If you ask MaryAlice Feinstein ’95 what the most rewarding part of her job is, she is quick to reply: helping others. As a staffing manager for Google, Feinstein ’95 ensures that the tech giant finds, grows and retains the most talented employees. She develops close personal relationships with many of the company’s employees as a professional development coach in Google’s Career Guru program. Yet even as Feinstein counsels her colleagues on a variety of topics, including leadership, communication and work-life balance, she does not consider it her vocation so much as her passion.
“There is nothing I enjoy more than seeing others use their interests, abilities and values to build meaningful careers,” said Feinstein. “To play a role in helping my colleagues develop their talents and skills and make the most of their potential is incredibly gratifying to me.”
An industrial and labor relations major on the Heights, Feinstein has dedicated her professional life to staffing. Prior to joining Google, she was a senior recruiter for information technology group CTG and a senior management recruiter for consulting company Keane. She credits her time at Le Moyne, particularly the Core classes she took like Philosophy of Judaism, with teaching her to be a strong critical thinker, a skill that has been invaluable throughout her professional life.
Feinstein recently returned to campus to share some of what she has learned in her two decades of professional life, leading a session titled “How to Crush the Job Interview” and conducting mock interviews with students. Her message to current Dolphins was clear: In an era in which the average person changes jobs 12 times over the course of his or her career, it is critical to be a nimble, adaptable lifelong learner. (The pace of change in her own field is astounding as artificial intelligence and machinery play a growing role in staffing.)
Beyond speaking to the students, Feinstein has agreed to mentor two of them, Lauren Diller ’19 and Mariana Castellanos ’19, both of whom are studying human resources on the Heights. The undergraduates stressed that they are grateful to have a professional who can help guide and instill a sense of confidence in them as they prepare to embark upon their careers.
“I am looking forward to learning from MaryAlice, primarily because she has been successful in human resources,” Castellanos said. “I value being able to connect what I learn in class with examples of what happens in the real world, and MaryAlice can help me to do that. In addition, it is wonderful to know that I have someone who can help prepare me for interviews and give me insight on what recruiters look for in applicants.”
For her part, Feinstein is grateful to help.
“Every day I draw not just on the specific professional skills that I developed at the College, but also on the core values like integrity and perseverance that were instilled in me here,” she said. “Le Moyne truly set me up for success. I am glad to be able to give back.”
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