Undertrained? How to Take Charge of Your Professional Growth
November 14, 2024
This post was originally published in June 2023 and has been updated for freshness, accuracy, and comprehensiveness.
Digital recruitment is a complex and challenging craft. It requires a specific skill set that encompasses technical and soft skills, as well as a tech-savvy profile that allows them to learn and use virtual tools to perform their work from anywhere in the world. gpac’s Alpha Pac recruiters enclose these and more attributes that have led them to become top billers and a guaranteed solution for clients and candidates.
As a recruitment agency, gpac aims to provide its search consultants with the best recruitment training and tools to grow people and companies, but how exactly is it done? For a start, the Good family, founders and owners of gpac, and the rest of the company’s executive leadership have renewed the traditional corporate hierarchy with a system that’s more like a high-performing sports organization.
On top of the organizational structure that seeks to keep recruiters engaged and motivated to move up in the leaderboard, gpac opens the door to any individual with the core skills to become a recruiter despite their experience and background. This aspect ultimately leads to well-balanced, robust, and collaborative teams that keep camaraderie and collective success in sight.
Another goal at gpac to get the most out of every recruiter is to promote friendly and fair competition despite each search consultant’s skill set, proficiency, or drive. To guarantee this aspect, every individual receives the same training, tools, and information, as well as guidance from their regional director.
The commission-based payment scheme is another motivator for gpac recruiters. Every new goal and milestone brings greater benefits for recruiters, with the Alpha Pac status being the peak of gpac’s compensation program.
Lastly, but still of great importance, every recruiter knows about the commitment they should have to every company and customer they work with right from the start. Their commitment to the craft, to building meaningful relationships, and to providing an above-and-beyond experience is the key ingredient of the Alpha Pac secret sauce.
To better understand the value of these talent search specialists, it’s necessary to define what makes a good recruiter. Being a first-class search consultant goes beyond checking off a list of tasks. It’s more about versatile professionals who have the confidence to approach companies and candidates with successful action plans to fulfill talent and job search needs.
Communication skills, attention to detail, and persistence are a must for any Alpha Pac recruiter. Despite their background or time working in the recruitment industry, these recruiters have become one with the craft. As some say, practice makes perfect, and even though some of them have no related experience in talent acquisition or sales, their drive, trust in the process, and continuous learning have turned them into a benchmark in their industry.
But how does a gpac recruiter gain Alpha Pac status? In simple terms, these talent search professionals have made the necessary placements within a year to meet the Alpha Pac cash-in milestone. From a client’s standpoint, this means you’ll be working with a recruiter who’s mastered the ins and outs of the craft and performs with a sense of urgency; while for a recruiter, this means unlocking over-the-top commissions and benefits.
In short, Alpha Pac recruiters prove why gpac is legit, as they show their commitment to the craft and the true potential of how much recruiters make. In 2022, almost 80 gpac recruiters reached Alpha Pac status. Get to know some of them, their background, mindset, and why they’ve succeeded in the recruitment industry.
“Alpha recruiters come through when it matters the most for clients and candidates. We can fill the most urgent needs and help candidates find their desired role efficiently and effectively.”
Conner Doherty represents all that being an Alpha Pac recruiter means. Despite joining gpac fresh out of college, he embraced and crushed the challenge becaming gpac’s top biller and a household name within the company. Back in 2017, as a recent grad, he was looking for a sales role and interviewing with different companies, until he found gpac’s opportunity to start a recruitment career.
“The road to becoming an Alpha was tough, but I had the right mindset from the beginning. I told myself I would give it 12 months, no matter what happens before I quit.”
Even though he had no related experience with recruitment, Conner set a timeframe to get things on track for his new role. Despite the struggles in the first months on the job, he stayed determined to succeed and followed the path of other top billers until his hard work paid off. Even after being at the top of the list since he joined the company, he maintains that competitive drive to keep swinging for the fences.
“I continued to try and improve every single day for the past 6 years, and that has led me to where I am today. Learn from mistakes and give maximum effort and that is how you can become an Alpha recruiter.”
His formula for success encompasses different aspects. Conner uses LinkedIn as a top recruiter and keeps it as his main tool for staying close to talented candidates. On the same basis, Conner stays in front of companies whose hiring needs can be filled very quickly with professionals he’s sourced or that reached out to him looking for an exciting new opportunity.
“We are a very good resource for candidates, as we help them find jobs on the hidden job market, and we have deep connections with our clients and can tell their full story, instead of just applying with a resume.”
“It was humbling (joining gpac), but the opportunity I had to make the kind of money and impact my family and community was where I kept my eye on.”
gpac offers the unique opportunity to become a top biller regardless of your background, and Tanya Richards is living proof of this statement. With a 20-year career in teaching and coaching, Tanya started a career in recruitment with gpac in 2021, and by the end of 2022, she had reached the Alpha Pac status.
“We’re a trusted recruiting partner who saves candidates’ and clients’ time and money, that’s the simplest way to put it…They hire me to make their lives easier.”
Right from her first deal, Tanya understood a recruiter’s role during the hiring process and the added value she can bring for all parties involved. As a search consultant, she keeps her focus on finding the candidate with the most comprehensive skill set in front of companies with hiring needs, regardless of their citizen, administrative, or employment status; they can work around those aspects, but qualified talent is priceless in today’s labor market.
“The main difference (between an Alpha Pac recruiter and other companies’ recruiters) is there are no excuses in this job…You do what you need to do.”
Tanya recognizes being a good recruiter is challenging and reaching the Alpha Pac status is even more demanding. For her, it took a lot of patience and discipline to build a portfolio of candidates and companies and gain their trust. On top of that, she admits this craft requires a strong sense of responsibility and to make no excuses when obstacles show up.
“I don’t know of a better commission structure and training program in the industry. Between those two things, I’d say to anybody transitioning from another career that this is the place to be.”
“Do what you were taught to do, use the tools that you’re given, and remember to talk to people. Don’t get nervous; it’s just a conversation.
As a former car salesman, Dan Forsstom quickly found his way into the recruitment industry. After just six weeks into gpac, he made his first deal, and thanks to his consistency, communication skills, and the fact he enjoys doing his job, he eventually gained the Alpha Pac status.
“If you’re doing your job correctly, you gain your clients’ and candidates’ trust. It’s about talking to them, getting all their information, asking the right questions, and answering any questions they have confidently.”
One key to Dan’s success is his commitment to the craft. Even though a recruiter’s role involves a lot of hard work, he never misses a step when working on a job order and ensures that he always gets the essential information from companies and candidates. With this approach, he’s able to streamline the hiring process and become a trusted asset for both parties.
“It makes your hiring authority a lot happier if you don’t shootgun resumes at them, and instead, you do your job in refining them exactly what they’re looking for.”
As gpac search consultants like to say, recruitment is about matching the dots and being the middleman. For this sake, Dan knows one of the most effective ways to fill job openings is to look for the most suitable candidates for a role, enhance their profile and the skills that make them a moth for the positions, and prepare them for the interview with a hiring manager.
“You’re basically playing matchmaker. Get the candidate to talk to the hiring manager, let them do the rest, and you just help them where you can.”
“The benefit of anyone working with any gpac recruiter is the relationships. It is not just who we can find, but who we already know.”
If there’s a mantra that defines the story of Alpha Pac recruiter Lori Bierschbach is “failure is not an option.” As a single mom coming from the beauty industry, she was certain she needed to shift to a new career path in which she could achieve financial freedom.
“My first year at gpac was the most difficult year within my career…and I am so thankful for that! If I had given up, all of that energy and time spent trying to make it would have been for nothing.”
Even though she was convinced joining gpac was the right choice, many people from her environment questioned her decision. Fortunately, far from discouraging her, these doubts and comments fueled her inner drive to succeed. Despite her commitment, Lori knew there would be ups and downs, but as another of her mottos says, she just makes sure to “learn from the bad days and celebrate the good days” to succeed.
“We are real people getting to know the best of the best in our industry. We fully vet candidates and know their current thread of discontent, reasoning for transitions, and industry-specific skills.”
For Lori, recruitment is all about matchmaking and getting all the details about what companies and candidates are looking for. On top of that, she also performs as a consultant for both parties, which gives her the freedom to make suggestions and be involved in their efforts so they get the most out of their resources.
“My journey to becoming an Alpha Pac member has been such a significant learning experience in my life…I had to do the things I was scared to do. As soon as I did that, my whole world changed for the better. I went from feeling stuck to feeling free!”
“It’s a roller coaster of a position… My advice would be partnering with a senior recruiter and sticking with it because eventually the position will take a turn, and you’ll find yourself having a lot of job orders.”
Abby LeClair uses one of the most accurate qualifiers for the Alpha Pac recruiter role and overall a career in recruitment. The journey to gain this status is packed with ups and downs, but the rewards at the end of the road await for those high-achieving and hard-working individuals.
“We want to make sure that the candidates we’re presenting to companies are hireable…We wanna make sure it’s going to be the right long-term fit for them.”
Nevertheless, the monetary rewards that come with the Alpha Pac status aren’t the only motivation for Abby and the other Alphas. The fulfillment of building a meaningful relationship, setting up long-term matches, and guaranteeing a positive outcome for all parties involved is another essential aspect to keep engaged and inspired on a daily basis.
“Help companies find candidates that will help them grow and help candidates find companies that will make their lives better…that’s the most rewarding part of the process for me.”
Another piece of wisdom that passes from recruiter to recruiter at gpac is that collaboration and teamwork are foundations of individual success. Abby knows that’s one of the keys to her success: working under the wing of her coach and other experienced recruiters allowed her to understand and put her blueprint in every recruitment task and process.
“I can run the process however I wanna run the process. There are a lot of different ways to do it, but adapting my own personal style is something that’s really helped me.”
“I’m very self-motivated, I’m competitive but not so much with other people as I am with myself. I always think I can do better and what else I can do.”
The common thread among every Alpha Pac recruiter is their self-motivation and drive to perform at a very high level. Julie Gross is no exception, and even though she was taking a time off prior to gpac to evaluate her career path, she was motivated by the challenge of becoming a recruiter and the chance to work from anywhere.
“I consistently communicate with candidates and companies. This is not a job where I can be complacent, I need to keep the lines of communication open with my companies and be there for them when they need to hire.”
A key aspect of Julie’s success is her approach to every candidate and company. As a matchmaker, she focuses on both parties’ needs and how they fit each other, avoiding any bias that could affect her attention and customer service. Most importantly, despite the outcome of each match, she doesn’t take things personally and looks for alternative solutions on both ends.
“To be part of the Alpha Pac, we have made several placements. This has enabled us to learn more about our industry, the geographical area we work in, the personality/culture of candidates in that area, as well as the culture and structure of the companies we work with.”
Her proficiency in dealing with people from different industries and the connections she’s made throughout her career set her up from day one. Every placement she’s made has set the foundations for her Alpha Pac status, not only because of the numbers but because of the experience she’s acquired and the connections she’s established within her industry.
“We bring experience and knowledge which makes us better at our job. If I sign a new company, I can speak to them with intelligence about their area and really “understand” their needs.”
Although Alpha Pac recruiters are gpac’s most skilled search consultants, they know that being coachable is a huge part of their success. Most of them recognize that during the early stages of their recruitment careers, their leads’ and other senior recruiters’ guidance allowed them to accomplish their goals.
Brett Rintala, one of gpac Regional Directors —formerly known as coaches— shares his thoughts on what it’s like to lead an Alpha Pac recruiter, their value, and how he keeps his team motivated.
“When it comes to the mentality as a regional director, you have to give each person what they need. It can’t be a blanket message.”
On top of one of the best recruitment training programs in the industry, gpac recruiters belong to a team —formed by fellow search consultants and a Regional Director— that supports and advises them in their day-to-day activities, especially on how to connect with job seekers and clients.
“I need to know what that weak spot is so when I find that type of person it makes sense for a company to sign my contract because I’m bringing something that can elevate them to a new level.”
In particular, the figure of the Regional Director plays a pivotal role as they guide them through specific situations when working with a company or candidate, and helps them better understand their role and tasks, as well as to adapt the process to their own skill set and personality.
“The entire average for my group after they made it a year is making over 120k dollars a year…With that, I can really convince somebody to trust the recipe.”
Despite the fulfillment, earning potential, and flexibility, Brett recognizes that recruitment isn’t a career for everybody. The inner drive is a vital ingredient of an Alpha Pac recruiter, especially for pushing through the obstacles in the early stages of their path.
“If you want it badly enough, you know what you’re worth, and you’re that person that’s constantly working harder than everyone else around you and feel you’re not being compensated…this is the spot for you.”
At the end of the day, Alpha’s bring experience, and there’s no substitute for experience.”As you can see, every Alpha Pac recruiter’s path has been different. Many of them come from different backgrounds: most of them even started their career in recruitment without previous experience.
Although they’ve polished some of their abilities with training and practice, the common denominator of their success is the drive, discipline, and motivation they’ve put into this craft and the role they perform.
Contributed by Luis Arellano
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