Hire Up’s Very Own Founder & CEO, Rebecca Kirkman, Featured on Podcast Series

Rebecca Kirkman

President

Hire Up Staffing & Healthcare

May 4, 2022

Working for Hire Up offers endless reasons to be both proud and grateful! Here are just a few of our favorite boasting points:

A fun and active work environment with a team that works hard to support each other and our clients alike
A company culture focused on providing an unsurpassed service experience while creating and maintaining valuable relationships
Leaders show flexibility and care for the needs of others through a generous heart and kind spirit
Hire Up has been recognized by The Business Journal as the #1 Woman-Owned Business in California’s Central Valley

Our very own founder and CEO, Rebecca Kirkman participated in a two-part podcast series, hosted by Extremely Valid Points, a California-based production. In this conversation, Rebecca shared personal insights, and tips for job seekers, employers, and business owners. To listen and/or view the recordings in their entirety, please visit:

Extremely Valid Points Podcast | Episode 23

Extremely Valid Points Podcast | Episode 24

For a summary of our favorite parts in the series, read along for more…

Rebecca’s Background:

Rebecca Kirkman found her way into staffing by way of a position in accounting for a credit bureau. While there, she remained open to opportunities within the organization as they presented themselves. The company needed a supervisor, she stepped up. The company needed a salesperson, she stepped up. Then one day a recruiter contacted her about an open position they had for a client. While speaking with the recruiter, Rebecca discovered that this opportunity was not the right fit for her and politely declined. However, during this conversation, the recruiter decided Rebecca was someone she needed to meet. The recruiter hired Rebecca upon their first meeting, and she became one of their top representatives year after year until she decided to branch out and start her very own staffing agency.

Hire Up has been in business now for 12 years with offices and representation in various states around the country. This organization focuses on serving mid to large-scale companies and this team serves as experts in the people business. Rebecca shared, “It takes human intuition, which is something a computer cannot do. I think that is what our customers value (most) from us. We can get to know people and bring those connections to the market.”

Common Core Values and Personal Attributes:

When it comes to hiring and finding the right fit, Rebecca shares what has worked best for her. Early on with Hire Up, she identified her top ten core values and incorporated them into the foundational framework of her organization. These values have been instrumental in creating and maintaining a positive and dynamic company culture. The values are so important, Hire Up leaders have built interview questions centered around them, geared to identify similar values and characteristics in candidates interested in working for their team. Rebecca finds importance in hiring like-minded and goal-oriented professionals because if the candidate has their own personal goals and internal motivation to achieve them, that same drive can translate over to assisting with meeting the goals of the organization.

Another core value of Hire Up is a giving heart. Candidates who can share their experience in volunteer work or their otherwise demonstrate an awareness to those in need around them, check important boxes for Rebecca. She shared, “Looking for attributes that show they care about others is how I figure out how to pick members of my team.” A baseline knowledge and understanding of the importance of goals and showing a genuine care for others are two principal factors in identifying a successful candidate that will be able to help support and drive the mission of Hire Up.

Tips for Job Seekers:

Rebecca shared her top three tips for job seekers.

Research: Know about the company. Use your resources, online or otherwise, and learn all that you can about the business, its history, its vision.

Learn about the person who is most likely to interview you. Check the company out on LinkedIn and see if you can identify who you may meet. Understand their background, identify questions you may want to ask them during your interview.

Get Comfortable: Nerves can happen before an interview but find confidence in yourself. You know yourself best and you serve as the expert for the jobs you have had. Prepare yourself and go in with confidence. Rebecca recommends not overdoing it on coffee beforehand and listening to music on your way in, it can help calm you.

Be Respectful and Treat Others as a Friend: Many companies will ask the receptionist about your behavior while waiting. Were you kind, impatient, rude to them or others? Be calm. Be yourself. Be kind.

What Candidates Want from Employers:

“Anyone can offer good benefits anyone can pay a dollar more…but what makes it different is something they (your employees) can brag about.”- Rebecca Kirkman

Employers looking to attract talent to their business should think beyond the basics of compensation. These days, employees can be selective when it comes to which job they want to take. This candidate market makes things a little more challenging for businesses. The best way to market YOUR organization to be an employer of choice is to ensure your company culture is something worth celebrating and then do just that- celebrate it!

Rebecca shared a few examples of how Hire Up makes the most of a new employee’s first 90 days. She explained that while every day can seem like a party in their offices, Hire Up leadership makes an intentional effort to ensure an employee’s first 90 days feel that way. Rebecca explained, “Their first 90 days is like a party! We throw them a welcome box with tee shirts and mugs and fun stuff…” This helps to welcome them and keeps new members of the team excited and engaged.

Small gestures can mean the most and help others to feel welcomed, included, and valued. Hire Up also is sure to share their fun on social media. Sharing pictures of their fun work environment not only helps their current team to feel connected, but it also serves as a beacon for potential employees too.

Tips for Business Owners:

Rebecca shared two tips for business owners to ensure their business is in a positive position for growth.

Live within Your Means. Be ready to reinvest in your business. “It can be easy to raise your personal bills to match your level of income, however, that is a formula for a 5-year fallout,” Rebecca warns. Be practical and be prepared to take less than you are giving the business. It is important for business growth. Try to run your business debt-free.
Invest in Your Staff. Rebecca shares that your team is your #1 marketer and therefore should be your highest line item on your profit and loss statement. Make sure your team feels valued and they will return in kind with a passion for your business.

Challenges of a Pandemic: Power of a Fast Pivot and Rally:

Covid created havoc in the workplace and Rebecca shared more about that with the hosts of Extremely Valid Points podcast. She explained that “in a matter of 5 days, 60% of the people working for us lost their jobs,” due to many industries shutting down and sheltering in place. She shared that no one knew what was going to happen next and that thought was extremely stressful for her. “I have always prided myself on being someone who rallies,” Rebecca explained. She allowed herself a pity party and within 24 hours was rallying, collaborating with her team on how to best position themselves for what might happen next.

She remembers asking, “Where is the need?” She and her team identified two key groups.

A large majority of the workforce was home on their phones
The Healthcare industry was in desperate need of support

Using these two groups as their guide, Rebecca’s team started creating and pumping out online content. They uploaded stories, created social media posts, and made sure that Hire Up was front and center to those at home and on their phones. This was a valuable strategy, allowing those not working to see them as a resource for finding work now and or in the future.

It was during this time of worldwide uncertainty that Rebecca’s team landed their largest employer, a healthcare organization. Rebecca and her team worked round the clock to help keep this client staffed. She said, “One of the hardest struggles in business ended up being one of the best things to happen for our business. It has been a struggle, but we knew we needed to pivot and think our way through it. Some people get defeated, and that alone can create more obstacles than the world does.”

Hire Up is led by a passionate and genuine leader, one who has learned valuable lessons along the way and has made people and relationships the center of her work. As a business leader, she is conscientious about doing the right thing for her clients. She sees the role of her company as an advocate for both the job seeker and the organization looking for candidates. This delicate balance can be a challenge, however, by putting people first, Rebecca Kirkman has made a name for herself and for the organization with which she leads.

If you are looking for a new opportunity, are a leader or business owner looking for support from the experts in staffing, the team at Hire Up is ready to serve. Call them today to find out how they can help. Hire Up has teams around the country waiting to support you and your specific needs.

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“Attracting the Right Employees for Your Business with Rebecca Kirkman.” Extremely Valid Points Podcast, https://extremelyvalidpoints.com/episode-23/.

Rebecca Kirkman, President | May 4, 2022

Rebecca Kirkman is the President and Founder of Hire Up Staffing & Healthcare Services. Rebecca’s mission is as simple today as it was when she started Hire Up over 10 years ago: Connecting great Employers with great Employees. Hire Up leads job seekers to their dream careers and employers to their dream team. The true belief in the human connection and that people hire people is a passion for every Hire Up employee. Rebecca was proudly named the #1 Woman-Owned Business by The Business Journal.