single company?

Enter the Exceptional-Professionals-early-In-their-Career (EPiC) Program at Personify where new career professionals are given the opportunity to do just that—learn. The EPiC program consists of three rotations into various departments throughout the year, allowing the EPiC Specialist a chance to see where they are passionate and where they shine brightest. After graduating college from Texas A&M University in 2018 with a degree in Recreation, Park and Tourism Sciences, I was unsure of the direction I wanted to take, and that is why the EPiC program is exactly what I needed.

First Stop: People Operations

My first rotation began on the People Operations team, which has been a perfect start! Not only because it has given me insight into the intricacies of Personify’s staffing needs, internal operations and culture but also because it has enabled my passion for helping others. The core focus of the People Ops team is the employees—making sure that staff are happy, fulfilled and doing their best work in addition to building a strong culture along with managing benefits, compliance, facilities and much more. An important skill that goes into a successful People Ops team is being a team player. Everyone on the team may own separate projects, but at the end of the day they all tie into one another. I am fortunate to be on a team that has put a lot of emphasis on collaboration and aiding one another to ensure the job gets done in a timely manner.

I think the most challenging aspect of being a part of the People Ops team is the fact that every day is unpredictable. I may have my day fully planned out, but there is always that chance that something more pressing is going to require my attention, so flexibility and adaptability are key. At times, it might feel as though the to-do list continues to grow without ever getting shorter, but a healthy workload means that organization and prioritization of projects are incredibly important.

From the outside looking in, one might not realize all that goes into creating and maintaining a strong foundation for the company. In this rotation, I have gained an increased understanding of the importance of the People Operations department. This department is such an integral part to any company and its success.

Future Rotations and Next Steps

Before my time at Personify, I worked in the health insurance industry and I have been able to leverage this experience in managing employee benefits on the People Ops team. As I look forward to my next possible rotations, such as finance or sales operations, I am certain I have attained much knowledge from my first rotation that will be transferable into other departments to help me succeed. I am excited to discover more about Personify and gather more insight into all the components that makes this company successful!

Although the EPiC program is fairly new to Personify, we’ve already had eight people participate in the program and new classes will join in 2020. As an EPiC Specialist, you have an opportunity to showcase your skills and contributions to your team and the organization as a whole. I feel fortunate to not have only found a great company to work for, but also a great program that will serve as a launching pad for my career. I think that more companies need to adopt a program like this one because it not only allows program to gain knowledge and increase their skill sets, but it also helps provide a pipeline of new talent and develop future leaders.

Interested in the EPiC Program or a career with Personify? Check out our open positions.

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Personify’s EPiC Program

What goes in to becoming an EPiC Specialist, which stands for someone who has Exceptional Potential early In their Career? The EPiC Program a year-long rotational program at Personify with rotations in three departments, with four months spent in each one. EPiC Specialists develop new skillsets in each department and become crucial members of the team throughout each rotation.

As a member of Personify’s inaugural EPiC class, I can share that I have learned so much over the past months of being an Epic Specialist, not just about who I was professionally but as a coworker, employee and mentee.

My EPiC Rotations

I started my rotation in Human Resources, learning the ins and outs of a company and understanding what it takes to create a strong corporate culture and environment within a company. My first rotation helped me understand how to interview candidates for jobs, recruiting best practices and how to create a team of happy employees at Personify. I am convinced that everyone should work in HR at some point in their life to understand just how impactful they are to driving the company’s culture and that they are the foundation for the organization’s success.

My next two rotations had me join the marketing team, initially in Brand and Communications and then in Demand Generation. My daily activities include managing social media, creating content and learning the ins and out of the tactics and execution of a marketing campaign. As part of the marketing team, I learned how much work and persistence goes into the daily upkeep of a corporate brand. I was given countless opportunities for new experiences that I never thought I would be doing. From planning our annual Sales Kick Off meeting, planning and attending PersoniFest, our annual user conference, and helping create content for social media–I had multiple experiences that helped me grow.

I was faced with challenges and tasks that helped me grow in my career. Throughout the rotations, I interacted with departments across the organization where I need to hone my project management skills and develop close relationships with new teammates. I didn’t just learn about Human Resources and Marketing, I learned life skills that I will take with me wherever I go. While I developed tangible career skills, I learned a lot about myself as well—including how I best work with others, meeting deadlines under pressure and managing my daily tasks.

Reflecting on my Experience

As a recent college grad, job hunting was a daunting task that sometimes seemed impossible and, without truly knowing what I wanted to do, I was afraid that my job search would be an uphill battle. Then I found the EPiC Program. This program is perfect for someone who isn’t quite sure what they want to do but are looking for exposure to multiple teams and projects.

As I am closing this chapter as an EPiC specialist, I am reflecting back on how many opportunities I had to learn and grow in this program. I discovered what I really enjoy doing and the environments that help me thrive and grow. The EPiC program allowed me and my colleagues to better understand how different departments and teams come together to build a successful organization.

I was able to take the skills I already had and further develop them. I would encourage any  growing organization to create a program like this one that helps young professionals try on different career opportunities and expand their areas of expertise. I feel as if I can take on the world now because of my experience and opportunities as an EPiC Specialist here at Personify.

p.s. Personify is hiring. Check out our job openings!

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