Elizabeth: 鈥淣EIT is the story of how hard I worked and how far I came鈥�
Meet Elizabeth Beamis: Cybersecurity, 鈥�14, Cherry Bekaert, Manager, Information Assurance and Cybersecurity Domain
鈥淏eing a NEIT grad means I鈥檓 proud of this school. I was a night student and so I worked full-time. To me, it is the story of how hard I worked and how far I came.鈥� 鈥�
Elizabeth landed her current job at Cherry Bekaert as Manager, Information Assurance and Cybersecurity Domain through Career Services. Shirl Gerlach (Career Advisor) had an opening with another local accounting company in 2016, and in August of 2017, that service line was acquired by Cherry Bekaert, a national accounting firm. Her whole team of 5 was acquired and brought in, and they are still there today. Her group is cyber and IT-focused, and they do a lot of cyber consultant work for clients.
She is Proud to Represent NEIT and Her Company
For Elizabeth, it important to represent Cherry Bekaert and recruit NEIT students and alumni. 鈥�I love the people at NEIT and the experience here. The other grads we hired were amazing candidates, so it means a lot for me to represent NEIT and my company.鈥�
NEIT Grads are Set Up in the Workforce
Elizabeth says, 鈥淚n the workplace when people come out of NEIT, they are set up. I feel like they are a lot more mature and ready for their careers than people from other colleges, and that is just the nature of being here; you make your own destiny here, and you have all the resources. It is an accelerated degree program, so the people who get through are raring, ready to go, and want to be seen.鈥�
AT NEIT, Elizabeth says, 鈥淚 was a very technical person, and I loved the program. I was one of the first people through the Cybersecurity bachelor鈥檚 program. I came away with lifelong friends, and the building blocks and the foundation to really set myself up to be the person that I am today.鈥�
Every Interview is an Experience
Elizabeth鈥檚 advice for job seekers is don鈥檛 give up.
鈥淎lthough it鈥檚 a different climate than when I graduated, every interview is an experience, and there can be good that comes from it. Make connections. Stay in touch with that hiring manager. Even if they told you no, just keep going for what you want. I have a lot of pride in Cherry Bekaert. To be able to come to NEIT and sing the praises of a company that has taken care of me, has invested in me, has helped me grow, I want to tell as many people as I can.鈥�
