SITE Staffing Recruiter Profile Series
Juanita Franco is a talented recruiter who helps the SITE Staffing candidates find the perfect jobs for them. Get to know Juanita in our recruiter profile series!
What’s a typical “day in the life” for you as a recruiter?
Juanita: Well, I think interviewing candidates, working with clients, and recruiting are what form the base of what we do. A lot of candidates come from referrals; keeping in contact with our network of current employees.
Everyone has friends or family either unemployed or interested in something better, and if our employee is enjoying their work, they can say: “I’m doing this and I’m loving it, you should check it out.” That’s where a lot of my placements come from. I won’t even have appointments set up and people will come in and say: “so-and-so sent me and said to ask for Juanita.”
It’s all about building that reputation and rapport. I like to make myself available to our employees, to keep in touch even after they’re placed and not actively looking for a job, just in case they have questions or concerns.
An open resource is what I try to be – and because of that, every day is different. I don’t know everything of course, and sometimes I have to do research as I go, but that’s what keeps it interesting.
How did you get into this field, and what appeals to you about it?
Juanita: My background originally started in administration, that’s what I went to school for. I studied at MATC and worked in their Multicultural Affairs office. Basically, I was doing all the student files for the counselors in that office for all the different ethnic groups on campus.
I was hired on while still studying, which worked out well: not only were my schedules flexible, I could learn practical skills in class then apply them and gain real-life experience in the same environment. Also, that kind of diversity opened me up to working with people of diverse backgrounds, which is absolutely necessary for this job. Plus, being a student, I knew the needs of the students.
From there I moved on to Ameritech, the phone company. I was there for 9 years, where I worked in customer service and gained a wealth of experience, especially regarding the technical, behind-the-scenes aspects of business. I also organized the Hispanic employee organization there, which is where my school experience of networking and reaching out to communities carried over. But that department ended up moving to Texas during the transition to SBC, which wasn’t a move I was willing to make, so I knew it was time for another change.
I realized over the years, step by step, that I wanted to continue reaching out to communities and helping them thrive, which is how I arrived where I am today. Every place I’ve been has led me little by little towards helping people, not just to get a job, but to feel happy and fulfilled. If you can provide for your family at the same time, it’s a huge deal.
One thing I always stress, especially when I see a young person come in, is saying: “I know you want to work, but the key thing is focusing on your education.” Because I’ve been there, trying to work and go to school at the same time, and I can tell you it’s worth it. High school is the base, but furthering your education and specializing your skill set will open up all kinds of opportunities you wouldn’t otherwise have.
What do you love about working for SITE Staffing?
Juanita: SITE isn’t a huge company, like some I’ve worked for, which can quickly become bogged down by bureaucracy and hierarchy. What I love about SITE is the feeling that everyone is operating on the same level, working towards the same goals, regardless of who you are or where you come from, and that feeling of teamwork, of a level playing field, is ideal. It doesn’t matter who comes through the door, any one of us will sit down with them to figure out what they’re looking for. And if I can’t place someone in a position I can look to another recruiter who maybe can. You need that kind of trust in this industry, both between recruiters and candidates and between recruiters themselves.
Do you have any tips for those job hunting?
Juanita: Don’t come to an interview or staffing agency in your pajamas! 🙂 Some things to remember:
- Presentation: first impressions go a long way.
- Attitude: you’ve got to be open and motivated.
- Eye Contact: not everyone realizes how important it is, but when you’re having a conversation and someone won’t look you in the eye, it really hinders communication.
You don’t have to be bubbly, chipper, or overdo it, but just think of it as putting your best foot forward; being confident. Also, come prepared with your work history. We base all our placement decisions on those two things: presentation and work history, so the more information the better. If you leave the work history portion of the application blank, and if you don’t have a resume, we have nothing to work off of and have to assume you have no experience.
No matter how irrelevant you might think your past experiences are to the jobs you’re looking for, they are very relevant to us.
What do you do in your free time? Any hobbies you enjoy?
Most of my free time is spending time with my daughters – girl stuff, a lot of shopping. They’re both in college now, which is another reason why I stress education and presentation to the young candidates who come to meet with me – I wouldn’t give any advice I wouldn’t give to my own kids. So yeah, the girls and my family are super important to me.
Interested in meeting with a SITE Staffing recruiter? You can tell us a bit about yourself here!