 In one's journey to find a new job, wouldn't it be great to have someone in your court, providing support and guidance, resume tips and even access to positions that haven't been posted yet? OpTech's recruiters work one-on-one with our candidates to find the right fit, guiding him/her throughout the entire process. This week in our “Meet your Recruiter” series, we'd like to introduce you to our Senior Technical Recruiter, John. He has more than 15 years of experience recruiting IT positions.
Meet John: What’s the most exciting part of your job? I have a passion for people. I love forging and fostering long-term relationships that lead candidates to a “just-right” career fit, and I also enjoy delivering services to customers at a high level of quality. I also love the fact that through my profession, I am able to stay current on new trends in technology which allows me to point people in the right direction in their career. What’s one professional skill you wish every candidate would have or be working toward? Hustle! I think that a large part of being successful is simply working hard. I’ve found that everyone doesn’t have this quality innately. The good thing is that this is a skill that doesn’t require a certification and when applied, the results are immediate. What energizes you outside of work? I am energized and rejuvenated by seeing my kid’s personalities blossom and become more independent. Helping them achieve their goals motivates me to do better every day. Have you always been a recruiter? I have been a Technical Recruiter for more than 15 years. Prior to working in the field of recruiting, I worked with an investment company on a team that oversaw operations in two of their restaurant industry ventures. I have also been a lifeguard, basketball referee and bus station clerk. If you could have any superpower, what would it be? Flying…doesn’t everybody?
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 Working out of our India office, Vaishaali plays a critical role in OpTech's success by facilitating the flow of candidates through the recruitment process and screening candidates for specific positions.
Have you always been a Recruiting Coordinator? “Before starting at OpTech, I worked in HR for two years and have experience in MIS, working in IT and the services industry and 1.2 years’ experience in a customer related field. In these positions, I became skilled in communications, employee engagement, recruiting coordination, and MIS. I have strong analytical skills with the ability to collect, organize, and analyze data with attention to detail and accuracy. I am experienced in handling employee and customer queries.” What do you do in your free time? “I love reading books and novels in my free time.” If you could have one superpower, what would it be? “If I had the superpower of teleportation, it would be awesome. I have always been fascinated and wanted to go to space to see what it is like there. In addition, if I can travel anywhere anytime, it would be nice so that I can travel to see my friends and family whenever I wish to see them.” What career advice would you give to young women? “I would advise young women to be passionate and do what you like and love to do. Always be humble and be a down-to-earth person. Stay focused at a task at a time and everything else will fall right in to place. Be courageous and steadfast.” What do you love most about your job? “In my job, I am able to help recruiters, even if in a small way, by playing a role in their realizing their dream jobs. It is a great feeling to work in a great team, which we have at OpTech!”  This week in our “Meet your Recruiter” series, we introduce you to Michele Coffin. Michele has been with OpTech for more than 10 years and has been an integral part of our recruiting team. Michele specializes in recruiting IT positions in the financial sector. She earned her CPSR Certification from Tech Serve Alliance, which is the highest professional recruiting designation. This Certification proves her commitment to high ethics, best practices and delivering superior service to the people she represents.
Meet Michele - Senior Technical Recruiter What’s the most exciting part of your job? The most exciting part of my job is finding a great match for both my candidates and our clients. It is thrilling when you realize, from the first moment of talking with someone, that they will get the job and excel in the role we help find for them. How did you get into recruiting? I wish I could say it was all part of a great plan, but after university, I had the chance to become part of the opening team for the Skydome in Toronto and spent an amazing 2 years working there. Recruiting was a huge part of what we did, in the months leading up to the opening, so when a friend from school asked me to join a new company that was doing specialized work in IT and wanted to start a recruiting team, I signed up. It also helps that I am a bit of a nerd! What do you do in your free time? As of late, I always have a project going on around the house and love spending time with my TV-watching-dog who unlike my teenager is excited to see me. I am working on becoming a minimalist, and at the same time, trying to keep things out of the landfills. I am very excited to get working on my outside space this year and hopefully will be able to get my backyard naturally habitat certified this summer. What advice do you have for women trying to balance work and raising a family? Do not blink! The time passes by way too fast which is something you hear a ton when you are first expecting. My motto when the kids were young was – “All things are temporary!” -It really helped when things got tough. I work hard to stay in the present because balancing everything can be overwhelming. Sometimes you have to accept that the best you can do is get through a period of time one day at time and that is okay! My youngest daughter is a senior in high school and will be attending the University of Michigan in the fall and my oldest is a freshman at University of Western Ontario and will be coming home for the summer. We are firmly in the “Operation Good Room Mate” phase of life…..so wish me luck because it could get bumpy this summer. If you could have any superpower, what would it be? Today it would be teleportation so I could visit my daughter, friends and family in Canada. Job hunting can be tedious and a rigorous process. Recruiters provide support, tips and tricks and have access to positions that may not even be posted yet. Contact Michele with questions you have about your career process at mcoffin@optechus.com.
Ronia Kruse, President and CEO of OpTech, LLC. was honored with the Distinguished Citizen Award presented by the Great Lakes Division, Boy Scouts of America on March 4, 2021.
Ronia was recognized because she has led her life in a “Scout-like” manner and has increased awareness of Scouting in our community. “I believe so strongly in giving back, especially as a business owner. Companies have a responsibility to the communities in which we live and work. When we help one person, we provide them with the ability to help others, and then those people help others, and so on. Eventually that one good deed has perhaps resonated with thousands of people,” said Ronia Kruse of her desire to volunteer and give back to the Boy Scouts and the community. OpTech’s growth over the past two decades is rooted in the belief that long-term business success depends on community success. When everyone has an opportunity to participate and share in the rewards of growth, the economy is stronger and society, as a whole, is better. The mission of the Boy Scouts of America is to prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Scout Law. OpTech believes that it must remain relentless in its efforts when it comes to corporate and philanthropic responsibility.  Utilizing a recruiter is one of the best ways to ensure that your resume gets in front of a hiring manager. It also means you are no longer alone in your job search. OpTech prides itself on the relationships our recruiters forge with candidates. It is what sets us apart from our competition. This week: Meet our Senior Technical Recruiter, Brad
Brad, tell us about your background as a Recruiter. I am a certified IT staffing professional with more than 25 years of IT, engineering and business staffing industry experience. I have extensive experience supporting automotive, Insurance, healthcare and financial clients nationwide. What’s the most exciting part of your job? I truly enjoy helping my clients achieve their business goals by connecting hiring managers with top notch talent and assisting candidates/employees in furthering their career goals. What do you do in your free time? Outside of work, I am a leader and mentor of the Boy Scouts. I also love doing DIY projects and spending time on the lake. What is one question every candidate should ask during a job interview? “What are the biggest challenges you currently face as an organization?” If you could have any superpower, what would it be? The ability to time travel Reach out to Brad with questions you have about your career process at bkieft@optechus.com.  OpTech prides itself on the relationships our recruiters forge with candidates. Behind every great group of recruiters is an amazing Director of Recruiting. The Director of Recruiting is instrumental in leading the development and implementation of strategic talent acquisition tactics and leads the evaluation of the entire recruiting function, strategies, and procedures in order to find opportunities for improvement.
Meet Debbie: Job Title – Director of Recruiting Have you always been in the field of Recruiting? I've been in the staffing industry since the late 90's where I started out in Organizational Management for an Engineering firm and was asked to help with recruiting. I didn't even know why companies used outside firms to help find talent, but I quickly learned and had several automotive accounts. I spent most of my years at Manpower Metro Detroit and VisionIT, in both Recruiting, Management and Account Management; traveling extensively to care for clients. I joined OpTech about 5 years ago, left for two years (engineering again) and back for two years now. What’s the most exciting part of your job? I love working with my team of recruiters at OpTech, helping them reach their goals, celebrating their wins and assisting them when something isn’t working. I equally love strategy- putting energy towards growing the company through collaborative efforts. What do you do in your free time? In my free time, I enjoy being with my family, home renovations and am passionate about civil rights and women's issues. What is one question every candidate should ask during a job interview? There are a few, but especially “Do you feel I have the skills and experience you are looking for?" This allows the candidate and hiring manager to address anything right then and there. Also, the candidate should ask about the next steps in the process. If you could have any superpower, what would it be? Teleportation! It would be great to simply teleport to a warmer location during a long winter.  Did you know that recruiters are specialists in a particular field (e.g. IT or healthcare)? Working with a recruiter is a great way to bypass the endless process of sending resumes into a job board that may yield little to no response. Working with a recruiter gives you a instant leg up, as you'll be part of a much smaller pool of applicants.
This week, meet our Senior Healthcare Recruiter, Derek. He has 15+ years of experience in recruiting healthcare positions. Meet Derek: What’s the most exciting part of your job? “I truly enjoy connecting with candidates and getting to know them during the hiring process.” What do you do in your free time? “In my free time, I love spending time with my wife and three kids. They are active in several sports so we are frequently traveling to games and cheering them on. I also play on a hockey league.” What is one question every candidate should ask during a job interview? When interviewing, candidates should ask the interviewer, “What do you like best about working here?” This gives a little more insight into the culture of the company. Have you always been a recruiter? I have not always been a recruiter. Prior to working for OpTech, I spent a majority of my career in business development in the areas of advertising and marketing. If you could have any superpower, what would it be? I would like the power of suggestion. To be able to tell someone to do (or not to do) something and have them think it’s perfectly normal and good idea that they themselves originated, and act upon it.  A Recruiting Coordinator focuses on facilitating the flow of candidates through the recruitment process and is an integral part of the recruiting team. This week, meet our Recruiting Coordinator, Megan.
Have you always been a Recruiting Coordinator? No, I joined OpTech in March 2019 as a Recruiting Coordinator, but I have had quite a few experiences before that. I graduated from Ferris State University with a degree in Health Care Systems Administration with a minor in Human Resources in 2016. Post graduation, I have been employed as a Substitute Teacher for grades K-12, a Volunteer Coordinator at Karmanos Cancer Institute, and a Sales Support Rep at McKesson. What do you do in your free time? I enjoy traveling, spending time with my family, friends, and my dog (aka: my best friend), Cruze. At the start of the pandemic, I began my new favorite hobby of baking macarons, and I plan to continue teaching myself how to perfect this difficult craft! If you could have one superpower, what would it be? I would say teleportation, being able to immediately be anywhere would be so great! It would make traveling to visit family and friends, or going on vacation so much easier. What advice would you give to a young professional that just graduated from college? My advice is to try everything. Although I feel that my career is truly just beginning, I have had so many wonderful experiences since graduating that have helped me grow in my existing career. Whether you are volunteering or joining networking groups, it is essential to your career growth. Never stop learning and never stop seeking new experiences. What do you love most about your job? Although I am behind the scenes with getting candidates their new positions, I still play a role in that and it’s great knowing that we, as a company, are making positive impacts in people’s lives. Regardless of what I am doing, I am always assisting someone in some way and I enjoy that part of my job as well.  The job search is a grueling process. It often feels like a full time job, and can lead to burn-out very quickly. We often hear candidates complain about the endless search for new opportunities. Opportunities that appear to be a a good fit; in which an excitement builds as the candidate modifies his/her resume to highlight specific skills needed for that position; only to find the position yielded no response, no inquiry back. OpTech is in the business of finding great talent (like you) and presenting you with positions (open and viable positions) that match your skill sets. Our recruiters help candidates in their journey, providing both support, tips and tricks and having access to positions that may not even be posted yet.
Meet Shannon: Job Title and Areas of Expertise – Senior Technical Recruiter 10+ years recruiting administrative, finance, engineering, professional services positions What’s the most exciting part of your job? The most exciting part of my job is getting the chance to help change a candidate’s life while helping to improve a clients’ business at the same time. What’s one question every candidate should ask during a job interview? I think candidates always want to know about the timeframe and next steps. It is acceptable to ask this question of the hiring manager after the interview: "When is the hiring team looking to make a decision on either next steps or extending an offer?" What energizes you outside of work? When I am not working, I enjoy spending time with my family and close friends. I am a boy mom to both a teenager and a toddler, which keeps me extremely busy. Have you always been a recruiter? I graduated from U of M Dearborn with a Bachelor degree in Corporate Communication and Public Relations in 2005. Shortly after graduation, I started working at Toyota Motor Company in their Midwest PR office, based in Detroit. During my time there, I primarily managed a fleet of over 100 vehicles that I leased out to the various automotive journalists to gain market presence with our brand. I LOVED my job but when the auto industry took a dive in 2008, I was laid off and temporarily went into Event Planning, and then into Property & Casualty insurance sales. In 2011, I started working in educational recruitment, and then made the move into talent acquisition for engineering clients. and eventually Professional Services, where I am today. If you could have any superpower, what would it be? Teleportation so I can go anywhere in the world at any moment.  This week in our “Meet your Recruiter” series, we will introduce you to our OpTech Solutions recruiter, Krystal Wescott. OpTech Solutions provides engineering and consulting services for embedded systems and connected vehicle solutions. These solutions include telematics, infotainment, mobility solutions, Internet of Things and predictive analytics.
Meet Krystal: Job Title and Areas of Expertise – Senior Technical Recruiter 13+ years recruiting engineering positions in the automotive market What’s the most exciting part of your job? I enjoy meeting new candidates daily and it is rewarding connecting them to job opportunities which can result in a positive life changing event. I also appreciate that with recruiting no two days are the same and recruiting always keeps me on my toes. How did you get into recruiting? I graduated from Michigan State University in 2007 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Communication. Go Green Go White! :) I started working at Kelly Services in Troy as a Professional Technical Recruiter in May 2007 and worked there for 11.5 years becoming a top Sr. Recruiter on the automotive team. I mainly focused on automotive engineering orders on the MV & VN accounts for GM, Ford, and Toyota. In 2018, I took a couple of years off to raise my children. I joined OpTech Solutions in July 2020 as a part time Sr. Technical Engineering Recruiter. What do you do in your free time? Outside of work I enjoy camping and being outside. I particularly love going to the beach, sunny weather, and traveling to FL and Michigan’s west side of the state. I also enjoy hanging out with family and friends. What advice do you have for women trying to balance work and raising a family? Mom guilt is a real thing and anyone that is a mom has probably experienced it, but my advice is when you are at work, give yourself fully to work and don’t feel guilty about not being with your kids. When you are at home, give yourself fully to your kids and don’t feel guilty about not working. You will find the time is more valuable for each role in your life and that guilt will slowly dissipate if you are giving 100% to one or the other. If you could have any superpower, what would it be? Control Time. Life moves way to fast. Being able to control the clock so that you can always have enough time to complete what you want to accomplish. Controlling time would also allow the ability to spend more time with loved ones. Job hunting can be tedious and a rigorous process. Recruiters provide support, tips and tricks and have access to positions that may not even be posted yet. Contact Krystal with questions you have about your career process. |
