HR Management Grad Profile: Chad Sanders, Information Technology Recruiter Tuesday, February 16, 2016
Meet Chad Sanders
Job title: Information Technology Recruiter
Employer: Synergy Staffing, Inc.
Degrees earned: B.S. in Human Resource Management, 2014, Point Park University; A.S. in Orthotic and Prosthetic Technology, 2005, Median School of Allied Health Careers
Hometown: Beaver Falls, Pa.
High school: Beaver Falls High School
Now living in: Chippewa Township, Pa.
Hobbies/interests: Pittsburgh sports enthusiast, passionate about music, attending concerts, playing guitar, fishing, craft beer and hanging out with my dog, Kali
LinkedIn: Chad Kenneth Sanders
Why did you choose Point Park to pursue a bachelor's degree in HR management?
After graduating with an associate's degree back in 2005, I moved to North Carolina to do an internship, which turned into a full-time job for seven years. About halfway through those years, I thought about going back to school and learned that a buddy of mine, who I attended the Median School with, transferred his associate's degree credits into Point Park and was pursuing his bachelor's degree. A couple years later, I decided going back to school was something I should do and Point Park seemed like a good fit with its flexible class schedules and acceptance of transfer credits.
Also, all of my family is in Pennsylvania so I wanted to return to the area. When I researched jobs in Pittsburgh, I discovered many of them had HR-related functions. I looked into the human resource management program at Point Park and liked what I saw so I decided to make the jump.
With this major, I felt like I would be able parlay the business and customer relationship skills I gained as an orthotic and prosthetic assistant and technician into the world of human resources. It seemed like the right move since I had experience being inside offices, labs, clinics and other on-site facilities on a weekly basis such as Durham Regional and Duke hospitals. I had dealt with patients, doctors and everyone in between.
How did you land your position as an information technology recruiter?
I worked with the Career Development Center at Point Park to improve my resume and LinkedIn profile. The center also suggested I reach out to my business professors for letters of recommendation. Soon after I made these updates, my current employer reached out to me on LinkedIn to schedule an interview. After doing a final interview with a group of people at Synergy, I was hired.
Describe the teaching styles of Point Park's School of Business professors.
Anyone can teach from the book but Point Park professors Elaine Luther, Wayne Grim, Michael Brna and Paul Nutter always translated the material we were learning into real-world scenarios and provided us with up-to-date information on current trends and events in business. I also liked the teaching styles of the faculty who taught online classes offered in the HR management program. My last online class, Essentials of Organizational Leadership, was with Professor Michele Langbein, who was also my advisor. Professor Langbein always took time to answer my questions and provide feedback to me in a timely manner.
Tell us about your favorite Point Park memories.
I really liked going to school in Downtown Pittsburgh. The outside area of the campus was great. I also enjoyed spending time inside Point Park's historic library. Walking up to Market Square to meet classmates for group projects was fun, too.
What are your career goals?
In the short term, I want to keep pushing and developing myself to be better than I was yesterday. I strive to learn as much as I can from my superiors and how I can best serve the people I work with and our client base in Pittsburgh. I want to be a part of making the company I work for the best in the business.
In the long term, I'd like to become a subject matter expert within the industry, which can only happen over time by consistently challenging myself.
What advice do you have for individuals looking to return to school?
Go for it. Make it happen. Point Park offers small class sizes and a lot of flexibility for working professionals. I can't say enough good things about Point Park.