Impact Hosts Next Generation of Tech Experts

Thanks to an increasingly competitive and diverse job market, candidates entering the workforce have more options than ever before. The Impact Recruiting team is constantly looking for new and innovative ways to partner with community organizations - especially those that help students explore potential career paths. These community outreach events also allow the recruiting team to identify potential talent for an ever-widening range of positions that require different aptitudes. Career Coaches of Wisconsin presented Impact with one such opportunity to do both at a recent event hosted at Impact headquarters in Lake Forest, IL.

Impact had the privilege of hosting twelve IT Interns from Career Coaches of Wisconsin - an organization that helps job seekers navigate the process of identifying their individual talents and skillsets and begin a rewarding career based on these individual strengths. This particular program within Career Coaches of Wisconsin receives funding from the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development, as it aligns with their aim of bolstering the workforce with specialized technical talent. The Directors of Human Resources and Recruiting at Impact prepared a presentation that addressed and informed the IT interns about the available career paths for different skillsets, interests and types of education. The interns were also given a tour of Impact headquarters, including a brief overview of the different functions of various departments, including our administration, finance, marketing, warehouse & logistics, internal development and sales teams. Following the tour and presentations, there was an enlightening Q&A session where the interns had prepared their questions in advance on a wide range of topics, but with emphasis on opportunities in the technology sector, including available positions at Impact.

The event was the perfect complement to what Career Coaches of Wisconsin teach in their six-week summer internship program, which helps technologically-gifted job-seekers develop the communications and networking skills that are requisite for many types of careers. Their internship process focuses on the development of six key soft skills, including: teamwork, networking, communication, positive attitude, interview skills, and making a good first impression. The program also helps these young adults develop compelling resumes, find suitable certifications to broaden their opportunities, and prepare for obtaining relevant two-year or four-year degrees specific to their career needs.

This was the first opportunity that Impact had to partner with Career Coaches of Wisconsin and their internship program. Feedback from both sides was resoundingly positive. Impact Director of Recruiting Cynthia Skurski was impressed with the curiosity and drive that the interns exhibited at the event, including specific questions about product offerings.

"Everyone put in a lot of research, and came prepared with thorough questions," said Skurski. "These interns showed incredible drive to learn more about jobs in the technology sector and what it takes to be competitive in this field. Our recruiting department at Impact is dedicated to finding the right candidate for the job, which means that it's not always all about sales. With our continued growth, we are always on the lookout for people who can fill important positions in our administration, warehouse, IT and service positions as well. Out of this event, we were also approached by one of the interns who is an incredibly talented coder. Having this skill is an incredible advantage for many positions at Impact and in the technology sector."

Bobbi, a representative of Career Coaches of Wisconsin, was thrilled to show interns just how many opportunities are available to them. "This event was an incredible eye opener for our interns. Getting the chance to show them how they can use their talents in the workforce firsthand is exactly what we strive for in our organization. We were very proud of our intern who seized the opportunity to approach Cynthia and express interest in a position based on his coding abilities. This is proof that the networking skills we are working so hard to teach are resonating with our interns. Our mission with this internship program is vital. We have the opportunity to work with these incredibly talented young adults and expose them to the wealth of resources available to them."

Of course, the most valuable feedback comes from the interns themselves. One intern, Parker, was impressed with the variety of tech positions available at Impact and expressed interest in becoming a software engineer. "I have always been drawn to computers. At first, I thought I wanted to pursue a career in computer science, but as I learned more, I saw that being a software engineer is an even better fit for my interests and skills. Impact seems like a great company to learn the industry, and it seems like people stick around once they start a career here. I think stability like that is hard to find; so it's good to see companies that are dedicated to that."

Jacob, another intern, offered some insight into how Career Coaches of Wisconsin helps him and his fellow interns develop vital skills. "All of us are very technical, which makes us good candidates for jobs. But Career Coaches of Wisconsin helps us develop soft skills, like working in teams. This opens a lot of doors for us, as many people in technical careers tend to work better individually. However, we know that combining soft skills with technical expertise will make us the best candidates for meaningful careers."

Another intern, Mahmoud, was impressed with the emphasis that Impact places on customer service. "My favorite part of the event was learning about how Impact helps people. I love to help people solve problems and achieve their goals, so working with clients has always appealed to me. The fact that there are customer service positions in the technology field is a perfect fit for me to combine my interests and talents."

This event with Career Coaches of Wisconsin is an excellent indication of the direction that the overall job market is taking, and the necessity of identifying talented candidates to fill technical positions. The interns left with a better sense of what it takes to embark on a fulfilling career. They also learned that as positions continue to diversify and the job market remains strong, the options available to them continue to increase abundantly. The rising generation of workers is more talented and better equipped for success than ever before and will have no shortage of opportunities to find fulfilling and meaningful careers.