With over 35 years in the staffing industry, we’ve seen our fair share of challenges, uplifting moments, and accomplishments. Our team works with thousands of people throughout the United States and Canada, both clients and candidates. And when we say we’ve seen and heard it all, we mean we have seen and heard it ALL. From hilarious slip-ups to touching stories that bring tears to our eyes, we’re sharing some of the standout memories over the past few years.
I have been working with one of my contractors since this position was furloughed in March. He reaches out to me each week to find the status of his position. During these uncertain times, I make sure to keep in contact with contractors that I have working so they know someone cares and helps them to feel a little more secure. Last week my contractor asked if they are going back to work yet. I did check for him and as of now they are not returning but may soon. He replied to me with the following, “Thank you so much. You remind me of family even though I’ve never met you. Thank you for keeping in touch. I appreciate the quick response.”
That made me feel so good and I felt like I was helping him even if it not back to work yet.
– Cathy Kennedy, Director of Business Development, San Jose
My favorite aspect of Staffing is finding people their “Forever Homes” and especially during this crazy COVID time, with so many people out of work, it’s just so gratifying when you land someone a job.
Towards the middle of June, I had a candidate who graduated from college back in 2018, accepted a position and was working his way up within a company. He was laid off due to COVID and couldn’t find any positions or jobs that would hire him. He said he went on countless amounts of interviews and was starting to give up. I reached out to him directly regarding a position and he told me it was like a light bulb went off. We had our first conversation about it and everything I described and everything he described fit like a glove. He had a phone and in-person interview and was immediately offered the position.
He was so incredibly thankful for the position, it was just the best feeling to be able to find someone struggling SO hard, find their forever home. We still talk quite often to check-in, and he’s loving his job.
– Nicole Shenberger, Recruiting Team Lead, Chicago
I had a client in Spokane hiring for a Treasurer. My candidate was looking to relocate somewhere more conducive to an “outdoor way of life.” He hadn’t ever heard of Spokane so he wasn’t familiar with the area, but he did know who the Zags were! I was able to provide him some information and links of trails, outdoor activities, and other resources that would provide him with a good idea of what it’s like to live in the Pacific Northwest.
Low and behold, he got through the process and loved the Spokane area when he and his wife came up to visit for his on-site interview. His wife posts pictures and stories almost daily on Instagram of their adventures and how lucky she is to live in an area that provides exactly the lifestyle they were looking to provide their children. That was the most fulfilling placement I’ve had. I was able to provide an opportunity to give a family a complete change in their lifestyle and it’s exactly what they were looking for.
– Krista Portolesi, Account Executive, Spokane
One of my inspirational stories happened recently through this pandemic. JSG was awarded a contract to provide temperature screeners for a local client in the Philadelphia area. We had to hire over 60 candidates for this project. We decided to call on local Universities and local candidates in the Philadelphia area. We had great success and these local candidates were so grateful to find a job that could help their financial situation. College students were also happy to find summer jobs during this difficult time. I just can’t express how proud I am with our team who work so hard and helped so many people during this difficult time. My funniest and inspirational moment is when I get a call for “Mr. Allen” who is the man with JSG that could hook me up with a great temp assignment that will help with this pandemic.
– Allen Mudalel, Recruiting Manager, Philadelphia
I am currently working on a Production Supervisor role, and my candidate praised my recruiting “I’ve dealt with more recruiters than I’d like to think about and you are by far the most responsive and thorough in your communication. No matter how this goes I wanted to let you know that I appreciate it and think very highly of your professionalism. Thank you very much!”
– Hayley Kancius, Technical Recruiter, Chicago
Our Knoxville office recently confirmed a new hire for one of our major clients. The candidate resided in PA, and the new job was in the state of WA. In confirming and targeting a start date, we told our candidate that while we had an official job offer, we needed to confirm the start date based on their Orientation schedule before leaving for WA. In their eagerness to get started, they left for WA early, only for JSG to find out the next day that the start date had been delayed a week due to Orientation being on a bi-weekly schedule due to COVID. While we had billable mobilization set up with this client, it did not include Hotel/M&I for them to arrive a week early. Fortunately for everyone, this all had a happy ending, as the employee understood and started this past Monday, 8/17.
– Greg Howard, Regional Manager, Knoxville
I have been recruiting for almost 4 years and my favorite part of doing what we do is working with the client to find the candidates that they otherwise would not have found on their own.
I can’t tell you how many times I have had a client thank me and my team for taking that load off of their shoulders of having to search out, qualify and submit candidates to their hiring team. I recently had a client of JSG that we hadn’t worked with in a while reach out to me and ask us for help filling 3 of their critical roles because they are a rural hospital and they haven’t been able to find anyone local and they need candidates. I figured out what their needs were and assured them that we had their back and would find them some candidates for consideration. Within a few days, I had found them 3 candidates for 1 of their positions and they are in the process of interviewing one of them. The HR director called me back after I sent him 2 resumes and was surprised that I was able to find him qualified candidates that wanted to relocate to their city and is thankful that we are assisting him in this process.
I don’t think many HR and hiring managers realize that we have so many resources at our disposal that allow us to be an asset to their team. We take on that challenge of calling hundreds of candidates and finding them the few that fit what they need so that they can focus on the 100 other tasks they have on their desk
– Ivonne Caro Garcia, Account Executive, Spokane
I called to screen a candidate. I asked the candidate to tell me about his work experience. The candidate responded to me with: “ What do you need to know, it’s all on my resume.”
I tell candidates your resume is your marketing collateral about you. It’s up to you to market yourself into or out of a job.
– Alejandro Duenas, Recruiter, San Jose
I love being an asset to people. Whether it’s helping someone find a job, helping a company find people. Helping a company realign their hiring process. Being part of that team that delivers results over and over again, transforming people’s lives both in and outside the company as well as internally within our office is what it’s all about for me. Being known in the industry as someone who will “get it done” is hugely rewarding and really feeds on its self… I work with a very talented group of recruiters who really are driven and focused on “getting it done” It’s key for me to be a part of this team and contribute to our growth. To be a part of a great story! It’s such an exciting time right now and to work with a crew that gets it…that’s what it’s all about.
– Lee Gesme, Business Development Manager, Chicago
I had reached out to a candidate who had been with the same company for 9 years when I contacted him for the opportunity. He wanted to grow in his career but did not have the opportunity with his current company and he felt stuck in the position. I was able to get him a promotion and a $25K pay raise, with a bonus! This was a relocation opportunity and he was so on board with it, that he and his wife made an offer on a house when he was out there for his onsite. Luckily this was a very happy ending for the client and candidate. On my one month check-in with the client, they are very pleased.
– Dana Belstler, Director of Sales, Spokane
My favorite aspect of staffing is giving people HOPE especially when they are down on their luck and seems that no one cares or willing to give them an opportunity. I receive this email from one of my candidates that just need someone to believe in him and give him hope. He got the job!!!! I gave him a call on Saturday just to check to see if he was good to go and if needed anything from me. He mentioned that he was super excited but nervous at the same time. I told him that he will be fine and just to put his best foot forward and that he GOT THIS! I received this email on Sunday.
I will give you a call tomorrow. I am super excited/nervous to start. I will be honest with you. I cannot express my gratitude for everything you have done and helping me secure this opportunity. And I promise I will not let you down. You truly are a godsend because things in my life were looking pretty grim. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR EVERYTHING AND BELIEVING IN ME . IT TAKES A LOT TO GO THE LENGTHS YOU DO TO HELP PEOPLE ESPECIALLY WITHOUT EVER MEETING THEM PERSONALLY. IF YOU EVER NEED ANYTHING IF I CAN HELP YOU IN ANY WAY PLEASE LET ME KNOW. AND THANK YOU AGAIN
He emailed me again on Monday stating this on his email –
Just got home from work it’s the dream job of a lifetime. Supervisor is a great guy to work for and I actually one of the lead supervisors, I actually replaced him at two previous jobs including my last one funny how things come full circle like that huh
This to me, is what it is all about!!! Believing and give people Hope.
– Maria Mireles-Brown, Technical Recruiter, Huntsville
I asked someone in a face-to-face interview “What is your greatest strength?” The person replied with “I am strong. Very strong.”
– Carmen Cabrera, Sr. Technical Recruiter, Atlanta
September will mark my 2 year anniversary with JSG, and my story started with the first call I made as a recruiter with JSG. I had been in staffing sales and recruiting for almost five years when I came to JSG, and knew a BDM when I came to the Westmont office. The BDM asked me to put some time into one of his reqs, so I did a quick search and made a list of candidates to call. On the very first call, on my first day, I talked to a candidate that seemed perfect for the position. I submitted his resume to the BDM to forward to the client. The client immediately requested an interview, which turned in to a placement! First call, first placement!
– George Debagia, Technical Recruiter, Chicago
We have a client that was looking for a Maintenance Supervisor in Anaheim, CA. The client’s HR scheduled an interview to first speak with our candidate. HR proceeded to no call no show on the first interview. Then luckily made the second interview with our candidate. He was moved to a video interview at 3 pm Pacific. The client’s hiring manager no-showed the interview but then as we were waiting for a reschedule proceeded to call our candidate at 10 pm Pacific while the candidate was in bed. Let me remind you this hiring manager was calling on FaceTime. Luckily our JSG candidate had the know-how to move quickly and make himself presentable!
– Sean Kinsey, Sr. Technical Recruiter, Colorado
