A few weeks ago I did an informational interview with Jill Kelly, the Vice President of Human Resources at API Heat Transfer. During our meeting we talked about how she got to where she is now, what she does and what advice she had for me and other soon-to-be graduates.
Jill worked at Citi Bank in NYC before coming back to work for Delaware North and then now API Heat Transfer. She said that her position in strategic and very non-routine. She deals with benefits, strategic planning, and does a lot of project work.
Like I mentioned before, Jill gave me a lot of good advice, too much to include in this blog. There were four main pieces that stood out to me as most important though. First, if you can, be as selective as you can about the first company you work for. Ideally, the bigger the company the better because there will be a lot of room for growth. Second, many of us have been told this countless times, but always write a handwritten thank you note. It shows that YOU put in time and effort to thank them for THEIR time and effort. Third, always send a cover letter. Some companies don’t even look at them, but some do so keep it simple and include 1 -2 important things such as GPA or internships. Lastly, figure out how you are going to make a difference in the company and how you are going to stand out. You want to show people what you can do for them, not ask what they can do for you.
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