The Faces of Mee Derby is an initiative to share the stories of our team and their journey’s through the staffing industry from a personal and professional perspective. COVID is bringing us all together in a whole different way by connecting through technology. From our home offices to yours, we invite you over the next several weeks to get to know the Mee Derby team through this video series. It is a fun look at who we are – collectively and individually – how we got into staffing and what the staffing industry means to us. This week we are hearing from Jim Alesio:
Why staffing? How did you end up in this industry?
Most of us don’t know about the staffing industry, we all sort of fall into it in some way. My story of falling into it was an entrepreneurial venture that didn’t go well but it got me into the staffing industry where I’ve stayed now for 35 years.
How has your journey led you to Mee Derby?
Robin and I have known each other since the early 90s, I was working with Olsten Temporary Services, at the time one of the larger firms in the U.S. My boss had referred me to Robin because I was going to open up a branch in Baltimore, he said talk to Robin Mee, she’s doing this search work for the staffing industry. Now we are talking 25 years later…our relationship has evolved. Multiple times over my career, I have called her when I was looking for talent for my internal team on both the east coast and the west coast. Mee Derby was always at the top of my list when it comes to search firms for the recruiting industry. In 2010 I decided I wanted to move back East so I reached out to Robin to let her assist me in my search. She actually found me a great job in New Jersey! So, I have been a client and candidate of Mee Derby. When I was ready to leave what I would call the corporate world of staffing in 2014 and get into more talent acquisition, it really just hit me one day, why don’t I just call Robin and see if she is looking for anybody on her team. I thought I’d be a good addition to her team, I just didn’t know if she was hiring or not. Turned out she was looking to add somebody to the team.
Was working for Mee Derby the first time you had worked remotely?
Yes, it’s one of the best aspects of working. When I made this decision to leave what I call the corporate world of staffing, I wanted flexibility. Not really knowing how much flexibility Mee Derby affords, I wanted to get out of the corporate world and get into something working for myself.
It’s one of the great benefits of working for Mee Derby, because I’m speaking to you right now from south Florida, my home is in New Jersey, but this job allows me to work wherever I want to be.
How does Mee Derby impact the staffing industry?
Well I think Robin has done a phenomenal job of marketing Mee Derby. Again, I’m going back as a client 20 years ago and I still know the name and I think the brand name has only gotten bigger in the industry since. To me the growing impact on the staffing industry is just our great brand reputation. You know we don’t deal with every staffing client but I think we deal with some of the better companies.
Over the 30 years Robin has done a great job penetrating a lot of different verticals and a lot of different sized companies.
Why should someone work with a recruiter in their job search?
I have friends who have had lukewarm experiences with recruiters. What I tell them if they are very serious about looking for a job, you have to do everything. You have to use the Linkedin network, you have to use your own network. But, if you don’t use a recruiter, I think you’re missing out on at least one third of how you could possibly get a job. What they don’t understand is you have to spend time with the recruiter, invest in the recruiter and their firm if you really want to get an impact out of it.
If you think you can go out and get a job, especially in today’s internet world, by sending resumes out, you’re missing the point. So I think using a recruiter gives you entree into companies that you’d be shooting in the dark a little bit [with]. I think the impact of using a recruiter is much more than people think, because we have the relationships.
What are your three favorite aspects of working for Mee Derby?
The remote aspect, the flexibility and the great team we have are the three main reasons I enjoy working here.
How do you stand out as a recruiter?
I’m probably the most experienced person on the team other than Robin, again I’ve been in this industry for 35 years. I’ve either done the job, managed the job, hired the job or know people who have that job, whatever job we might be talking about. I have worked in the staffing industry on both coasts, been a member of executive committees for some of the larger firms so I have had exposure to most aspects of this industry.
Jim Alesio
Executive Recruiter
