Get to Know Germer!
Name: Lena Obernesser
School: BA: Delaware Valley University, MA: Walden University
Major: BA: Equine Science and Business Management, MA: Industrial and Organizational Psychology
Graduation Year: BA: 2019, MA: 2021
- What is your title at Germer? Sourcing Recruiter & Executive Assistant to John Germer
- When did you start at Germer/ how long have you been here? I started at the beginning of May 2022.
- What is one piece of advice you would give to a fresh graduate job searching? Take your time to figure out what you want to do, what you’re good at, and what your priorities are. Your first job out of college doesn’t need to be your forever job.
- What is the hardest part of transitioning into full time work? For me transitioning into full time work wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be, mainly since I’ve been working since I was 16. However, it was a hard to transition to a desk job from my previous job as a barn manager. I was used to constantly moving around, being outside and running after people that it was hard to adjust to a stationary job where I am at a desk all day.
- What is your favorite part about working at Germer?
I LOVE the work environment and culture with this company. Everyone is very patient and understanding when you first start and will go out of their way to make sure you know that you have a support system that you can turn to. There was a lot of hands-on learning that made me feel as though I was able to apply a lot of what I was learning into real life situations. It has been very nice to feel as though training isn’t something to rush through but that it is something to continue on with and incorporate it into your day. - What is your favorite part of post-graduate life at Germer? My favorite part of post-grad life is finally feeling secure enough to take the next step in my life. Having a job that I am passionate about but being able to enjoy my downtime is very nice.
- What is your favorite part of working with candidates from start to offer? I really enjoy building a connection with people and getting to know them in more than just a professional sense. Connecting with people is something I really enjoy doing and that is a big part of why this job was appealing to me.
- What is the most challenging part of this job and how do you overcome this challenge? The most challenging part about this job is remembering not to get too overeager and overexcited. I have had many customer service jobs where I have had to speak with people all day. However, at Germer I am learning that there is a whole new way to speak with people that goes beyond just the dialogue. Speaking with candidates shows me where I have room to grow and the one on one sessions I have with both John and Kelly show me where I am able to improve.
- What is the most important lesson you have learned since graduating college? The most important lesson I have learned is that you are allowed to grow as an individual and you don’t need to limit yourself by only pursuing a job that is solely related to your degree. If I were to have done so I would never have left the equine industry to pursue something in the pharmaceutical industry. Patience is key but you must allow the failures to come, to help you grow. Instead of letting them define you, let them build you up. I was really hard on myself when I came to the conclusion that I wasn’t able to maintain and sustain myself while working as a barn manager even after I had gone to school to further my education in it, and it was something that I was incredibly passionate about. Realizing that no matter what there is always room for growth and that even if you are done with school, you are never done learning.