Late last year we published Do Certifications Really Help Job Seekers which looked at some of the current hot skills to have and whether or not certifications and other continuing education helps your career. Today, we want to share the story of Necia Davis-Chase, who works for ATR at Kaiser Permanente as an HR Staffing Coordinator responsible for working with employees on workplace issues ranging from unions and workers comp to benefits and family and medical leave.
Necia attended UC Riverside and was recently profiled on their website. As the article points out, Necia came to the HR field after stepping into an HR void at the aviation company she worked at. Wanting to be better prepared for the work she was doing she enrolled in a Labor and Employee Relations course and then joined the program to earn her certification in Human Resources. This in turn led to an opportunity to consult at a nonprofit organization, and then to working with ATR at Kaiser.
As Wendy Sun, our VP of Recruiting, pointed out in the article, certifications help. They’re not the only thing but they help. First, they help you get noticed and stand out from other candidates. It’s also lets employers know that you have a solid foundation on top of which you’ve added real world experience. Finally, it’s a powerful signal that you are committed to your career and to doing the job well, and willing to invest your time to stay current in terms of skills and knowledge.
Necia’s story shows how an educational investment can pay off. When changes were made at the aviation firm that resulted in a layoff, she had a combination of on the job experience and formal training that helped her land a consulting position at a non-profit organization and then to be prepared for the position at Kaiser. Necia also demonstrates another thing that we tell hiring managers and candidates all the time – attitude and personality matter too. Necia showed her dedicated nature the moment she took on responsibility for the things that needed to be done at her first company, and then further solidified it by enrolling in school to be better at the job. We immediately recognized the powerful combination of experience and knowledge that she possessed when our recruiter saw her resume, and our client was obviously impressed too, they interviewed and then hired her for the position.
We think Necia would be a great permanent employee for any organization and support her goals, although we don’t want to lose her either! What we are sure of is that no matter what, she’ll be in demand as an HR professional and we expect her career to continue on a successful path. She’s a wonderful example of what happens when you combine so many good things – education, experience, a strong worth ethic and great attitude. The lesson is that no one thing is going to be all you need, or all that employers are looking for. It’s better to have the full spectrum and educational credentials are one important part of that.
Sincerely,
Jerry Brenholz
CEO and President
ATR International, Inc.
{{cta(’84d18984-00db-47ac-bd52-197f4a96cbdb’)}}
Leave a Reply