Brooke Haynes uses her recruiting superpowers to help others find their dream jobs.
She might not be able to leap tall buildings in a single bound, but to the creative professionals she helps, Brooke Haynes is a superhero.
Brooke, who recently joined Hire Profile as a talent manager and recruiter, says one of the most rewarding aspects of her new role is helping people find their dream job.
I’ve always loved the hiring process, and it’s something I have done in my career,” Brooke says. I enjoy meeting and interviewing people. There are few things as satisfying as knowing you’ve helped match the right person with the right career opportunity.
Brooke may have more in common with the people she’s helping find a job than first meets the eye. She recently took a leap of faith and changed careers herself.
After 17 years of working for some of Atlanta’s top advertising and marketing agencies, including LBi, Digitas and 22squared, Brooke knew she was ready to make the move. She wanted to work closer to home in a job that offered flexibility and challenged her professionally. Little did she know an unexpected find at a neighborhood yard sale would set her on the path to her dream job. Sitting on a table, she found the book, Recruiting for Dummies.
She bought it, and the book reinforced what she already knew and highlighted the things she loved doing as an agency hiring manager. After discussing it with her husband, who encouraged her to follow her passion, she was ready to take that leap and move her career in a new direction – one you could say was in her DNA. Brooke’s father was a vice president of HR for 30 years. Now retired from Cisco, he’s an HR consultant. Her decision to follow in his footsteps has made her parents proud.
Brooke’s desire to change careers couldn’t have come at a better time for Nancy Gamble, President and CEO of Hire Profile. Nancy was looking for a creative powerhouse to join her company, and after talking with her, she knew Brooke would be a perfect fit.
“Brooke’s ability to understand client needs, the landscape of the Atlanta creative industry and spot top talent, makes her someone who truly walks the walk and talks the talk, which is what our industry needs” Nancy says.
Building on Strengths
As Brooke embarks on her new role with Hire Profile, she looks to build upon the strengths that have served her well in the advertising world – networking and relationship building.
“I have a strong network of agency professionals and I’m really looking forward to expanding it to include corporate and marketing leaders,” Brooke explains. “I want to meet with hiring managers to learn more about what they’re seeking in potential candidates. Reaching out to people and making connections are the first steps in building trust in relationships. I want to become a go-to resource for them.”
Brooke is also excited to represent talent. She wants to be in their corner, helping position them for success.
“I can’t stress enough the importance of human contact if you’re looking for a new job or wanting to move into a different industry. I encourage people to make those connections. DM on LinkedIn. Attend meetings. Talk to people. Do what you can to put yourself out there.”
In addition to making connections, she coaches candidates to:
- Tailor their resumes to fit specific positions by adding keywords from the job description. It’s fine to have a basic resume that can be customized to make it stand out.
- Prepare for an interview – phone or in person. Learn everything about the company and the interviewer. Use the job description to formulate potential questions and answers.
- Recognize that networking opportunities are everywhere. It can be the fellow parent picking up her child from daycare, the man standing in the grocery line, or the couple at the adjacent table in a restaurant. Anyone could know about a job opening or know someone looking to hire.
- Schedule a video call the day before with their recruiter to go over attire, practice possible questions and answers, and calm nerves.
- Know their worth and never settle for less.
In Good Company
Although she’s only been with Hire Profile a short time, Brooke appreciates how welcoming the team has been. She’s proud to be associated with an organization known throughout the community for placing top talent and solving clients’ needs.
“We thoroughly vet candidates,” Brooke says. “When we propose someone, we make sure our candidates meet the requirements and fit the culture. People who work with us, continue to use us again and again because they’ve come to expect quality candidates from us, and that sets us apart.”
Brooke believes that everyone is a work in progress and has the ability to reinvent themselves to meet the challenges of a changing job market. She recommends potential candidates look for ways to make themselves as marketable as possible – repackage past career successes, learn new skills and expand their network of contacts. When the creative professionals she represents take steps such as these, Brooke won’t need superpowers to help them land their dream jobs.
To connect with Brooke, visit her bio page or connect on LinkedIn.