Abbey Saddler

Talent Executive

Zack Slovina

James Sullinger

Senior Account Executive

Katherine Ortiz

Jen Antill

Senior Talent Executive

Maria LaTour

Marketing Manager

Susie Isphording

Strategic Talent Executive

Ryan Van Echo

Chief Operating Officer

Ryan Smith

Managing Director

Olivia Skaates

Strategic Account Executive, Emerging Markets

Morgan Toney

Account Coordinator

Lauren McCuen

People Operations Coordinator

Kyle Benton

Managing Director, South

Angela Wayner

Strategic Account Executive

Ariel Smith

Deborah Andrews

Director of People Operations

Deborah Day

Tony Haislar

Alan Kutasy

CEO + Founder

Rob Moyer

President + Co-Founder

Whether you're in school and seeking your first job in the real world or looking to embark on a new career path, attending a career or job fair is a smart step for marketing yourself to potential employers. On top of the unavoidable anxiety that comes with job seeking, how can you stand out among other attendees and make a memorable first impression with potential employers? Follow these 5 tips to make the most of your next career fair.

Before going into a career fair, it’s incredibly beneficial to know what companies you plan to connect with to optimize your time (after all, you’re likely attending to get face time with company reps). Once you determine which companies you’d like to network with, review their websites to understand what they do, their core values, community involvement, and any social media channels to understand their culture. Ultimately, can you see yourself working with this company? 

After researching the companies, you can craft a more tailored and personal introduction. This is the perfect opportunity to: 

Hi, I’m John Smith, and I’m currently interning as a social media marketing intern at ABC Marketing here in Columbus. I noticed that your team recently completed a massive project with a healthcare client and increased organic traffic by 20% YoY by implementing the right mix of media, awareness building, and acquisition. One of my passions is connecting data to creative content and testing out messaging based on desired target audiences to drive conversions. I’d love to hear more about your team’s project and what you do at ABC!

Approaching the company booths with intention and understanding who they are and what they do will help set you apart from other attendees – it’s a win-win! 

While it may feel “out of date,” bringing hard copies of your resume to a career fair shows your interest, drive, and professionalism. Make sure your resume is up to date 

Don’t have a printer at home? No sweat. Your local library is an excellent resource for more than just books, and they can help you print copies for less than $0.50 per copy. We recommend researching how many company booths you’d like to visit (see #1 above), then double that number for how many copies to bring with you.  

This is simply an answer you give to the most asked “So… tell me about yourself?” question. This is your chance to show off who you are and your accomplishments in 30-seconds or less. Our Talent Executive, 

 or, in this case, as an intro to a potential employer. 

Like after a job interview, follow up with the individuals at the company booths you networked with and are interested in pursuing a career. While at the career fair, jot down notes such as big takeaways from your time with the organizations. This will help keep you organized once you leave the career fair. 

We recommend adding the individuals you networked with on 

 and sending them a quick note about your time with them. This will help you stand out among all the attendees they talked with and leave a great impression! If you discussed a specific role with the company, you can use this as an opportunity to ask about next steps. 

Along with networking with the companies, take advantage of other benefits of attending a career fair. For example, the organizers may offer attendees professional headshots or a resume review station. 

Who doesn’t want a free professional headshot to update their LinkedIn or Handshake profiles when job seeking? 

This information will be included on the career fair’s webpage if it’s being offered. 

These ad-hoc opportunities can help build your professionalism and help you understand how you can best stand out among the crowd! 

 with you to the career fair! This is what shines through when you meet people (aka potential employers), and the above will help build that key confidence. These tips will undoubtedly set you up for personal and professional success when preparing to attend a career fair – you got this! 

So, you’re getting ready to attend a career fair 

magazine today revealed that Agility Partners is No. 106 on its third annual Inc. 5000 Regionals: Midwest list, the most prestigious ranking of the fastest-growing Midwest private companies, based in Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, Nebraska, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. Born of the annual Inc. 5000 franchise, this regional list represents a unique look at the most successful companies within the Midwest economy’s most dynamic segment–its independent small businesses.

, CEO and Founder of Agility Partners, noted, 

"I am extremely proud and humbled that our company has been recognized as one of the fastest-growing privately-owned companies in the Midwest by Inc. Regionals. This achievement is testimony to our dedicated team's tireless efforts, our clients' trust and loyalty, and our talented consultants' hard work. As a recruiting partner, we remain committed to providing top tech talent and creating lasting impact. This recognition motivates us to continue our pursuit of Innovation and Excellence, and we are excited about the possibilities that lie ahead."

The companies on this list show a remarkable growth rate across all industries in the Midwest region. Between

private companies had an average growth rate of 535 percent, and in 2021 alone, they added 22,750 jobs and nearly $13.9 billion to the Midwest region’s economy.

Complete results of the Inc. 5000 Regionals: Midwest, including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, metro area, and other criteria, can be found 

Agility Partners is an IT professional resourcing and consulting firm that connects leading corporations, startups, and nonprofit organizations with impeccable IT talent and solutions. Our innovative professional services bridge the gap in temporary staffing, contract-to-hire, direct-hire contingent search, and retained executive search needs. Our solutions arm specializes in delivering innovative, agile solutions that increase efficiency and drive business value. Our clients rely on us as a trusted partner to deliver innovative solutions that transform how they do business. No matter the service our dedicated team at Agility Partners is ready to support you!

Agility Partners Ranks No. 106 on Inc. Magazine’s List of the Midwest Region’s Fastest-Growing Private Companies

Agility Partners Ranks No. 106 on Inc. Region's: Midwest List of Fastest-Growing Private Companies

I discovered early in my professional career that I have a deep passion for helping others. It might have taken me a while to figure out what that looks like, but four years after graduating from college, I finally discovered that finding professionals their dream job really excites me. 

It all started while working at my previous job – a tech start-up – in Columbus. If you have ever worked at a start-up, you know that you constantly wear multiple hats. The company I worked for had a unique culture, one I wanted to help maintain as the company grew. Because of this, I asked to be more involved in the hiring process to ensure we were hiring candidates aligned with the core values. The more I got involved, I noticed I enjoyed this part of the job more than the duties I was hired to do. After nearly three years working for this company, I decided to 

The most important things I looked for in a company were culture, growth opportunities, and stability. When interviewing, I asked about these three pieces to everyone I spoke to. I was not willing to negotiate these topics because, after all, this is my career we are talking about! 

As a Talent Executive at Agility Partners, I think about this on every phone call with my candidates. It is crucial to understand their motivators, and it is my job to find a mutual benefit for both the candidate and the client. At Agility Partners, we pride ourselves on putting people first. After all, our co-founders started this company to create a more personal approach to the staffing industry. 

Here's how I uncover my candidate's key motivators: 

What motivated you to start looking at the market? I want to understand what even had you questioning; it might be time for a change. This question will help me better understand what they may lack in their current role. 

Most people don't hate every aspect of their job; there has to be a reason they have been there as long as they have. I want to understand what they ARE enjoying. Some folks might love the duties of their job, but they don't have growth opportunities. They might love their job because it pays well but are unhappy with the company’s leadership. Who knows! Asking what they love about their role helps me to align them with opportunities that include those things, not just avoid the things they don’t like about work. 

Many candidates might tell me specific pieces of their current position that they enjoy, but I want to know more. If they have three offers on the table, I want to understand what made them accept one offer over the other. Was it compensation, remote work, or leadership opportunity? It is crucial to uncover specific examples and to confirm you understand exactly what defines a "dream job" for them.  

This might sound silly, but of course, the candidate will decide for themselves what career is best for them. However, what if the candidate has a family that depends on their benefits? Or if they are a caretaker for a family member and their job requires a flexible schedule? This question will uncover a few pieces of information that will be crucial when presenting and accepting an offer. 

It's been almost two years since I have connected with professionals to be a resource in their job search. One of the most important things I have learned in my experience is that it is essential to understand what excites your candidates. My job is to find a mutual match, and I can't do that without understanding what motivates someone to do what they do best.  

While I may find outstanding candidates that can do the job, it does not always mean that's what they WANT to do. Understanding each candidate’s key motivators will help you and your team bring the right people into consideration. And if you’re looking for a hiring partner to build out your IT team, 

The long play: Our approach to hiring

Imagine this; you have spent days, weeks, or even months searching and scouring job boards for that dream job. After all the work you have put in, you finally receive that long-awaited notification from your ideal company saying they want to set up an interview with you. This is great! You are one step closer to achieving the next big step in your career. Now, what’s next? How do you show that company you are the perfect fit for their team?

Preparation for an interview is key to setting yourself up for the best opportunity possible to get that dream job! I am a Talent Executive here at Agility Partners, and my job involves connecting professionals with great organizations. An integral part of that connection is 

. I have been trained with the dos and don’ts of interviewing, and I am excited to share five tips to help prepare you to crush your next interview!

To get us started on this preparation journey, the MOST essential tip is doing your research (this will also be a very important part of a later tip). 

 The more information you know about the organization you are interviewing for, the more said organization will pick up on your interest in them. Every company wants someone to feel and be a part of their team. An easy way to show that is by reviewing everything you can about them. Take the time to understand their mission, goals, and any philanthropic work they are doing, and more. Dig deeper than just researching the organization. In most interviews, you can see who will be interviewing you. If you have access to that information, research each interviewer. I always recommend reviewing their LinkedIn profiles if you have access to them. You can find important information about each individual and possible personal connecting points, such as a shared alma mater or workplace. They will also see that you viewed their profile, which is a nice extra touch!

Remember tip #1? It is important to remember that one while going through this tip. It is vital to have at least three questions to ask the interviewers once it is over. This also means to have 4-6 questions prepared just in case some of them get answered as you are organically going through the interview. Never leave an interview without asking questions. The interviewers will think you were unprepared or not interested enough to ask questions. Now people always ask me, “what kind of questions should I ask?” My answer to them is to have a variety of questions prepared. It will help if you base your questions on company culture (Refer to tip #1), job duties and responsibilities, and why they like working at said company. A few examples of critical questions to ask are as follows, “How is success measured in this opportunity?”, “What was the last change made internally based on employee feedback?” One last, powerful question that I encourage every candidate I work with to ask and will set you apart from everybody else: “Is there anything else I can share with you to ensure that you are confident that I am the right fit for this role?”. In my opinion, I have seen people have the most success when they ask that question last.

One of the biggest mistakes people make in an interview is not knowing the information they put on their resume. You WILL be asked about your own experience, and you need to be able to speak about it. The first thing to remember is to ensure that all the information on your resume is truthful. Interviewers can easily spot someone who has not truly done what they say they have when they ask you questions about your resume. Next, ensure that your resume reflects the position you are applying for. This is something I coach all of my candidates on. Find skills from your previous experience that will apply to the job. Again, make sure this is all truthful information, but there is nothing wrong with a more targeted and specific resume to speak to your skills!

In the current digital age, we have seen more virtual interviews. Whether you are joining a video interview or arriving onsite in person, 

. The interview is your chance to make a good first impression, and showing up late or joining the virtual interview late will not be a good start. The gold standard is arriving or joining the interview 5-10 minutes early. You would much rather be waiting on your interviewers than them waiting on you. A slogan that I live by is 

“when you are early, you are on time, and when you are on time, you are late.”

 Kick off your interview with a bang by arriving early!

It is a well-known fact that practice makes perfect. This applies to your interview as well. Take some time before your interview to practice responding to various possible interview questions. Something that has always helped me is practicing in a mirror or recording yourself and playing it back. This is the equivalent of a sports team watching films in preparation for a big game! Make sure that you also have the proper structure when answering interview questions. This is something that my colleagues and I coach the candidates we work with before they go into an interview. We call this structure the 

 method. S.T.A.R stands for, Situation, Task, Action, and Result. When asked questions about your previous experience or how you would handle a specific situation, the proper structure to answer is crucial. Start with detailing the situation you are referencing. Then transition into the task that you had to handle. Next is to outline your action for that task, followed by the result.

Interviewing is a necessary part of getting any job. It can be very nerve-wracking and daunting. But also, remember it is just a conversation between people trying to get to know one another. Just like everything in life, preparation is key. YOU can crush any interview, and I hope these five tips help!

5 tips for a successful job interview

I work out (almost) every morning before heading to the office. As I'm sure many of you do, I find it very stress-relieving and an extremely productive way to start my day. At the end of every workout, I try to make my way to the sauna for a nice stretch and typically some light networking and conversation.

This morning, I told a few folks about the blog post I was writing and the topic. (This is something I am very passionate about!) As I explained my piece, a guy I've never had the chance to speak with chimed in rather quickly.

"I don't mean to eavesdrop, but you must work at Nationwide?"

I replied, "No, I don't… Why do you ask?" * Wondering to myself, is this about to be another, "You look like this guy…?"*

He replied, "Well, I heard you say, "Diversity and Inclusion"... That is a big initiative there!"

"Diversity and Inclusion" is a buzz phrase you will hear almost anywhere you turn in any setting, especially a professional one. Essentially, "Diversity and Inclusion" (or D&I) is an effort to empower all people regardless of race, national origin, gender, age, religion, sexual orientation, disability, or even their educational background. It is an attempt to make everyone feel included, as they are.

As you can imagine, I was slightly taken back by the gentleman's assumption because surely, he has heard the term somewhere other than work? He had to have? But then again, maybe he hadn't? Which could be one of the many reasons it is so necessary in the corporate world?

As most may think it's a given, one would think D&I isn't something we must try hard to do. Unfortunately, it is not. It is quite the opposite. Without going down a rabbit hole, know: The Racial Wealth Gap is real. Overall, women 

only make 83 cents to every dollar that a man makes

LGTBQ community still hide their identity within the workplace

. Everfi notes that over 53% of people aren't comfortable with their colleagues knowing they're gay or queer. African American men and women STILL have issues within the workplace wearing their hair naturally and don't even let me get started on what is deemed "acceptable" or "professional" hairstyles. So, in short, neither diversity nor inclusion are anywhere near "givens" within the workplace. Both are something we as a society must continue to make an effort to improve on!

One thing I think is crucial is how D&I should look.

 Many efforts fall short in this space by primarily offering women and people of color (among others) entry-level positions to meet a quota or check a box. In the industry of Information Technology, this is almost always the play. Although it is imperative to find under-represented talent within the IT community, we can't stop there!

There must be women in managerial positions and overall positions of leadership. There must be more architect level and above people of color. We need more LGTBQ leaders leading the way! Then, and only then, can D&I be considered a success.

board rooms and decision-makers all look the same. If you are a leader, CEO, or President, and you are in a leadership meeting, and you look around and see the majority of the people in the room are white, straight men… your company (you're likely very proud of) isn't diverse!

If men, on average, make more money than women in your organization for doing the same or similar job… Yep, you guessed it… Your company is not diverse. You know what comes next if you can think of "the exception" to these hypothetical scenarios. Your company is not that diverse! It doesn't mean the efforts aren't there; it simply means there is room for necessary improvement.

D&I is not just the right thing to do; it makes organizations more productive and will make more people want to work for them and stay! 

A pain point every industry is currently experiencing, especially in IT

Buy-in typically happens only after positive results are shown or delivered. Studies show many benefits to having a diverse and inclusive workplace. 

They also note that inclusion alone is the single most important key to retaining top-tier professional talent. When people feel included or feel their voice is heard, they stay put! It is that simple.

Great Places to Work goes on to say that when employees trust that they, and their colleagues, are treated fairly, regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, or age, they look forward to going to work and have more pride in their output.

When I was looking for my next opportunity about a year ago, I promised myself that my next workplace wouldn't only be one that would help me further my career professionally but one where I'd feel comfortable being my true self. I enjoy being who I am, and I was no longer interested in having to hide the things I was most passionate about and the things I truly enjoyed! I wanted to feel comfortable in my Air Jordan "Banned" 1's, and I wanted to speak freely about anything from social injustices to EDM music festivals; without feeling judged. I wanted to see women in leadership positions and work with a diverse group of folks from all different backgrounds, with common goals to help one another achieve success!

, you know I never hesitate to give the highest praise to the company I am currently building with, Agility Partners! We are diverse, and we include everyone, and in return, our successes directly feed off it! I couldn't be prouder of our group, and I look forward to us continuing to lead the way and set the example of how D&I should look! Simply put, Diverse, and Inclusive!

D&I will continue to be a hot topic in the workforce and a key indicator for retaining talent and an organization's overall success! 

So, how does your organization measure up when not just talking the talk but also walking the walk? Are there things your company does that you feel good about? Are there other areas for improvement? How can your organization foster an inclusive work environment if we know what we know about what D&I does for overall success?

When the Diversity & Inclusion Hits Different

COLUMBUS, Ohio, May 2, 2022 – Agility Partners is thrilled to announce that we have been selected as a Top Workplace in Columbus, Ohio for 2022 by 

 magazine. This is the second time that Agility Partners has received this honor. 

"We’re honored to be recognized as a 2022 Top Workplace! At Agility Partners, it’s always been about putting people, first and this award is a testament to the diverse group of people that make up our incredible team. I couldn’t be prouder of the organization we’re building and the community we serve," said 

Agility Partners was one of 73 companies to receive the Top Workplaces honor by 

 The list is based solely on employee feedback gathered through a third-party survey administered by employee engagement technology partner Energage, LLC. The anonymous survey uniquely measures 15 culture drivers that are critical to the success of any organization including: alignment, execution, and connection.  

 article and learn more about our culture 

Agility Partners is an IT professional resourcing and consulting firm that connects leading corporations, startups, and nonprofit organizations with impeccable IT talent and solutions. Through our innovative professional services, we bridge the gap in temporary staffing, contract-to-hire, direct-hire contingent search, as well as retained executive search needs. Our solutions arm specializes in delivering innovative agile solutions that increase efficiency and drive business value. Our clients rely on us as a trusted partner to deliver innovative solutions that transform the way they do business. No matter the service our dedicated team at Agility Partners is ready to support you!

So, you’re getting ready to attend a career fair

Agility Partners Ranks No. 106 on Inc. Magazine’s List of the Midwest Region’s Fastest-Growing Private Companies

Top 4 questions to uncover job seekers’ key motivators

The long play: Our approach to hiring

5 tips for a successful job interview

When the Diversity & Inclusion Hits Different

Agility Partners Named 2022 Top Workplaces Winner by Columbus CEO Magazine