by Laryssa Hulcio and Stephen Harber, GM Talent Marketing
by Laryssa Hulcio and Stephen Harber, GM Talent Marketing
Within the first 10 minutes of her interview with General Motors, Rain Thompson knew something felt different.
At the time, she was recruiting technical talent at Apple. Before that, she had spent more than three years recruiting at Amazon. She understood what it takes to compete for engineers in some of the most demanding technology environments in the world.
But Rain also heard something personal in the conversation. As a U.S. Navy veteran, she knew what it felt like to step into a new environment, learn fast, and find purpose in unfamiliar territory.
What stood out was not only the scale of GM’s technology work. It was the way people talked about it. The conversations felt direct, thoughtful, and grounded. Rain could sense a company building advanced technology without losing sight of the people behind it.
“I knew GM was where I wanted to be,” she said.
Today, as a Talent Acquisition Partner in Austin, Texas, Rain helps recruit the engineers and technical specialists shaping GM’s software-defined future. Her work spans roles across software engineering, cybersecurity, systems engineering, power electronics and artificial intelligence.
For Rain, recruiting top technical talent starts before a candidate ever reviews a job description.
It starts with trust.
Rain looks back on her time in the Navy as one of the most challenging times of her life, and one that she met with a smile.
A veteran’s view of change
A career move is rarely just a career move.
For many candidates, it can mean relocating a family, changing schools, leaving a familiar team, or betting on a company’s future. Rain understands the weight of those decisions because she has lived through a major transition herself.
After serving aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln as a firefighter and EMT, Rain left the Navy and entered civilian life without a clear roadmap. She went back to school, worked full time and wondered what direction to take next.
That experience gave her more than resilience. It gave her empathy for people standing at the edge of change.
“You only change jobs a handful of times in your whole life,” Rain said. “Being part of that process and helping people feel confident in their decision is really special.”
Rain aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln during her first sea trial in 2017, preparing for a chapter that would shape her strength and perspective.
The real secret is trust
Technical recruiting requires more than knowing the right keywords. Engineers can tell when a recruiter understands the work, when they have prepared and when they are listening carefully.
Rain learned that while recruiting at Apple and Amazon. At GM, she applies that same discipline with the steady, people-first mindset shaped by her military service.
“You have to understand where candidates are coming from and what they’re truly looking for,” Rain said. “If you build trust, they’ll tell you what’s really driving their search. That’s how you connect them to the right opportunity.”
That trust matters in a competitive market for technical talent. Rain often speaks with candidates who may know GM as an automotive company, but have not yet seen the depth of its technology work.
Then the conversation changes.
Rain with her Buick Envision in Georgetown, Texas, purchased during her first weekend with GM in July 2025.
What engineers discover at GM
One of Rain’s early moments at GM came during a visit to a robotics lab.
It gave her a clearer way to describe GM’s technical scale to candidates. The work reaches across robotics, AI, cybersecurity, vehicle software, and advanced electronics. For engineers, that means the opportunity to solve complex problems tied directly to products people use every day.
“GM vehicles are like running computers,” Rain said.
That realization can shift how candidates see the company. They begin to understand that the technology inside a modern vehicle is connected to real drivers, real roads and real safety outcomes.
“When people realize their work could affect millions of drivers, it stops being just another job opportunity,” Rain said. “It feels bigger than that.”
Caption: Rain at GM’s Innovation Center in Austin, Texas, where she helps connect technical talent with meaningful opportunities.
Service in a new form
Rain’s approach to recruiting is rooted in lessons she learned long before entering talent acquisition.
In the Navy, she learned to adapt quickly to people from different backgrounds. As a firefighter and EMT, she learned to stay steady in difficult moments. Those experiences taught her how much strength can come from relying on the people around you.
Now, that foundation shows up in a different form.
She listens closely. She looks for what motivates people. She helps candidates understand not only what GM is building, but where they might belong inside that work.
Rain also brings that perspective to fellow veterans navigating civilian careers. She knows how difficult it can be to translate military experience into corporate language, and she wants veterans to understand how much value they already carry.
For Rain, that is what makes recruiting at GM meaningful. The company’s work is technical, but the decision to join is personal. And for veterans, engineers and technologists alike, finding the right place to contribute can change more than a career.
“I want to find people who are always innovating,” Rain said. “People who want to make the world a better, safer place.”
Read more about Rain’s Navy service, her transition to civilian life and the advice she shares with fellow veterans in her Driven to Serve Q&A.
Continue exploring GM Veteran stories
Read Rain’s full Q&A: Find out more about Rain’s Navy service, her transition to civilian life, and the advice she shares with fellow veterans in her Driven to Serve Q&A.
Discover more Driven to Serve stories: Meet Jhansi Nalla, Brett Munster, and Brandon Gifford, whose stories highlight different paths from military service to meaningful work at GM.
Read a related GM News feature: Discover how Alex Reba balances his role in GM’s Global Purchasing & Supply Chain team with service in the U.S. Navy Reserve, applying leadership, logistics, and problem-solving skills in both careers.
Learn more about careers at GM by visiting careers.gm.com
Within the first 10 minutes of her interview with General Motors, Rain Thompson knew something felt different.
At the time, she was recruiting technical talent at Apple. Before that, she had spent more than three years recruiting at Amazon. She understood what it takes to compete for engineers in some of the most demanding technology environments in the world.
But Rain also heard something personal in the conversation. As a U.S. Navy veteran, she knew what it felt like to step into a new environment, learn fast, and find purpose in unfamiliar territory.
What stood out was not only the scale of GM’s technology work. It was the way people talked about it. The conversations felt direct, thoughtful, and grounded. Rain could sense a company building advanced technology without losing sight of the people behind it.
“I knew GM was where I wanted to be,” she said.
Today, as a Talent Acquisition Partner in Austin, Texas, Rain helps recruit the engineers and technical specialists shaping GM’s software-defined future. Her work spans roles across software engineering, cybersecurity, systems engineering, power electronics and artificial intelligence.
For Rain, recruiting top technical talent starts before a candidate ever reviews a job description.
It starts with trust.
A veteran’s view of change
A career move is rarely just a career move.
For many candidates, it can mean relocating a family, changing schools, leaving a familiar team, or betting on a company’s future. Rain understands the weight of those decisions because she has lived through a major transition herself.
After serving aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln as a firefighter and EMT, Rain left the Navy and entered civilian life without a clear roadmap. She went back to school, worked full time and wondered what direction to take next.
That experience gave her more than resilience. It gave her empathy for people standing at the edge of change.
“You only change jobs a handful of times in your whole life,” Rain said. “Being part of that process and helping people feel confident in their decision is really special.”
The real secret is trust
Technical recruiting requires more than knowing the right keywords. Engineers can tell when a recruiter understands the work, when they have prepared and when they are listening carefully.
Rain learned that while recruiting at Apple and Amazon. At GM, she applies that same discipline with the steady, people-first mindset shaped by her military service.
“You have to understand where candidates are coming from and what they’re truly looking for,” Rain said. “If you build trust, they’ll tell you what’s really driving their search. That’s how you connect them to the right opportunity.”
That trust matters in a competitive market for technical talent. Rain often speaks with candidates who may know GM as an automotive company, but have not yet seen the depth of its technology work.
Then the conversation changes.
What engineers discover at GM
One of Rain’s early moments at GM came during a visit to a robotics lab.
It gave her a clearer way to describe GM’s technical scale to candidates. The work reaches across robotics, AI, cybersecurity, vehicle software, and advanced electronics. For engineers, that means the opportunity to solve complex problems tied directly to products people use every day.
“GM vehicles are like running computers,” Rain said.
That realization can shift how candidates see the company. They begin to understand that the technology inside a modern vehicle is connected to real drivers, real roads and real safety outcomes.
“When people realize their work could affect millions of drivers, it stops being just another job opportunity,” Rain said. “It feels bigger than that.”
Service in a new form
Rain’s approach to recruiting is rooted in lessons she learned long before entering talent acquisition.
In the Navy, she learned to adapt quickly to people from different backgrounds. As a firefighter and EMT, she learned to stay steady in difficult moments. Those experiences taught her how much strength can come from relying on the people around you.
Now, that foundation shows up in a different form.
She listens closely. She looks for what motivates people. She helps candidates understand not only what GM is building, but where they might belong inside that work.
Rain also brings that perspective to fellow veterans navigating civilian careers. She knows how difficult it can be to translate military experience into corporate language, and she wants veterans to understand how much value they already carry.
For Rain, that is what makes recruiting at GM meaningful. The company’s work is technical, but the decision to join is personal. And for veterans, engineers and technologists alike, finding the right place to contribute can change more than a career.
“I want to find people who are always innovating,” Rain said. “People who want to make the world a better, safer place.”
Continue exploring GM Veteran stories:
- Discover more Driven to Serve stories: Meet Jhansi Nalla, Brett Munster, and Brandon Gifford, whose stories highlight different paths from military service to meaningful work at GM.
- Read a related GM News feature: Discover how Alex Reba balances his role in GM’s Global Purchasing & Supply Chain team with service in the U.S. Navy Reserve, applying leadership, logistics, and problem-solving skills in both careers.
- Learn more about careers at GM by visiting careers.gm.com
Learn more about careers at GM by visiting Careers.GM.com.