Abe Jaussen, U.S.
“It doesn’t matter what background you bring to Tetra Tech– when you see the bigger picture of our work and how it truly changes the world, you really appreciate having a career that improves peoples’ lives.”
Abe had worked abroad previously in his career, but in a different context: his roles as a Recruitment Manager and Market Manager brought him to Austria and Germany where he lived for four years growing businesses for major American retail and banking brands. Though he had worked in other countries across multiple industries, international development work had never entered his periphery. Now, he is the Corporate Recruiter for Tetra Tech’s International Energy Services. “International development was never a career path I saw myself in. I took this recruitment position as something that was interesting to me and coincided with my international life as an expat, but now our work really resonates with me. It doesn’t matter what background you bring to Tetra Tech– when you see the bigger picture of our work and how it truly changes the world, you really appreciate having a career that improves peoples’ lives.”
An international development recruiter’s scope of work is considerably broader than that of recruiters in other industries; from helping to find the highest quality talent for the home office to staffing active projects and proposals, Abe works closely with professionals whose expertise and background ranges widely. It is in working with such a diverse group of people that he sees himself evolving daily, noting that “professional development stops when things become mundane, which could never happen in a workplace so rich in culture and diversity!”
While overwhelmingly beneficial, Abe acknowledges that working with such a diverse group of people does bring together different backgrounds, experiences, and working styles, which can be challenging at times. Abe wouldn’t have it any other way, though. “Diverse workplaces that are inclusive of wide-ranging ideas allow for learning and growth, and thus better decision-making, which drives a high-performance culture. Though a diverse workplace may bring strong opinions and large personalities, we are all working towards the common goal of improving our world, and that brings us together in spite of our differences.”
To Abe, diversity and inclusion is not about how people differ. “I am a firm believer that diversity is all about embracing one another’s uniqueness, and that inclusion is all about the little acts of kindness that each of us has the opportunity to share each day — a smile in the hall, a high-five for a job well done, taking the time to introduce yourself to new employees, and showing an interest in everyone. These seem insignificant but can play a large role in making others feel included, accepted, and welcome.”
Now in his eighth month at Tetra Tech, Abe continues to learn about the transformative nature of Tetra Tech’s work on the communities we work with overseas. On a recent recruitment trip to Eastern Europe, Abe was interviewing a woman for an entry-level administrative role. One of her first questions was, “I am 55 years old; are you able to consider me as a candidate?” While the question may be surprising to many Americans, cultural differences across workforces exist in many parts of the world. As taken aback as he was, it was gratifying for Abe to see the candidate’s face relax when he informed her that Tetra Tech is an inclusive workplace that takes every applicant’s skillset into consideration, regardless of traits such as age, background, or gender. In this moment, something clicked for Abe: he realized international development work is about more than having access to sound institutions and basic resources–it is about equality, diversity, and inclusion of all individuals around the world.
