Olivia Rice

Olivia Rice is from Fairfax, Virginia and uses she/her pronouns. She is a senior who is set to graduate this May!

Olivia will be working for Summit Human Capital after graduation.

We asked Olivia to share both her post-graduation plans and Pamplin experiences with us.

How did you pick your major or concentration? Does it relate to your job?

I originally was a BIT major, but I was not passionate about the work I was doing, and I couldn’t see myself happy in most careers that involve a BIT major. Therefore, I decided to make a change into Management with a Human Resources concentration. I chose Management and specifically HR because I am very passionate about helping others. We learned a lot about recruiting in our classes and I also had the opportunity to recruit for the Human Resources internship at Virginia Tech and fell in love with recruiting.

How did you find your job? What is your job title and what do you think you will do for them?

I found my job at the Management Breakfast that takes place right before Business Horizons. Professor Poff introduced me to Summit Human Capital’s Lead Campus Relations Recruiter, Holly Maglin, and I knew after talking to her again at Business Horizons that I really wanted to work at Summit. My title is Technical Recruiter of Government Services.

If you are interested in working at Summit Human Capital, here is Holly’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hollymaglin/

What do you think the day-to-day roles and responsibilities will be in your position?

I will be connecting career passion with client mission! That means I will take our clients’ recruitment needs and find them career seekers that are passionate about the work they would be doing for the client. 

How was the recruitment process?

I really enjoyed the recruitment process! My first interview was with Holly Maglin, the Lead Campus Relations Recruiter, the day after Business Horizons. The interview went great, and I was extremely eager for my next one which was a Zoom interview with the President of the company, Glenn Diersen. After the second interview, I knew I wanted to work for a President as passionate as he was. The third interview was in-person at my work site in D.C. and it consisted of a presentation that I presented to the Manager of Branch Operations and the Senior Lead Technical Recruiter. I loved creating a presentation for the interview and sharing my ideas with my future bosses.

What are you looking forward to in starting your new position?

I am excited about being challenged every day and working with people who are just as passionate as me! I can’t wait to join Summit’s company culture and make a difference!

Where is your current job located? Are you excited about your work site?

My current job is located at Summit’s D.C. location which is in Tyson’s Corner. I grew up in Northern Virginia and I am excited to be with my family and friends. Northern Virginia and D.C. are great areas for young active adults, and I cannot wait to be back!

Please give a brief description of job, internship, and or school leadership positions that you led to your future career:

I have been pretty active on campus throughout my four years at Virginia Tech, but there are a few experiences that particularly led me to my future career. My junior year, I participated in the Human Resources Internship at Virginia Tech. This internship was such a great opportunity and gave me a lot of hands on experience in HR. I highly recommend every Pamplin student apply to this internship. Without this internship, I never would have discovered my passion for recruiting. For the last month of my internship, I was able to co-lead the recruitment process for the next cohort of interns. After enjoying the experience so much, I knew I wanted to be a recruiter in my future career. My senior year, I was the Director of Communications and Marketing for VT SHRM. I really enjoyed being a part of this Human Resources organization on campus and it confirmed my passion for HR and recruiting. My senior year, I was a Social Media Intern for the Management Department and actually helped develop a lot of the Internship and Senior Spotlights! I really enjoyed being able to show off Pamplin’s amazing talent and I am honored I was nominated for a Senior Spotlight!

What do you want to accomplish within your first year?

I want to fall in love with my work and become the best version of myself. I know that I won’t always succeed when trying to master new skills, but I hope to learn a lot and give Summit my all!

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

I can definitely see myself working at Summit and hopefully helping them lead a Branch! I love leadership and I would love to help a growing company expand and reach new peaks. I also want to get my master’s degree within the next five years.

What advice would you give to someone looking to pursue the same career as yours?

My best advice would be to try hard in your classes, but also make sure to network as much as possible! While having good grades is important, the people you meet along the way can teach you new things and connect you with amazing opportunities.

What type of student would you recommend to apply to this job and why? (This may include a student's interests, what they are good at, characteristics etc.) 

 I would say someone that is going into recruiting should have a lot of passion and energy. They should love connecting with people and have great communication skills.

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

I would definitely say my favorite part about being a management student is the teachers and my  classmates. I actually enjoyed going to class because all of the teachers were so engaging and wanted you to succeed. A lot of the professors will also do everything they can to help you with your careers and they are overall just great people!

What is your LinkedIn?

https://www.linkedin.com/in/olivia-rice-7b1b151a2/

Has there been a faculty member or staff member within Pamplin and/or the MGT department that has served as a mentor or source of inspiration for you during your journey?

There have been many faculty members that have helped me immensely along the way and also inspired me. Professor Poff was my boss for the Social Media Internship I participated in for the Management department, and he was such a pleasure to work with. His enthusiasm and passion inspire me to love my career as much as he does, and I hope he knows how much he means to his students! He also helped me find my dream job which I will forever be thankful for! Professor Cordova was also an amazing mentor to me and a huge inspiration. She cares so much about all Pamplin students, and her genuineness is contagious! Susan Hughes was my boss for the Human Resources internship at Virginia Tech and I will never be able to thank her enough. She helped me discover my passion for recruiting and goes above and beyond to help interns like myself to learn and love human resources. I hope to keep in touch with all three of these amazing faculty members for a long time!