Employee Q&A: Eleanor Winants

Meet Eleanor Winants, Recruiter at The Building People! She is a key member of our Human Resources Team. Eleanor is a former Division I Student Athlete from Wake Forest where she was the team captain of the Field Hockey team her Junior and Senior year.

Here’s more from Eleanor about her background and role at TBP:

What is your professional background?

This is my very first job out of college! I attended Wake Forest University, where I majored in Communication and Sociology. When I graduated in 2022, I had no idea what I wanted to do, and while I was slightly freaking out, I had so many older peers and mentors tell me that it’s normal to feel that way. Not everyone has it figured out right away (this wasn’t so easy for a personality type like mine that likes to know exactly what her future looks like). I had also dedicated my 4 years of college to my sport, field hockey, and I was experiencing a bit of an identity crisis when that ended. I did a lot of internships throughout school that exposed me to marketing, sales, communication, operations, and human resources.

Towards the end of my senior year at Wake, I found a master’s program at Georgetown University—the MiM program, (Master of Science in Management). It’s a 1-year program with an MBA core curriculum, STEM-designated, and provides a foundation in business with a unique focus on technology and innovation. It is also geared towards individuals like me who have a more liberal arts background, but want to gain the skills and business acumen to diversify their career path. So, I applied on a whim, not knowing what God had in store for me, and I got in! I knew this was the right decision for me at the time, and it challenged me a lot academically.

I was introduced to TBP through my brother’s friend, Paul Lenahan, and I had the opportunity to talk with Recruiting Manager, Suzanne Geary-Henderson, on the phone about their Junior Recruiter position. I never thought about recruiting as a career before, but I had mentors in the past that told me that I would make a good recruiter and that I had the personality for it. After talking with Suzanne and meeting the rest of the team and company at a Washington Nationals baseball game last summer, I knew that this was where I was meant to be. Not a lot of people can say that they loved their first job out of college, but I can confidently say I’ve lucked out.

What is your role at TBP?

I am a Recruiter for TBP. I specifically help the Technology team find top talent. I also help my fellow recruiters, Mat, Suzanne, and Shiori, when they have critical jobs to fill. I will be running the intern program this summer with Kelly Peter, which I am very excited about. I’ve always been passionate about helping recent graduates, like me, find their purpose.

Can you tell us about the work you do at TBP?

As a recruiter, I am usually someone’s first impression of the company. When I am talking to candidates, it is my responsibility to not only clearly share the mission of TBP, but represent who we are as a brand and the culture that sets us apart from our competitors. I ensure that all candidates, no matter if we hire them or not, experience a smooth interview process and feel cared for. I work closely with my hiring managers to find top talent and individuals who share TBP’s values, and embody the culture we want to maintain as we continue to grow. I also work closely with Predictive Index to understand peoples’ behaviors and how we can utilize the data to find the right people to positively impact our teams here at TBP.

What is a fun fact about you people might not know?

One fun fact about me is that I was a huge country girl when I was little. I rode horses for 10+ years and lived on a farm with my family where we had pigs, sheep, goats, cows, chickens, bunnies—you name it. I’ve always loved animals and wanted to be a veterinarian for the longest time. I was also a member of the Loudoun County 4-H Club and showed my animals at the Loudoun County Fair.

What do you like most about working in your role?

What I like most about working in my role is the people. I love helping people find their passion and purpose in life. On the flip, I like being able to represent who we are as a company through all my interactions with potential candidates. I also like knowing that I have an impact on our culture by finding talented and inspiring people who share the same values.

How do you define success?

I define success as finding a sense of fulfillment and meaning that aligns with one’s individual journey and values. I believe that success isn’t a destination to be reached but is always evolving based on what season of life a person is in.

If you could learn to do anything, what would it be?

If I could learn to do anything it would be to sing. Having a pretty voice would be epic. I would be up on any stage if I could.

Do you have a favorite quote that resonates with you?

“If you look at the people in your life and don’t get inspired, then you don’t have a circle, you have a cage.” – Nipsey Hussle

I heard this quote when I was in college, right when the pandemic hit, and we were in lockdown. I was selected to be a participant in the virtual ACC Professional Development Academy, and this was a quote that they introduced us to. It really resonated with me, and still does to this day. It made me take a step back and look at the people in my circle and make some personal changes in my life. I always strive to surround myself with individuals that inspire me every day. My mom always instilled in me when I was younger, “Show me your friends and I’ll show you your future,” and I think this quote sends a similar message. I thought about this quote a lot when I was looking for my first job. When I found TBP, I knew I was going to be surrounded by individuals that would make me not only a better professional, but a better person. I could not have landed at a better place to be inspired.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?

The best piece of advice that I’ve ever received was from my dad. He told me this when I was facing rejection and did not know which way to go in my life. He said, “In God’s economy, a closed door isn’t a dead end, but direction that always proves to be a Godsend. You see, the Lord uses closed doors as much as open doors.” Redirection is protection, and you will always end up where you are meant to be.

What is the accomplishment you are the most proud of to date?

The accomplishment I am most proud of is being a Division I athlete in the ACC for 4 years and being a Junior and Senior captain. I put my heart and soul into the game of field hockey for about 14 years, and I was adamant about making it to the college-level. I had to make sacrifices that not a lot of kids growing up had to make. But I have zero regrets and wouldn’t trade my experience for the world. I learned so much about myself through the highs and lows of my sport and it provided me with countless life lessons that I have been able to carry with me into my professional career.