William R. Simmons is from Richmond, Virginia and uses he/his pronouns. He is a Junior majoring in Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Technology.

William will be an intern for ETS Recruit in the summer of 2023.

We asked William to share both his internship and Pamplin experiences with us.

How did you find your internship with VT? How long have you been working there? What is your title and what do you do for them? 

I found the internship through an externship recommendation from my Careers in Management class. I will be a working as a Recruiter Support Intern. This involves shadowing and assisting Senior Account Executives in their day to day, which includes creating call lists, conducting social media searches and overall assistance in maintaining communication and relationships with potential candidates.

What do you think will be your favorite part of the internship?

There are a couple things I am excited for so it’s hard to narrow it down. I anticipate with dread and excitement the long morning drives up from Blacksburg to Roanoke. I can’t wait to be working from an office within an actual workplace, as all my previous jobs required  me to always be on the move. But what I’m most excited about is getting to learn recruiting, marketing and more from Mark Kennedy’s team.

What type of student would you recommend to apply to this internship and why?

For this internship you need to be self-driven, good with people, and also attentive. The most important of those three is people skills, as communicating effectively and relating to potential candidates is at the core of being a Recruiter. However, regardless of background, I highly recommend attending their next externship opportunity, as it gives you the ability to see whether you are a good fit for ETS and if ETS is a good fit for you.

What do you want to do after graduation? 

 If all goes well, I will remain at ETS Recruit for the foreseeable future and move to Roanoke to work there. 

What advice would you give to an incoming Pamplin freshman?

You get what you give. You will be in a place for an easy learning environment, but if you just go with the crowd you won’t reap the full benefits that Pamplin has to offer. Taking opportunities to network, get out of your comfort zone, and experimenting with the vast amount of resources Pamplin has to offer will be what sets your college experience apart from the rest. Don’t slack, but don’t overburden yourself either. Lastly, be kind to your teachers, they are the most valuable asset you have, both in learning and networking.

What is your favorite part about being a management and or Pamplin student?

My favorite part about being a management student is I have gotten to test out skills I already have and bounce them off of people who have been in management for years.  I also get a lot of freedom to operate. The classes are very open ended,  so I get to do as much as I want to with certain projects.

What is your LinkedIn?

https://www.linkedin.com/in/william-simmons-a40876230/