Proof of Talent’s Post

To celebrate our 5th anniversary, we’re sharing stories and memories from our team! Today, we spotlight our Recruiting Manager, Colton Kirkpatrick's journey with us 🌐 Joined PoT: Q1 2020 -- 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝘁𝗼𝗻 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗳 𝗼𝗳 𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘁'𝘀 𝟮𝗻𝗱-𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿! 𝗙𝗮𝘃𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗠𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗿𝘆: "It's an early one. When I made my first placement back in 2020, Rob Paone and I hopped on Zoom to celebrate with a glass of Whiskey. 𝗜𝘁'𝘀 𝘀𝘂𝗰𝗵 𝗮 𝘃𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗱 𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗿𝘆; 𝗜 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘀𝗼 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗸𝗲𝗱." 𝗙𝗮𝘃𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗿𝘂𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀: "Man, it's really sweet to watch them improve. Achieving success in recruiting is one thing, and don't get me wrong, that's awesome to watch, but 𝗶𝘁'𝘀 𝘀𝗼 𝗰𝗼𝗼𝗹 𝘁𝗼 𝘄𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗹-𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗱𝘂𝗮𝗹𝘀, 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄? They become better people every day, and that's cooler than any recruiting achievement." 𝗣𝗼𝗧 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗢𝗻𝗲 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗱: “𝗛𝘂𝗺𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴." He continued, "We were one of the first to start doing this. Rob and I had never started a company before. 𝗦𝗼 𝘄𝗲 𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗹𝘆 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝘀 𝘄𝗲 𝘄𝗲𝗻𝘁, '𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗲 𝗮𝘀 𝘄𝗲 𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗳𝗹𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘁,' as they say... ... Every day, there was something (new), and every day, we had to adapt, adjust, and keep going. 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗷𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘆 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗽𝘂𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗱 𝘂𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄 𝗳𝗮𝗿 𝗯𝗲𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀. 𝗜𝘁'𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲." 𝗣𝗼𝗧 𝗖𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗢𝗻𝗲 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗱: “𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗱.” He added, "Every single person on this team works hard, plain and simple. 𝗪𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝗻'𝘁 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗰𝘂𝘁𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝗻'𝘁 𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗮𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝘀. Our culture is about putting the work in and grinding. 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗮𝗹𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗽𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗼𝗳𝗳, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗲 𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗲." Thank you, Colton Kirkpatrick, for four years of absolute grind. We appreciate you 💪 Stay tuned for our final team story!

This week I celebrated my 5 year anniversary at R2R Global and naturally it gave me a chance to reflect on my time in the world of recruitment to recruitment. In our Monday morning sales meeting our Global MD Matthew Gostelow asked me for one piece of advice that I’d give our team after 5 years in the business and nearly 10 years in the industry as a whole. There are more than a few lessons I can share and endless war stories but the biggest piece of advice I would give someone starting out in the recruitment industry is to never be afraid of feeling uncomfortable! Embrace it. Take on scary new challenges because that’s when you grow the most both professionally and personally. I joined R2R right at the start as the firm’s third hire and I’ve watched the business grow into a team of 30 placing candidates all around the world. I spearheaded the launch and growth of a brand new business in R2R NYC, built multiple practices from scratch on both sides of the Atlantic and have trained and developed teams of exceptional people. Every time I’ve tried something new, there’s always been that feeling of anxiety and nervousness that comes with taking on any big challenge. But what I can say is it’s been an incredible journey over the last 5 years. We’ve never shied away from taking risks and definitely haven’t stayed within our comfort zone! And whilst there’s always going to be ups and downs, I’m so glad we’ve taken those risks because we wouldn’t be where we are today without doing so. So that’s my one piece of advice after a decade in the industry – get comfortable feeling uncomfortable!

Congratulations Ten4!! Your expertise and track record of successful cost effective hires is why fleets of all sizes use your services. Honored to have you and your team of experienced recruiters part of Conversion IA. It has been exciting watching your growth and your success! #thirdpartyrecruiting #recruitingexpertiseatitsfinest #recruitingandretention #conversionup

What did I learn after hosting 42 curated dinners and lunches? Intentionality is everything. It’s one thing to organize a get-together; it’s entirely different to create experiences that foster genuine connections and friendships. 300 people applied to our last TrailblazeHer luncheon. Only 11 were invited to join the most recent one. Many were looking for jobs or business leads, but that’s not what TrailblazeHer is about. TrailblazeHer dinners build lasting relationships among strong women in the Bay Area—women founders and leaders in product and tech—without a transactional agenda. In my 20+ year career, opportunities have come when I let go of the pressure to get something from someone. It sounds counterintuitive, and many people challenge me, saying it doesn’t work. My answer: It does if you focus on building relationships, and not being a walking resume or LinkedIn profile. While TrailblazeHer dinners doesn’t give you the instant gratification of traditional networking, it fuels personal and professional growth. This is the magic of serendipity over forced connections. People who know me understand that I am a power connector—I’ve linked founders with co-founders, people with their next bosses, people with future business ideas, and even future partners (spouses). 😊 I loved every second of my recent TrailblazeHer Luncheon. To the women who joined us—you are a force to be reckoned with. You are kind, creative, and trailblazers. Interested in joining my next TrailblazeHer dinner series? Apply here (we accept less than 5% of the total applications). Link in comments. 👇 #womeninproduct #productleadership #sanfrancisco #trailblazeher #womensupportingwomen #womenfounders

. A Rolex for a 15-year anniversary is a generous and memorable gesture, but not the norm for every company. Team-organized cakes and mementos can be heartfelt, though they might not feel as substantial as other options. I've seen some impressive gifts like customized experiences, luxury items, or significant bonuses. Significant anniversaries can deserve more than just tokens; something memorable can show appreciation effectively. It's important for companies to recognize long service in a meaningful way, balancing recognition with practicality. In recruitment, while money can be a major factor, genuine appreciation and acknowledgment of effort also matter.

A Tale of two Journeys mark a Decade. As we mark a decade of growth at Texadia Systems we're not just celebrating the company's 10-year anniversary. We're also shining a spotlight on an incredible journey shared with an employee who embarked on this adventure from the beginning. This story is deeply personal, beginning with a leap of faith—with Steve Burke gambling on a referral from a friend, which has since blossomed into an inspiring tale of mutual growth and success. Imagine leaving a two-decade-long tenure at a family business to venture into the tech world with us. That's exactly what “Tort” did, learning and transforming from a green tech into a Technical Project Support Specialist who now spearheads projects for one of our biggest clients. This journey of growth embodies the heart of Texadia Systems fostering career advancement and personal development. This celebration is more than an occasion; it's a reflection of the powerful bond between Steve and Tort. For a decade, day in and day out, this partnership has been the foundation of collective achievements. Where both believed in each other through commitment to nurturing talent and standing beside each other every step of the way. As we look back on these ten years, we're reminded of the journey's value and the promise of continued success. Here's to celebrating the past decade of progress and to the many more years of success ahead. Way to go Tort. We really enjoy watching this fabulous journey. CHEERS to 10 more!! #bestemployee #texadiasystems #employeesuccess #techcareers #careergrowth #careerdevelopment #workanniversarycelebration

This week marks my 10-year anniversary at Propel. It's not often you hear about a recruiter sticking somewhere for a decade. And I'm guessing some of you probably didn't even realise I'm old enough to have worked anywhere for 10 years 🤣 But here I am, a bit older, a bit wiser, and ready to share what I've learned. 1. When you learn how to listen, everyone is your teacher. Every conversation, has taught me something valuable. Listening deeply has shown me that every person, regardless of their story, has wisdom to share. 2. You grow through what you go through. Recruitment isn't an easy game. There are many, many setbacks. Each obstacle has been a stepping stone to becoming more resilient and resourceful. 3. Empathy is essential. Speaking to thousands of people has given me a profound understanding of the job search's ups and downs. The stress, the hope, the disappointment—I've felt it all through the voices of others. This empathy has made me a better human being. 4. Your world outside work matters. Investing in myself, my health, and my work-life balance has made me thrive even more at work. 5. Never take anything for granted. In 2023, I faced one of the toughest years of my life. I became incredibly unwell, lost significant weight, lived in constant pain, had surgery, and lost a loved one. This taught me to cherish every moment and never take anything for granted. Life can change in an instant, and every day is a gift. 6. How to turn pain into purpose. Coming out of illness has fueled me with purpose. It pushed me to live a life worth living, to be present, to spread happiness, to express gratitude, to love deeply, and to laugh often. Pain can be a powerful catalyst for transformation. 7. The power of people. My career wouldn't have been the same without the amazing people I've met along the way. The guidance from my managers, the teams I've built, the friendships I've formed, and the unwavering support from Melina Jacovou has been invaluable. 8. The human element. Recruitment isn't just about filling positions; it's about helping people find their paths and grow their careers. Keeping the human element at the forefront has made my work deeply meaningful and fulfilling. 9. Embrace your voice. For years, I hesitated to share my truth and opinions. LinkedIn has given me the platform to be authentically myself, and the response has been so empowering. Embracing my voice has shown me the impact of authenticity and the power of speaking up. 10. Give more than you take. The most rewarding relationships and achievements come from a place of generosity. Offering help, knowledge, and support without expecting anything in return has enriched my career and life. These lessons have shaped my journey at Propel and beyond. I’m deeply grateful for the experiences and the people who have been part of this decade. Here’s to the next chapter, filled with even more learning, growth, and connection. #10years #anniversary #decade #10lessons

When partnering with organizations, I believe getting as much information as possible about the company and specific teams that our candidates will be joining is crucial. Corporate culture is constantly evolving, and highlighting unique aspects of a role and environment can help us to identify candidates that will be strong fits for the long-term. I'd love to hear what people enjoy about their current organization or what's most important to them when joining a new team. Share your thoughts in the comments below! #corporateculture #talentretention #teambuilding

Wow... what a year it's been! Time flies when you're having fun and I certainly love my job and the team I work with. Engage Education has a lot to offer in terms of supportive leadership, career progression, new tech, initiatives, and all the platforms we have available to help us complete our job. 😍 #EngageEducation #CareerProgression #SupportiveLeadership

It's Friday, which means it's the day of the week I give you a peek into the behind-the-scenes of building my career development company! This week, I was struck by the quote below & how much it resonates with where I'm currently at in my business. After feeling my way through these last 16 months of running my business without any help, I finally knew it was time to hire, especially since I have so many exciting projects launching in Q4 + Q1. In our careers (& as business owners!), we tend to get caught in the trap of thinking we need to do everything ourselves. But the simple truth is that we NEED other people to help us. We can't possibly be good at everything, and we need the expertise of others to help us along the way. For me, this has looked like hiring two key women to support my business during the back of this year: 💜 First is Becky Pierson Davidson (bpd) - a super talented product strategist who specializes in helping founders create community-centered product strategies & offers. Becky is helping me conduct a full 360-degree research project where I'm having 1:1 conversations with HR Professionals, Team Leaders, and Individual Contributors about what is most important to them when it comes to Career Development. We'll use all these rich insights to build a robust customer journey map and refine + define my business services for 2025. P.S THANK YOU to every single person who so kindly agreed to spare their time and speak with me. I kicked off convos last Friday and it's been so wonderful to dig in. ✨ Next up is Liz Wilkins. Many of you may recall that I posted a note on LinkedIn a few weeks ago asking for design recommendations. I received so many recommendations that I conducted five interviews to narrow in on who would be the right fit for the projects. When I met Liz, I was absolutely blown away. She instantly got and loved the What You Do Matters ethos, and her design style + experience were perfect for the look/feel I was hoping for. I don't have either of the skills that these fantastic women bring to the table, and I'm so jazzed to be working with them and supporting their own businesses. I share this in the hopes that you: 1) Transparently see that no genuinely great work happens in a silo of one person. There are always (always!) so many people that you don't see who are contributing to the success or positive outcomes of that person/business/career. 2) Are inspired to find some creative ways you can lean on others for support and help in your career or business, too. Also - as a women business owner, you better believe that my priority is to work with and lift up other women business owners when it comes to hiring because we need more women in all the rooms where great work is happening ⚡️