Since joining the Acara team in 2018, Recruitment Specialist Rebecca has excelled at keeping pace in a constantly changing industry. She says the reason she is so well-versed in the industry is due to her experiences working at other staffing agencies. Additionally, her long career in talent acquisition has provided her with industry knowledge that she leverages to combat today’s tight labor market.

In the latest edition of our “All-In at Acara” series, learn how Rebecca Pallone’s passion for fostering meaningful connections with clients and candidates has propelled her to succeed when pairing candidates with the best-fit company.

Life before recruiting

I grew up in Clifton Park, New York, and graduated from The College of Saint Rose with a degree in business administration and a minor in marketing. I originally had goals of working in the marketing industry but found myself in business administration upon my graduation when I accepted a role as a junior recruiter in Hoboken, New Jersey. Here, I was responsible for sourcing and presenting candidates to more senior recruiters. Eventually, I landed a role as a full-cycle recruiter in New York City.

Joining Acara

After living in New York City for just under three years, my husband and I relocated back to the capital district of New York. I still wanted to remain in the staffing and recruiting industry, but I was looking for an opportunity to really develop and grow as a recruiter. I heard about an opening with Acara and applied directly. The corporate culture, opportunities for personal and professional growth, and teams here were exactly what I was looking for in a company after moving.

The Acara experience

In my role as a Recruitment Specialist, I am responsible for connecting with hiring managers to ensure that I fully understand what are looking for in a potential employee. From there, I create and post the job opening, review submitted applications and resumes, and conduct preliminary interviews. I then present qualified candidates to our clients and help to facilitate the arrangement of secondary interviews and final offers. Essentially, I oversee nearly all aspects of the recruitment process.

This role can certainly be challenging in today’s tight labor market. An economy with more job openings than available candidates poses issues for businesses across multiple industries. To be attractive to candidates, companies must ensure that they go above and beyond regarding employee retention efforts. This includes offering benefits such as flexible work arrangements, bonuses, professional development opportunities, and positive company culture.

Despite these challenges, it is truly rewarding to know I am making a difference in our candidates’ lives by helping place them with a company that is a perfect match for them. I have always had a passion for meeting and helping people, and I consider myself lucky that developing meaningful relationships every day is part of my job. It is my hope that our candidates will enjoy working for their employer as much as I enjoy working for Acara.

Industry outlook

When I first started working in the recruiting industry, remote work was essentially unheard of. Since starting with Acara, the type of positions I recruit for has changed immensely. I have started to dive more into professional IT and engineering roles because the industry has grown so much in the last two decades.

Additionally, today’s interviews are virtual, and many full-time positions are remote. This is due, in part, to the pandemic, but I also feel that it is because of how technology is affecting the way we, as a society, work. In fact, I work remotely. Acara has succeeded at keeping pace with this industry’s change by offering flexible work options for anyone who wants or needs them.

To that same end, technology is drastically changing the way the talent acquisition industry operates. Data analysis has become incredibly important in driving success. Simply put, data analysis helps recruiters understand the specific factors that will lead to successful placements on both the candidate and client sides. Secondly, those companies with advanced internal technology platforms will differentiate one agency from the others. This competitive advantage allows recruiters to spend more time focusing on people and communicating with candidates and clients, leaving the analytical and organizational operations to technology.

Life outside the industry

When I am not working, I am most likely spending time with my husband and our one-year-old daughter, Maddie. I start each morning by getting her ready for the day and enjoying a cup of coffee. However, if I have any free time to myself, I enjoy shopping or binging a new series. One day I hope to travel with my family to Italy. I would love to experience all the vibrant culture, history, and food.

For more information about Rebecca, visit her LinkedIn page here.