Digital Recruiter Podcast

#24 - Relationships, Automation & The Art of the Executive Search with Greg Toroosian

Episode Summary
In this episode of the Digital Recruiter Podcast, Clark interviews Greg Toroosian, founder of the executive search firm Samson Rose and host of the Machine Minds podcast. Greg was also one of the very first Digital Recruiter members, before it even had that name! 
Greg is a veteran of recruiting, having been on the corporate and agency side so he has a clear understanding of what it takes to be successful in each realm. We covered a vast array of topics including
-Empathy with candidates & clients
-How to present value to a corporate recruiter and hiring manager 
-How he’s placed C level candidates for FREE and it’s created tremendous ROI. 
-Importance of automation 
-Importance of mentorship
-How he’s utilized his podcast to create more relationships 
Greg is a pro’s pro and every recruiter and agency owner could learn a ton from how Greg carries himself and how he approaches his work. He’s got a fantastic reputation in the industry and that alone does more for his business development than anything else.
 
Greg’s Bio
With over a decade of experience in Talent Acquisition, Greg has brought his expertise to the forefront with the establishment of Samson Rose, a company committed to delivering unparalleled service and maximum value to clients. Before dedicating his career to executive retained search, Greg garnered extensive knowledge working with renowned startups, leading staffing firms, and running a thriving recruitment, consulting, and advising venture of his own.
Greg is a firm believer that the success of any business hinges on its ability to attract and retain top-talent. Therefore, he strives to ensure that all his clients excel beyond their goals!
You can find Greg on LinkedIn or https://linktr.ee/machineminds 
For more information about Digital Recruiter, click HERE ---＞ https://linktr.ee/thedigitalrecruiter  

#23- DI Football to Agency Owner Success Traits with Darren Koontz

Episode Summary
 
Join us on The Digital Recruiter Podcast for an inspiring episode with Darren Koontz, a former college football player turned recruitment innovator. Darren brings the discipline, work ethic, and integrity honed on the football field to the world of sales and recruiting. In this episode, Darren discusses how his experiences at a contingent recruiting firm and the founding of Mavik Ventures led to groundbreaking strategies in recruitment. This episode is more than just recruitment strategies; it's a story of transformation, growth, and integrity. Darren will share how Mavik Ventures not only delivers value to clients and candidates but also cultivates a culture where each team member is empowered to become their best self. Get ready to be motivated and learn how to tackle recruitment challenges with a winning mindset. Tune in to hear Darren's journey and gain valuable insights that could change the way you view recruitment and team building
Darren’s Bio
Darren is the CEO at Mavik Ventures, a leading recruiting firm that specializes in building custom TA solutions for their clients through their OnCall, RPO and Contingent recruiting models. Originally from Seal Beach Ca, Darren moved to Boise in 2008 after receiving a full scholarship to play football at Boise State University. After his football career he made the move into the recruiting industry. Darren started out in the crazy world of contingent recruiting for tech in the Bay Area. After years at that firm, Darren founded Mavik Ventures as he felt there was a major missed opportunity in the recruiting market and launched their OnCall Recruiting model. After quick success they’ve built out their Contingent and RPO teams. Their focus is and has always been to ensure their clients never go through the pain points of hiring, They do this by customizing their models to fit the clients unique needs.
You can find Darren on LinkedIn or www.mavikventures.com
For more information about Digital Recruiter, click HERE ---＞ https://linktr.ee/thedigitalrecruiter 

#22- From Top Biller at Big Staffing to Successful Agency Owner with Nicky Wallace

Episode Summary
In this episode of the Digital Recruiter podcast, Clark chats with Nicky Wallace, the founder of Hire DSM, about her experience building a recruitment business.
Nicky gives us the inside scoop on her journey into the industry, including her start working at Aerotek shaped her approach. This includes getting the “10-15 meetings per week” ingrained and how that business development system helped her build up her firms. 
Nicky talks about adapting to the ever-changing world of recruitment by keeping a finger on the pulse of new technologies and strategies. She emphasizes that you can never get too comfortable in this industry.
Overall, the episode provides some great insights for anyone interested in learning what it's really like building a recruitment biz from the ground up from someone that was trained in “big recruitment.” 
Tune in to hear Nicky's story and her tips for overcoming obstacles along the way.
 
Nicky’s Bio
Nicky began her career in the Recruiting industry in 2012, recruiting Scientific and Healthcare candidates for a national staffing agency, before being promoted to Account Manager and building a successful career supporting Manufacturing companies around the Des Moines Metro. After almost nine years, she went out on her own, knowing she could make an impact in the Talent Acquisition space in a different way. In May of 2021, Nicky founded NMW Consulting Group with one client and a dream of entrepreneurship. She began partnering with clients to supplement their hiring needs through Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) services, as well as helping build internal hiring processes and strategies. After eighteen months of adding to her team and client portfolio, NMW Consulting Group rebranded to Hire DSM and added full-service staffing capabilities to compliment existing RPO and consulting services. With a passion for business, Nicky double majored, earning a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance and Management and Organizations. Outside of her professional career, she enjoys being a mom to two beautiful daughters, wife to her husband, Matt, reading, traveling, and spending time at the lake with family! 
 
You can find Nicky on LinkedIn or www.hire-dsm.com 
For more information about Digital Recruiter, click HERE ---＞ https://linktr.ee/thedigitalrecruiter  

#21- Unleashing Potential: An Agency Corporate Trainer’s Story with Pamela Dannheim

Episode Summary
In this episode of the Digital Recruiter podcast, Clark is joined by Pamela Dannheim, a trainer at Catapult Solutions Group, to discuss the importance of training in the recruitment industry. Pam shares her insights and experiences going from a recruiter, account manager, to now a trainer at Catapult Solutions Group. They start by talking about the challenges they faced in the beginning and how being coachable is crucial for success. They also touch on the importance of documenting work and using digital tools effectively in the recruitment process. There’s so many areas to keep track of and managers can get carried away with their to do lists so training doesn’t stay consistent. Overcoming those challenges, keeping producers engaged and helping them attain success is paramount for any recruiting agency to scale and reduce turnover.
 
Pamela’s Bio
Pamela Dannheim is a technical recruiter turned Corporate Trainer. After graduating from the University of North Texas with a degree in Marketing and Professional Sales, she dove into recruitment at Catapult Solutions Group in 2020.
Catapult Solutions Group is a full-service staffing agency that partners with SMB and Enterprise organizations to help them find, hire, and retain top talent across several verticals.
Pamela is a constant learner and passionate about helping others succeed. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with family and traveling to new places.
 
You can find Pamela on LinkedIn or Catapult Solutions Group (catapultsg.com) 
For more information about Digital Recruiter, click HERE ---＞ https://linktr.ee/thedigitalrecruiter  

#20- Thinking Big: The journey to building a multi million dollar agency with Abhi Narvekar

Episode Summary
In this podcast episode, I talk to Abhi Narvekar, the founder of Careers Unleashed and The FerVID Group, Abhi shares his journey and the challenges he faced in the early stages of his company. We discuss how they were one of the first agencies in early 2010's to start doing video interviews and what being ahead of the curve did for them.
As for 2023, we talked about when things are going a certain way, or not as anticipated, you have to make strategic adaptations based on the market response. This led FerVID to creating a 7 figure revenue wing of their agency in 2023, in addition to making placements, once hiring became in flux for some of their consistent clients. 
Abhi is one of my favorite clients I've gotten to work with; he's extremely intelligent and an excellent leader but also very kind. 
Other Highlights:
- The need to think big to scale a company and how to navigate the recruiting journey. 
- Abhi’s advice to agency owners if he were starting all again. 
- Importance of investing in your team and putting them outside their comfort zone
- His experience enrolling his team into the Digital Recruiter program
 
Abhi’s Bio
Abhijeet Narvekar – Abhi – comes from an Industrial Engineering background. After his Master’s degree he joined the Oil & Gas Industry. His focus was always to take a process and optimize it. Eventually Abhi applied this to Recruiting.
2010 when Videos were not popular, The FerVID group was one of the first companies to do 2-way video interviews. Today it is an award winning (best Places to work / Fastest growing OKstate Alum company).
Abhi believes in giving back. His philosophy is that we all are here on earth to help each other out. We do this and the universe helps us in miraculous ways.
You can find Abhi on LinkedIn or www.thefervidgroup.com 
 

#19- Taking Ownership and Taking the Lead Changed my Agency with Robin Walters

Episode Summary
In this episode of the Digital Recruiter podcast, the host interviews a guest who is a successful mom rock star in the recruiting industry. The guest shares her unique story and approach to recruitment, emphasizing the importance of building relationships and providing exceptional care throughout the entire process. She discusses her experience in management consulting and how the emphasis on care and listening to clients shaped her approach to recruiting. The guest also highlights the significance of consistency and becoming a trusted partner for both candidates and hiring managers. She shares actionable tips and stories of her own successes in placing candidates and building strong relationships with clients. The episode concludes with the guest offering advice for aspiring agency owners, emphasizing the importance of providing opportunities for others to succeed and creating a profitable and enjoyable business.
 
Overall, this episode provides valuable insights into the world of recruitment, highlighting the significance of building relationships, providing exceptional care, and maintaining consistency. The guest's personal experiences and advice offer actionable tips for recruiters and agency owners looking to succeed in the industry.
 
Robin’s Bio
Robin Walters is a recruitment founder who started her company, Rogue Recruitment, in 2018 as the "anti-staffing staffing company." She wanted to raise the level of support and care she could offer candidates and companies. Like so many other entrepreneurs, she had this vision that there had to be a better way. Staffing shouldn’t be so painful. Recruiters shouldn’t be a “necessary evil.” Robin has consistently shaken up the staffing industry by removing all the extra noise in the industry and focusing on what's most important: honest, straightforward, relationship-driven recruitment.
 
You can find Robin on LinkedIn or www.roguerecruitment.com
 

#18- The 7 Pillars of High Performance Recruiting with Trent Cotton

Episode Summary
In this podcast episode, the host is joined by Trent Cotton, the author of "Sprint Recruiting." The host expresses excitement about this conversation, as Trent's content aligns with the principles advocated by Digital Recruiters. The conversation dives into the concept of Sprint Recruiting, which involves building, nurturing, and executing a pipeline against a strategy. Trent explains that Sprint Recruiting draws inspiration from design thinking, Agile, and Kanban methodologies. It allows recruiters to experience quick wins and feedback loops, leading to increased efficiency and client-centric product delivery. The discussion also touches on the importance of accountability, time constraints, and defining success over a two-week sprint.
 
The second part of the episode focuses on Trent Cotton's upcoming book, "High Performance Recruiting." He discusses the seven traits of high performers in recruiting, such as intellectual curiosity and adaptability. Trent emphasizes the need for effective communication, quick decision-making, and a growth mindset. He shares stories and scientific insights to support these traits. The episode concludes with a mention of connecting with Trent on LinkedIn and getting his books to learn more about Sprint Recruiting and High Performance Recruiting.
Trent's Bio
Trent Cotton is a highly accomplished leader and strategist with extensive experience in organizational development, talent management, and business operations. With a strong background in HR leadership, he has a proven track record of designing and implementing innovative HR programs that drive employee engagement, retention, and business performance.
As an experienced executive, Trent has worked with some of the worlds leading companies, where he has led and supported HR initiatives across a broad range of functions, including talent acquisition, workforce planning, diversity and inclusion, performance management, and employee relations. He is also highly skilled in HR technology implementation, data analytics, and HR process improvement, helping organizations to optimize their HR operations and drive business results.
If you follow his blog www.sprintrecruiting.com or have read his book, Sprint Recruiting, you would experience his raw communication style, his ability to build and lead high-performing teams, and his strategic mindset. He is passionate about creating workplaces where employees can thrive and grow, and he is committed to helping organizations leverage the power of their people to achieve their business objectives.
In addition to his professional experience, Trent is actively involved in his community and has served on several boards and committees supporting education, workforce development, and diversity initiatives.
 
You can find Trent on LinkedIn or sprintrecruiting.com
 
For more information about Digital Recruiter, click HERE ---＞ https://linktr.ee/thedigitalrecruiter 

#17- Don’t Give Up: The Keys to Building a LinkedIn Brand with Jonaed Iqbal

Episode Summary
In this podcast episode, the host is joined by Jonaed Iqbal, a guest with extensive knowledge about content and branding in the recruitment industry. Jonaed shares his journey into recruiting and his involvement with Nodegree.com. He talks about starting out in a basement with a few friends, learning about applicant tracking systems and resume writing. Jonaed emphasizes the importance of creating authority through content and having fun along the way. He discusses his approach of interviewing professionals from various fields, such as a CTO, a clown, and a salesperson, to gain insights and create engaging content. Jonaed also highlights the value of case studies and testimonials in building credibility and referrals in the industry. Overall, the episode explores the power of storytelling, the significance of building trust, and the impact of effective content creation in the world of recruitment.
The conversation also touches on Jonaed's experiences with LinkedIn and personal branding. He shares his strategies for generating leads and increasing engagement through his content. Jonaed emphasizes the importance of listening to clients and understanding their needs, and how this leads to meaningful connections and referrals. He discusses the value of concise and impactful resumes, highlighting the need for quantifiable achievements and making it easy for hiring managers and recruiters to understand the candidate's skills and experiences. The episode concludes with Jonaed mentioning his own podcast, the No Degree Podcast, where he interviews individuals without college degrees and allows them to share their stories. The host and guest express their excitement about collaborating on content creation for recruiters and executives and their plans for future growth and innovation in the industry.
Jonaed’s Bio
Jonaed Iqbal is the Founder of NoDegree.com and host of The NoDegree Podcast where he interviews people without college degrees and has them share their stories so others can follow in their path.
Jonaed Iqbal is a YouMap® certified career coach and has worked with over 500 candidates, many of whom have gotten jobs/interviews at places like Amazon, Google, Microsoft, Meta, Spotify, Tesla, TikTok, Disney, and more.
You can find Jonaed on LinkedIn or NoDegree.com
For more information about Digital Recruiter, click HERE ---＞ https://linktr.ee/thedigitalrecruiter 

#16- LinkedIn Changed My Life: Outreach is Power in Recruiting & Networking with Karen Siegel

Episode Summary
In this episode, Clark is joined by Karen Siegel, who started in recruiting during COVID after having her own PR firm. Clark was one of Karen's first coaching clients when she was learning recruiting. They discuss Karen's journey from recruiting into sales and operations roles at Staff Agency. A key theme is embracing failure and chaos while staying consistent and authentic.
Karen shares how she evolved from a recruiting role into sales and operations at Staff Agency. She discusses the importance of lending a hand and being willing to try new things to find your ideal role. Karen also talks about the value of sales and ops working together, knowing each other's roles. She emphasizes getting feedback from new hires on processes to improve them. Overall, Karen reflects on the need for consistency, authenticity, and embracing failure on your career path.
Karen's Bio
A former New Yorker, Karen cut her teeth working in the fast-paced world of PR and Marketing. A fast learner who quickly thrived, Karen spent time working at some of the top agencies in the city representing brands including The Ritz-Carlton and Estée Lauder, along with various other luxury lifestyle brands. In 2020, Karen turned her attention to HR and Recruiting, navigating the ever-changing landscape of COVID. Now, Karen joins the fast-growing team at Staff Agency as a Managing Director. As a new resident of Florida, Karen spends her spare time at the beach with her beagle puppy named Bagel or mentoring young women who are newly entering the corporate world.
You can find Karen on LinkedIn or staffagency.com/team/ 
For more information about Digital Recruiter, click HERE ---＞ https://linktr.ee/thedigitalrecruiter 

#15 - Scaling with Cold Calls, Content & Family: The long road to being an overnight success with Justin Bellante

Episode Summary
In this podcast episode, Clark is joined by Justin Bellante, the co-founder and CEO of Titan Placement Group. The conversation primarily revolves around business development and recruiting. They discuss the challenges and experiences of starting in the field of recruiting, including the initial struggles of making scripted calls and the importance of finding mentors. They also touch on the significance of qualifying leads, finding a niche, and creating engaging conversations. 
This podcast episode provides valuable insights into the world of business development and recruiting, highlighting the importance of networking, mentorship, and personal growth. It emphasizes the value of creating engaging conversations, finding a niche, and qualifying leads to achieve success in the industry. The episode also touches on the personal journey of the guest and the impact of fatherhood on his entrepreneurial pursuits.
Justin’s Bio
Justin Bellante founded Titan Placement Search in 2022, a healthcare recruiting firm. He eats, sleeps, and breathes recruiting. It is his passion and what he loves to do, help others. He discovered recruiting about 10 years ago and instantly fell in love with it. He gets to make friends for a living and help them improve their lives. 
You can find Justin on LinkedIn or www.titanplacementgroup.com
For more information about Digital Recruiter, click HERE ---＞ https://linktr.ee/thedigitalrecruiter