An Unconventional Path: The Journey to Finding Passion
When entering my senior year of undergraduate studies over a decade ago, a not so uncommon fear for graduates started to creep into my head: what if I end up working for a company for the sake of working, and not because I’m passionate about its mission and doing worthwhile, purposeful work? Those fears were suddenly dispelled when I met a Hilti Regional Manager (RM) at a career fair – I didn’t know Hilti from any other company, but that RM described Hilti’s culture and the potential to craft one’s career path cross-functionally. He didn’t hesitate to connect me to several others in the organization, and I discovered if I earned a position with Hilti, I could explore my interests, curiosities and craft a path based on my strengths and interests, not only positions connected to my education. Through the support and encouragement of many people in my corner along the way, this hope as a 20-something year-old has materialized over the past 11+ years and offered me experiences I could not have imagined at that time.
Taking a Chance and Trusting People
In high school and college, I was attracted to studies in math and science (Mean Value Theorem, anyone?). This led to a natural fit to choose engineering when I arrived at the University of Dayton, where I was thrown into the beautiful worlds of differential equations, fluid mechanics and late nights doing static analyses of trusses. I had also discovered my passion for the Spanish language in 7th grade, which pushed me to continue taking courses throughout college, highlighted by a five-week study abroad experience in Segovia, Spain.
The combination of engineering and exposure to cultures abroad led me to look for companies where I could leverage my problem-solving skills with potential opportunities to see the world. Closer to graduation, while I had been fortunate to have fulfilling engineering internships at other companies, there was a voice in my head encouraging me to look outside the box. When I networked with Hilti team members, I thought to myself, “could this be it?!”
Hilti seemed to check all the boxes, and I built trusting relationships with people who showed a genuine interest in me as a person, not just another potential hire. I had the opportunity to travel to Tulsa, Oklahoma, for a day of interviews and presentations in pursuit of being selected for the Accelerated Leadership Program, and suddenly I had an offer on paper to join the company, which I did not hesitate to accept!
Steve at the beginning of his career at Hilti.
No Construction or Sales Experience? No Problem.
When I decided to join Hilti, something dawned on me: I know little to nothing about construction, I had never sold anything in my life, and my first rotations in the program were in construction sales. How in the world could I be successful?!
What I discovered starting June 16th, 2014, my first day as a Hilti Store Representative in Chicago, is the incredible power of Hilti’s learning and development philosophy and investment. Before I knew it, I was taking powder-actuated tools apart, breaking concrete with demolition breakers and demonstrating the features of rotating lasers. I was role playing with colleagues to practice sales strategies and open-ended questioning to discover opportunities to bring value to customers, and I was having so much fun doing it. Along the way, I met incredible people, many of whom I consider good friends to this day. My hopes were confirmed; this was the place for me, and I can do this!
Trying Something New? Let’s Do That Again.
In the first 18 months of my time with Hilti, I had incredible experiences in the Chicago Hilti Stores and as an Account Manager in the field. Every day, I was getting better and more confident in my skills, and I was surrounded by a group of people who supported my development. When the final rotation of the program was coming up, I was presented with an opportunity I wasn’t expecting: will you move to Texas and join the technical marketing team? Once again, I knew nothing about corporate life or about marketing, yet I accepted without hesitation because I trusted leadership had my best interests in mind, plus it coincided with an opportunity to escape the Chicago winters (you know, the important things we value early in our careers).
These decision points to try something new (and certainly outside of my comfort zone) have become the theme of my journey with Hilti. I later moved again to become a Regional Sales Manager in St. Louis, Missouri, where I again met lifelong friends and fell in love with the city (and literally, I met my wife there – thanks, Hilti), all while discovering the challenges but mostly fulfilling aspects of leadership. Then, after three years as an RM, another pivotal moment happened in the throes of the 2020 pandemic: Steve, have you ever considered joining Human Resources?
Steve with Hilti colleagues.
Me? In HR?
Through genuine development discussions with my HR Business Partner and manager at the time, they helped me discover while I thoroughly enjoyed customer interactions and achieving in sales, my energy skyrocketed when I supported and observed others developing their skillsets and reaching their goals. All along, this is what I had been searching for – my true passion for people and finding creative ways and spaces for team members to reach their potential.
Since 2021, I have been blessed to be in Hilti HR for a sales organization and another previous unknown to me: software. I’ve met and learned from countless people around the globe, including several international trips, which have expanded my horizon with exposure to many other cultures. Along the way, I reinvigorated my love for Spanish, connecting with the LatinX Employee Resource Group (ERG) members with Cafecito con Colega to practice speaking skills while making new friends along the way. In the past year, I’ve taken on the responsibilities of the HR department at Fieldwire, yet another new experience to meet more great people on the shared mission to Making Construction Better through jobsite management productivity software.
Reflecting on the Journey (So Far)
I have a button and a post-it note that sit on my desk. The button reads, “Ask me how I’m an engineer in HR,” and on the post-it note I’ve quoted G.K. Chesterton: “anything worth doing is worth doing poorly”. Both of these items serve as frequent reminders to me of the journey thus far, which has involved considerable exploration and willingness to try something new, especially when the prospect of starting is daunting.
Sure, I have worked hard to help ensure I learn what’s needed to be successful in each position I've held. However, it cannot go unsaid that my time with Hilti has been shaped by the people who have bet on, guided and mentored me, showing unwavering commitment to my development. I can only hope I have and continue to pay it forward from here to do the same for others.
At Hilti, with an open mind and a willingness to learn with trusting leaders, the world is your oyster. There are so many opportunities to learn, connect with others and gain new perspectives which impact you not only professionally but personally. You truly never know who you’ll interact with, who may quite literally change your life. Every day, I am filled with gratitude for the managers, mentors, and sponsors I’ve had along the way, and I look forward to what is still to come on the journey to Making Construction Better.
Steve with colleagues from Fieldwire, by Hilti.
Explore Opportunities at Hilti
At Hilti, we are committed to creating opportunities for our team members to connect with one another and develop meaningful and long-lasting careers with impact. Learn more and explore our opportunities in North America and worldwide here: Jobs | Hilti Careers
