Capital One

 

Photo provided by Work It Daily / Bigstock

Everyone knows Capital One, a bank holding company that specializes in credit cards, auto loans, and banking and savings accounts. Headquartered in McLean, Virginia, Capital One is one of the largest banks out there and it works hard to take care of its amazing team.

Bo Tucker, a Longwood University ‘07 graduate, joined Capital One in 2010. After serving as a contractor, he was hired for a full-time role at the organization. Today, he’s a Technical Scrum Master for the company.

What makes Capital One a cool place to work?

“Capital One is an amazing place to work, mainly because [of] the people,” said Tucker. “For me, it means a lot to be surrounded by such intelligent individuals within the tech community. It makes me strive to be a better worker and learn more.”

Why do people feel proud to work at Capital One?

According to Tucker, people feel proud to work at the company because the environment is constantly changing to stay ahead of the tech curve in its respective area of banking. He also said that Capital One is excellent at helping its employees enhance their knowledge and career paths.

What cool perks/benefits does Capital One offer?

“When it comes to advancing my career and/or even changing my path, [Capital One] offers many online and in-person training courses,” said Tucker. “Also, I love our onsite gym as well as all of the other on-campus amenities, such as cafeterias, coffee shops, and so forth.”

You can learn more about Capital One’s additional benefits here.

How can candidates stand out in the hiring process?

“Get good experience with internships (you can always have more than one) and on-campus work in your field,” said Tucker.

Are internships available at Capital One?

Yes! Capital One offers a great internship program. You can learn more about available internship opportunities here.

Can you find Capital One at any of the Longwood Career Fairs?

Yes! Stop by the Capital One booth at one of the career fairs to learn more about the organization and its opportunities. Learn more about Longwood’s Career Fairs.

 

 

CarMax

 

Photo provided by Work It Daily / Bigstock

CarMax is the United States' largest used-car retailer and a Fortune 500 company with more than 200 stores nationwide. The company even made the 2019 Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For® list!

Jocelyn Blanchard, a Longwood University ‘99 grad, is the Senior Manager in Technology Training at CarMax. She joined CarMax in 2011 as a Business Systems Analyst (BSA) in its Technology department, moved to a management role for an Application Development team in 2014, and then worked up to a Senior Manager role responsible for Training for the Technology department in early 2018.

What makes CarMax a cool place to work?

“I personally feel CarMax is a best place to work because it reminds me a lot of Longwood,” said Blanchard. “Most people don’t realize [it], but compared to most other Fortune 200 companies, CarMax has a much smaller group of Associates supporting our 200+ retail stores. This allows greater visibility and impact with our work.”

What are the company values?

As a company, CarMax has four main values:

1. Do the Right Thing
2. Put People First
3. Win Together
4. Go for Greatness

According to Blanchard, honesty and integrity make up the foundation of the organization.

“It shows, whether you are buying a car from us as a customer or working with us as an Associate,” she said. “We believe in developing our Associates and giving them opportunities to learn and grow.”

How can candidates stand out in the hiring process?

“Have confidence and learn to sell yourself,” said Blanchard. “All of your experiences, passions, and talents make you unique; figure out how you can be an advantage to a company.”

In addition, it’s important to customize your approach. Gone are the days of a “one size fits all resume.” She advised potential candidates to have different versions of their resume for the different jobs they’re applying for that highlight the most relevant experiences and skills.

What cool perks/benefits does CarMax offer?

CarMax offers the following benefits to its employees:

• Medical, Dental, & Vision Programs
• Additional Wellness Benefits
• Paid Time Off
• Domestic Partner Benefits
• Retirement & Financial Planning
• Other Insurance Options
• Smart Savings Benefits / Employee Discounts

In addition, the Home Office offers an onsite cafeteria, complete with coffee barista, gym, full-size basketball court, outdoor walking trails, and two racquetball courts.

Are internships available at CarMax?

Yes! CarMax has an extensive summer internship program with positions across many departments. Click here to get more details.

Can you find CarMax at any of the Longwood Career Fairs?

CarMax participated in the Spring 2019 Career Fair and plans to participate in the Fall 2019 fair. For more information, reach out to college_recruiting@carmax.com

 

Enterprise Holdings

 

Photo provided by Ashley Burcroff / Enterprise

Enterprise Holdings, which is a family-owned transportation business, operates a global network that covers more than 90 countries and has 100,000 dedicated team members. Its transportation brands include Enterprise Rent-A-Car, National Car Rental, and Alamo Rent A Car. The company operates the largest fleet of vehicles in the world.

Ashley Burcroff, a Talent Acquisition Specialist at Enterprise Holdings, started with Enterprise six years ago as an intern and worked her way up into a management role before joining the HR team.

What are the company values?

One of the things she loves most about the organization is that it’s still family-owned and upholds the same values from 1957, despite being a $23 billion company. According to Burcroff, the core philosophy of the organization is “take care of your employees and customers first and profits will follow.”

“The Taylor family is wonderful to work for and [they] truly care about their employees, their families, and the communities in which we do business,” she said.

What makes Enterprise Holdings a cool place to work?

“We hire FUN people,” said Burcroff. “You can’t beat our culture and, if you ask anyone, they will tell you how amazing our people are.”

How can candidates stand out in the hiring process?

“Be prepared for the interview,” advised Burcroff. “We have a ton of information online about our company and love when people are just as excited as we are to work for Enterprise.”

What cool perks/benefits does Enterprise Holdings offer?

Enterprise Holdings offers its employees some fantastic benefits, including:

• Discounted Clothing Allowance
• Full Health, Vision & Dental Benefits
• Rental Discounts
• 401K
• Profit Sharing
• Volunteer Opportunities
• Socials & Networking Events
• Women & Diversity Forums
• Progressive Trainings

Are internships available at Enterprise Holdings?

Yes! Enterprise offers paid internships that can potentially lead to a full-time job offers. The program is pretty competitive, according to Burcroff, and spots fill up quickly. Enrollment typically opens just before Thanksgiving for the following summer. Learn more about Enterprise’s internship program.

Can you find Enterprise Holdings at any of the Longwood Career Fairs?

Yes! Stop by the Enterprise booth at any of the career fairs to learn more about the organization and its opportunities. Learn more about Longwood’s Career Fairs.

 

Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond (Richmond Fed)

 

Photo provided by Christopher Tunstall / Richmond Fed

Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond (Richmond Fed) is one of 12 independent regional Reserve Banks that serves as the nation’s central bank, along with the Board of Governors in Washington, D.C. The organization serves the public and communities in the Federal Reserve’s Fifth District, including the Carolinas, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia and the nation’s capital. It’s headquartered in Richmond, Virginia, with offices in Baltimore, Maryland, and Charlotte, North Carolina.

Longwood alum, Christopher Tunstall, class of ‘88, is the Assistant Vice President of Human Resources at Richmond Fed. He’s responsible for Talent Acquisition, Talent Development, and Diversity & Inclusion.

“Federal Reserve has a great mission,” said Tunstall. “The mission to serve our nation attracted me, [which is] ‘to foster the stability, integrity and efficiency of our nation's monetary, financial and payments systems.’”

What makes Richmond Fed a cool place to work?

According to Tunstall, the organization works across many different functions, from IT to audit and research to regulation. However, that doesn’t keep them from coming together.

“What ties us all together is our shared mission to strengthen the economy and our communities,” he said. “We take great pride in what we do—helping to protect the strength and stability of our economy.”

While it’s serious work, Tunstall said the team takes a more casual approach to the workplace so team members can focus on their work and bring passion into the workplace. Some roles, like in IT, have flexible work schedules or telework options. As far as the dress code, you’ll see everything from business suits to blue jeans.

“We each dress for our own work day,” he said. “What’s most important is creating a challenging and stimulating environment across all our offices and locations where we bring out the best in each other.”

What makes Richmond Fed a fun place to work?

“While we work hard [and] we like to have a lot of fun along the way,” said Tunstall.

As an organization, the team enjoys activities like pumpkin-carving contests to raise money for United Way, ‘spirit days’ to show company pride, employee art contests, corn hole tournaments, Nerf free throw shooting contests, UNO card games, and more.

“It’s all part of keeping things interesting and rewarding,” he said.

How can candidates stand out in the hiring process?

Richmond Fed is focused on becoming a Top Place for Top Talent. Longwood University has provided top talent employees for years and the company wants to continue that Lancer tradition, according to Tunstall. In order to stand out in the hiring process, he recommends the following:

• Do your research on the Richmond Fed. Its website (richmondfed.org) and Press Room (richmondfed.org/press_room) are great resources.
• Develop your “elevator speech,” which is a brief summary of who you are and what you want to achieve in your career.
• Give interviewers insights into your past performance. Be sure to have examples ready to discuss, such as challenges you’ve faced and how you approached them, as well as successes you’ve experienced and how you achieved them.
• Practice for the interview using video or audio recordings. Fine-tune your responses to common questions so they are compelling, relevant, and to-the-point.
• Ask thoughtful questions of the interviewers. This is your opportunity to learn about the company as well as the job to make sure it’s the right fit.
• Be yourself. They want to meet and learn about the real you.

What cool perks/benefits does Richmond Fed offer?

Richmond Fed has a “Total Rewards” approach to benefits. The company enjoys a wide range of offerings, all of which enhance work and life experiences, including:

• Competitive Base Pay & Incentives
• Employee Appreciation Events
• Medical, Dental & Vision Plans
• Business Casual Attire
• 16 Hours Paid Volunteer Leave
• 24/7 Fitness Center
• 6% Matching 401K Program & Pension
• Generous PTO & 10 Paid Holidays
• Education Assistance

Are internships available at Richmond Fed?

Yes! They start interviewing in September and October for Spring internships and typically have 50 internships a year in various departments. Their goal is to offer high performing interns full-time roles after they graduate.

Does Richmond Fed have a work shadow program?

Yes! Richmond Fed has partnered with Longwood Career Services to host Lancers for shadow days and it plans to do it again in the Fall of 2019. Learn more about Longwood’s Work Shadow Program.

Can I find Richmond Fed at any of the Longwood Career Fairs?

Yes! Stop by the Richmond Fed booth at any of the career fairs to learn more about the organization and its opportunities. Learn more about Longwood’s Career Fairs.

How can I contact Richmond Fed about opportunities?

If you’re interested in reaching out to him about opportunities at Richmond Fed, you can contact him at Christopher.Tunstall@richmond.frb.org or via LinkedIn.

“I love Longwood -- always have, always will,” said Tunstall. “I believe Lancers help Lancers.”

 

 

CoStar Group

Photo provided by Mary Lacey / CoStar Group

CoStar Group is a commercial real estate information company that provides information, analytics, and marketing services to the commercial property industry across the globe.

Mary Lacey, Longwood class of ‘13, has been working with CoStar for about two and a half years. She started as a Research Associate in January 2017 and, shortly after, she moved into an HR/Recruiting Coordinator role. Now, she’s an HR Advisor for the organization.

Lacey discovered the opportunity with CoStar when the company first announced it would be bringing 750 jobs to the Richmond, VA region.

“I was drawn to the opportunity because of how long the company has been around, the growth and success it has had since it started, and the amount of opportunities for growth across all departments,” said Lacey.

As a leading commercial real estate provider of information in the world, CoStar is constantly finding ways to improve its services and grow its brand. The company takes pride in being involved in the community surrounding its offices, according to Lacey. It’s widely known in the Richmond metro area and it sponsors several large events there. The organization also has several volunteer opportunities available every month for employees.

What makes CoStar Group a cool place to work?

“I think what makes CoStar a cool place to work is the entire environment we have in our office with the employees,” said Lacey.

According to Lacey, the company is focused on facilitating strong workplace relationships so people feel welcome and supported. Everyone starts off in a specific training class and spends four weeks together before being put on official teams.

“You really form strong relationships with others in your training class,” she said. “[It’s] almost like being on a sports team or joining a Greek Organization.”

CoStar prides itself on developing its employees so they can be promoted. In addition to regular training, the company provides incentives to help encourage growth. In fact, it holds a monthly gathering for the entire office to recognize some of its top performers. The winners are granted $500-$1000 bonuses as well as the opportunity to drive a Tesla for the month. How cool is that?

How can candidates stand out in the hiring process?

“I always encourage students to make their skills transferable to what they could be doing here at CoStar and really highlight their accomplishments they have made thus far,” said Lacey. “It’s always great to hear real examples of how students have overcome obstacles or how they became a leader during their time on a big group project.”

What cool perks/benefits does CoStar offer?

CoStar offers a range of benefits to its employees, including:

• Health, Dental & Vision Benefits
• 401k with a 4% Match
• Discounted CoStar Stock

The Richmond Office offers some other special perks, too:

• Friday Cheers Concert Passes
• $150 For Lunches & Food Trucks
• Free Chef-Made Snacks
• Free 24/7 Gym

Are internships available at CoStar Group?

Yes! CoStar has a 10-week paid internship in its Richmond, VA office every summer. Students will be able to find it on the company career pages around the same time they will be going home for winter breaks or they can email recruiting@costar.com for more information.

Does CoStar Group have a work shadow program?

CoStar doesn’t have an official work shadow program, but when candidates come into the office to interview, they actually sit with a researcher for 30-60 minutes to see what they do day-to-day.

Can I find CoStar Group at any of the Longwood Career Fairs?

CoStar has attended the Longwood career fairs in the past. If it’s not attending one year, students and alums can reach out to at recruiting@costar.com for more information on opportunities.

How can I contact CoStar Group about opportunities?

Longwood students and alums can reach out to recruiting@costar.com for more information on opportunities. They can also follow CoStar on Instagram (@costarrvalife) to learn more about it.

 

 

Dominion Energy, Inc.

 

Photo provided by Nicole Baab / Dominion Energy

Dominion Energy is an energy producer based in Richmond, Virginia. According to its website, 7.5 million customers in 18 states heat and cool their homes and power their businesses with electricity or natural gas from the company. Wow!

Nicole Baab, Longwood class of ‘12, has been with Dominion Energy since 2015 when she was hired to be a college recruiter. Back then, she would visit college campuses and recruit for Dominion Energy’s internship program and entry-level positions. Now, she’s an HR Business Partner supporting Electric Distribution Construction and Operations.

“I felt the same feeling with Dominion that I felt in going to Longwood,” she said. “I knew that people cared about one another and it was a community-oriented environment. Just like at Longwood, people genuinely care about one another.”

What makes Dominion Energy a cool place to work?

“Energy is integral to everyday life,” said Baab. “Dominion Energy is a vital part of the infrastructure of the communities we serve. It’s important to us that we serve our community well.”

According to Baab, Dominion Energy recently built a new high-rise building in downtown Richmond. The new office will be state-of-the-art with standing desks, natural light, and a lot of collaboration spaces.

How can candidates stand out in the hiring process?

“In the interview process, be sure to be excited and optimistic,” advised Baab. “That goes a long way, especially for an entry-level or intern hire. We want to see you excited and passionate because you’ll more than likely apply that to the job.”

What cool perks/benefits does Dominion Energy offer?

Dominion Energy has several benefits, but they vary from position to position. You can learn more about that here.

“My favorite is we have flexible schedules,” said Baab. “I work a schedule where I have every other Friday off. It’s really fun!”

Are internships available at Dominion Energy?

Yes! Dominion Energy has a big internship program that has about 250 interns every summer. You can learn more about the internship program on the company website.

According to Baab, all of the internships are paid and have meaningful work projects associated.

“You’re not spending your summer making copies and getting coffee,” she said.

Does Dominion Energy have a work shadow program?

“Not currently, but I’m sure any alumni would allow you to come shadow,” said Baab. “Reach out to us on LinkedIn and get something set up.”

How can I contact Dominion Energy about opportunities?

You can reach out to Baab on LinkedIn or contact Dominion Energy on the company website.

 

 

Parallon

 

Photo from Parallon Glassdoor page

Parallon is a healthcare business and operational services provider headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee. The company partners with hospitals and healthcare systems to improve their business performance through best practices in a broad portfolio of revenue cycle services.

“We basically pull out those business services so that the clinical staff (the nurses and doctors) can really focus on the care of the patients,” said Emily Connor, a recruiter at Parallon. “So, we’re in every piece of the business that’s not clinical basically.”

Connor is a Longwood ‘12 graduate. When she graduated college, she wasn’t really sure what she wanted to do career-wise. After taking some time to travel and teach English in China, she landed in recruiting and fell in love with the work.

What makes Parallon a cool place to work?

“When I think of healthcare, I think of either insurance companies or doctors and nurses,” said Connor. “So, it’s kind of cool because it’s a unique industry that’s a whole other subset of healthcare.”

According to Connor, working at Parallon is a great option for anyone who’s looking to build their business skills and knowledge.

“Healthcare in general isn’t going anywhere, it’s only getting bigger,” she said. “We’re actually acquiring new hospitals all the time. . . . it’s been great!”

How can candidates stand out in the hiring process?

When it comes to entry-level jobs, Connor said Parallon looks for people who have a background in healthcare. So, if you’re applying for those types of opportunities, definitely play up your knowledge or experience in that area.

When it comes to internships, she said that candidates should show that they want to grow and engage with the company, personally and professionally. It’s more about demonstrating your willingness to develop and learn as opposed to showing your relevant experience.

“The only advice I can really say is just be yourself,” she said. “That’s something I tell everyone that I talk to. Definitely be prepared, go in knowing the company and what [it does] so you can really go in and make the best decision for yourself.”

What cool perks/benefits does Parallon offer?

Parallon offers a wide-range of benefits and perks to its employees, including:

• Paid Time Off
• Health Insurance options for Medical, Dental and Vision
• Wellness Benefits
• 401(k) with company match
• Employee Assistance Program
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Long-Term & Short-Term Disability
• Life Insurance
• Financial Fitness Program
• Consumer Discounts

You can learn more about Parallon’s benefits on the company website.

Are internships available at Parallon?

Yes! If you’re interested in the internship program, you can log onto the company website to get more information.

How can I contact Parallon about opportunities?

You can learn more about Parallon in this post.

Ariella Coombs