Member Spotlight: Candice Luo — Talent & Acquisition Director
Get to know our Talent & Acquisition Director Candice Luo, and gain insights on her experience at 180 Degrees Consulting.
Please share a brief introduction of yourself with one fun fact.
Candice is a Talent & Acquisition Director at 180 Degrees Consulting Waterloo and is currently in her 3rd year of the Accounting and Financial Management program at the University of Waterloo. Candice started as a Consultant at 180 Degrees Consulting in her first year and then transferred to the Talent & Acquisition team in her second year. She joined the club because she wanted to broaden her horizons and gain some valuable skills outside of school. The combination of consulting and non-profit organizations caught her eye and drove her interest to create an impact. In her time at 180 Degrees Consulting, she has gained meaningful experiences in both consulting and the human resource management fields. One fun fact about Candice is that she has been to 14 countries worldwide!
As a Talent & Acquisition Director at 180 Degrees Consulting Waterloo, what are some of your responsibilities?
As a Talent & Acquisition Director at 180 Degrees Consulting Waterloo, my main responsibility is to facilitate the hiring process within the branch. At the start of each term, I set recruitment timelines for my department and develop the interview cases. During the hiring season, I review job applications and conduct interviews for various roles along with my other colleagues. One important aspect of my role is to make sure that there is clear communication between the executive team and the candidates.
What are some notable highlights during your time with us?
I would always address the issues faced by candidates in a timely manner and provide them with valid alternatives. Additionally, I am in charge of developing the interview questions and I would update the questions from time to time to make sure they truly reflect the skills required for the hiring roles. I am proud that the updated marking scheme is a lot more reasonable than the older version after my team and I revised it.
How would you describe the team culture at 180 Degrees Consulting?
180 Degrees Consulting is a very inclusive club where it is welcoming and encourages everyone to express new ideas. Joining 180 Degrees Consulting would provide you the opportunity to meet like-minded individuals who come from different backgrounds than you. In my opinion, it is a cool experience to work with people from various programs and even schools!
What are some skills you will carry on in your future career that you learned from 180 Degrees Consulting?
Working as a Talent & Acquisition Director has enhanced my interpersonal skills as it is often required to communicate and interact with a wide range of people. Additionally, working closely with the other 1–2 people in my department to develop recruitment schedules and interview cases allows me to collaborate with others and build on each other’s ideas. As part of my job routine, I need to be detail-oriented when sending out email updates to potential candidates. Problem-solving skills are also required if the candidates want to reschedule their interviews or if they face any difficulties during the entire hiring process. All these skills mentioned above are essential for my personal growth and will be carried on in my future career.
How do you see this role helping you further in your life and career?
I can see that the skills I have acquired at 180 Degrees Consulting will facilitate me to become a more competitive professional in my field. The Talent & Acquisition role also helped me become a more approachable and active listener in my personal life, and the small talk techniques I developed during interviews or networking events will make it easier for me to naturally connect with new people in my future life and career.
