NorthWest Arkansas Recruiting Staffing Professionals
It is our pleasure to interview Blake Reeves, Branch Manager at GDH Consulting:
Blake: I attended U of A Fayetteville.
NWARSP: How did you first get into the recruiting profession?
Blake: A friend who worked at GDH at the time brought me into GDH because of my Finance and Accounting degree and previous work experience in Financial Services and Banking.
NWARSP: Do you work at a GDH office, facility or virtual?
Blake: I work out of the GDH office in Lowell near the JB Hunt headquarters off of 540.
NWARSP: Generally, what do you do as Branch Manager NWA Accounting and Finance at GDH?
Blake: My top 2 priorities are: Account development; creating opportunities to partner with new businesses and clients and managing the Recruiting Team.
NWARSP: What does a typical work day in the life of BR look like?
Blake: Hopefully it is a day full meetings with current clients and prospective clients with a lot of time it is spent on the phone. I come in the morning with my plan for the day whose goal is to meet the needs of as many current and future clients as possible.
NWARSP: Tell us about GDH and their products and services.
Blake: GDH has four divisions: Finance and Accounting, IT, Telecommunications and Government sector. We cater to everything from contract placement, contract to hire, direct placement to large and small project based placement.
NWARSP: How many locations does GDH have?
Blake: We have 9 locations with our National Recruiting Center in Tulsa and a recently opened Government Division in Washington DC.
NWARSP: In your current role as Branch Manager, what gives you your most job satisfaction?
Blake: The satisfaction of putting someone to work, especially in this current economy.
NWARSP: There has been much talk about Employers adjusting to Gen Y; do you see some companies adapting quickly and others not?
Blake: I see some companies are adapting and understand the new culture that is coming in but I also see a number of companies somewhat resisting to the ideas and ways of Gen Y.
NWARSP: In your opinion, what are two characteristics of a good recruiter?
Blake: I would say: being ethical and persistent.
NWARSP: How is the economy affecting the recruiting profession industry?
Blake: I think many agency recruiters having to work twice as hard today to get the same results they got a year ago. Hiring is still going on but it is harder to find and get the opportunity to fill the positions that are open. This recession and the downsizing are forcing recruiting teams to fine tune their recruiting processes.
NWARSP: Twittering news is everywhere. Do you twitter and do you see it becoming a recruiting tool?
Blake: I do not Twitter but I do see it a becoming a recruiting tool. I see many in the market using Twitter almost exclusively.
NWARSP: You read a lot and stay current on news and events; how do you successfully manage your many e-sources.
Blake: Market watch.com is my main go-to along with Yahoo News and Google News. Knowing what is going on in my industry and with my client's is vital to my success.
NWARSP: Any advice for someone looking to become a corporate/staffing/agency recruiter?
Blake: Make sure you are not afraid of the cold call. That's probably #1.
NWARSP: What is your most memorable professional accomplishment?
Blake: I was trying to recruit a candidate from the Northeast US; they tend to resist relocating, especially to NWA, and had never been to NWA and were dead set against moving here. Getting him to consider NWA was like pulling teeth. It took time and hard work to have him even consider NWA. But in the end, he loved NWA, his new position and new company. It was definitely a challenge but also very rewarding and satisfying.
NWARSP: Do you have a favorite restaurant here in NWA?
Blake: Theo's in Fayetteville. My wife and I had our first date; it's where we got engaged and where we will be having our 1 year anniversary.
NWARSP: What social media do you use most often?
Blake: Linkedin.
NWARSP: What 3 adjectives would best describe you?
Blake: Ethical, hardworking, compassionate.
NWARSP: What is the last good book that you have read?
Blake: I would have to say Tuesdays with Morrie.
NWARSP: Who is your hero/mentor in life?
Blake: I would have to say my dad.
NWARSP: How has being a member of NWARSP helped you?
Blake: It has been a great asset to me, making our recruiting community smaller and allowing me to learn more about our recruiting community and getting intone with it.
NWARSP: What person, dead or alive, would you like to meet?
Blake: Warren Buffet.
NWARSP: Being from
Brian: I never really thought working for Tyson Foods was in my future, but I like to joke that it was inevitable since I grew up literally four miles from our corporate office.
NWARSP: How did you first get into HR and Recruiting?
Brian: Getting into HR was all about timing for me. I was working part-time at UPS and majoring in Sociology back in 2000. I knew HR was an option for someone with my major, so I made a habit of harassing our HR representative about a full-time position. Surprisingly, near graduation he decided to do something different and I was approached about backfilling his position. I became a staffing specialist for the company, hiring union employees across the state of
NWARSP: How did your Master Degree in Operations Management relate to HR/Recruiting?
Brian: I truly believe that the most effective HR people understand the business that they support. We have to speak the language, understand balance sheets, grasp production schedules, etc. More than anything, my degree in Operations Management allows me to speak the language with the people whom I will ultimately partner with. I think it increases my credibility in their eyes.
NWARSP: You’ve had the good fortune to work for 3 large companies; any similarities between the three companies?
Brian: First of all, I’ve been lucky that each of my three employers is the leader in its industry. When you think of meat production, you think Tyson Foods. When you think home improvement, you think Home Depot. And when you think package shipping, you think UPS. But Earnings mean everything to each of them. When times are good, we in HR can do things we otherwise could not do. When times are not so good, we are restricted somewhat in our activities.
NWARSP: How long have you worked for Tyson Foods, Inc.
Brian: I have been with Tyson Foods five years this fall. I started as a Corporate Recruiter supporting Engineering, Operations Support and Environmental, Health & Safety. Just short of one year in that role I was promoted to Complex HR Manager for the company’s live swine division (The Pork Group). In July 2007 I returned to our corporate office as Corporate Recruiting Manager.
NWARSP: Often young leaders cringe leaving the corporate office and taking a field position; was your time as Complex HR Manager beneficial for you?
Brian: I look at my time in the field and truly feel it was an invaluable experience. I was part of a true P&L, which is different from a shared service or pure cost center. It really opened my eyes to the challenges that business leaders face every day in running their operations. It also made me appreciate the hourly production workers, without whom our jobs at the corporate office would not be possible. Our livelihood ultimately depends on the person making $10 per hour on the floor of a hog barn or poultry processing facility. They make it all happen!
NWARSP: Generally, what do you do as a Corporate Recruiting Manager at Tyson Foods?
Brian: I view myself as a troubleshooter. I work with the recruiters when they are having trouble filling jobs. I work with our business leaders when they have issues managing their talent. This means different things on different days. Sometimes it means identifying new sources of talent and sometimes it means dealing with talent that already exists. For example, job rotations, promotions, demotions, etc. Troubleshooter…that’s the word that best describes me.
NWARSP: In your current role; what gives you your greatest job satisfaction
Brian: Similar to when I was Complex HR Manager, the biggest satisfaction I get today is providing opportunity to someone who may or may not have had that opportunity without my assistance. One of my fondest memories is a particular hourly production worker whom we promoted to management while I was with the live swine division. He was absolutely thrilled because of the impact it had on his career and the quality of life for him and his family. The gratitude he expressed to me was sincere, and it meant the world to me to be a part of it.
NWARSP: What gives you your greatest frustration?
Brian: Hiring managers that don’t recognize transferable skills is a particular source of frustration. Some tend to think inside the box and don’t see that people can perform multiple job functions. If you are a good manager and leader you can do just about anything. If you are a good accountant, you can potentially be a good operations manager. If you are a good HR manager, you can potentially be a good sales manager. There are transferable skills that transcend job function, and some hiring managers are blind to it. Credit my former boss, Pork Group VP John Thomas, for teaching me that lesson.
NWARSP: In your opinion, what are two characteristics of a good recruiter?
Brian: Great communication skills and an in-depth understanding of the businesses you support are critical to success. A good recruiter understands the jobs he or she is recruiting for to effectively describe job content, challenges and opportunities.
NWARSP: You are well read and stay current on news and events: how do you successfully manage your many e-sources?
Brian: I’ve found three or four websites that bring information from all over the web to one central location. The Electronic Recruiting Exchange (ERE) is a great example of a site that brings it all together. When you bookmark these types of websites, it’s easy to pop in each day for the best information available.
NWARSP: You recently were selected as VP of NOARK; do you have any immediate goals, ideas or plans for the future of NOARK?
Brian: I think we’d like to see our monthly meetings become “can’t miss” events. For this to happen we must offer top-notch programs that provide our membership with tips, trick and resources that allow folks to go back to the job and become more effective almost immediately. Of course there are a great number of brilliant HR people in
NWARSP: Do you have a favorite restaurant here in NWA?
Brian: Tim’s Pizza on
NWARSP: What 3 adjectives would best describe you?
Brian: Driven, adventurous and empathetic.
NWARSP: What is the last good book that you have read?
Brian: Three Strides before the Wire by Elizabeth Mitchell. It’s the story of jockey Chris Antley and the 1999 Kentucky Derby winner Charismatic. Both jockey and horse overcame great odds to win that race, and the book goes deep behind the scenes of the horse racing industry. I’m a big horse racing fan!
NWARSP: What person, dead or alive, would you like to meet?
Brian: I’d like to meet my paternal grandfather, Jerry Sorensen, because he died before I met him.
NWARSP: You are a big UofA sports fan. Is there one UofA sports event that you attended that is unforgettable?
Brian: The 1999 Arkansas-Tennessee football game in
NWARSP: Jackie, what brought you to
NWARSP: Jackie, what brought you to Jackie Teal: My family moved to Arkansas from Long Island, NY back in the 1970’s. My dad had family here and he wanted a slower and better life for his kids. NWARSP: How did you first get into the recruiting profession? Jackie Teal: After my daughter was born I went into HR at a small hospital in NWARSP: You have worked in the Medical Field for a number of years as HR Director and Senior Recruiter: is being a medical recruiter as tough as they say? Jackie Teal: Yes, it truly is. Medical Recruiting is tough because there is a labor shortage. To attract applicants you have to provide a lot of incentives to attract qualified applicants. Applicants are also looking for good work environment and work load, etc. NWARSP: In your Linkedin profile you say you have a great job which allows you to use your passion: what is your passion? Jackie Teal: I love HR. What I do is my calling. I get to work with HR folks every day. Because of comments from Dilbert, etc, HR always seems to gets a bad rap. I have seen HR as a strategic part of an organization. My company and I get to help them see HR and see recruiting from a more global perspective. In my work I am privileged to work with companies in other countries as well. NWARSP: How long have you been with Job Science? Jackie Teal: 3 years as an employee. I was a customer 3 ½ years before becoming an employee NWARSP: Do you work at a Job Science office, facility or virtual? Jackie Teal: I am fortunate to work as a virtual employee in my virtual office in NWARSP: What are some of the challenges of working virtual? Jackie Teal: Social. It was very difficult for me not to have that face to face interaction. I actually took a 2nd job to help me past that. I do work more hours as a virtual employee. NWARSP: Generally, what do you do as Account Manager / Consultant for Job science? Jackie Teal: It would be best if I gave it as a list. I am a trainer. I make sure our customers are using the skills and products we give them at a best practice level. We want them to let the product work for them not them work for the product. NWARSP: Your job is very challenging; what best prepared you for this job? Jackie Teal: To sum it up – my father. He gave me a great work ethic. Working virtual you have to have a good work ethic. I also think, in general, working in health care, which is a tough environment. Working for not-for-profit and for-profit companies taught me to think about the budget and bottom line. I think that has prepared me for my current job. NWARSP: Tell us about Job Science and their products and services. Jackie Teal: JS goal is to provide tools for HR departments to better connect with their employees and to provide them with the productivity tools which gives HR professionals more time for employee touch and manage their data. No matter what the size of the company, large or small, HR must have a way to manage processes. We are about helping HR and Recruiting people do their jobs better. NWARSP: In your current role - what gives you your most job satisfaction? Jackie Teal: When my customers call me and they just want to talk HR or just wanted to talk Recruiting. I know that I have transcended being just a product rep to you are my peer. You are my trusted business advisor. Jackie Teal: Yes. The companies that succeed are adapting quickly. I have a client, Mt Saints Health Alliance have really adapted and meeting the need of Gen Y applicants and they are really successful at what they do. NWARSP: In your opinion, what are two characteristics of a good recruiter? Jackie Teal: Energy and the ability to connect. NWARSP: How is the economy affecting the recruiting profession industry? Jackie Teal: A lot of recruiters and recruiting departments tell me their business is slow so they are cleaning their offices. I really think recruiters and recruiting departments ought to be using any down time to improve their skills by reading books, attending free webinars. They need to use this time to be more strategic and to figure out what you are going to do when the economy comes back. Remember we are in a labor shortage. It may not be right now, but the worst of the labor shortage is supposed to be from 2010 to 2014. I see few recruiters or recruiting departments becoming strategic and that disappoints me. In my role as Senior Recruiter at Washington Regional Medical Center in Fayetteville, our recruiting plan started actually in the elementary school, providing the tours and information about the health care profession to youngster who would one day possibly choose the heath care field as a profession or Washington Regional as their employer. NWARSP: Where did you learn how to recruit, your recruiting management skills and recruiting philosophy? Jackie Teal: I read a lot. I try to listen a lot. Those two things have helped me along the way. NWARSP: Changes are everywhere - what changes are you seeing? Jackie Teal: I see many companies now coming to us and saying they need a new approach at how they do things. They realize the value of managing relationships and we are helping more companies to become better relationship managers. NWARSP: You read a lot and stay current on news and events; how do you successfully manage your many e-sources. Jackie Teal: Commitment to learning. Every morning I get up early and consider my first 45 minutes the most important. I read a lot from many sources. I recently purchased an iphone, which I absolutely love and am updated in a realtime environment. NWARSP: Do you believe there will be a "War for Talent"? Jackie Teal: Absolutely. NWARSP: Any advice for someone looking to become a corporate/staffing/agency recruiter? Jackie Teal: Learn how to network. Read a lot. NWARSP: What is your most memorable professional accomplishment? Jackie Teal: I was chosen as Job Science’s Recruiter of the Year. I was very humbled by that award. That was the highlight of my career. I saw myself as a good recruiter but I could see so many other people worthy of that reward. NWARSP: Do you have a favorite restaurant here in NWA? Jackie Teal: I love Italian food. I would have to say Pesto Café in NWARSP: What 3 adjectives would best describe you? Jackie Teal: Outgoing – definitely. I am assertive and I think that comes from my Yankee background. I am definitely an organizer. NWARSP: What is the last good book that you have read? Jackie Teal: “Recruit or Die” (by Resto, Ybarra and Sethi). I learned so much from that book. It’s good for directors, managers and recruiters. NWARSP: Who is your hero/mentor in life? Jackie Teal: My hero is my mother. She taught me a lot about being a business woman. My mentor; Ted Elliott, CEO of Job Science. NWARSP: What person, dead or alive, would you like to meet? Jackie Teal: Tom Brokaw. I say that without hesitation. I have read all of his books. I would love to meet him. NWARSP: You fly and travel a lot in your job; is there a secret you have not to get wore out from so much traveling and the challenges of traveling? Jackie Teal: Give up the control. That is it. You cannot control travel. I am a control freak. When I walk into an airport, I realize I have to turn every bit of that control over. Giving up control is the best. I have not figured out how to avoid fatigue when traveling. After days of traveling, I am wiped out. 
NWNWARSP has the pleasure of interviewing Jackie Teal (Linkedin), Recruitment Consultant at Job Science, Inc.
NWARSP: There has been much talk about Employers adjusting to Gen Y; do you see some companies adapting quickly and others not?
