Campus Recruit Spotlight: 9 Questions for Haley Hahesy

Our Campus Recruit spotlight series introduces recent graduates that are making the transition into the professional world.

This month, we talk to Haley Hahesy, a technical consultant for Enterprise Applications and Solutions Practice.

1. When did you start with Centric? What did your recruiting process look like?

campI began working at Centric Consulting in June of 2016. I was introduced to Centric – and some Centric employees – by a friend, and that is pretty much where my recruiting process began. We (my would-be boss, Chris, and I) chatted about my skills and what I was looking for in a job, and things kind of fell into place from there. I went through three phone interviews and was given an offer within a month.

2. Tell us about your work experience prior to coming to Centric.

I was fortunate enough to have two internships in two different industries during my time in college, which gave me a feel for what I did – and mostly didn’t – like about each one.

My first internship was at Erie Insurance in Erie, PA, which is my hometown. I was an IT intern and worked for the billing department, but the project I was heavily involved in was a website redesign. My second internship was at Huntington National Bank in Columbus, OH. I was an IT intern and worked with the Customer Information Systems team doing mainly quality assurance work.

3. What has the transition between campus life and working for Centric been like?

The transition from college to Centric was a relatively easy one. The summer before my senior year, Huntington offered an extension on my internship, allowing me to work throughout the school year. I only worked about 25 hours a week, but balancing classwork, my internship and personal life was a valuable lesson for me that helped me transition into the “real world” as a full-time employee at Centric.

4. What has been the hardest part of the transition been?

The most challenging part of transitioning from a college student to the “real world” has been time management. In college, I made my own schedule and for the most part, did what I wanted, when I wanted. Transitioning into a full-time job has taught me how to better manage my time in order to get the most out of each day.

5. What are the main differences between being a full-time employee and being an intern?

The main difference between being an intern and being a full-time employee is the amount of responsibility. Although I worked independently at my internships, I still had someone checking in on me regularly, making sure everything was okay and answering any questions I had. As a full-time employee, I still have people checking in on me occasionally to see how things are going, but it’s mostly up to me to seek help when I need it and to carve out my own path.

6. What is your favorite part about working for Centric?

My favorite part about working at Centric is the culture. I’ve never met anyone who brags about their company’s culture, but I find myself doing it often.

Every employee I’ve met at Centric really believes in our core values and always tries to do what is best for our company and for our clients, and that’s what makes it such a great place to work. I am proud to tell people that I work at Centric.

7. What is your advice to those looking for careers after graduation?

• If you love your internship and see a future there, work your tail off during the summer to try to secure a full-time position. If you aren’t wild about your internship or the company, don’t stay! There are so many options out there and you don’t want to be unhappy with your first job.
• Be patient! I know it seems like the phone interviews will never end, but the more interviews you have, the better you get at them. Look at each interview as an opportunity to get better and hopefully one of them will turn into a job.
• Start looking and apply early. Attend the career fair if your school has one.
• Create an elevator pitch and work to continuously improve it… You never know when you could run into someone important.

8. Can you describe an unmatched employee experience that you have had while you’ve been with Centric?

My favorite UMEX experience thus far has been the trip to San Antonio for the company-wide holiday party. While this UMEX is not personal to me (every employee is invited to the holiday party), I had an incredible time in Texas with my co-workers and often think about how cool it is to work for a company who cares enough about its employees to send them on a holiday trip every year.

9. Can you describe an unmatched client experience that you have delivered while you’ve been with Centric?

A client I was working for had been in the consulting industry for the vast majority of his career, so we often talked about consulting and his experiences over the years. We had the same black leather notebook that we used to take notes in meetings, and as more people pointed it out, he started telling everyone it was a “consulting best practice.” It was a running joke the whole time I was there.

As I was rolling off the project, I noticed he was nearing the end of his notebook, so I gave him a black leather Centric notebook as a small token of appreciation on my last day. Just a small gesture, but we both laughed and I knew he really appreciated it.