After graduating from Marquette University in 2003, I joined Motorola, Inc. full time.  I felt, in some ways, that I was returning home, since I had interned with the company since 2000.  On my first day of work my cubemate gifted me a red stapler (ref: Office Space).  I knew at that point I would both fit in and stand out simultaneously.  

Motorola allowed me to explore my professional preferences for the first six years out of college.  I learned that I preferred a casual work environment where people could laugh at themselves (and others) and could also quickly forgive mistakes made (because we all make them).  I learned that I enjoyed working with people and improving processes.  I learned I was skilled at making the most mundane jobs fun.

And maybe most importantly, I learned how to fail forward.  After being laid off in January 2009, I learned how to pick myself up so that I could find and follow my dreams!

Recommendations from LinkedIn:

• "As Manager of the PAR team at Motorola, I had the privilege of hiring Michelle into the team. She had been an amazing Intern and as it turned out, hiring Michelle was one of my best hiring decisions. Her technical abilities - computer design, programming skills and attention to detail proved to be a huge contribution to the team. Michelle has an incredible ability to quickly adapt and easily grasp even complex concepts. She has a genuine interest and a comfortable style working with people. Regardless of the project, Michelle brought a creative dynamic to the mix and created excitement within the team to successfully complete even the most routine tasks. The person who has the foresight to add Michelle to the team will indeed find a great fortune…..I know I did!"
   
• "Michelle is one of those colleagues that you wish you could clone and take with you to your next employer. She has great organizational skills which were put to the test everyday at Motorola from running the intern program to handling new graduate college recruiting. Michelle is one of the best communicators that I've worked with, whether it be presenting in front of a group or sending an email. She has so many talents that go beyond recruitment, project and program management and process improvement. Her true talent is working with students to help them realize their potential, be their advocate, and serve as a mentor. I'm so glad that Michelle's work with young students at Motorola turned out to be the catalyst for her career into student and academic affairs. She's one in a million!"
   
• "I'm pleased to recommend Michelle Kusel, the best University Relations consultant I've worked with here at Motorola. What makes her special is her ability to cut through the bureacracy and just get things done. She consults with her HR customers (like me) determining our specific needs and then, very professionally, ensured that my teams were well- supported by the University Relations team. Michelle is a pro."
   
• "I had the privilege to work with Michelle on the University Relations Recruiting team at Motorola. Michelle was very organized and always went the extra mile to ensure a positive experience for both the new college hires and the hiring managers. Michelle always looked for ways to help the team improve processes and stay current with the external market. I believe Michelle will excel in any type of role with college students due to her passion and experience both in a corporate and university environment."