Rob didn’t start his career in HR, tech, or immigration services. He didn’t even finish college the first time. “I did three semesters and dropped out,” he admits, “I had no passion for what I was doing.” But that early decision wasn’t the end; it was just the beginning of a career shaped by resilience, curiosity, and a drive to help others succeed.
Today, Rob is a Career Champion and immigration specialist at eClinicalWorks, a healthcare IT company helping modernize medical practices across the country. His job involves more than hiring; he advocates for employees navigating work visas, mentors young professionals, and partners with institutions like UConn to share real-world hiring advice students won’t find in a textbook.
We asked Rob to share some of the top lessons and no-nonsense advice he regularly gives students. Here’s what he had to say.
Q: I’m not sure what I want to do after college. Where do I even start?
Start by being curious. Don’t lock yourself into a job title before you know what’s out there. Talk to people. Ask questions. “So many of our new hires don’t realize all the jobs that exist inside a company like ours,” Rob says. “They come in wanting to be project managers, but then they learn about business intelligence or implementation or immigration services, things they’d never considered before.”
Instead of fixating on a title, Rob recommends exploring teams, tools, and types of work. “Every conversation is a breadcrumb. Follow them.”
Q: What makes someone stand out in the job search?
Two words: referrals and relationships.
Rob tells a story from his career: “I only got my current job because a classmate from grad school referred me. My resume skipped over 300 others because of that connection. Without it, I never would’ve made it past the ATS.”
His advice? Build relationships now, with classmates, professors, mentors, and yes, even recruiters. “People remember who asks thoughtful questions and shows genuine interest.”
Q: I’m using AI to help with my résumé. Is that a problem?
“It depends,” Rob says. “If you use AI to beat writer’s block or get started, great. But if your whole résumé sounds like a string of buzzwords and half-formed sentences? We can tell.”
At a recent career fair, Rob spotted an AI-generated résumé in seconds. “The second line didn’t say anything. Just filler language. It’s obvious.”
His takeaway: Use AI as a tool, not a substitute for your voice. Rewrite anything it generates so it sounds like you and says something meaningful.
Q: How can I prepare for career growth once I’m in my first job?
Rob recommends thinking beyond your team. “Get to know people across departments. Ask what they do, how they got there, and what excites them. Those relationships matter.”
In fact, it’s how many people at his company discover new paths and promotions. “If you’re curious, people remember that. And when there’s an opening? Your name is the one they bring up.”
It’s also how you develop the soft skills, like communication and collaboration, that matter just as much as technical knowledge.
Q: Why should other employers partner with universities like UConn?
Rob doesn’t hesitate. “UConn students are some of the best prepared I’ve seen. They’re not just checking boxes. They’re learning how to adapt, how to think critically, and how to own their careers.”
As a Career Champion, Rob gets to help shape that readiness and gets early access to talent. “We’ve had students reach out just because they met me at a Career Center event. And they remember what you said, even years later.”
Final Thought:
Rob’s own journey, from dropping out of college to becoming a trusted advisor for early-career professionals, shows that paths don’t have to be linear. What matters is persistence, openness, and the willingness to help others along the way.
His advice to students: “Try things. Reflect on what didn’t work. Then build on it. You don’t need to have it all figured out; you just need to keep moving forward.”
