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While it may feel “out of date,” bringing hard copies of your resume to a career fair shows your interest, drive, and professionalism.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

Think about cooking a world-class dinner. 

You go to the farmer's market, sorting through the freshest produce to find the ones with the boldest colors and flavors. You speak with the vendors to get the freshest cuts of meat sourced from organic, free-range farms. The herbs and spices you choose are full of aroma. You get home and work diligently to prepare your meal, using top-of-the-line cookware and master techniques. Finally, dinner is ready to be served. 

Your guest arrives, excited to taste this exquisite cuisine and you serve the dinner on a paper plate, without utensils. 

So, what does any of this have to do with onboarding? 

Recruiters do a lot of work to ensure the interviewing process runs smoothly for a candidate. They present relevant opportunities, work through the schedules of the hiring manager and candidate, go over compensation and assignment information in length, and prep the candidate for the final interviews. Many times, they serve as a career resource for someone who is leaving one job to take another. All of this is done to ensure that this stressful transition runs smoothly. 

Yet, when a company doesn’t prepare a good onboarding experience, they might as well be serving steak on a paper plate. When you make big promises about a job, you must follow through with the execution, and that starts on the very first day. 

Having worked as both an internal and external recruiter, I’ve seen the negative outcomes of a poor onboarding experience firsthand. It can even make a new employee question if they made the right decision in taking the job. That’s because onboarding is the first opportunity a company gets to start living up to the promises it made during the interview process. The longer it takes for a new employee to experience the culture they were sold on, the harder it is for them to believe. Overlooking things that seem small, like planning a first-day agenda or coordinating a lunch with a manager, can negatively impact the way a new employee feels about the company and those perceptions only become harder to change over time. 

Here are my top tips for serving up a memorable onboarding experience for your newest employees: 

Ask any recruiter and they will tell you that the scariest period of time in the hiring lifecycle is the period between offer acceptance and the first day. New job opportunities, counter-offers, or major life changes can influence a person to leave their job. Staying in contact with your new hire before they get started can calm any last-minute jitters. It is also a chance to ensure they have all the information they need, such as parking information and start times. Finally, it can make someone feel welcome even before they formally start. 

If you have hired a competent person, they will likely feel very uncomfortable with long lulls between meetings or tasks. Furthermore, it can be unnerving to constantly ask your manager what you should be working on. Having an agenda that can be referenced throughout the day can help minimize the ambiguity around what they are supposed to be doing. Bonus points if you send them their schedule before their first day! 

On your first day of work, you shouldn’t actually do any work. This may seem counter-intuitive to hiring a new person but overwhelming a new colleague with meetings and tactical training on Day One isn’t very productive. New employees need to understand the context and the purpose of their job in order to be successful in the role. The first day should be a warm introduction to the culture and company. Outside of new hire paperwork, try to create a schedule to highlights the company history, branding, org-chart, and overall vision. Make sure to include one-on-one meetings with team members and supervisors where the purpose is just to get to know each other and the behaviors of the team. Ease them into the environment instead of throwing them off the diving board. 

I used to work in a building with a shared break room. Once, a manager told me that she had passed an employee for a whole month thinking that he worked in a different office in the same building. That’s because our company never told anyone that we hired a new person! Announcing your new hires across the company invites your employees to introduce themselves as well as make the new hire feel welcome. Whether it's through a company Slack channel, all-office meeting, or company-wide email, introduce your newest team members so they don’t get mistaken for a stranger from another office. 

The only time it’s acceptable to use the phrase “TGIF” is at the end of your first week at a new job. It can be overwhelming, stressful, and busy. Setting time aside with your newest colleague at the end of the week can be a good pulse check to make sure they’ll come back on Monday! You can also ensure that they have everything you need. A friend of mine worked at a company where he didn’t have a laptop for the first week and no one noticed. Check-in on your people and make sure they’re alright. 

Changing jobs is hard. That’s why Agility Partners works with our consultants and clients to get ahead of onboarding. From meeting consultants on-site on their first day to checking in after their first week, we understand that recruiting doesn’t end when the job starts. Taking care of our consultants through their entire assignment is what we are passionate about. We work hard to match the right people with the right jobs, and if we’re not executing a great onboarding experience, we’re just serving them steak on a paper plate. 

Serving up a successful onboarding experience

Let’s face it, most of us at least once in our lives have had to start a new job. Whether you’ve just graduated college or you’ve been in a professional setting for 10+ years, people share a lot of the same emotions.  

Excitement. Overwhelmed. Relieved. Challenged.

In my opinion, and from the conversations I have every day while recruiting, these are a few of the most common feelings used to describe the first 30 to 90 days of a new job.  

I get it, it’s a lot. A new culture, new processes, new expectations. While onboarding is critical in setting someone up for success, a lot of it is up to you. 

The good news is that you don’t have to do it alone. Every recruiter at Agility Partners, including myself is here to help you navigate through those feelings. Maybe it’s just having someone there to listen who understands or maybe can provide the advice you’ve so been wanting but are afraid to ask… we are here. 

 Below are five quick tips to help you succeed from day 1:  

I’m always happy to be a resource for you so just send me a message and let’s talk! 

New year, new job?

What is work-life balance? Is it just a myth?  

A simple definition is a proper prioritization of “work” (career/professional activities) and “life” (friends, family, health, leisure/pleasure). And no, it’s not a myth. 

I am here to tell you that work-life balance is not only achievable, but that it’s important to find the right mixture for you. There certainly is not a “one size fits all” balance, because none of us have the same priorities/live the same life. You will likely need to do a little bit of trial and error. 

According to a Harvard Business School survey, 94% of professionals are working 50+ hours a week and in my experience, I think it’s safe to say for a lot of recruiters out there – burnout is real.  

Luckily, I have found a career at Agility Partners that fosters an environment in which work-life balance is valued – in fact, it’s encouraged.  

Below you will find 5 tips that I use to maintain this balance that works best for my lifestyle.  

It is my hope that you find these tips helpful – and can even incorporate them into your every day. If you’d like to talk further about this topic, please reach out!  

P.S. Agility Partners is currently hiring! Come join the team!  

Work-life balance - It's not a myth!

Work-Life Balance - It's not a myth!

“Everything happens for a reason.” This age-old saying sounds extremely clique and can be overused at times, but I found out early in my professional career that the saying holds more weight than I could've ever imagined. 

Let me put this into perspective for you. 

During my final few months of undergrad at Ohio University, I was able to secure a position at a large staffing agency in Columbus, OH. I learned a lot, and I learned it fast. 

Before I knew it, I had been in the workforce for a little under a year, bolstered my network, and became more confident in my ability as a recruiter. It's safe to say that I got comfortable; with my job responsibilities, team members coming and going, and the small wins along the way. 

It wasn't until a large organizational change, that I started questioning how safe it was to be comfortable in my position. As any normal person in the workforce would, I suppressed these feelings and continued working hard, going to networking events, and immersing myself in the Columbus tech community. This is where I began talking to thought leaders in the industry. Each person I had conversations with said they have been in my shoes before. The shoes of feeling comfortable; having an office to go to every day, the motions of the day-to-day work, and so on. While having successful tenured professionals make me feel like I wasn’t alone, I was unable to shake the feeling of wanting more out of my job than a comfortable, cozy feeling.  

Over the course of the next few weeks, I felt guilty about having these thoughts about my employer. Was I ready to leave the company that gave me a shot right out of school to prove myself? Maybe, but I felt tied to the organization, my team, and my candidates. 

Deep down, I knew what I wanted but I wasn't sure how or when to leap. That is when fate made its decision for me.. 

I walked into the office just like I had hundreds of times before, but this time things didn't seem right. There was a quiet hush as I walked in and my desk was cleared. The Columbus office, where I was working had officially been closed, meaning I was out of a job and feeling the opposite of comfortable.  

Sure, at the moment things seemed bleak. As I broke the news to my friends and family, a familiar phrase reappeared... "everything happens for a reason." And they were right. 

With the changes, I was introduced to Alan Kutasy and Rob Moyer, the Founder and President of Agility Partners. Alan invited me to get lunch, and while I was reluctant at first, I couldn't help but be curious about what they wanted to talk to me about. After a great lunch, my boyfriend and I went out to dinner later that night to discuss where my head was at and where I was headed in my career. Not even five minutes after sitting down, in walked Alan and Rob. I couldn't help but wonder, how did we end up in the same place at the same time in this big city? 

 Then I knew, that encounter had to be more than just a coincidence.  

I've been at Agility Partners for a little over a month, and I can say with full confidence that this is where I am meant to be for many reasons!

Do you believe everything happens for a reason? 

Can you believe everything happens for a reason?

You probably hear it every day, “I can’t wait until things go back to normal.” 2020 has brought the world no shortage of uncertainty, so it’s not surprising that people find themselves craving familiarity. But before we chalk this entire year up to a loss and strive for normalcy, it’s important to see the silver linings that this new decade has brought.  

I was chatting with a client of mine recently and we had a great conversation that really resonated with me. The sentiment was this: 

There are a lot of horrible things that we are facing right now, and it is easy to focus on the negatives, but what’s been really fascinating, is watching companies and communities find ways to innovate.

This crisis has forced us to rethink how we do business. To figure out how we can utilize our resources to reduce risk, provide additional services, and help others both in our community and on a global scale. Companies that thrive will be those that get creative, green light projects that were just a “what-if” or small idea, and those that utilize technology to adapt to this new normal and increase safety for their customers. As someone who works in the Information Technology field and supports customers from various industries, it has been very exciting to see how companies have launched new products and services to adapt. Here is a list of innovative changes that I have seen and am excited about: 

A time of crisis is also a time of opportunity. Companies that have embraced the challenge of innovating through this pandemic will certainly come out better off. How has your employer found ways to innovate and turn this challenge into a new opportunity? What are some things that will continue to be a part of their business once we are back to “normal”?

Innovation through adversity

And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you

Because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places.

Those who don’t believe in magic will never find it.

I’m a glass-half-full kind of gal. So, this week I want to talk about what I’ve been doing to fill up my cup. As we head into the end of 2020 and I look back on what this year has taught me, I think about this quote. Instead of focusing on the stress that this year has brought upon so many people, I look for the magic. To find it, I needed to do one thing: Slow Down! 

This year I spent considerably more time with my family. And it was quality time. Not time spent running from one sport or activity to the next. Not trying to fit 4 events or parties with family and friends into one weekend. Not rushing, rushing, rushing. No, this year we slowed down. We went on adventures, we packed picnics, we explored, we played, and we made so many fantastic memories. 

We have spent the last 7 months in the woods. We’ve been to 18 of the 22 Metro parks, plus several other state parks. We’ve hiked over 55 miles with our 7- and 4-year-old boys. We have seen views that take your breath away. We splashed around in creek water. We overturned rocks to find bugs. We collected walking sticks. We veered off the beaten path. The boys have a growing collection of treasures that they found along the way. Their love for the wilderness is growing as well, and for all of this, I am thankful. 

So, what have you been doing to fill up your cup? I’d love to hear about what has been bringing you joy this year!

Serving up a successful onboarding experience

New year, new job?

Work-life balance - It's not a myth!

Do you believe everything happens for a reason?

Innovation through adversity

Find joy