#SDSUGrad: Natalie Wilson

San Diego State University’s community has shown its true resilience during this unprecedented and difficult time in human history. 

Graduates from the Class of 2020, in particular, have risen to the challenge.

In this series, we highlight graduates as they prepare to embark on the next chapter of their lives, including those who have secured jobs and internships or are moving into advanced studies. SDSU Career Services continues to offer resources for students, including the new online career platform Handshake and expanded virtual programming and advising.

Natalie Wilson
Major: Business Management

Can you describe a little bit about yourself and how/when you decided to pursue business management as an area of study?

In high school after a career fair, I learned that I was very interested in business management and wanted to be in health care management. It wasn’t until sophomore year that I decided I specifically wanted to go into human resources (HR) after taking professor Tanya Hertz’s class. I enjoyed learning about HR, and professor Hertz was so passionate about the topic. I joined the SDSU chapter of Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) my senior year and fell in love with HR even more.  Describe the position you will begin after graduation.

The position is a people operations internship, which I began before graduation. I assist the people operations team with onboarding, monitoring payroll and assisting with other hiring functions. I have my own project and employees I will be in charge of on the HR side. Within a few months, my hope is that I will receive a full-time offer. 

When did you receive your official job offer and what was your reaction when you received the offer? 

I received the offer in March 2020, and I was very excited when I received the offer. I had the biggest smile on my face, and I loved the people and culture of the company, so I was looking forward to spending more time at the company and growing my HR skills.

How did you get connected with this company and position?

I found this company on Aztec Career Connection (now SDSU Handshake). They were looking for a recruitment intern, which I worked for three months before moving to the people operations team. 

Are there specific skills you learned at SDSU (in class or otherwise) that helped you with the role’s qualifications? 

The classes that helped me at SDSU were Management 352 with professor Tanya Hertz and Management 461 with professor Daniel del Castillo. Both of these classes taught me the skills I needed to go into the HR field. Also, my involvement in SHRM helped me a lot with my resume and just being a part of a group that was so passionate about leadership and the field of human resources. 

What advice do you have for fellow students, regardless of their field, looking to jumpstart their career and land their first job post-graduation?

I would tell other SDSU students to start looking early and interview as much as possible. Use SDSU Career Services’ help and always be looking for new postings. Also, take the time to learn more about the companies you are interested in and their cultures. 

What experience at SDSU has changed your life the most?

I have had so many experiences at SDSU that have changed my life. SDSU has the most amazing students who are also leaders and are so passionate about so many things. Everyone is driven by many different interests, and they motivate you to be a better person and to push you out of your comfort zone. The people I have surrounded myself with the past four years have motivated me to achieve my goals, reach for things I didn’t even know were possible and be a better student. 

What is the best advice you have received during your time at SDSU?

The best advice I received was to only focus on what you can control and not worry about the other things that are out of your hands.