NWARSP Interviews Pg 2

NWARSP has over 400 members stretching from Springfield, MO, to Little Rock to Tulsa and beyond. The NWARSP Roving Reporter had the distinct pleasure of interviewing a long time supporter of NWARSP; Allison Nicholas (http://www.linkedin.com/in/allisonnicholasacxiom ) who lives in Conway, AR and works for Acxiom, (http://www.acxiom.com ) the global leader in interactive marketing services as a leader of their college recruiting team. Allison has extensive experience in both Corporate College recruiting and College Career Development. Allison is one of those recruiting leaders you wish you had as a mentor when you were a rookie. She is informed, professional, caring, experienced, respected, knowledgeable, trustworthy, giving, forward thinking, engaging, a leader and social media savvy.

NWARSP:  What brought you to Conway Arkansas and work with Acxiom?

Allison: I was recruited to go to graduate school at UCA and upon graduation I got a job at Hendrix College in Conway and ended up staying in Arkansas, which was a real blessing.

NWARSP:  Where was home?

Allison: My dad worked for the US Forest Service and the Federal Government and we moved around quite a bit. We moved about every two to four years. We lived in Alaska, a number of places in the mid-west, to name a few and of all the places we lived; I would have to say our stay in Berea Kentucky seems most like home as a child. Berea was a college town and very much like the town I live in now – Conway Arkansas.

NWARSP:  Generally what do you do as Team Leader of College Recruiting and University Relations at Acxiom?

Allison: I report to the Director of Global Recruiting. My responsibilities are college recruiting, university relations, pipeline programs and sponsored research. I do a little of everything. When we are growing college recruiting in another country I work to help benchmark college recruiting in other countries and provide resources for them and we definitely focus on growing college recruiting throughout the company. I manage some targeted campuses myself, so I have a chance to be on the campus myself which makes it a lot of fun. Acxiom sponsors a lot of annual events like collegiate programming contests, database contents, and Acxiom research conferences – so we do a lot of events each that are geared to college recruiting and university relations and creating pipeline programs that come from high schools and other related initiatives.

NWARSP:  What changes have you seen in the college and university recruiting world?

Allison: College Recruiting ebbs and flows with the economy and changes within a company. When I started work at Alltel as corporate college recruiting, they were looking to revive their nearly dormant college recruiting program so they recruited me from Hendrix and in a short 1 ½ years we had 22 staff members doing college recruiting across the U.S. College recruiting has always been about being a low cost center of operations and college recruiting can be a very strategic and economic friendly program. College recruiting is can be a win-win for corporations in my opinion. But then some corporations don’t focus on college recruiting during poor economic times because they want to focus on the more strategic staffing. I have seen both.

NWARSP:  You have worked in Corporate College Recruiting and at a college in a Career Development program; how do they relate?

Allison: The skills sets are very similar. In recruiting you are more direct, more succinct in what you do. There are compliance guidelines in both roles but HR compliance is very different in recruiting than higher ed college career development.

NWARSP:  Was it your intent to get into recruiting and career development?

Allison: Yes.

NWARSP:  What does your typical day look like?

Allison: My typical day varies considerably every day. Like everyone, I am in a lot of meetings. I spend a lot of time talking with college students and I travel some on the road and do a lot of presentations and planning of events. My day is very diverse. One day I might be looking at what we do on a new campus or a strong existing campus. Right now I am focusing on a new building at UCA and how we can build our brand in that new space. I rebuild our college recruiting brand every year with our corporate marketing team. Currently I am helping our China team adapt our corporate brand to their organization has been fascinating. I have great people to work with. It’s what I believe in. It is in the scope of what I really enjoy doing. It is meaningful to me.  I am very passionate about what we do here.

NWARSP:  In your current job, what gives you your most job satisfaction?

Allison: I will try to pick out one thing… there is nothing more rewarding than walking down the hallways of Acxiom and seeing one of my college grads whether they have been here 5 days or 5 years. It is rewarding seeing one of my college graduates being successful in the company, growing and where employment has been a great match and they are enjoying themselves.

NWARSP:  What is your biggest challenge in your job?

Allison: It is scope creep and trying to keep a balance … probably similar challenges for everyone.

NWARSP:  What is the difference between a good recruiter and a great recruiter in your opinion?

Allison: To me a great recruiter understands the significance of ongoing relationships and really maintains those relationships and utilizes new relationships in a meaningful way. There are personal aspects in a professional relationship. There is a caring about other people and a pure interest in people because you value them for what they know, what they are willing to share and you also respect them for their knowledge. We all need people to bounce things off of. A second trait is a commitment to lifelong learning and a continuous hunger for learning. I think social media has changed personal learning. Training now is available 24 hours a day. I think social media and webinar training has made training more accessible and that has been phenomenal for all of us. The challenge now is figuring out what is truly worth your time and what’s going to add the most value based on what your skill set is today and what it needs to be in the future. Choosing the right source of training today is challenging.

NWARSP:  Do you believe there is or will be a “War for Talent”?

Allison: I really believe there is always a war for good talent. The key to win in “The War for Talent” is to be prepared and be very strategic and recognizing where your organization’s current talent is based on the economy and things going on around you. Your organization’s environment can change daily. An example that will affect Acxiom is Hewlett Packard moving into Conway, which will definitely impact us at Acxiom. I believe as the economy recovers we will see a greater demand for talent and the talent will have more opportunity and if the talented are willing to relocate – the world will be their oyster.

NWARSP:  You are a very busy person and keep up to date with trends and news. How do you manage all your sources of information and news?

Allison: I get most of my news online and I read a lot, listen to NPR. There are so many more meaningful ways to get news today that are quicker, faster, fresher and more reliable. So Twitter, Linkedin and Facebook really make it possible to receive almost instantaneous information. The key is to figure out who is the knowledge expert and following those individuals and learn to be part of that messaging. Being part of that newsworthy messaging is a real opportunity for your personal brand and your organization’s brand.

NWARSP:  You are very active in social media. How do you use social media in your recruiting?

Allison: We use it as part of our corporate branding. Acxiom was an early adapter to social media because technology is lot of what we do as a company – it just makes sense. Acxiom recruiters are always looking for ways to attract the right people and one way to do that is through social media. We work hard to develop a following. I personally use Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter on a daily basis. It is a fast and efficient way to get and receive information to a lot of people. I do think social media is a remarkable tool.

NWARSP:  What is the last good book you have read?

Allison: One of the better books on recruiting would be “Hire with your Head” by Lou Adler (http://www.adlerconcepts.com/ ). I think Lou Adler has an awesome approach to recruiting that is a very direct approach. The book can be beneficial for veterans and beginners. I love the strategy he puts around offers or anything you are doing; there is a purpose and a reason. I think it’s a great resource whether it’s your first read or 5^th read. I don’t think this book will ever go out of style.

NWARSP:  What advice would you give a young recruiter just entering the profession?

Allison: I would recommend they seek out a professional network. They are going to need colleagues to share information and brainstorm with and to learn how to spend their time wisely. It’s hard for us who have been in the profession for a long time but for young professionals in particular they are inundated with things and they need help to figure out what is meaningful and what will be personally valuable to them as a training tool and who will be the most powerful resource for them as they grow and develop. It could very well be a peer - meaning another young professional. Professional networking, I think, is the key no matter at what professional level you are. It is very valuable and really critical to your success.

NWARSP:  What person dead or alive would you like to meet?

Allison: There are so many people to choose from in history and those who were leaders. This will seem funny but I would love to talk to Pete Cashmore (http://mashable.com/author/pete-cashmore/ ). Pete is 24 years old and his twitter ID is ‘mashable’. He lives in Scotland and is probably the top 10 people in social media today. His website serves over 10 million unique readers every month and he has over 2.3 million people following him daily via social media. He was just hired to be CNN’s social media expert. Google, Yahoo and AOL are trying to purchasing his website. To be that young and that aware. Pete has created a concept and an idea that represents billions of dollars of revenue through social media - which is free. The whole concept of that is wild. In my job, I have to look to the future and young professionals really offer organizations a lot today and Pete Cashmore is an excellent example of that. To be 24 years old and doing the things he is doing right now – I cannot wait to see what this kid is going to do down the road. He is pretty amazing.

NWARSP:  You have been a leader in Arkansas Association of Colleges and Employers (AACE) (http://www.aaceweb.org/ ) for many years. What value have you received from participating in AACE?

Allison: It has certainly provided to me a valuable network of friends and colleagues that are irreplaceable in my life. They are friends but they are also colleagues that I have grown to rely on and learned from and I think it represents what is possible for young professionals. It’s a professional association that provides a lot of value if leveraged effectively, which I think is really critical.

NWARSP:  What do you enjoy doing on your time off?

Allison: I love to spend time doing community related stuff. Here in Conway I love to garden, spend time with family, love to read, be outside, hiking.

    NWARSP's Roving Reporter caught up with the very busy Desiree Harbit, (Linkedin Profile)Branch Manager at Robert Half International whose office is located in Fayetteville. Desiree knows her stuff. She has mentored and lead many who are in the recruiting
profession - inside Robert Half International and out. Desiree is helpful, caring, successful, knowledeable, and passionate about recruiting. 

NWARSP:  What brought you to NWA?

Desiree:  Our family moved to Bentonville from Joplin in 1975 where my Dad opened a pump company on the corner of Hwy 71 and 102 in Bentonville.  NWA is my home.

NWARSP:  How did you get into recruiting?

Desiree:  I was working on the ‘Wage and Hour Class Action Lawsuits” project at Wal-Mart. I was charged with securing the help of local staffing firms to help us find specialized temp help for the project and we utilized Robert Half International (RHI) and their Office Team division for this project.  After 2 years of having RHI personnel working for me on this project, Robert Half asked me to work for them. 

NWARSP: Tell us a little about Robert Half; it’s size, strengths, services, etc?

Desiree:  Robert Half International has 400 offices in 22 countries. RHI has 7 lines of businesses under the corporate umbrella and a wholly owned subsidiary that specializes in audit and risk assessment.  The 7 lines of business are: Account Temps (temp and temp to hire of accounting & finance people), Management Resources (Senior Accountant and Upper Level of Contract Placement) RHI Finance & Accounting (Permanent Placement), Office Team (Administrative placement), Robert Half Legal (attorneys, paralegals, legal secretaries, etc.), Robert Half Technology, and the Marketing & Creative Group.

NWARSP: Generally, what do you do as Branch Manager at RHI?

Desiree:  As Branch Manager, I sell, I go out and develop and maintain client relationships, and try not to mess any of them up…(laugh). I train, interview, hire – internally and for my clients.  I tell people I am the highest paid therapist, babysitter and chief bottle washer… (laugh) –every thing and anything. I do it all. When my admin assistant is on vacation, I do her job.

NWARSP: Where is your region?

Desiree: The Fayetteville RHI office covers as far north as Nevada, MO, west to near Tulsa, east to Springfield, MO and as far south as Russellville AR.  We have one of the largest geographic regions in the country. Our area is huge. Visiting clients can rack up the miles. Miles add up when sometimes I have driven to Bentonville three times in one day visiting clients.

NWARSP: What does your typical day look like?

Desiree:  Humm ….there is not a typical day. I have the best made intentions every day when I walk into the office and think I am going to get this, this and this done today. Yesterday, I didn’t get any of the 5 things on my list but I got a whole bunch of different stuff accomplished that I didn’t know I was going to have when I walked in the door.  This ‘not having a typical day’ in my job has keep me interested in it for the last 7 years.  When my boss interviewed me for my job, she asked me the weirdest question that I have not forgot. She asked me immediately after we shook  hands: “do you like roller coasters?”  She said; “ in staffing, you will need a tough stomach”.  That question, to me, accurately epitomized the typical life of someone in the staffing business.  My boss nailed the description of my job perfectly – it is a roller coaster.

NWARSP: To be successful in sales or recruiting, you have to successfully deal with rejection and stay positive.

Desiree:  I think all of in staffing / recruiting had one of the worst years in our business in 2009. People that we recruited were fired, laid off – many sad moments. Through it all, I am proud of the way my company behaved, how my team behaved, and how I behaved.  Yes, is bad right now, but it is going to get better because it has to. One of things we are going to see is a; stronger country come out of it because as a country flourish in the years following a recession. We are going to learn new things. I know I have become a lot more creative in the way I have recruited, I have become more selective, and  I make sure we make the best decision for my client and the candidate and my company.  There is going to be a lot of good things come out of this recession even though it does not feel like it now.

NWARSP:  In your current role, what gives you your most job satisfaction?

Desiree: In my job I get the unique opportunity of working with the largest company in the world (Wal-Mart) and I also work with many small start-up companies and organizations in-between. In my job I help companies large and small, build an accounting teams that are more financially feasible for them.  I get the opportunity helping companies decide on their organizational structure; they might think they need a controller but after looking at their operations, I see where they really need a senior accountant. You can really make an impact on a company and its financial well being.  Another source of great satisfaction is dealing with employment candidates. There is no greater satisfaction than making that phone call to that employment candidate who has been on unemployment for 6, 8, 10 months and tell them they are going to work tomorrow. I had the joy of calling three candidates this morning, telling  them the good news; they  were going to work and two of them cried.

NWARSP: What is your biggest challenge in your current job?

Desiree:   As a manager, its keeping my people motivated when the numbers are lower than what they are accustomed them to be.  Keeping them motivated to keep trying. In recruiting we expect 25 phone calls to get a “yes” – right now it might take 100 to get a “yes”. Doing good, solid, honest business is crucial right now.

NWARSP: What changes have you seen in recruiting in the last 7 years?

Desiree:  In RHI, its the technology we use. I started with old ‘green screen’ and now work is internet based that is phenomenal. Today, I can put in my computer a job description or key words in our RHI search engine and I can get 25 candidates that will be 90% to 100% match to that job.  There is so much information at your finger tips. Technology has opened up so much opportunity and potential. Today I talked to the office in Tulsa, Dallas, Overland Park, San Diego, and one in Connecticut. Technology has expanded our reach globally.

NWARSP:  What do you believe is the difference between a good recruiter and an outstanding recruiter?

Desiree: I believe: honesty and creativity.  I don’t think many recruiters have given much thought to the impact they have. They are good will ambassadors to their companies and clients. Good salesperson and recruiter are key to the success of their organization; they have to successfully sell themselves and their organization to candidates and clients everyday. You have to be creative enough to find the places where the really good talent is. I remember an illustration Mike Grennier gave when he last spoke at a NWARSP luncheon; his recruiting team put up a hot dog stand in front of a competitors corporate office and placed a fish bowl to collect their competitions business cards.  What a great example of a creative way to get the names and phone numbers to recruit a competitors talent.  We must be creative.

NWARSP:  How can using an agency or staffing firm help a hiring manager better manage the ups and downs in their labor demands?

Desiree:  Using an agency or staffing can help a hiring manager reduce the risk and depending on the terms, we will take care of benefits, workers comp, unemployment, etc.  How many hiring managers, because of the their current work load have the time to read through the 100’s of resumes, screen resumes, qualify prospects, do telephone screening, conduct telephone interviews, organize on-site interviews, conduct background checks, keep prospects informed, negotiate the job offers, do the hire and ensure the right level of pre-onboarding is done.  Agency and staffing professionals have the know-how, skills, expertise, volume, tools and insight to help the company, organization and hiring manager make the right hiring decision instead of a costly wrong hiring decision. In the end, we can save time and money. The last thing a company wants or needs now is a – wrong hire. We can solve that.

NWARSP: What is your most memorable professional accomplishment?

Desiree:  In my 2^nd year at RHI I was awarded their “Top Hat” award, which is awarded the top 4% of producers in the company. “Top Hat” award winners are sent to an wonderful awards ceremony  and I was able meet,  participate in, learn from, and create relationships with some of the company’s best recruiters. This is my 5^th year being awarded the “Top Hat” award. I have learned so much from this “Top Hat” experience and I have tried to pass this knowledge to my team.

NWARSP: What is the best book you have read recently?

Desiree: I love to read. My best fiction book would be “Liberating Paris” by Linda Bloodworth Thomason. The book is about relationships. It is one of those books,  that when I put the book down, I found myself missing it’s characters. Non-fiction: I have an admiration for author Rick Bragg. I like southern writers. His book “All over but the shouting” is my favorite.

NWARSP: What advice would you give a young recruiter entering the recruiting profession?

Desiree: Be direct. Be honest with people. People might not appreciate you telling them their resume sucks but you are not helping them find a job if you say their resume is fine. It’s tough - be honest.

NWARSP: What person, dead or alive, would you like to meet?

Desiree:  My fun answer would be Elvis, because I love Elvis. My serious answer would be one of my grandparents who I never met. He was a writer, musicians, a minister; I think the conversations with him would be very interesting.

NWARSP:  You have been very supportive of NWARSP - why?

Desiree:  I thing I love about NWARSP is the chance to share the things that are either frustrating you or working for you. I’ve gotten something out of every meeting I have attended. The comradery that has developed between recruiters, especially between staffing agencies. We are in this boat together and we need each other to move the oars. There are now many times  I have received calls or received referrals or been asked questions by corporate recruiters that did not happen before NWARSP.