Brittany Ornelas
In today’s job market, most candidates would jump through hoops to land a job… and these hoops could be on fire! We all know that getting an interview is half the battle, but some companies make this a lot easier than one would think.
To work for Nike, Inc. at the Nike Campus in Beaverton, Oregon, candidates need to know one thing: they work exclusively with one—and only one—recruiting company, and the only way to get a foot in the door is to go through them. As one hopeful candidate found out, this was the key to landing her dream job.
Brittany Ornelas grew up in Portland, Oregon and knew from a very young age that she wanted to work for Nike, Inc. After graduating college, and a short period working for the Sacramento Kings, she moved back to her hometown to follow her dreams. She had been informed by Nike, Inc. employees and friends that the only way to get on Campus was through a specific recruiting company. However, having never used one before, she was a little wary.
“It was my dream job,” Ornelas said. “So I was willing to do whatever it took. My recruiter helped me through the entire process and was a huge support system while I was a contract employee. She was very prompt in responding to any questions and even helped me obtain a raise after four months.”
Ornelas spent ten months as a contract employee, maintaining the same position in three different departments during that time. She described the extension process as the most stressful part of being a contract employee, as each of her two extensions were approved at the last minute. “I didn’t know whether or not I was going to have a job the next day or if I was ever going to be hired on full time,” she said. “Everything seemed to be a bit up in the air. But having my recruiter there to keep me informed and facilitate the situation was extremely helpful.”
When her final contract came to a close, she was offered a full time position and is now the Associate Product Line Manager in the Global Men’s Sportswear Apparel department.
“Not only did it [using a recruiter] help me get to where I am today, but I am doing something that I never would have thought I qualified for if I had been applying on my own.”
Although it’s more ideal to have the security of a full-time position off the get-go, it is not always an option. However, having the right resources, including a recruiter in your corner, can sometimes make the difference between a job you like and a career you love.