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Ifeoluwa Jokotoye graduated from Wright State University in 2015 with a dual degree in human resources and management. But when she began her HR career, she saw the impact of technology within the space.
At the suggestion of her sister, Jokotoye completed Per Scholas’ Certificate in IT Support and has since brought her learnings into her role as associate technical recruiter at Encore Technologies.
Jokotoye spoke with Profile about how she is leveraging her new expertise within her recruiting role and where she sees herself in five years.
What were some of the moments when you realized the impact of technology within HR?
From the moment you screen applicants’ résumés to [the] interviewing [process] to making sure employees get paid (processing payroll), everything is done through technology within the HR field. These were the moments I realized the importance of technology in my everyday role as an HR professional.
“I am a firm believer that in order to understand all of those [tech areas] or even pursue a career in those roles, you have to understand the foundation of IT.”
Ifeoluwa Jokotoye
What led you to Per Scholas and choosing the Certificate in IT Support?
My sister told me about Per Scholas but an alumnus, who is also an uncle of ours, told my sister about it. He spoke positively about Per Scholas and how they want you to be successful and the fact that they are a tuition-free learning center. I could not pass up that opportunity.
I decided to pursue a certificate in IT support because I believe it is the basis of information technology. IT is such a broad field; there are different specializations in the field such as cybersecurity, IT support, software development, and network infrastructure. I am a firm believer that in order to understand all of those other aspects or even pursue a career in those roles, you have to understand the foundation of IT. Understanding the foundation of IT helps me build on the next level within the field, hence the reason why I decided to choose the IT support certificate.
How have you been able to leverage this training within your HR career?
I have been able to leverage this training within my HR career because as a technical recruiter, I have been tasked with recruiting for IT support technician positions, desktop support analyst roles, and even help desk analyst jobs, among other higher-level roles. I’ve been able to understand the technical terms within the job descriptions, and knowing what they mean has helped me understand these roles better so I can better convey the information to candidates.
As we know, not everyone understands technical terms, just like medical terms. If you are not in that field, you probably don’t understand what they mean unless it said in a nontechnical way. Having had the opportunity to be given this training, I have been able to understand the candidates better when I ask them questions related to the role, and comprehending what they are saying has helped me identify top talents for the roles.
“I have been able to understand the candidates better when I ask them questions related to the role, and comprehending what they are saying has helped me identify top talents for the roles.”
Ifeoluwa Jokotoye
Who have been your biggest supporters and mentors during your pivot into tech?
Family members have been my biggest supporters. I had my sister in the same classroom, and we were able to motivate each other. My husband, my mom, and my dad were also among my supporters and mentors, as they were encouraging me.
I would also say my lecturer at the time was my mentor because he encouraged his students to be successful and complete the program and not give up halfway.
Where do you see yourself in five years?
I would like to pursue another certificate in cybersecurity and work as a cybersecurity analyst, and eventually own my own staffing company in years to come.
