Natasha Jeshani
A version of this interview originally appeared on the alumni UBC website, November 2018.
What is your current role?
Co-Owner, Vice President, HR and Recruitment for Career Contacts.
From agency recruitment to internal recruitment, to internal HR roles and finally into consulting, my role has transitioned and evolved over the last 10+ years into me living my dream job.
Earlier this year I published “The HR Insider: How to Land Your Dream Job, and Keep It” and this led me to a new found love for supporting individuals on their career journeys through speaking engagements, workshops and webinars!
What factors led you to enter your current field of work?
Transition was a big part of my career path. When I was an agency recruiter, I missed the feeling of knowing what happened to my candidates once they were placed in a job. When I got into internal recruitment, I wanted to learn more about how to support an employee’s journey once they came on board. When I moved into Human Resources, I wanted to be a true generalist and learn how to support an organization at each level and with each need, while still maintaining my recruitment niche.
Now as a Recruiter, HR Consultant and business owner, my role is to take all of the lessons I have learned through each of my transitions and be ready for whatever is next, without necessarily knowing the exact path or outcome.
If you weren’t in your current professional role, what would you be doing?
If I wasn’t in HR and Recruitment I would be a teacher. I love learning and would love to have the ability to ignite that passion in others. I think that a child that has access to education is a child that can do anything they want in the world, and that for me is so fulfilling. I’ve spent many years volunteering in teaching capacities and one day, hope to continue that passion more formally.
What are some of the ways you build and nurture your professional network, and how has this benefited your career?
Networking is an integral part of my career. As a recruiter, referrals are the core of our business – whether I am getting candidates referred to us, or clients. The bigger our referral base and the stronger our network, the more we know we are on the right track and making the right decisions. My business partner and I care about the people we work with, the companies we help grow and our team that helps us facilitate all of that. My biggest advice for those looking to grow and expand their networks would be to do so organically, authentically and without an agenda.
Describe a time you were able to transform a failure or a setback into a valuable learning experience.
My career as a consultant stemmed from an error in my previous company that restricted me from returning to work full time after maternity leave. This perceived set back propelled me into the world of consulting where I was immediately embraced as an expert, I was encouraged to share more of my thoughts and ideas and build out my values to become a true business partner to my clients. I never would have found my voice if I had not been forced into a state of unknown.
How has mentorship played an important role in your career development?
I believe strongly in both having mentors and being a mentor. Although there are so many strategic partnerships that were made during my career, I attribute a lot of my growth to the micro mentors that made small impacts along my journey and who gently guided my decisions. Being in HR and Recruitment, employee relations is a large part of my role and people are the most important part of that. I built my business by valuing every relationship that was in front of me, and focusing on how I could give as much as I could get from each interaction. I think I can honestly say I have learned more from those I have supported, than any mentor along the way.
Natasha Jeshani
A version of this interview originally appeared on the alumni UBC website, November 2018.
What is your current role?
Co-Owner, Vice President, HR and Recruitment for Career Contacts.
From agency recruitment to internal recruitment, to internal HR roles and finally into consulting, my role has transitioned and evolved over the last 10+ years into me living my dream job.
Earlier this year I published “The HR Insider: How to Land Your Dream Job, and Keep It” and this led me to a new found love for supporting individuals on their career journeys through speaking engagements, workshops and webinars!
What factors led you to enter your current field of work?
Transition was a big part of my career path. When I was an agency recruiter, I missed the feeling of knowing what happened to my candidates once they were placed in a job. When I got into internal recruitment, I wanted to learn more about how to support an employee’s journey once they came on board. When I moved into Human Resources, I wanted to be a true generalist and learn how to support an organization at each level and with each need, while still maintaining my recruitment niche.
Now as a Recruiter, HR Consultant and business owner, my role is to take all of the lessons I have learned through each of my transitions and be ready for whatever is next, without necessarily knowing the exact path or outcome.
If you weren’t in your current professional role, what would you be doing?
If I wasn’t in HR and Recruitment I would be a teacher. I love learning and would love to have the ability to ignite that passion in others. I think that a child that has access to education is a child that can do anything they want in the world, and that for me is so fulfilling. I’ve spent many years volunteering in teaching capacities and one day, hope to continue that passion more formally.
What are some of the ways you build and nurture your professional network, and how has this benefited your career?
Networking is an integral part of my career. As a recruiter, referrals are the core of our business – whether I am getting candidates referred to us, or clients. The bigger our referral base and the stronger our network, the more we know we are on the right track and making the right decisions. My business partner and I care about the people we work with, the companies we help grow and our team that helps us facilitate all of that. My biggest advice for those looking to grow and expand their networks would be to do so organically, authentically and without an agenda.
Describe a time you were able to transform a failure or a setback into a valuable learning experience.
My career as a consultant stemmed from an error in my previous company that restricted me from returning to work full time after maternity leave. This perceived set back propelled me into the world of consulting where I was immediately embraced as an expert, I was encouraged to share more of my thoughts and ideas and build out my values to become a true business partner to my clients. I never would have found my voice if I had not been forced into a state of unknown.
How has mentorship played an important role in your career development?
I believe strongly in both having mentors and being a mentor. Although there are so many strategic partnerships that were made during my career, I attribute a lot of my growth to the micro mentors that made small impacts along my journey and who gently guided my decisions. Being in HR and Recruitment, employee relations is a large part of my role and people are the most important part of that. I built my business by valuing every relationship that was in front of me, and focusing on how I could give as much as I could get from each interaction. I think I can honestly say I have learned more from those I have supported, than any mentor along the way.
