General

This article is part of a series. To read Part 1 on the Best of Keyot 2018 Overall Winner, click here.

To read part 2 on the Best of Keyot 2018 – “Drive to Win” Winners, click here.

To read part 3 on the Best of Keyot 2018 – “Lead the Way” Winners, click here.

To read part 4 on the Best of Keyot 2018 – “Give Time & Wisdom” Winners, click here.

To read part 5 on the Best of Keyot 2018 – “Love What We Do” Winners, click here.

Our final Keyot Core Value in the “Best of Keyot” Awards series is CARE ABOUT YOU. The two people being recognized exemplify this Core Value by leading with empathy and caring for our candidates and consultants in all they do. For CARE ABOUT YOU, we would like to recognize Jeanine Rickson (Director of Recruiting) and Annette Germann (Finance Manager). Congratulations, Jeanine and Annette!

First we will chat with Jeanine Rickson, Director of Recruiting:

How did you get started in recruiting?

Jeanine: Networking! A friend and former colleague was working for a small consulting firm and asked me if I had ever thought of recruiting. I had an operational leadership and HR background but had never considered it. I didn’t even know exactly what a recruiter did in a consulting firm, but I decided to be open to the possibilities. They took a chance on me and I started on a path that led me to Laura Kelly and the rest is history!

What do you love most about it?

I have always loved working with people. When you do something you love, it doesn’t feel like work, even when it is hard. I love that the business of consulting is intellectually challenging, always changing, and demands that you be on top of your game all the time. I love learning about the work talented people do and how they do it and the thrill of making the right match for a project and a role. I also love when I can be a part of changing someone’s life for the better, whether it is more money or a growth opportunity or flexibility or even a new direction to a role they can excel at.

Recruiting is a fast-paced role. How many candidates would you say you talk to in a year and how do you manage your time?

Hundreds! Thousands of profiles and resumes reviewed to find the right person at the right time for the right role in the right part of town for the right rate or salary with the right personality and cultural fit! Whew!

This is always a challenge. This work never comes nicely paced out and it doesn’t start at 8 and end at 5. Time management is something I have to work on all the time. I love trying new organizational systems with hopes I never drop a ball. I have had to learn I can’t talk to everyone as much as I would like to. I focus on top priorities for our clients and their needs while balancing working proactively for the unknown future opportunities. I would love to hear how others organize themselves and for any candidate I did drop the ball, please forgive me!

You’re Keyot’s veteran recruiter and we consistently hear about how great you are from candidates. Your authenticity and ability to find the right role for our candidates is inspiring. What do you think are the most important parts of finding a great “match” for each candidate?

Thank you!

I was blessed early on in my career with some wonderful mentors and role models who taught me that great work comes from a motivated team. Motivation is different for everyone and they taught me the importance of truly listening to what each person says, watch their body language, to hear their story and respect it. I work very hard on that. It isn’t that I discover the right match as much as the candidate tells me what their right match is and I hope to connect the dots.

Thank you for sharing Jeanine! Our recruiting team is fortunate to have you at the helm.

Next up is Annette Germann, Finance Manager for Keyot.

What does your role as Finance Manager entail at Keyot?

Annette: Payroll – make sure our employees and consultants get paid (most feel this is the most important)

Benefits – enroll employees into benefits and maintain all our benefits

Consultant Onboarding after hire – make sure all consultants have everything they need to record their time correctly with client and Keyot, as well as any client specific information they should have. I also make sure we have all paperwork in place to ensure we can invoice our clients. I verify all Pay Rates and Bill Rates are correct. For W2 employees, I make sure they have the benefit info needed to enroll in benefits and make sure they sign the Employee Handbook. For IC’s (independent contractors), I collect the proper insurance certificates.

Accounts Payable – make sure all our vendors get paid, including our ICs.

Accounts Receivables – collect timesheets from over 200 consultants, invoice our clients and make sure all invoicing gets done and money gets recorded correctly

Consultant Financial Reporting – create reports that help Partners and back office stay on top of our consultants better with how many hours they are working as well as financial reports regarding consultants for our Partners.

Contact Database Maintenance – make sure ALL of our databases are kept up to date with current consultant contact information

What’s your favorite part of your job?

Tough question because I truly love ALL that I do. I love working with numbers. Most find this boring and frustrating, but I just LOVE numbers. I never tire of them or get bored. I would have to say my favorite though is working with the consultants. I don’t get to do this as much as I used to, but I love helping them and talking to them when I get a chance. Someone at Keyot told me just recently that I am the only person at Keyot who has had contact at some point in the process with every consultant we have ever had. When I think about it, she was right! Nine years ago when I started, it was just me doing all of the back office duties and full onboarding along with the current duties I still do today. I guess I love that fact. I love that I have been a part of Keyot the longest and have been here to support them from pretty much the start. I love that I have been a part of the journey from having one consultant to now having over 200!!  Wow how far we have come!!! I love that. As you can see, a favorite is tough to pick.

We hear about you from our consultants more than anyone else in the back office! Our consultants love you because you’re willing to help with benefits, ensure they get payroll and answer whatever other questions they might have. How do you manage to stay on top of things for more than 200 consultants? What advice can you give to any new consultants that might be navigating this landscape for the first time?

I am so happy our consultants feel that way, because I really do make an effort to show them Keyot cares about them. Making the effort is easy because I genuinely care about people in general. It is important to me that people feel comfortable and happy in my space. I have had great mentorship from our Partners to reinforce to me exactly how important that is. They have been great role models for me in all I do.

How do I manage my time you ask? Checklists!!! I am the checklist queen. I get teased a bit about my checklists, but for me they work well. With so many moving pieces to the puzzle of my job, I need them. They work for me. I have multiple very extensive checklists I use to keep track of all the little pieces. It’s like a puzzle sometimes to put everything together correctly and my checklists keep me on track.

My advice to consultants to navigate through our system is to take a few minutes to read through the information they are given. I know it’s a lot all at once, but the information they get is all very important to their new role. I feel if they take the few extra minutes, they will have a good understanding and feel better about how to navigate through our system. When they rush, they miss things and feel confused. I know it can be overwhelming with information, so we are ALWAYS here for them to answer questions. I do feel phone calls sometimes work better and are less confusing.

Thank you for sharing your insights with us Annette. Keyot and our consultants have been fortunate to have you all these years!

This article is part of a series. To read Part 1 on the Best of Keyot 2018 Overall Winner, click here.

To read part 2 on the Best of Keyot 2018 – “Drive to Win” Winners, click here.

To read part 3 on the Best of Keyot 2018 – “Lead the Way” Winners, click here.

To read part 4 on the Best of Keyot 2018 – “Give Time & Wisdom” Winners, click here.

Our next Keyot Core Value in the “Best of Keyot” Awards series is LOVE WHAT WE DO. The two people being recognized exemplify this Core Value by always showing up with a smile and a positive attitude, while performing their jobs at an exceptional level and with true passion. For LOVE WHAT WE DO, we would like to recognize Jess LaValle (MN Office Manager) and Sean Anderson (Crew212 Recruiter). Congratulations, Jess and Sean, we’re happy that you love what you do and we love having you on the team!

First we will be chatting with Jess LaValle, our amazing Office Manager:

What are some of the reasons you love your job?

Jess: I love the people I get to work with and love the variety of things I do each day – helping others is something that makes me happy.

I understand you’re the proud parent of two pups named Bennie and Ox who you like to bring around the office occasionally. What’s it like to work in a pet friendly office?

Working in a pet friendly office keeps the stresses of a work day under control – how can you not be happy and feel a bit lighter when you get a puppy kiss now and then!

You’re the Office Manager for the MN office, help out with every other market, and are an executive assistant to three of the partners. You anticipate needs, take the initiative, and most importantly, you do it all with a great big smile on your face! You truly Love What You Do. Is there any advice you can give on staying positive in the workplace and effectively managing stress?

Show gratitude! Seeing the positive qualities in your teammates helps bring out the positive qualities in you…appreciate the little wins and smile… 😊

Thank you for sharing with us Jess!

Next up is Sean Anderson, a fantastic Crew212 Recruiter:

How did you get started in recruiting?

Sean: After graduating from the University of Iowa with a degree in Business Analytics, I knew that I wanted to pursue a role that utilized my communication skills while still leveraging my technical ones. After speaking with Cindy and the Iowa team, it was clear that a Delivery Coordinator/Recruiting role at Keyot would be a great way to start my career!

At Keyot, we pride ourselves on finding the right “match” between candidate and client. What do you look for when you’re finding that match?

When finding the right match, it is vital to clearly understand your client’s needs for each specific position. Which technical skills are necessary? How much experience is required? What is the working environment and company culture like? Who has been successful there in the past? These kinds of questions help you understand the characteristics of an ideal candidate and will lead to creating a great match.

You currently hold the Crew212 interview record at a whopping 35+ interviews performed in a single week. How do you effectively manage all your candidates?

When dealing with a large number of candidates, there are a few strategies I use to effectively manage them. First off, utilizing an Outlook calendar ensures that I never miss an interview and that I always call on time. Also, taking detailed notes before, during, and after the interview has aided my decision making immensely.

As one of the newest members to the Crew212 team, your coworkers have taken quick notice of your ability to network and always perform your work with a smile on your face. Do you have any advice on those looking to improve their networking skills? And what are some of the reasons you love your job?

For those looking to improve their networking skills I would suggest using social media as a tool to meet new people with similar interests and more importantly to maintain/grow current relationships. One of my biggest takeaways from networking is that if neither individual, or just one individual, maintains the relationship, it will fail. A successful relationship requires continuous effort from both parties outside of social media, don’t underestimate the impact of a simple cup of coffee.

As a new employee of Keyot, there are many things I love about my job! From Keyot’s values and company culture to its development opportunities like Scrum Master certification, my time with Keyot thus far has been incredible and I am extremely grateful to be a part of the team!

Thank you Sean, we’re grateful to have you on the team too!

This article is part of a series. To read Part 1 on the Best of Keyot 2018 Overall Winner, click here.

To read part 2 on the Best of Keyot 2018 – “Drive to Win” Winners, click here.

To read part 3 on the Best of Keyot 2018 – “Lead the Way” Winners, click here.

Our next Keyot Core Value in the “Best of Keyot” Awards series is GIVE TIME & WISDOM. The three people being recognized exemplify this Core Value through their selflessness and willingness to always lend a hand (or an ear). For GIVE TIME & WISDOM, we would like to recognize Renee Neppl (Program Manager for Crew212™), Molly Woodruff (Delivery Manager) and Diane Brass (Controller). Congratulations, Renee, Molly, and Diane and thank you for giving your time and wisdom!

First up is Renee, Program Manager for Crew212:

You’re the Program Manager for our Crew212 Program. What does that role entail?

Renee: The Program Manager is instrumental in creating awareness about the Crew212 program with potential candidates and universities across our target areas; identifying and selecting the top talent and ultimately launching the consultants into our program. I describe Crew212 as a “wrap around support system” which provides over 200 hours of training and development throughout a year and on-going mentoring.

How many schools do you have relationships with and how do you keep those relationships alive?

We partner with over 200 schools across the United States and continue these relationships by scheduling time to meet face-to-face on campus or over the phone to learn about industry trends, potential partnerships with students and faculty and discuss how the Crew212 program offers a wrap around support system to students.

In addition to assisting our back office with any myriad number of things, you give your time and wisdom as a mentor to more than 100 young professionals in the Crew212 program. This includes walking them through the recruiting and offer stages, start dates, insurance questions, bootcamp questions, lodging and travel questions, first placement questions, and even on the job mentoring. What’s your favorite part of the job and what wisdom can you give to other young professionals just starting their careers?

Over the past 5 years as a Crew212 Program Manager, we have hired over 200 individuals in the Crew212 program. The best part of my job is being a part of launching young professionals in their career, watching their personal and professional life flourish and providing mentoring along the way. I truly have one of the most rewarding jobs and look forward to the continued growth of the Crew212 program. My best advice is applying the one extra degree in everything you do. Remember… the small things can make a significant impact.

Thank you for your insight, Renee! The Crew212 Program wouldn’t be the same without you.

Next up is Molly Woodruff, Delivery Manager:

What’s your favorite part of your job?

Molly: My favorite part of my job is that I get to be involved in a multitude of different things and work with some amazing individuals. From a Delivery Manager perspective, I love that I get to constantly help people grow their careers and find opportunities that best fit their skill set and career goals. I like that it not only gives me the opportunity to work with our consultants but also our clients! I especially enjoy working with the Crew212 Members as they grow and develop over the course of their first year with us, it is beyond rewarding to see!

Why do you think our clients enjoy having a Delivery Manager?

I think our clients enjoy having Delivery Managers because it gives them someone who is striving to ensure that the consultants are performing and meeting the needs of the client. Delivery Managers not only establish the relationship with the clients but with the consultants as well which gives the clients the opportunity to also see things from another perspective. They are really the people that the clients can utilize to tackle challenging conversations but also celebrate with when things are going well!

As a Delivery Manager, you often provide guidance to our consultants. What’s the best advice you’ve ever received and what’s some advice you routinely give?

The best advice that I have ever received is “Perception is Reality!” This is something that I routinely give out as advice because not only can people use it in their professional life but also their personal life. Just because you feel like you said something one way does not always mean that others perceive it that way or heard it the way you meant it. In life it is very important to over communicate and ensure that what others are perceiving is what you are meaning. Perception is reality!

You wear a lot of different hats at Keyot and giving your time & wisdom seems to be second nature. You’re a Delivery Manager, Salesforce guru, and even manage all the Stay the Course training for our Crew212 folks. On top of all of this, you’re a mother of three. How do you do it?!

As odd as it sounds, the busier I am, the better I am at what I do! I love being involved in multiple things because it helps me learn the business from all sides. But the chaos does not come without some killer organizational skills. I live by my calendar to help me be successful in managing not only work but all of the kids and their activities in my personal life. I would be completely lost without my calendar and my infallible love for lists!

Thank you for chatting with us Molly, you’re a great Delivery Manager!

Finally we will be chatting with Diane Brass, Controller for Keyot:

What does being Controller at Keyot entail?

Diane: As the Controller, I oversee all financial aspects of Keyot and work hard to be a good steward of the Company’s financial operations.  I prepare a lot of financial reports, analytics, budgets and projections.  I help with a lot of things at Keyot ranging from contract review and negotiations to administering software implementation and efficiencies.  There are a lot of things that happen behind the scenes for the Company to run smoothly and I help to make that happen as seamless as possible!  It’s tough to summarize all that my job entails in a brief paragraph.

What’s your favorite part of your job?

The variety of work each day and working with awesome people!  I enjoy the mix of financial work, software challenges, tax code updates and spontaneous “special” projects.

You perform a variety of roles at Keyot, including manage the financial health of the organization, provide Salesforce support to our back office employees, and teach an annual financial management class for our consultants. How do you stay organized enough to give back so much of your time and wisdom? Are there other ways outside of work that you like to give your time, wisdom, & resources?

I start each day with a list of tasks that need to get done and work from there. If I need to adjust my schedule to help with something that suddenly comes up, I rearrange my priorities for the day and work to still get everything done. I work long days each day I’m here but am sometimes amazed at all that gets accomplished in a day! I really enjoy helping people and sharing what I have learned from my life experiences.

I have a big family which includes 27 nieces and nephews that keep me busy outside of work. We gather frequently and help each other through a lot of life’s challenges. They are all involved with various charities and I help as much as I can – financially and volunteering. My mom was a strong advocate of helping people less fortunate than herself and I have tried to carry on her work after she passed away 6 years ago.

We appreciate all that you do for Keyot, Diane. Thank you for giving your time & wisdom!

This article is part of a series. To read Part 1 on the Best of Keyot 2018 Overall Winner, click here.

To read part 2 on the Best of Keyot 2018 – “Drive to Win” Winners, click here.

The second Keyot Core Value we will be covering in our “Best of Keyot” Awards series is LEAD THE WAY. The three people being recognized today exemplify this Core Value by never being afraid to take the lead and blaze new trails for Keyot. For LEAD THE WAY, we would like to recognize Andrew Reiter (Delivery Manager), Chris Fiala (Recruiter) and Chaz Gerads (Director of Client Solutions). Congratulations, Andrew, Chris and Chaz and thank you for always leading the way!

First up is Andrew Reiter, one of our spectacular Delivery Managers:

What’s your favorite part of your job?

Andrew: To be honest, I have too many favorites to list. One of the favorite parts of my job is watching a consultant start with a client and begin making an impact within the organization. From the time we “make the match” between consultant and client, it’s exciting to see the consultant get up to speed on their project(s) and watch them flourish as they use their expertise to make a difference for the client.

Why do you think our clients enjoy having a Delivery Manager?

The Delivery Manger role is a differentiator for Keyot and our clients. I believe our clients have satisfaction in knowing there is DM who is focused on helping the sales team match the right people to their organization as they expand. Our clients are busy, so the more we can do for them during the candidate selection and onboarding process ultimately gives them more time for other priorities. I believe the consistent check-ins we have together over the course of the engagement are extremely impactful as well. It is our promise that we will not let a project fail!

As a Delivery Manager, you often provide guidance to our consultants. What’s the best advice you’ve ever received and what’s some advice you routinely give?

“Give value, give value, give value.” During my time as a consultant, I was often faced with ambiguity and project uncertainty. During those times I’d ask myself, “Who can I help in order to make this project more successful?” or “What value can I give in order to make this person’s job easier, to provide more transparency or inspire action?” For me, consistently focusing on giving some sort of value, regardless of the situation or task, helped to ensure project success and comradery among my peers – and that is something that I consistently advise consultants. Give value, do the right thing, and it will pay dividends in the future.

You started your journey with Keyot as a member of the Crew212 program. How do you think that experience helps you Lead the Way as a Delivery Manager?

Being a member of Crew212 has helped me to Lead the Way because I was exposed to so many different roles and experiences! You could say I “consulted up the ladder” and moved relatively quickly into leadership roles early on in my journey. I firmly believe I would not have gotten those opportunities had I not started in Crew212. Now as a Delivery Manager, I can really resonate with consultants on the triumphs and struggles they face during projects. I’m able to be a set of listening ears for them or provide guidance and suggestions on what worked for me as I progressed through my journey as a consultant.

Thank you, Andrew! We appreciate your insight.

Next, we’ll chat with Chris Fiala, Recruiter:

How did you get started in recruiting?

Chris: My girlfriend (now wife) completed an internship during college with a national recruiting firm. She was going back to school to finish her last semester and the firm needed a replacement, so I was curious to learn about recruiting and took the position. I started out as a Sourcer, learning all things recruiting. Roughly 9 months later, I realized I loved it and wanted to recruit IT professionals.

What do you love most about it?

I love seeing people progress professionally, placing them for the first time is rewarding. But building long lasting relationships and placing them for a second or third time is what I love most.

Recruiting is a fast-paced role. How many candidates would you say you talk to in a year and how do you manage your time?

I would say roughly 4,000 – 5,000 candidates per year. Managing time is difficult but we have amazing technology here at Keyot to help with that. Building good relationships with candidates that also follow up regularly helps me stay in touch in a timely fashion.

At Keyot, we pride ourselves on finding the right “match” between candidate and client. What do you look for when you’re finding that match?

90% of the time, I look for candidates that have stayed on a project for 9+ months. It is important to me that candidates have listed what they were tasked with and what they accomplished. We work with senior consultants and they need to be able to hit the ground running.

You Led the Way in 2018 by starting a user group for data enthusiasts. Tell me about your passion for the data community and any plans you might have for 2019.

Our data user group was a success for both our senior level consultants and Crew212 (college hire program). 2018 was full of accomplishments and a huge growth year at Keyot. Personally, hiring data consultants has turned more from a passion to a purposeful commitment to those I have met in the data community. The people in the data community continue to amaze me. They are continuously learning, driving change, and bringing new ideas (augmented analytics, Big Data, Machine Learning) to our clients.  January has been off to a great start with several new jobs in the data space. I plan to continue building new relationships with the Twin Cities data market and help as many people as I can.

Thanks Chris! We’re looking forward to everything you accomplish in 2019.

Last, but certainly not least, is Chaz Gerads, Director of Client Solutions:

What’s your favorite part of your job?

Chaz: Partnering with clients to deliver innovative workforce solutions that allow them to meet their business goals and objectives. I love a challenge and I love helping our clients however I can, so this job has been very rewarding for me.

How do you balance the needs of the various different client partners you work with?

By approaching each client and opportunity open minded and with eyes wide open – while client partners may be trying to reach similar business objectives, they all have a uniqueness to their business, their environment, etc.

You’re known for being an exceptional member of our client solutions team and consistently “Lead the Way” with innovative solutions for our client partners. What do you think is the key to your success when it comes to figuring out a great, innovative fits for the client?

The key to success for me is building real, authentic relationships with my client partners. For me this means being comfortable with supporting partners through sharing my wisdom, prior project experiences, and network of contacts – every partnership/engagement doesn’t necessarily result in a revenue-recognizable engagement for Keyot, and that’s okay. My passion/love for what I do is easily recognizable by the client partners I service.

Thank you for your time Chaz, we appreciate you leading the way for our clients!

This article is part of a series. To read Part 1 on the Best of Keyot 2018 Overall Winner, click here.

The first Keyot Core Value we will be covering in our “Best of Keyot” Awards series is DRIVE TO WIN. The two people being recognized today exemplify this Core Value by putting their all into their jobs and truly going the extra mile in everything they do. For DRIVE TO WIN, we would like to recognize Courtney Clark (Recruiter) and Stephanie Pella (Director of Client Solutions). Congratulations Courtney and Steph and thank you for all your hard work!

First up, we will be interviewing Courtney:

How did you get started in recruiting?

Courtney: In complete transparency, when I graduated from college I never saw myself in a recruiting role. I was more of a process/project management minded person at the time. But, then I started with Keyot as part of the Crew212 program. I fell in love with the company and eventually I got to the point where I wanted to share my experiences with others who may be looking for a new opportunity and I wanted them to see all of the great things that Keyot has to offer, both in the Crew212 program and on the Core consulting side. It’s easy to talk about a company that you wholeheartedly believe in. My shift to the Core side of recruiting was more of just wanting to tackle a new challenge. It is much different that the Crew212 recruiting engine.

What do you love most about it?

Personally, I love the fact that it pushes me outside of my comfort zone. I am not naturally someone who will just strike up a conversation with anyone, but this role encourages me to do that. It’s fun to watch myself grow! Professionally, I really like learning about all the interesting things that are going on in Des Moines. I also love the fact that I can help people become the best versions of themselves in their career.

Recruiting is a fast-paced role. How many candidates would you say you talk to in a year and how do you manage your time?

I haven’t quite been doing this for a whole year… but in the last 6 months I would say that I have talked to about 600 – 800 candidates. One thing I have learned in this role is that my time is dictated by someone else. I need to be flexible to accommodate other people’s schedules (to an extent obviously – work/life balance). But Outlook has become my best friend. I color code things so that I know exactly where a candidate is at in our process, etc.

At Keyot, we pride ourselves on finding the right “match” between candidate and client. What do you look for when you’re finding that match?

When talking to a candidate, I mainly look for their willingness to learn and how quickly they can get up to speed on things. Clients come to Keyot for candidates who are go-getters and who can just jump in right away – that is what we are known for.

You’ve excelled in a variety of roles with Keyot since you started in 2016. First as part of the Crew212 program, next as a Delivery Coordinator, and now as a recruiter. In 2018 you catapulted yourself to the #2 overall recruiting spot at Keyot. How do you maintain a consistent and clear “Drive to Win” in each of your endeavors? What advice would you give to others who want to “Win” more?

Well first off, thank you! 😊 To answer your question, I maintain my Drive to Win through my passion for what I do. I am the type of person who doesn’t really care about what the role/job is as long as I can find a passion for it. In this case, my passion is what drives me every day to help our clients and to help my team be successful. My advice to others: I feel like a broken record here… but my advice is to find something that you are passionate about and chase after it.

Thank you for your time Courtney and congratulations!

Next up we will be talking with Stephanie Pella:

What’s your favorite part of your job?

Stephanie: The best part of my job with Keyot as a Director of Client Solutions is helping meet the needs of our clients while also helping our people find the right role. We are very focused on ensuring we have the right solution for our clients, and our consultants – every time! Each and every client has a specific challenge they are facing, and ultimately a business problem to solve. It’s very rewarding to be in a position to help solve those issues and make sure we make the “right match” whether that is a consultant placed, delivering a project or workforce transformation solution. I enjoy partnering with our clients to truly understand the unique challenges they face specific to their industry. It’s exciting to learn new industries every day. It takes time to cultivate a successful client partnership, and I am invested long term in ensuring we are providing value and exceeding their expectations, always!

How do you balance the needs of the various different client partners you work with?

It’s a balancing act with the best support team you could ask for, it takes an entire team to be successful and deliver for our clients. There is always a close partnership internally between sales/recruiting and delivery management to understand the unique nature of each clients’ needs and their respective business challenges. Also, maintaining organization is key to success, and communication at every turn in the process to ensure expectations are clearly defined and we deliver. Things can move fast and furious in this business and change frequently.

You were the top member of the client solutions team in 2018, closing 1 in 6 of every requirements you had and coming up with some great solutions for our clients. What does it take to Drive to Win in your role and how do you so consistently identify great fits for our clients?

You have to have a positive attitude and determination above all else. Finding the right fit or solution isn’t always easy or obvious. Being tenacious and not giving up helps bring the right solution to light. Asking the right questions and keeping an open mind is key – offer a creative solution when it isn’t always obvious. Listen to what your client partner is really saying. The drive to win, to me, means that we listen/understand first and remain steadfast and committed to our clients and our consultants to do what is needed to ensure the right match above all else. We have to truly care throughout the entire process, start to finish to identify the right talent for our client partners.

Thanks for chatting with us Stephanie and congratulations again!

2018 was a year of incredible growth for Keyot.  Late in 2017, the Keyot ownership team expanded our Sales, Recruiting, Crew212 and Delivery Management teams to better serve our growing customer base. Over the course of 2018, our Core Consulting business grew by 25% and our Crew212 business grew by an amazing 148% as more companies have fully leveraged the power of this workforce solution. At our 2019 strategy session at the end of 2018, the owners recognized some heroic efforts that made 2018 results possible – even in the midst of onboarding some new team members – in the first ever “Best of Keyot” awards. Over the next several weeks, we will be posting articles about these Keyot superstars. Their commitment to their craft, passion for quality and daily example of living our Core Values is what earned them this “Best of Keyot” spotlight.  Join me in congratulating them and their teams!

-Laura Kelly, CEO

2018 OVERALL WINNER: Tara Shaw, Delivery Manager

Our overall winner for 2018 is Tara Shaw, Head of Delivery Management at Keyot. This award goes to the individual who embodies all our core values in very meaningful ways to ensure that our guarantee of “we will never let a project fail” is met on every engagement. For all her efforts in 2018, we would like to recognize her and all the fantastic work she does. The following is an interview with Tara, within which we hoped to learn some of the keys to her success:

First of all, what is Delivery Management in the context of Keyot?

Tara: Delivery Management entails ensuring the success of any effort performed by our consultants. It starts by making the right match between candidate and client opportunity and continues with supporting our consultants during an engagement and keeping close to our clients to get feedback and provide any needed coaching or assistance to our consultant throughout the engagement. This is one of the things that drew me to Keyot as a consultant; I loved that they knew me as an individual, were thoughtful about the assignments they gave me and could tell they really cared about me and their clients. Of course, Keyot’s dog-friendly office really clinched the deal though!

Delivery Management is a key differentiator for Keyot. Why do you think clients enjoy having a Delivery Manager?

Delivery Management allows Keyot to live up to our guarantee – we never let a project fail. It gives peace of mind to our clients to know that Keyot is present throughout the engagement and that our Delivery Managers are able to use their own execution experience to support their efforts.

You are a Delivery Manager to over 40 people in 3 states, how do you manage that?

I can honestly say I never get bored! I’m a classic extrovert – getting my energy from being around people, which is a perfect fit for this role since it’s all people all the time – candidates, consultants, clients and my fellow Keyot back office colleagues. Meeting so many interesting people, hearing their stories, and helping them succeed is so rewarding and motivating. Working at a dog-friendly office means that whenever I have a stressful moment, I can take a time out and pet a pup and who doesn’t love that? (Did I mention I love dogs?)

You are also Head of Delivery Management for Keyot. What does that entail?

I manage a team of rock star Delivery Managers who all bring unique backgrounds and experience in project execution that strengthen our team. I provide coaching and mentorship to the team when needed, help them develop their own careers, set best practices and processes and train new hires.

Do you think being a former consultant has made you a better Delivery Manager?

Absolutely! Having consulted for years myself makes me a natural advocate for our consultants. I understand the challenges that our consultants and clients face and try to leverage my own experience to help their efforts succeed. Seeing through the lens of a consultant helps me ensure the right match for our candidates and clients.

How did you get into consulting? What do you love most about it?

After having a few years under my belt as a Business Analyst, I wanted to learn new industries and technologies, so I made the leap into consulting. I ended up moving back into an employee role where I learned Project Management and went back into consulting with that skill. My favorite thing about consulting is the variety and continuous learning. I was able to work in many industries and many types of roles, which meant my brain was constantly being challenged and I was always growing. Whenever I left consulting for a full time position, I always missed the fast paced, ever changing consulting world. One of my favorite things about my new job is helping people overcome their fear of the unknown and introduce them to all the exciting possibilities that consulting could hold for them.

You’re known by your coworkers as being both efficient and effective. What have you learned in your years of experience that have helped you become this way?

That’s so lovely to hear! Having project and program management in my background, I’ve needed to hone my organization skills over the years, which has been vital to this role. Years of consulting has made me unafraid of trying new things and has instilled the value of learning from your mistakes. At Keyot, we are always striving to be better and being agile-minded, we try something and make adjustments to improve. I love being at a company where new ideas are embraced in the spirit of striving to be the best.

What’s the best advice you’ve ever received and what’s some advice you routinely give to your consultants?

A manager told me early in my career to always have a general career path or goal in mind but stay open to possibilities and I have followed this throughout my career. It’s crucial to build strong relationships throughout your career, and sometimes those relationships open up possibilities you have never considered. That’s how I ended up in this position! My relationships with the leaders at Keyot led me to try Delivery Management, a role that wasn’t on my radar, and it has become my favorite job I’ve ever had! I pass this advice on to consultants and candidates I interact with daily.

Thank you for your time Tara and congratulations on your success!