Tag Archives: career advice

Curtis Food Recruiters 15th Anniversary

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Just last month, Curtis Food Recruiters celebrated our 15th anniversary. It’s been an incredible journey only made possible by the invaluable people who have been a part of our team and the wonderful clients and candidates we’ve met along the way. 

To commemorate this special occasion, we sat down with our founder, Julie Curtis, to talk about what the past decade and a half has been like for both CFR and the food industry.

Why start Curtis Food Recruiters?

I had a leadership role with a Fortune 500 company, which came with a tremendous amount of visibility and responsibility. While I loved that job, it was hard to balance that with a young family. Starting my own business was a way to create my own work-life balance. 

While I admit I still struggle with achieving a true work-life balance, I love what I do, I truly do. This encompasses all of what we do here, our team, our clients, and our candidates. A lot of work goes into owning your own firm, but to me, I think it’s more than worth it! 

What thoughts & emotions come to mind when you think about the 15th anniversary of CFR?

It should feel like a huge accomplishment, however, with the ups and downs of the pandemic, it doesn’t quite hold the same weight. Our 10th anniversary felt like “we did it!” Our 15th feels hard-fought, like running a race. The past 13 months have made searches more difficult and complex. 

When business is good, you work hard to make sure it stays good, and when business is slow, you work even harder; embracing those challenges is the only way to make it through. Reflecting on this particular anniversary, our whole team continues to work hard for each other, for our clients and for our families. Without this particular team and group of women, I couldn’t have made it to 15 years!

What was some crucial advice you received that has helped you make it to your 15th anniversary?

I received an incredibly impactful piece of advice as I was starting out with CFR: don’t put all your eggs in one basket. As simple as that may seem, it had incredible meaning for our business. It means for executive search, don’t spend 75% of your time working with one client because so much can change — organizational and leadership changes, mergers and acquisitions, and that can lead to completely redeveloping your customer base. Rather than rely so much on just a few relationships, diversify your client base. We have been able to successfully diversify our portfolio with branded food manufacturers, private label, large and small grocery retailers and wholesalers, and foodservice customers across the country.  

Another piece of advice I received that has stuck with me all these years is, when you are hiring people for your own team, focus on their customer service skills. Hire someone with great client relations skills; someone who understands how to communicate, gather information, pay attention to the details and problem solve for the customer. Rather than focusing on hyper-specific skills, hire a stellar communicator, someone that is innovative, and has experience overcoming challenges. Your clients will be happy and come back time and time again.

How has the food industry changed in the last 15 years?

I think there are components of the food industry that have changed drastically; quality assurance, quality control, point of origin, blockchain technology — being able to know exactly where that bushel of product originated. The ability to find out on a granular level how to improve our food supply has greatly improved.   

Another element that is fun to reflect on from the past 15 years is how the organic, natural products and grocery chains have grown. All of these tiny little organic and natural food companies were just sprouting up and finding their place back then. 

We’ve also seen an incredible amount of innovation in food products, flavors and ingredients. There has been such a dramatic change in the way we eat, what we eat, and how we as consumers make more educated decisions on what we are putting into our bodies. We have seen some amazing transformations within food companies and it will be fascinating to see how that continues to evolve. 

Who is your business role model? Who has inspired you?

One person that stands out in my mind is Sheryl Sandberg — both her books “Lean In” and “Plan B” mean a lot to me. I relate to her values, her thought process and problem-solving. Helping other women inspires me as well. I recently participated in a mentoring experience with the Network of Executive Women (NEW), and I loved that! I’ve also learned a lot from some of the clients we’ve worked with over the years, such as Kathy Hayden, VP of Sales during her time at WhiteWave and beyond, Rhonda Harman, VP of HR at Michael Foods, as well as so many other great business leaders. 

I have also grown a lot as a business leader through working with Executive Coach, Sarah Bridges — she has inspired me and knows how to ask just the right question to help you problem-solve on your own. As a leader, this is the area that I have grown in the most over the last five years and continue to work on. My tendency was to jump in and fix the problems, but instead, I have learned to ask more questions and redirect people to solve the problems on their own. 

What is your favorite part about your job? 

For me, the motivation always comes down to my client and candidate relationships. A client once commented, “You come to every single conversation with such energy, how do you do that?” I might not always have that same energy while working at my desk, but I definitely do when I am working with my clients — it’s my favorite part of the job! When clients are innovative, thoughtful, authentic and share who they really are, I’m able to help them define what they truly need, and in turn, find the right person for the role.

What do you foresee in the next 15 years for CFR? What are your goals?

Applying the insight I have gained this year from working with an executive coach, my focus will be on trying to let go a bit more, trust more in others and continue to let my team shine. I am naturally a take charge person and I am learning to sit back and let others take the lead (sometimes) — I’m a work in progress! 

From a company standpoint, I want to continue strengthening our existing relationships, grow our customer base and focus on higher-level roles that are appropriate for executive search. Also concentrate on being more efficient with the time we have and improve our processes with new technology. It’s important in our industry to always challenge our mindset and continue to try new things.   

Curtis Food Recruiters 

As a full-service executive search firm, Curtis Food Recruiters has successfully matched skilled job seekers with prominent businesses throughout the food manufacturing and grocery retail industry for over a decade. If you’re searching for your next top performer or need help advancing your career, contact us today and we’ll leverage our vast industry experience to move your hiring needs forward. 

Opening the Door to an Executive Recruiter

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Are you open to a new opportunity? If so, you are in the right place.  

This blog will equip you with actionable tips to help find your next rewarding career opportunity while highlighting the advantages of partnering with an executive recruiter in your hunt.    

Regardless of your situation, you may feel a bit discouraged in your job search. You’re not alone. Nationally, the hiring process has taken a lot longer than usual, with many leadership roles being put on hold midstream until organizations can confidently get through COVID-related challenges.

The good news is the economy is beginning to thaw; it’s just a little slower than we all hoped. But fear not, there WILL be another leadership position coming your way, and a great tip to speed up the job-seeking process is to work with an executive recruiter.

Why Work With an Executive Recruiter?

As a job seeker, there’s a variety of reasons why working with a seasoned recruiter can help streamline and improve your job search, but for the sake of time, we’ll cover two of the greatest benefits: 

  • Broadens Your Network – Very few professionals have a network as vast and as well-connected as a recruiter. Working with a recruiter opens the door to their massive network, giving you a competitive hiring advantage.
  • Partner For Your Job Search – Your recruiter is your hiring ally. They have your best interests in mind and genuinely want to help prepare you with details about the company, role and leadership team.  

What Type of Executive Recruiter Should I Work With: Retained or Contingent?

Understanding the difference between working with a retained recruiter and a contingent recruiter is vital to determine which is best for your unique situation.  

  • Retained Recruiter – A retained recruiter works on an exclusive basis for a client. They typically have a close relationship with the employer and know the culture, the history, and the leadership team. They are focused on finding the right combination of education, skills, leadership style, and contribution to their client’s culture. 
  • Contingent Recruiter – Contingent recruiters are typically generalists who work with various industries and types of positions. They do not often have an exclusive relationship with the employer; the employer only pays the contingent firm once they place a candidate. 

It’s important to note that employers often have relationships with both. In general, contingent recruiters are best at filling junior-level roles and are willing to market your resume to multiple potential employers. Retained recruiters are better suited for senior-level leadership positions that often require a particular skill set. Many of their roles are critical hires, confidential or immediate needs.  

Job Hunting Tips From Our Top Recruiters

With a combined fifty years of experience connecting job seekers to meaningful employment opportunities, the team at Curtis Food Recruiters put their heads together to develop five tips that will help you land your next role faster. 

Get Active in Your Network

It’s easy to take your network for granted while you’re gainfully employed. You might attend an occasional conference, belong to a professional association or have colleagues that you network with, but for the most part, you’re busy with life and work. It is important to continually refresh both professional and networking relationships.  

While 2020 has presented some unique challenges in networking, it’s a great time to pick up the phone and reach out to colleagues you have worked with in the past. People are willing to have those conversations now more than ever. It’s a great way to stay on someone’s radar. 

Additionally, you’d be surprised how many professional organizations are hosting virtual meetings. Be sure to engage in those meetings and aim to be an active participant – it certainly can’t hurt!

Get Social

Take time to be active on social media platforms, especially LinkedIn. This shows prospective employers that you are a thought leader. Write engaging posts, share interests, and interact (liking, commenting, and sharing) with potential employers. Ensure that your social media profile is exactly how you want to present yourself. Consider taking down pictures or posts that do not represent you in a professional way.

Keywords and Key Phrases 

Take a look at your online profiles (LinkedIn, Monster, etc.) and determine what keywords and key phrases a potential employer is using as search terms. To start, review the job descriptions for any positions that you’re interested in. Write down as many keywords and phrases that seem relevant to your next role. 

Now that you have your list, spend some time thinking (and writing down) experiences that you have had. Challenging problems you have solved. Outstanding successes you have had in current/past employers. Write 2-3 sentences that describe the type of position you are most qualified for, and then add the keywords and phrases that are relevant. Adding concrete data and real numbers is a huge advantage, if possible (i.e. “Grew manufacturing sales by 15%”).  

Flexible Resumes

Keeping your resume flexible and making sure it is specifically tailored to the role you’re interested in is critical. There’s nothing that says, “average” to a potential employer more than having a generic resume. Take time to customize your resume for each job application you send. This doesn’t have to be anything elaborate; simply updating job descriptions and experiences accurately to reflect the relevant position is a great way to show your interest.

Interviewing

You’re likely to have interviews, but they may look a little different. Video interviewing is pretty much industry standard right now, so be sure to have a decent internet connection and proper attire. It’s also incredibly vital to embrace the importance of listening and not over-sharing. Practice and be prepared to speak to all aspects of your career that make you stand out, and be able to explain how those experiences will make you successful in the role you are interviewing for. After the interview, be sure to follow up with a thank you, and if you don’t end up getting the job, ask for feedback – positive and critical. Accept rejection gracefully. 

Using one or all of these tips will certainly help you get ahead. Here’s the bottom line: reach out and connect with people. You never know who knows someone looking for your exact background, expertise and personality. Your recruiting partner is your best advocate, so when in doubt, reach out. Good luck!  

About Curtis Food Recruiters 

For over a decade, Curtis Food Recruiters has been matching food and beverage professionals with prominent, rewarding career opportunities. As a full-service executive search firm specializing in the food manufacturing and grocery retail industries, we are dedicated to helping job seekers find (and land) the perfect positions. Contact us today so we can do the same for you.