My name is Patty Casey, and I am the President of Arlington Resources, Inc. in Rolling Meadows, IL, which specializes in the placement of Human Resources professionals for direct hire, contract, and temporary services. We are very supportive of the many people in job transition today – so much so that we have actively made it a passion of ours. We host two professional networking groups at our office, and I run a networking group in the community.
We have two areas of placement, including Human Resources professionals through Arlington Resources, Inc., and Accounting and Finance professionals through Casey Accounting & Finance Resources. Over six years ago, we started with our human resources group holding bimonthly meetings specifically to provide networking opportunities for those in transition. We meet so many great people in our profession, and we wanted to help as many people as we can and give back to the human resources community.
The meetings are held at our office in the mornings with coffee and coffee cake provided. We have a facilitator, and each person shares a little bit about their background, what their ideal next position is, what’s in their pipeline, and any other information that might be helpful for the group including other networking events in the area. We focus on being positive and keeping the meetings beneficial to those who attend. Arlington Resources is well known in the HR community and we have received many accolades for providing this networking opportunity for those in transition.
About three years ago, we decided to add another group for our accounting and finance professionals from the people we get to know through Casey Accounting & Finance Resources. The format is the same, and additionally, we do have presentations on various job search skills including resume writing and strategies for getting the interview. Candidates appreciate the genuine interest and honest communications from our office staff. Also, they like to hear what the experiences are from other accounting and finance peers who are also in transition.
As the economy tumbled two years ago, we decided to take the networking out into the general community. After talking with our local church community, I was able to start the SHARE Job & Networking Ministry to help the general public in their job search. Three other parishes soon joined the efforts. We hold bimonthly meetings at a local church and host various speakers for the meetings to share information on various job search strategies including writing resumes, how to handle a phone interview, developing your personal brand, using social media to land a position, networking strategies, and so forth. Our speakers share the job search tools, and afterward we have about an hour of networking. We have volunteers from the community help in coordinating and running the meetings.
I receive numerous messages from those who attend on how helpful it is to have a place to go to learn about conducting a job search. People have shared that realizing others are in the same position they are is beneficial, as is meeting new friends and potential colleagues through the meetings. However, the most rewarding feedback is when attendees share “How They Landed Their New Position!”
We feel very lucky to be able to help others this way!
Editor’s note: This post is part of a new series on FordyceLetter.com – Celebrating Successes. We know how important it is for morale and productivity to acknowledge success within a recruiting office, and we want to help you celebrate! Celebrating Successes aims to spotlight placements, new hires within your office, new business won, milestones in your career (certifications, business anniversaries, you just purchased your first office space, etc.), charitable organizations that you support/volunteer for, or any other significant win in your business or in life. If you have a success you’d like to celebrate, email it to us at stories@fordyceletter.com.