A KSR Success Story - Spring 2009
Engaging in a job search can be overwhelming, intimidating and frustrating, regardless of your methodology. Applying to positions on job boards, scouring the Internet for new openings and completing exhaustive electronic applications can wear out the most motivated among us. So, now that I have stated the obvious, what do I recommend as a counter measure? The answer is to outsource a portion of your job search to a professional recruiter and utilize their expertise to uncover employment opportunities that may not be posted on a job board or corporate websites. Some call this the "hidden" job market, as these positions fly under the radar of job boards and consist of confidential searches, contract or contract-to-permanent positions, or, in some cases, these positions may not exist until a recruiter puts an "A+" candidate in front of a client. Call it what you will, but just know that there are always more jobs out there than what you see on the boards, but to access them, you will need the help of a recruiter.
To truly illustrate this point, I would like to share a success story from our Overland Park, Kansas, branch office. In February of 2007, Nou Xiong contacted Michelle Bradford, Scientific Recruiter, to inquire about any laboratory opportunities that might be available. Nou had received her biology degree from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte in December of 2006 and had been actively looking since graduation. Michelle and Nou scheduled an interview for the following week to discuss career goals, optimal positions, desired pay rate, work location and target industries. During the course of the interview, Nou was able to clearly communicate her short and long-term professional goals to Michelle and Michelle was able to get to know more about Nou than what appeared on her resume. At the time of the interview, there were not any opportunities that matched what Nou was looking for, but both agreed to keep in touch on a regular basis.
A few weeks later, a laboratory technician position opened up with a manufacturer of soap and cleaning products and Michelle immediately thought of Nou. The industry was not Nou’s first choice (pharmaceutical), but the location, job duties, pay rate and opportunity to develop new skills appealed to her, so she jumped at the chance to be submitted. Michelle spoke to Nou about the company, their products, expectations and the job itself, to ensure that Nou went into the interview prepared. After a longer than expected interview process, Michelle got the call from our client that Nou was their #1 candidate and they wanted us to offer her the laboratory technician position on a temporary-to-hire basis. Four months later in June of 2007, our client decided to hire Nou as a full-time employee because of her hard work and dedication. Fast forward to April of 2009 and Nou is now the Laboratory Manager overseeing all activities and managing the laboratory technicians.
Success stories like Nou’s are not possible without our clients entrusting us to find them top talent and our candidates believing in the value we can add to their job search/ career path strategy. It truly is a partnership that is based on mutual trust and respect and when executed properly, can lead to win-win scenarios for all parties. In closing, I would like to share a few quotes from Nou Xiong:
"Kelly Scientific really helped to get me into the workforce. I had just graduated and with their [KSR] help I was able to get my foot in the door and gain valuable experience."