This is a blog written by one of my favorite coworkers, Sharon Steingruber. Her message is a powerful one, and I felt the need to share it here. I hope you take away as much from it is I have.
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I have been working in the staffing industry for about five years. Prior to this, I was a stay at home mom who’s day consisted of shuttling people around and making sure that everyone was taken care of and happy. Strangely enough, the same skills have proved invaluable in the staffing industry.
I knew this job was going to be a good one for me because I love connecting people. I don’t care what I’m connecting them to. It could be another person, a contact, a new job, a new restaurant – whatever. I think I’m like this because I love people. I love hearing their stories, what they are doing now, what they are involved in, and what drives them. People fascinate me, so it’s been a good fit.
What I didn’t’ realize when I started was how invested I would become.
I realized early on that I’m in the staffing business, which means that I am finding someone else a job, of course. I’m dealing with somebody’s livelihood. Their career. Their financial well-being. It’s some heavy-duty stuff. It started out as a job and quickly became a passion.
Recently, I was working with a candidate that I’d helped in the past and I was trying to place him in a position that would be perfect for him. When I heard about one that I knew would be a great fit, I reached out to him immediately. Within a couple of days we had interviews lined up for him and some great conversations with hiring managers. While we were working out all of the interview times and making sure he was ready for everything, he thanked me and told me “You provide so much value to me and my family.”
Wow.
I have worked tirelessly to provide value to my clients, the companies that are looking for that perfect person, by using solid recruiting strategies and getting to know their businesses and what kind of people they need. I have worked just as hard to make sure that the candidates and employees that I work with are taken care of, that they have a job they like that will also meet their financial needs. I never thought of it as providing value to them, though, much less their families.
It was a powerful statement and not one that I take lightly. It will be my mission to provide value to every customer andevery candidate that comes under my care. Keep everyone happy and healthy, the same as when my clientele consisted of my immediate family. It’s my job, after all.
-You can follow Sharon on Twitter at SSteingruber.