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While it may feel “out of date,” bringing hard copies of your resume to a career fair shows your interest, drive, and professionalism.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

In the digital age, communication and interaction are all too accessible. We have countless ways to connect, message, like, follow, etc. and this has saturated the value of relationships. It almost feels like because of the ease of communication, we have forgotten the importance and power of meaningful interaction. 

In staffing and recruiting, there’s a common trend of “transactional” conversations that keep people from going beneath the surface of purely focusing on business. I recently saw a post on Instagram that said, 

“Having contact information and having a real relationship are not the same thing.” 

How do we form them and how do we capitalize on the relationships we deem good? Over the last 6 years, I’ve spent my time learning how to recruit and [thankfully] how to recruit in Columbus, Ohio well. I have formed a list of 4 items that I use to evaluate every interaction and conversation I have. These not only help me navigate my way through discussions and partnerships but also serve as a friendly reminder of why I do what I do and how to do it 

1.      Open and honest communication:

By exercising open and honest communication from the start, everyone tends to be on the same page. This principle can be applied to most human interactions. If at any time the opportunity at hand isn’t working for someone, use open and honest communication to inform the other party. This allows everyone to happily move on if something isn’t working OR to continue working together with a clear vision. 

Is there value in us working together? i.e. as a candidate, does this recruiter have jobs/companies I’m genuinely interested in? As a recruiter, does this candidate embody what I’m looking for in the job I’m trying to fill? By communicating regularly and openly/honestly, this value definition should make itself apparent. 

The communication that happens between a recruiter and a potential candidate is very much a team effort. I can’t count the number of times a candidate has told me that they spoke to a recruiter and then never heard from them again OR the number of times a recruiter has had a candidate lined up for an interview/offer and then out of nowhere, they’ve been ghosted by the candidate. This is frustrating all around. Always keep in mind the simple fact that this is a two-way street and for it to work well, it takes both parties to be actively engaged.  

Figure out the best way to maintain a relationship and continue keeping each other’s best interests in mind. Whether it’s in the short term or long term, this industry (and Columbus, Ohio in general) is too small to not look at every conversation as a networking opportunity. 

As we continue to navigate the ever-changing technology field, the one thing that remains constant is human interaction. As a recruiter, I’m biased, but want to reiterate that recruiters are amazing people to network and connect with. Not only do we have insights into the health of the market, but specific companies as well. I challenge everyone in this field to emphasize the relationships you have and the ones you wish to build. Take advantage of the network and community and find a way to win! 

4 things to remember when building professional relationships

"Relationships are not transactional – they're transformational." - Chris Dodd

Technology has played an essential role in human interaction for many years. It has brought people together from all walks of life, professionally, through social media and even empowered long-distance relationships. But what happens when the same things that bring us closer together also separate us? 

It's no surprise that face-to-face interactions have dwindled over the years. The quality and health of relationships have also been negatively impacted. Studies conducted at Utah State University show that "higher levels of technology use add to significantly less time socializing, less satisfaction and connection with others, and higher levels of depression and anxiety." The study aimed to gain more insight into how technology impacts life at home, specifically in the bed and at the table. Yet this applies to life outside of the home as well. A whopping 

88% of those surveyed agree that technoference is a significant issue in our society

, and over half agree that we spend too much time on mobile devices. Technology isn't all evil and has created a means of communication that, without it otherwise, wouldn't be possible, but it also comes at a cost.

Human connection is an exchange between individuals who listen and share experiences. It's vital to build these connections because they build trust and create a feeling of belonging. Even though minuscule ways of interacting can have a lasting impact, that doesn't always translate into depth. Have you recently noticed how 

Instagram has added a "heart" button for "Story Likes?"

 Now, even digital interactions have become less and less personal.

So, the question then is, how do we safeguard the essence of human connections in an era where technology is evolving and inevitable?  

 At Agility Partners, we add a personal touch to keep the beauty of relationships alive. We ensure to communicate openly and maintain transparency throughout every interaction. By doing this, we create time to be intentional about how we interact with others. Through decades of IT employment experience, we've combined our robust network with industry-leading best practices and an innovative recruiting model to curate a seamless hiring process. We love meeting with our customers in person or virtually to deepen that relationship. Finding a Way to Win and fostering relationships are at the core of who we are.  

We are all social creatures and crave deeper connections. The truth is that the rise in technology has created a threat. I've learned that people confuse communication with connection. 

 said it best when he stated, "Connection is not an exchange of information. Connection is an exchange of humanity. It's an exchange of emotion"... the moment we feel someone cares about us is when that true connection sparks. 

 and see how a relationship with Agility Partners can help you!

Technology and safeguarding the essence of relationships 

In October of 2016, I attended a college job fair at The Ohio State University. I was, of course, very nervous, so naturally, I went to the first company with which I was semi-familiar. I got an interview and eventually received my first full-time job offer for an IT recruiting position. At that time, I knew nothing about recruiting and honestly didn’t know this job existed. 

Five years later, I am absolutely in love with what I do every day: 

 I always had a passion for helping people, but I was never sure how to translate that into a career. Once I finally wrapped my head around what I was going to be doing, I knew this was the perfect opportunity for me. 

So, what makes me different than all the other IT recruiters out there?

Over the years, I have learned how crucial it is to stand out among the crowd in this industry. My favorite part about being a recruiter is building relationships with people. Finding a new job can be scary for most people, so my goal is always to provide everyone I work with a quality experience. Some people enjoy working with recruiters while others might not. Maybe you had a bad experience in the past and are hesitant to go through that process again, or perhaps you don’t know much about working with recruiters. No matter the reason, I am here to share what I do to build strong relationships! 

It comes down to that I will be your biggest advocate--plain and simple. I am here to help you, and the best way I can do that is to listen to you and understand your needs. Every candidate is different, and their needs are also different. I pride myself on always going above and beyond for every candidate and building a lasting relationship. 

3 tips to building strong relationships with recruiters

COLUMBUS, Ohio, February 8, 2022 – Agility Partners has expanded its IT recruiting and technology resources into Cincinnati, Ohio.

Cincinnati is one of the fastest-growing tech hubs in the Midwest, home to tons of new jobs, a lower cost of living, and less competition for other IT job candidates. With a focus on people, technology, and partnerships, Agility Partners thrives on supporting emerging IT pros within the tight-knit community. We do this using our home-grown job referral platform, 

. You already know that the best candidates come from referrals, so why not streamline that process?

, Senior Account Executive, spearheads our Cincinnati market and utilizes her unique sales and customer service background to personalize partnerships in a marketplace where implementing innovative solutions is instrumental. With a versatile and ambitious spirit, Kiera prioritizes what's best for her partners and acts as a trusted advisor within all aspects of the job. One of Kiera's Cincinnati consultants recently shared that working with Kiera and our Agility Partners team was effortless, and she felt supported through the entire hiring process.

 to get started with your team’s next generation of tech pros!

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!

Agility Partners Expands into Cincinnati, Ohio

Agility Partners Expands into Cincinnati, Ohio Market

It has been stated that recruiters and hiring managers spend less than 

reviewing your resume. Although this is accurate for an initial overview of the resume, it’s the resumes that stand out amongst the crowd that ends up getting a longer review and contacted to interview. The important thing to remember is that you are being INITIALLY assessed by the information listed on your resume, not via a phone call or in-person meeting with the hiring manager. Here at Agility Partners, we work closely with 50+ companies in the Columbus market and beyond to assist with their IT staffing needs. I review hundreds of resumes per week and am committed to aligning professionals with the best avenues to continue their career growth.

I have been involved in the hiring process for the past decade. Here are some common misconceptions and simple formatting changes that can be used to update your resume - for the better!  

: “My resume should only be one page long.” 

Keep in mind that the resume is just the first step in the process of securing your new role. Use your network or recruiters to help align you with the right opportunities. They will be there to assist with not only resume reformatting but interview preparations, as well. If you’d like me to review your resume, or if you’d like to schedule a time to connect for a phone call, please email me at 

Your resume: the real misconceptions with simple advice 

One of the reasons I got into the staffing industry was that I enjoyed conducting interviews. As a retail manager, I was responsible for running and creating the interview process in my past life. Initially, we would ask about a candidate’s background and job history. Then, we would ask questions to gauge the candidate’s ability to influence change, exceed metrics, or impact struggling areas in our department. While this gave us insight into their performance, we still needed to assess their personalities. Because of this, I added two interview questions to nearly every interview I conducted:

Why these questions? Typically, I would ask the tree question mid-way through the interview after getting an idea of their background. While there is no wrong answer to the question, the goal is to catch the candidate off guard and cause them to think on their feet (even if they’re not standing during the interview). Getting to know someone’s hobbies allowed me to learn what the candidate liked to do in their free time, but it would also shed some light on why they would be a good fit in this specific role or company.

It’s not enough to ask these questions and move on. A good interviewer will ask follow-up questions to give the candidate opportunities to expand. I would undoubtedly be a Redwood tree (because I am tall), and my hobby outside of work is collecting vinyl records (but not just because I like music). Just answering these questions isn’t enough to give someone an idea of who I am, nor does it help sell me as the best candidate for the job. If I were asked these questions during an interview, the conversation might go like this:

If you were a tree, what kind of tree would you be?

Not only because I am tall and old but also because I am dependable.

Why did you choose those things to share?

As far as the tall and old pieces, redwood trees are the tallest trees on earth and have also been around for over 200 million years. According to a recent Google search, they are also dependable/sturdy and resistant to insects, fire, and rot (according to a recent Google search).  I have experience supporting customers and team members in my past and current position, so I believe I could be a dependable resource to your team.  

What can your hobbies tell me about you that your resume cannot

How does this hobby reflect your interests and motivations?

I am money motivated – looking to purchase and sell records to make a marginal profit. This characteristic could translate well as a positive quality in metrics or sales-based roles.

I have an attention to detail – methodically inspecting the condition of the records and sleeves for resale value. Also, I have experience maintaining and updating an e-commerce site – organization/data integrity skills. Finally, I have experience supporting customers, which would translate well to helping the company’s customers.

Personality-based interview questions are essential, but the follow-up is where you can better understand who your candidate is and how they can benefit your team.

4 things to remember when building professional relationships

Technology and safeguarding the essence of relationships

3 tips to building strong relationships with recruiters

Agility Partners Expands into Cincinnati, Ohio

Your resume: the real misconceptions with simple advice

Redwoods and records: interview questions to assess personalities