 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.
0 Comments
 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.  The relationships our recruiters forge with candidates is a hallmark of our company's culture. It is what sets us apart from our competition. Join us weekly for a series called “Meet your Recruiter” and get to know the people that have your back as you look for a new job.
Meet Tom: Job Title and Areas of Expertise Senior Technical Recruiter 8+ years recruiting financial, administrative, professional services positions Have you always been a recruiter? I graduated from CMU with a Criminal Justice degree in 2008. After graduation, I began working within various psychiatric hospitals trying to find my way as a Psychiatric Care Specialist. My take away from that experience is that I love helping others, but I’ve since learned and feel as if I was born to recruit. What’s the most exciting part of your job? I take pride in building long lasting relationships with individuals. More of a pay it forward type role in my mind. Referrals within the industry are extremely important, and I love getting them. Relationship building has always been a strongpoint for me, and within this job, I get to use it every day. What do you do in your free time? Outside of work, I enjoy golf, tennis, hockey, and running. Family is huge for me, and I am extremely fortunate to be an uncle to an amazing niece and nephew. What is one question every candidate should ask during a job interview? Based on our conversation today, is there any reason why you can’t see me being successful in this role? If you could have any superpower, what would it be? Without a doubt, flying! Searching for a job can be overwhelming and daunting at times – a vicious cycle of sending resume after resume with few inquiries back. Recruiters can help candidates in their journey, providing both support, tips and tricks and having access to positions that may not even be posted yet. Reach out to Tom with questions you have about your career process at tcassidy@optechus.com.  Searching for a job can be overwhelming and daunting at times – a vicious cycle of sending resume after resume with few inquiries back. Recruiters can help candidates in their journey, providing both support, tips and tricks and having access to positions that may not even be posted yet.
OpTech prides itself on the relationships our recruiters forge with candidates. It is what sets us apart from our competition. Join us weekly for a new series called “Meet your Recruiter” and get to know the people that have your back as you look for a new job. Meet Marian: Job Title and Areas of Expertise Senior Technical Recruiter 15+ years recruiting healthcare, administrative, engineering, and information technology positions
 As 2020 comes to a close (thankfully), we start looking toward the new year. Traditionally most people make New Year's resolutions focused on exercise, eating, and sleeping habits. However, for many people this year, the pandemic has sent our career goals into a tailspin, set off course by everything from remote work, job loss, or budget cuts within organizations. Despite these derailments, not all is lost. Whether you participate in the activity of making resolutions or not, why not consider setting career goals (resolutions) this year. Here are seven career resolutions everyone should make, no matter where they are in their career path.
1) Be a Better Communicator - In 2021, take the extra effort to return emails and calls promptly, letting co-workers know the status of your work, projects, etc. and asking where they’re at on their own projects. Simply talk to people. Let them know when you're unavailable. Don't leave them hanging, and when someone helps you out, be sure to thank them. 2) Learn a New Skill - No matter what field you are in, there are hundreds of new skills you can learn that could benefit your career. This includes hard skills and soft skills. Not sure where to start. Think about your weaknesses and what you'd like to improve in this department. Maybe you are afraid of public speaking or maybe you need to learn a new program that is critical to your field of work. Once you determine the weakness you'd like to improve upon, set it as one of your work goals for the year and get it done. It may require taking a course online or joining a group like Toastmasters to improve your public speaking skills. You won't regret it. If it can enhance your work in your current job, your company might even be willing to pay for it! 3) Ask More Questions - Acknowledge that you don't have the answer to every problem and that others can help you be more successful in your job. If you don't understand something, speak up. Ask for clarification. Asking questions is a beautiful segway into growing your relationships with colleagues. It creates new dialogue and opens the door to collaboration. 4) Make New Connections - Whether you're your looking for a new job or not, you should always be networking and looking for ways to connect with individuals. Even during the pandemic, there are plenty of ways to make new connections. LinkedIn is a fantastic way to expand your reach; just make sure you put a little effort behind it. Provide a personal note or reminder of how you know one another. You may not be able to attend networking events in person but there are plenty of webinars with break-out sessions that enable people to meet and connect. Also consider networking with colleagues in your office. Seek out coworkers you don't know well and introduce yourself. This will show self-confidence, approachability, and respect for others, which in turn will help earn your colleagues' respect and increase collaboration. 5) Read a Career Related Book - Books are a great way to provide new perspectives and can improve your performance, your outlook, or your personal habits. 6) Stay Out of Office Politics - Office gossiping really won’t get you anywhere in life. Who cares if so-and-so did xyz to so-and-so? If a colleague tries to engage in a little gossip, give one-word answers and follow with an “I’m really busy, I’ll catch up with you later.” 7) Assess your Social Media Profiles Every couple of months you should review your online profiles to ensure they match what you want to share professionally. You may need to change your privacy settings or remove images that you wouldn't want your colleagues seeing. This is imperative when you are looking for a job. A study from CareerBuilder revealed that “70 percent of employers now use social media to screen job candidates before hiring them” This coming year will be unique. 2021 will still bring challenges, but why not start off on the right foot and try something different; set career resolutions that will ultimately translate to all other parts of your life.  OpTech is committed to providing its customers with exceptional talent to fit their business needs. We also believe strongly in helping and giving back to the communities in which we work and reside. As a result, a few years ago, we developed a dedicated program for veterans returning to the workforce after completing their active duty. The program not only places a veteran in a new position, but allows him/her to transition into civilian life seamlessly.
The Value of Hiring a Veteran Veterans generally bring the core values of discipline & commitment to all aspects of their work. They are trained to think and react logically and be a valuable team player in the workplace. Program Outline OpTech works directly with a number of organizations and partner companies to place Veterans. Some of these groups include: Hiring our Heroes, Inforum's Next4Vets and MI Virtual Career Fairs, which help Veterans find civilian jobs. OpTech's program is multi-faceted and has been established to accomplish several objectives, including identifying, recruiting, training and assisting veterans in finding jobs and advancing their careers after their military service. Our success in employing veterans has earned us a Silver Level Employer certification status by the Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency.  Today’s job market is competitive. A successful job hunt can be both time-consuming and at times, even daunting. It is easy to get bogged down in the world of job boards – a vicious cycle of sending endless resumes that yield few results or inquires back. In moments like these, a recruiter may be your best option to finding a permanent position, contract work, or a specialized assignment. Below are the top ten reasons you should consider a recruiter the next time you are in job search mode:
OpTech can help you find your dream job. An award winning firm. Forbes ranked OpTech number 56 of 250 nationwide last month for Best Professional Recruiting Firms. To see a list of all job opportunities available at OpTech, click on the link below. |
