Working in human resources involves more than hiring and firing, says BYU Marriott School of Business student Timothy Geltaka. Applying what he’s learned from his studies, Geltaka and other students volunteered at a career workshop hosted by the human resource management (HRM) program. Through their service, these students say they learned that using their education to help others can encourage growth and joy for both themselves and the people they serve.
“Other HR students and I—we really wanted to give back to BYU students using our knowledge and the things that we were learning in the classroom,” says Kat Kiatoukaysy, an HRM student from Thornton, Colorado. The career workshop was student-driven and faculty-supported, where HRM students worked one-on-one with students across campus and offered feedback on career preparation materials, such as mock interviews, cover letters, and résumés.
“I got to interact with students on a very individual basis by listening to their stories and priorities and helping them with specific concerns they have on an interview,” says HRM student Yanti Aanderud, from Ontario, California. “My favorite part while serving in the career workshop was feeling that connection between me and another student. When I saw the light in their eyes as they understood something, that’s when it really hit home for me.”
Geltaka, from Anaheim, California, says that as he worked with various students, he noticed that they let stress or doubt overshadow unique qualities about themselves. “As we went through the process, I could see students light up, realizing that they could show who they were in their résumé and in their interviews,” he says.
And working with individual students with different needs also became a growing experience for Geltaka. “I love that I was forced to have flexibility in how I helped each person.”
Reflecting on the service of the students, Cody Reeves, an associate professor of organizational behavior and human resources, says, “Giving our students this hands-on exercise gave them the chance to share light with their fellow students who were facing challenges that were concerned about how to get an internship or how to get a job.”
He adds, “My hope for the students as they go forward now, whether it's in a neighborhood or ward or community, that they can take these skills and help lift and bless those around them.”
For Kiatoukaysy, she says it felt like an honor to be trusted as someone who could provide resources in helping others reach their goals. “I want to be a leader who can serve others, who can enable other people to reach their fullest potential,” she says. “And I think that that's exactly what this workshop has provided—an opportunity for me to see on a small scale what my life could look like, utilizing the knowledge I'm learning here at BYU to help people.”