What a Global Diversity and Inclusion and Americas Talent Acquisition Leader at a Global Technology Company wishes they had known before entering the Human Resources industry
Teobesta, a Global Diversity and Inclusion and Americas Talent Acquisition Leader, revealed a crucial insight: "there's money to be made" in talent acquisition and diversity & inclusion, contrary to the limited career expectations often placed on immigrants. This career path offers lucrative opportunities, diverse avenues for growth ("you can go into the staffing world...or into an organization...and lead their talent acquisition teams"), and can serve as a springboard to other HR roles, such as diversity & inclusion leadership.
Career Development, Executive/Leadership, Compensation, Networking, Overcoming Challenges
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Teobesta Ashenafi
Global Diversity and Inclusion Leader and Americas Talent Acquisition Leader
Global Technology and Measurement Insight Company
UC Davis
N/A
Biology & Related Sciences
Electronics & Semiconductors, Technology
Human Resources (HR)
Took Out Loans, Immigrant, Greek Life Member, First Generation College Student
Video Highlights
1. Talent acquisition and diversity and inclusion (I&D) roles offer lucrative and satisfying careers, comparable to traditional high-paying professions.
2. These fields provide variety and dynamism; every day is different, making them exciting career paths.
3. A career in talent acquisition can serve as a springboard to other HR roles such as I&D, HR business partner (HRBP), or executive-level positions in staffing agencies or corporations.
Transcript
What have you learned about this role that you wish someone had told you before you entered the industry?
That's a good question. I think that within talent acquisition and I and D, there's money to be made. It's the one thing that, especially coming from an immigrant household, I'm Ethiopian. It was always a doctor, an engineer, or a lawyer, right? Those are the only three roles you can do to make money.
I think that's the one piece that I'd say is you can have a lucrative, satisfying career in those roles, just as you can in the business world as a talent acquisition leader or an I and D leader. So that would be the first piece.
The second is that it's a fantastic career if you love the hustle and bustle and that every day is not the same. If you're into that, it's a great career and something you can make a career out of. There are so many ways you can take talent acquisition.
You can go into the staffing world or the executive staffing world. Korn Ferry is an example of one of those agencies. Or you can go into an organization like myself and lead their talent acquisition teams, whether it's on a regional or global scale.
All that to say is that it can open doors. If you want to continue to diversify your experience and grow within the TA, or excuse me, the HR space, you can use TA as the door opener to I and D like I did, or into HRBP, or into any of the HR arms. So that would be the advice that I would share.