Name: Cathy Juntunen
Return Path Position: Recruitment Coordinator
Career past life (What did you do?): Before taking time off to raise my two children, I was the Human Resource Manager at American Medical Response (AMR). AMR is a national ambulance company headquartered in Colorado.
How long were you out of the workforce? 14 years
Return Path role (What do you do each day?): After some training, I now source and recruit for open positions at Return Path, concentrating on sourcing technical positions and learning the skills different roles require. I also manage Return Path’s relationship with the National Center for Women in Technology (NCWIT) and am the Change Leader working on Return Path’s NCWIT Pacesetters program in 2016. In my role as a recruiter, I also recruit interns and new college graduates for the 2016 summer Email Genius Academy (EGA).
Crossover (What skills from your past life do you use in your new position?): My experience includes recruiting and screening potential job candidates as well as collaborating with hiring managers and onboarding candidates, which dovetails nicely with my work here at Return Path.
What does the Return to Work program mean to you? After difficulty finding a suitable position elsewhere, the Return to Work program has been a breath of fresh air. I feel like I can jump back into the workforce in a safe and welcoming environment. The culture here is amazing and I am enjoying learning and being part of the team.
What do you hope to get out of it? I hope to gain knowledge in a new industry with Return Path and grow professionally as I update my skills and resume. I take advantage of all the networking opportunities and hope to make a difference as part of the People Team.
What advice would you give to future Returnees? Learn as much as you can about everything. Ask questions, people here are happy to take the time to explain things to you. Network, have fun, and enjoy the ride.
Where did you hear about this program? I heard about this program from a friend. She knew a couple of people who had worked at Return Path in the past and passed the job posting on to me.
**Update**
After her returnship at Return Path Cathy landed a role as a technical recruiter for Cardinal Peak, an engineering services company. She wrote to us recently to let us know she’d been promoted to HR manager! Here’s what she says:
“I really couldn’t have done it without my Path Forward return to work experience. One of the best things about my new job that it also values work/life balance. My time at Return Path showed me that seeking a balance wasn’t unreasonable and I was able to find another meaningful part time job with Cardinal Peak. You should be proud of the work you do at Path Forward. It changed my life.”
Learn more about Cathy on LinkedIn