Foreword

By Ken Bouyer, EY Americas Director of Inclusiveness Recruiting

EY is a global leader in assurance, consulting, strategy and transactions, and tax services with a purpose of building a better working world. While fulfilling their purpose and creating positive change through knowledge, skills, and experience, EY and GenHERation^® have partnered for 10 years to close the gender leadership gap and create life-changing opportunities for high school and college women. Since its inception, EY has been a steadfast partner of GenHERation^®, aligning with its mission to empower entrepreneurs. Witnessing their growth and accomplishments throughout our partnership has been deeply gratifying. EY acknowledges the urgency to address the gender gap, investing more than just financially by dedicating the time and effort of our team. This engagement with GenHERation^® has proved to be both enriching and rewarding for our staff. I believe that we must actively confront the unique challenges faced by women through targeted support and awareness. This sense of urgency has been underscored by my daughter’s recent experiences in college. She has declared Biology as her major, and I have witnessed firsthand the ongoing need to raise awareness of opportunities for women in certain disciplines and how programs like this play a key role. To celebrate our partnership and further amplify our impact, we are interviewing 10 EY leaders, innovators, and changemakers to highlight their expertise and inspire the GenHERation^® community to turn insight into action.

Here is what EY Americas Employer Brand Leader, Farrah Ekeroth, had to say when asked about personal branding and authenticity:

GenHERation^®: What one word best describes EY?

Farrah Ekeroth: Purposeful

GenHERation^®: In your current role, what are your primary responsibilities?

Ekeroth: I lead the EY Americas Employer Brand Team. It’s an exciting role where I’m able to tap into my creative thinking and passion for storytelling to attract, engage and recruit the best talent in the market. My team develops innovative recruitment marketing campaigns to increase awareness of the EY organization and the breadth of career opportunities we offer. Every day is different. One day we are creating ads for TikTok and the next we are building metaverse experiences for interns.

GenHERation^®: What three steps should you take to start building your professional brand when you are a college student?

Ekeroth: College is the perfect opportunity to start building a foundation for your professional brand to help set you apart. Personal branding is an ongoing process, but these are a few tips to get you started on your journey:

Know yourself. Reflect on who you are and what you want. Which accomplishments are you most proud of and what excites you? If you find this exercise difficult, ask a friend or family member to describe your best qualities and strengths. Don’t try to mold yourself into what you think an employer wants. Authenticity will help you stand out, find a job and a future career that are good fits for your personality and values.

Curate an online presence. Google your name and make sure the results reflect the image you want to project. Building an online presence is an essential part of establishing yourself as a professional — it enables you to showcase your skills, create connections and reach out to potential employers. Become an active user on professional networking sites like LinkedIn by refreshing your profile, engaging with other users and sharing content that aligns to your long-term goals.

Don’t wait until you need a network to build one. Another important aspect of personal branding is building key relationships and a network. Make this a regular part of your life and proactively seek opportunities to connect with new people. This could be through volunteering, industry associations, student clubs, or attending networking events and career fairs. Once you’ve established new connections, maintain those relationships.

GenHERation^®: How do you make an impact in your role?

Ekeroth: I love connecting people to opportunities. Many of our Employer Brand campaigns are aimed at opening doors to the profession and building a more diverse pipeline of talent, which is incredibly rewarding work. As a team leader, I’m also passionate about ensuring my team has opportunities to shine and grow in their careers.

GenHERation^®: What advice would you give to your younger self?

Ekeroth: Have an open mind and make change work for you. I’ve held four roles in three countries during my time with the EY organization and each new experience has helped me grow both professionally and personally. It hasn’t always been easy, but I’m a strong believer in saying yes and embracing the discomfort that comes with change. Those are the experiences that really shape you.

Farrah is an award-winning Employer Brand leader with more than 10 years of experience in the recruitment marketing space. Having previously led the EY UK and EY EMEIA Region Employer Brand teams, she now leads the EY Americas Employer Brand Team and is responsible for driving the US talent attraction strategy. Outside of her core role, she is also passionate about diversity, equity and inclusion, and previously led the EY Women’s Network in the UK. Originally from Vancouver Island, Canada, Farrah received her BSc in Business and Economics from Jönköping University in Sweden and now lives in Seattle, Washington.