Students Learn About Human Resource Management from NASCAR Executive

Screenshot of John Ferguson

Students in Ruby Bowen’s human resource management class got a special treat Wednesday when guest speaker John Ferguson, the chief human resource officer with NASCAR, joined the class virtually. Bowen reached out to Ferguson who agreed to talk to the class about his journey from starting out as a concession stand manager at FedEx Field in Washington, D.C. to leading the human resource management team at a preeminent sporting organization.

Ferguson offered several “pro tips,” telling students to always prepare for their interviews, including learning as much as they can about the person who is interviewing them to find a point of connection. He also told them to take advantage of LinkedIn and its networking capabilities, and to take interviews that are offered to them, even if they aren’t looking to change jobs.

“You can learn a lot about the role and your value in the market,” he said.

He cautioned students to not assume that just because they have a degree, job opportunities will automatically be there waiting for them. It’s still a constant struggle to compete for the jobs they want.

“I fought hard to get my first full-time job, and I still needed secondary jobs to afford living in (Washington) D.C.,” he said.

Ferguson, who now lives and works in Florida, said he fell into human resource management and then began working his way up the corporate ladder. He started by applying for an overnight hospitality position at a hotel, but when the interviewer noticed that with is degree, he was overqualified, he mentioned he was interested in an HR position within the same organization. He was subsequently hired for the HR position and that began his journey.

To wrap up his presentation to the class, Ferguson outlined three points that he wanted students to understand.

1. He encouraged students to always be curious and never stop learning. Learning about the job they’re in or the jobs they want to pursue.
2. He encouraged students to bet on themselves as “closed mouths never get fed.” Make sure they are showing initiative and drive to grow professionally.
3. And he said it was important to have a personal “board of directors.” Mentors who are key supporters and individuals they can lean on who might have references and insights into situations they face in their jobs. To find mentors, he said start with looking at the network they already have.