Meet Pierre, a talent acquisition intern at IZEA. Pierre’s a student pursuing a master’s degree in industrial organizational psychology with a concentration in HR. He is from San Diego but completed his undergraduate degree in Montreal and hopes to move back once he completes his master’s program.
Why were you interested in interning with us?
“Once I realized that clinical psychology wasn’t for me, I started looking at different paths and discovered IO (industrial organizational psychology) after reading an intro textbook over the summer. It interested me because we spend a third of our lives working and if I could help in making a company that you’re at more effective I would love to create such opportunities for companies.
What have you been working on here as a talent acquisition intern?
“I’ve been sourcing; I’ve been recruiting; I’ve been doing phone screenings; I’ve been CV shortlisting. I also started working more cross-functionally with the marketing department, which is really nice because it offers me a more holistic view of IZEA and hearing varying perspectives on discussed topics.”
Who are the IZEAns you most interact with?
“Mostly the talent team and the different hiring managers.”
Do you enjoy the remote workplace?
“I really love the remote aspect because it gives me a lot more flexibility and freedom. It allows me to have a greater sense of autonomy, I get to work in an environment with minimal distractions, and given that “my office” is a few feet away from me, I’ve been able to save a lot of time and feel like I have a strong sense of work-life balance.”
How much longer do you have left in your master’s program?
“I’m finishing up my first year so I have one year to go.”
Where did you do your undergrad?
“I did my undergrad in Montreal, Canada. Then I moved back to the U.S., but my goal is to move back to Montreal once I graduate with my master’s.”
What made you decide to go to Montreal?
“I’m French, and Montreal speaks French. It was nice to be able to be in an environment that I can learn and connect with culturally.”
Nice! What do you like to do when you’re not studying or interning?
“I’m very involved with my school’s organization. I work for the school’s chapter of SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management). I am the head of relations, so I’m contacting various professionals and alumni in our field to invite them to speak about their career and answer questions students have about their expertise.”
What are your goals?
“My professional goal right now is to stay in talent acquisition but continue to move up the hierarchical ladder and become a HR or talent acquisition manager or director. I’m early in my career and have only recently been exposed to this field, so who knows what will happen, but currently that is my goal.”
How do you get regular feedback as an intern?
“I’ve had two feedback meetings since I’ve been here, which I really appreciate because I find it extremely important to have those benchmark meetings. It’s always nice to see what I’m doing well, what I’m not doing well and what I need to improve on. It’s that growth process that I find critical for young professionals like me.”
Do you shadow the talent team?
“I shadowed Jasmine (Talent Acquisition Specialist) for two interviews, which was a helpful start to understanding the fundamentals and process of how an effective interview should be conducted. I also shadowed panel interviews with the interns, so that also gave me exposure to how to conduct an interview with multiple coworkers. But I also appreciate that Meagan Steiner (Director, Client Service Operations) takes the approach of hiring on potential when it comes to the interns. A lot of the interns are recent undergrad students without much experience. I really like that idea of hiring on potential, because a lot of companies really don’t do that and I believe many are missing out on candidates who have unique skills that would benefit organizations.
Is there anything else you want to share about your internship?
“I was a bit skeptical about doing a fully virtual internship because this is my first internship and I’ve experienced lack of communication and collaboration while being geographically distant in the past, but what I really appreciate about IZEA is that emphasis on collaboration and being open to communication. I appreciate all the meetings we have to stay up-to-date on what we’re doing and the feedback, which again, is really important to me and my professional growth. Also, being a virtual internship, I worried I could be micromanaged, but what I appreciate with Melissia (Director, Recruitment) is that she teaches me what to do but gives me that autonomy and doesn’t micromanage. If I have a question, she’s always open to answer them.”
This interview has been edited for clarity and length.
Want to join #TeamIZEA? Visit the IZEA careers page.

Marette Flora is IZEA’s Content Manager. She writes and edits content about influencer marketing and all the latest #TeamIZEA happenings. When she is not at work, she can be found writing her personal blog, crafting personalized gifts or exploring Chicago where she lives with her husband, two daughters, dog and plants.