Taryn Beber

Taryn is the Senior Manager of our Contract division, based out of the Toronto office

Why did you want to work in recruitment?
I liked the idea that I would be helping people. I have always had a natural ability to sell and speak to people. When I had initially applied I would hear about recruitment and say oh yes I love doing that, oh yes that sounds like me until I realized it was a perfect fit!

How did you get into recruitment?
LinkedIn. I was a recent graduate working in sales for a startup company and was looking for to transition to start a career. By this point I knew I wanted to work in Sales but I didn’t know what capacity. I happened to apply to every single sales role I could find and one of which was to Hays. Once I learned more about the position and the fact that I would be “selling” and helping people I was sold! Thanks to Travis for accepting that initial application!

Why did you choose to work for Hays?
There were so many reasons! I was a recent graduate just breaking into the professional working world and wanted somewhere where I would be able to grow. The Hays values really spoke to me and I felt an instant connection in my Assessment Centre and meetings with all the Senior Managers that I was interviewed by. I loved that Hays is worldwide and there was such a worldly presence. The other selling point was there was no real temporary contract division when I started. I liked the fact that I would be a part of something new.

What is the most rewarding part of your job?
For many years the most rewarding part of my role was getting so many people jobs! I always found such a rush in having my temps working number grow, not just because of the money that come along with it (although that part is great!) but also knowing that my team and I were responsible for that many more people having jobs!

Now the most rewarding part of my job is watching my team grow and develop! The team is now 17 consultants and growing. I have loved being a part of the process of growth but as well in the development of the consultants to achieve their career goals.

What is the most challenging part of your job?
I have a lot of moving parts all the time. Between managing the Flex (contract) Professionals team and running a busy desk there is a lot of shifting priorities each day.

What has your career at Hays been like so far?
It has been amazing. Walking into the office 6 years ago I would not have ever imagined I would be a Senior Manager managing Flex Professionals. I have grown so much both professionally and personally and felt such tremendous support throughout and I hope to continue offering that to my team as well.

What is your ambition? What do you hope to achieve with your career?

The sky is the limit! My short term goal is to become Divisional Director for Flex Professionals. My ambition is to double the flex business and then of course triple it! I have very high hopes for my team and I am just really excited to be leading the team and seeing what we can achieve together.

What have you most enjoyed about working in recruitment?
That there are no limitations to what you can accomplish and that it is very transparent with regards to performance. I’d be lying if I didn’t mention the money I have made in the process.

What advice would you give to someone considering applying for a job with Hays?
Do it. Applying to Hays is the start of your amazing Hays career. If you are looking to work hard and consistently develop then this is the role for you.

Rebecca Coleman

Rebecca is the Senior Business Manager for Tax, based out of the Toronto office

Tell us about how you got into the recruitment industry?
I am passionate about people. Not only that, but I had been working in sales since I was 18, working door to door sales, banking at HSBC, corporate sales, in an advertising agency, and even a time with my own business. When I came to Canada, I had no idea what I wanted to do or where I wanted to work, I just knew two things: I wanted to work in sales and I wanted the product to be people. I realized in my previous jobs, that I had no real passion selling a physical product, and if I really wanted to be at the level of success I wanted, I needed to be passionate about my product and that’s when I realized recruitment was the best fit for me! The Hays value “Passionate about people” really jumped out at me, and I thought, it’s a sign and after doing some research, I realized Hays was the place for me. I decided to visit the Toronto office and was able to meet with their internal recruiter the same day. I started as an Associate and it was great to come in at the entry level and see the business and how it operate from the ground up. Three years late, I am now a Senior Business Manager specializing in Taxation and I love it!

Describe how you've maintained your success year to year?
I believe that the reason you join a new company or search for a new job needs to be something intrinsic in you that matches you to the right industry! It can’t be about the money, title, or just looking for a new job for the sake of it because when you are in the right role for you, you really are able to grow and develop. And if you are doing something that is right for you, it’s very hard not to excel in it. I didn’t care where I started with Hays because I knew I was in the right industry and by focusing on my goals, my targets, my candidates, and my clients, the success followed.

Recruitment is a career, it’s an extension of who you are and my advice to anyone thinking of getting into the recruitment industry: be authentic, know your passion, work hard, and think about how you can add value to any organization you are joining.

How do you feel Hays has supported your career goals and growth?
Hays is unique as it stands from the back and lets you drive forward and take complete control. Hays provides you with all the tools and training you need to be motivated to work hard every day, keep your eye on the prize, take accountability, and continuously learn and develop. Everyone here works together to get the job done, but we also all realize our responsibilities as individuals. It’s a fantastic balance and with the support of leaders like Louisa Benedicto, we all have trust in each other because of the examples set out for us. Hays really supports you in being as successful as possible, at every step of your career.

Courtney Lee

Courtney is the Team Lead for Architecture & Design, based out of the Vancouver office

Describe your journey at Hays?
My journey with Hays has been quite positive overall. I started out as an Associate with Hays on the Construction & Property desk under Russell Carnley. I quickly grew with the company and am now a Team Lead. I started the Architecture & Design recruitment desk at Hays, pretty much from scratch and have really made it into something of my own that I am proud of! I picked up recruitment relatively quickly and learned a lot from my colleagues. I decided when I was a Senior Consultant to go the management route and recently hired on an associate to recruit for architecture with me. As a team we are quite productive and doing really well!

I’ve learned a lot since starting my career with Hays. I first started as an Associate (not even yet out of university as I was still finishing my degree) and was luckily able to pick it up and move through the ranks to part of the management team in 2 years. I think overall I’ve progressed well, I’ve definitely learned a lot over the years with regards to recruitment, people in general, and management of staff and I’m enjoying every minute of it.

What is your advice for someone wanting to get into recruitment?
I would say that if you are wanting to get into recruitment you have to be able to adapt to different situations, take feedback, be driven and take initiative to get things done. It is not a 9-5 job, despite what the hours are on paper; be prepared to work very hard! You will need to be able to stay positive when things go wrong, but remain steady in your ability to get things done at the same time. Understanding people is key as well.

How has Hays supported your success?
I’ve been lucky to have a very supportive office environment to work in. Along with that, the people who have mentored, encouraged and trained me currently in the past have been a big key to my success. Everything I’ve learned has come from listening to other people, taking feedback and applying it to my own desk. I’ve been able to adapt people’s teachings to my way of working.

Mazen Fegali

Mazen is the Manager of Property & Architecture, based out of the Toronto office

Hays allowed me to be myself
I joined Hays in August of 2015; it was probably the best career decision I have made. I started as a Consultant. On my first goal setting meeting, I felt that it was unattainable. I came from a smaller agency and targets were much lower. Soon enough, I realized who we are as a brand. We have some of the strongest relationships with clients on the market. We are the number one resource for candidates when it comes to advice and career opportunities. Hays allowed me to be myself. I got the best training and education on what makes a good consultant and with time I was able to blend the learnings with my own style and personality. As a recruiter, in a highly competitive market, you have to have a brand. You have to know your strengths and capitalize on your skills. While expanding the business, I was supported with a brilliant team, and knowledge.

In a year, I smashed my goal and got promoted to Senior. After being a Senior Consultant and learning more skills, I was given the opportunity to become a Team Lead. I’ve always had passion for people management and in Hays I’m able to further develop this talent. My team grew from 3 to 6 and most recently I was promoted to a Manager.

Currently, I lead and work with the Property Team and the Architecture team, and as Hays always recognizes our work and talent, I’m proud to say I was awarded “Manager of the Year”, and my team awarded “Team of the Year”.

Changing lives
If you feel recruitment is the right fit, it is probably one of the most rewarding careers one can ever have. You help people change their lives, you help companies grow and succeed with the right candidates. When I get a call from a client expressing how our hire helped impact their bottom line, that’s priceless to me. To be a successful recruiter, you must have a sense of urgency, be proactive, know how to prioritize, have an unparalleled commitment and be able to close. With these elements and a dash of passion, you will be successful.

At Hays I am surrounded with experienced peers
Hays has one of the best, if not the best training and educational program that parallels our path. You learn what an interview is, what a client meeting is all about, and more. We have a dedicated marketing team, producing some of the best reports in the industry, so we can coach clients and add value to our meetings and calls. We do not just take jobs and fill them, we consult on how to retain and motivate employees. We are able to teach clients on how to run an effective interview, or even promote their brand to be more desirable for anyone to apply. At Hays I know I am surrounded by experienced peers, and I’m able to tap into anyone’s experience to help me and add more value to my role.

Owen Barette

Owen is a Team Lead for Property & Facilities Management, based out of the Montreal office

All about my professional progression
I joined Hays in March 2017, right after graduating University. Ever since I started, under two years ago, the growth I have experienced has been unimaginable. I started as an Associate Recruitment Consultant with no industry experience and now within my first year I had already been promoted twice. My first promotion was to Senior Recruitment Consultant, and after only four months I was promoted to Team Lead of our Property & Facilities Management desk at our Montreal office.

Although more important than promotions and job titles, my professional progression has been even more exciting. Through all the training and experiences, I have learned so much about sales, account management, business development, and strategy. I wish I could take all the credit for my quick progression, but it’s a large part due to the opportunities that my manager and Hays have and continued to give me.

Ask yourself these three questions
If you answer yes to all of them then this job is for you!

1. Do you like people?
Recruitment is a people business. On any given day I’m speaking to at least 20 different people on the phone, meeting clients at their office, interviewing candidates, and grabbing coffee with people in my network.

2. Are you pro-active?
Recruitment is fast. The market is competitive and it’s not going to wait for you. Everyday has to be started with a sense of urgency and being pro-active is an absolute must if you want to be successful in this business.

3. Can you have fun?
I know this sounds so typical to ask but it is a serious question. I think everyone at Hays shares the mentality of “work hard, play hard” but I think that also extends to our industry. Every recruiter I have had the pleasure of meeting has been a lively person. We work hard, love people, and have fun.

Support at Hays never stops
Training
Coming into this job I really didn’t know anything about recruitment or my specialism. For the first four months I was given every resource needed to become an expert at my job. My boss spent one on one time with me to explain our business, I did hours of live training sessions with other new starters, my colleagues invited me to meetings and interviews, and our President even sat down with me to see how things were going and give me some tips. Since then, I’m still getting the same support, although adapted to the challenges I have experienced throughout my progression.

My Manager
My boss has been my number one fan since day one. Not only has he taken the time to get to know what’s important to me, but he’s acted on it. The goals we have set together at the beginning of each fiscal year, personal and professional, have always been achieved and it is a large part due to the time that my boss has invested in me. Feeling that my boss truly cares about my success has been instrumental to me development.

Our Culture
I’m a competitive person and Hays has created an environment where healthy competition is encouraged and success is rewarded. Last year I had a surreal experience skiing in Colorado on a trip completely paid by Hays. This year, I relaxed in a beautiful five-star Jamaican resort. These are obviously the top rewards offered for high performance, but we also have so many other opportunities including regional MVP, spot competitions, and Top Biller lists. All of this translates to an amusement park for competitive personalities!