Derek began his professional career straight out of college after obtaining a bachelor’s in human resources management from Boise State University. Six months before graduation, Derek was hired as a recruiting coordinator working for Clearwater Analytics. This fast-paced, corporate environment showed him the ins-and-outs of a global recruiting team and the vital need for systems in HR. Quickly, he discovered his passion for HR systems and was promoted to recruiting operations specialist, overseeing the team’s applicant tracking system and various recruiting tools.

Derek soon found his next adventure calling him at GoFundMe/Classy.org in San Diego, California where he was brought on board to aid the talent acquisition team in the systems administration and cleanup. After navigating the joint company merger, Derek was offered the role of People Operations Analyst on the HR team, finally getting his opportunity to stretch his skillset beyond just the talent acquisition systems.

Derek now oversees all employee data ranging from the onboarding in their ATS to employee data management in the HRIS. His new opportunities also include expanding his skillset in compensation and benefits with guidance from an experienced team of professionals. Working in systems isn’t for everyone, but it's where Derek finds his talent and fulfillment. Five years in HR systems is only the tip of the iceberg, and he looks forward to keeping up with the ever-evolving landscape of HR Tech and analytics. He finds satisfaction in building and streamlining reports that tell a story about the company’s most valuable assets – its workers.