Heather Skeen
, AssociateWhy did you choose to come back to Booz Allen?
The people here are second to none, and the culture is unique. There are so many resources available to assist you in doing your job, and you’re constantly challenged and always learning. I was not experiencing that outside Booz Allen. When I left the firm, I felt like I had a lot to offer. But my role at the other company limited my capacity to be involved in multiple initiatives and activities, which was frustrating to me after being at Booz Allen. So I decided to return.
What type of work do you do at Booz Allen?
I support the Environment team as a senior recruiter. I work with other recruiters, internal professionals, Human Resources (HR), and external resources to identify candidates with the right skill sets to support client contracts. I educate candidates about Booz Allen; ensure appropriate compliance regulations are followed; negotiate offers with candidates; and make sure that they are “onboarded” properly and provided with relocation assistance when needed. Previously, I did domestic and international recruiting for the Navy/Marine Corps team.
What excites you about your work?
There is always something new to learn about my teams and what they do. It’s exciting to be in a position to meet so many people within the firm from all different teams and levels and to interact with all the candidates. It’s also rewarding to see over the years how the people I’ve hired have developed personally and professionally and how they have helped their teams and the firm to grow.
Do you have a mentor at Booz Allen?
Several people at the firm have helped me with different aspects of my professional growth. One with whom I interact most often is a former officemate. She has been a great resource to me over the years. As a long-time Booz Allen employee, she is very knowledgeable about many aspects of the firm and has assisted me in working through issues by giving me another perspective. Although we have different work styles, it’s been helpful to have her as a sounding board, so I can work through issues myself and learn from them rather than having someone else solve them for me.
What differentiates Booz Allen from other companies for which you have worked—what makes Booz Allen special?
The people and the core values. People are so proud to work here; I’ve not seen that with other companies. And because of that, I think that people are loyal to the firm and stay here for a long time. If they do leave, quite a few choose to rejoin the firm. I think that says a lot about Booz Allen.
How has Booz Allen helped you prepare for what’s next in your career?
I think Booz Allen teaches you to multi-task, think on your feet, think outside the box, and be entrepreneurial. In my case, I’m using all those skills in my work for the Environmental team, plus my educational background and the experience I’ve gained doing military and international hiring.
How does the work you do help your clients prepare for what’s next? How has your work and that of your team made an impact for your clients?
As a recruiter, it’s my job to look ahead and prepare for what’s next. I help the team prepare for their upcoming contracts by planning and implementing strategies to hire the right people to help grow the business. This makes a big impact on my clients because the right people are crucial to delivering results for clients and maintaining the culture at Booz Allen.
Can you talk about a time when you saw one or more of our Core Values displayed?
One of the core values I see displayed constantly is respect. I deal with team members at all different levels, from all different walks of life, including very senior military. But everyone is on a first-name basis and is extremely respectful of everyone else, no matter what their title or their role prior to Booz Allen. I have even seen some of the senior leaders at Booz Allen reprimand other senior or mid-level staff if they’re not respectful to junior staff at the firm.
