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Thursday, December 4, 2008
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Interview with SMR's President & CEO Suzanne Raven

Interview By Ayanna Guyhto, Associated Content
For the past few years, women have been entering industries which were once dominated by men. On the other end of that technical support phone call you make, it is now very likely that you'll hear the soft feminine voices of highly skilled female technicians. This trend seems to be bleeding over into other trades, particularly the recruiting industry---another business which has predominantly been steered by male hands. Enter the stage, Suzanne Raven.

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Suzanne Raven
SMR which has been in operation since 1991, primarily focuses on matching and placing America's corporations with the best talent. Ironically, that talent seems to lend itself more towards industrial type positions (like engineering) with major firms, rather than your average "hunt-and-peck" temp jobs. That in mind, I was intrigued by the fact that a woman has been responsible for filling some pretty major positions in flourishing companies on an international basis. Suzanne Raven, SMR Group's CEO and Chief Operating Officer was gracious enough to give me the skinny on what I considered an "untapped" market.


AG: I understand that SMR began as a home-based operation. What made you go into the recruiting industry as opposed to other home based businesses?

Suzanne: My husband had been recruiting for over 10 years. He burned out and wanted to switch his industry. He always told me that I would be a much better recruiter than himself. I took his advice and proved him to be correct.



AG: It seems that much of your client base is in the technologicial/ industrial fields. How did that come to be?

Suzanne: I worked for a Military placement firm who specialized in transitioning exiting military personnel to jobs in the civilian market. I had stumbled on to a few candidates (jobseekers) who were in a field called NDT (Non Destructive Testing). People in my office had tried to pursue the industry and felt that the ROI (Return On Investment) was too bleak. I felt it was an untapped market and wanted to do something that didn't have 20 agency recruiters fighting for the same jobs every day.


AG: So that is how you built your initial client base? Suzanne: My higher-ups told me not to-- and to concentrate on other areas. Soon after I was laid off. And my husband told me to go for it. [I] picked up the phone, introduced myself and services. I emailed every prospective employer on the internet who was in my niche. I followed up and kept myself visible in the industry.


AG: Do you feel that being a woman and CEO (owner, etc.) affects your success in either direction (adversely or positively)?

Suzanne: I am recruiting within an industry that has nearly no women in any important decision making roles. I went for it and found myself in a small industry that was 95% males. I don't think my gender creates any adversity since we aren't threatening the industry in any capacity. In fact, I believe it's refreshing for most men to "talk shop" with a woman in this particular industry, so it's more positive than anything else. I am constantly having to "test my metal", but I believe most women in my position regardless of industry have to prove themselves worthy on a regular basis.


AG: How extensive is your applicant screening process, and how do you go about that?

Suzanne: Not extensive at all. I made a decision early on that I would spend my time finding people who "seemed" to qualify on paper. I knew no matter how much I asked industry related questions... they could always just tell me anything and I wouldn't know if it was accurate or if it was a made up story like Pinocchio or Peter Pan. After seven years of doing NDT recruiting... I am still learning, and I talk a pretty good game. Qualifying came down to TCQ and SAF.


AG: Uh oh, here goes that "industry jargon." What are TCQ's and SAF's?

Suzanne:TCQ is Three Critical Questions:

1)Location- Is the job located in a place that is of interest to the prospective candidate? Does it require relocation?

2) Quality - Does the job job offer the prospective candidate new responsibilities, tasks or duties? Does the person find the new opportunity to be exciting or challenging, or is doing the same thing they have been doing for the past 5 years?

3) Money (this one is easy but now always the deciding factor like most people think) - How much does the job pay? Is it more than they are currently earning? If not, are location and job quality more important?
SAF is Self Analysis Form. We decided rather than try to pretend like we know all the different industry specific technical methods used, we would create a form that allows them to expand on their own perception of their knowledge and skill level. The SAF asks questions that the applicant answers and rates themselves on a scale of 1-10. We confirm its accuracy [with them] and submit it to our clients along with their resume for consideration. It was always my perception that employers should qualify the potential employee. Nobody understands their business and company dynamics better than themselves. The SAF form has significantly improved our time management and still serves as a qualitative measuring tool for a successful marriage between client and candidate.


AG: Does your company see more applicants seeking employment or clients seeking applicants?

Suzanne: Ahhh... the million dollar question! At the moment we are experiencing a greater demand for personnel, People are always searching for better opportunities, pretty much year round. When demand for human resources escalates, we stand a chance to have some financial gains.


AG: Recruiting seems like a risky industry. Is it lucrative, and how do you prepare for dips in the economy?

Suzanne: Lets answer this by understanding that All Business Is Risky! Personnel is still the number one cost to companies. When companies are laying off or freezing hiring initiatives, I have to find those companies that are still moving forward when the economy buckles.


AG: What is the process involved in completing a recruiting transaction successfully?

Suzanne: 1) Get job order; 2) Find qualified candidate; 3)Collect check. If I expanded on each of these, I would be writing a book as opposed to answering a seemingly simple question... ha ha.

By Ayanna Guyhto
Associated Content
 
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