After graduating from high school in Charlotte, North Carolina, Rita Turbeville enrolled at a local community college, intending to make early childhood education her career. Spending some time in her chosen field changed her mind, but at the time, she was unsure which direction to go.
While she was figuring out her next step, she learned about the military’s education assistance program. She started working with a U.S. Air Force recruiter, but her mom suggested she consider the Air National Guard.
“I never envisioned myself joining the military,” Rita said. “My mother was the one who convinced me to look into a reserve component because she did not want me to be half a world away. My mother and I are the best of friends.”
Rita Turbeville served as an aircraft, electrical, and environmental systems (E&E) specialist, which she said encompassed anything with a wire running to it, air blowing through it or oxygen attached to it. She did manage to stay close to home and family for a while.
About eight months after training, Turbeville was deployed to Afghanistan for four months. While there, a full-time aircraft electrician position opened in North Carolina. She returned to serve five years in that role and, along the way, found she enjoyed training, leading and mentoring junior airmen.
She also found that, after that many years of service, the E&E troop could offer little opportunity for further advancement. When a Production Recruiter position became available, one of her mentors recommended she pursue it.
“I knew that I wanted to continue to grow with the Air National Guard,” she said. “The Production Recruiter role offered promotion opportunities that I wouldn’t have had otherwise, and it would allow me to mentor individuals looking to make a change in their lives.”
It also offered the chance for more personal development. The responsibilities the recruiting position required, such as public speaking, were outside of her comfort zone.
“That was intimidating, and change is always difficult,” she said. “I knew in this role, I’d be able to make an impact on people’s lives and share many of the military’s benefits that had helped me become successful. But the biggest reason I was so excited to be offered the opportunity was because I knew it would come with so much personal growth.”
She served as a Production Recruiter for the Air National Guard for six and a half years, helping to open doors and share what the military had to offer. She also realized that she found it professionally fulfilling to connect with applicants and assist them with their career paths.
“I am very thankful for the time that I had in the Air National Guard, the people that I met, and the mentors I had,” she said. “I ultimately changed the course of over 100 people’s lives as a recruiter, and that makes me feel good.
She decided to leave the military after starting a family and joined Haskell as a Corporate Recruiter, in part because of its support of work-life balance and robust support system. In a different setting, her passion for connecting people with the right is just as strong.
“I fell in love with making connections and helping people find their next step in life,” she said. “That’s why I continued recruiting and why I’m still doing it here at Haskell. I can connect people to the best job of their life.”
Honoring Our Veterans
Haskell proudly employs veterans of the United States Armed Forces and currently employs more than 100 team members who previously served our country. To commemorate Veterans Day, Haskell.com is spotlighting one of them daily this week. Additionally, Haskell annually presents each veteran on our team with a special thank-you gift.
As Haskell grows across the United States, Latin America and the Asia-Pacific region to meet the needs of new and existing clients, veterans continue to play an ever-increasing role. Those who have served our nation understand mission, structure, results and accountability. They are a perfect fit with Haskell’s core values of Team, Excellence, Service and Trust.
Are you interested in transitioning from the military to a career with a vibrant, growing company that provides nearly unlimited opportunities? Contact us to learn more.
Promoting and expanding diversity and inclusion is a strategic pillar of Haskell’s long-term vision and is foundational to creating a team member experience of significance, success and satisfaction. Haskell Together is our intentional and consistent initiative to promote open dialogue and bring about positive change.
