smartdept, Author at smartdept.

The Zombie

1. The Zombie

Okay, it’s true, zombies are as popular as ever. Movies, shows, conventions about movies and shows — it goes on and on. Hey, for the purpose of entertainment, I love them too. But there’s one place that zombies are not welcome (anyone?). That’s right. In an interview. In this context, a “zombie” refers to a person who continually gives one-word answers and generally refuses to engage in a “conversation” during the interview.

There are many elements involved in successfully navigating the interview process. The most obvious is having the exact skill set the prospective employer is seeking. But perhaps the second most obvious is communication — being able to talk through a solution you’re offering in your portfolio, for example. Or, your approach to a difficult situation you encountered at another job and how you worked through it. Clear, concise communication can leave a prospective employer impressed and can sometimes be a difference maker if other elements of your interview come up short.

Besides, think of all the money you’ll save not having to buy zombie make-up! All by simply being conversational with your approach to an interview.

from the desk of smartdept. inc. Principal, Eric Pairitz

Introducing our new blog series – Interview Don’ts

I would like to formally (or informally) introduce smartdept’s new blog series — cleverly entitled, Interview Don’ts. This eight-part series was created to help give potential candidates an edge by making light of a few “don’ts” that we occasionally see while interviewing.

Accompanying these short bits of useful knowledge are video performances depicting, in a (not so) real way, how these scenarios might play out.

In addition, I am pleased to introduce, The Not Ready For Bedtime Players, a small, but mighty group of performers who took the stage in these budget-busting depictions.

Stay tuned for the first installment tomorrow, and enjoy!

from the desk of smartdept. inc. Principal: Eric Pairitz

A Career, Transitioned

I graduated from Indiana University with a degree in television production. But even though my background exposed me to the creative process, I would never have claimed to be an expert on the subject — prior to becoming a Creative Consultant at smartdept. inc., that is! I began my role as a Smartie almost 4 months ago. On my first day, I could hardly fill out an I-9 form, let alone confidently identify the difference between a UX and UI designer. I discovered that my television experience — combined with a minor in graphic design and some terrific mentoring from my fellow consultants — has allowed me to very quickly become comfortable in my new role.

Prior to joining smartdept. inc., I had the good fortune to work as a web producer at WGN. I worked in the newsroom, where each day was different and exciting in its own way. In the newsroom the deadlines for story coverage seemed to creep in earlier by the day — and even though the stakes were high, I really enjoyed the work. When I made the transition to creative recruiting, I found that this new environment was very similar to a newsroom. Just as stories would break at WGN, new positions are constantly coming across our desks. In this environment you have to work with urgency — there’s so much creative talent in Chicago that the window to fill these roles can slam shut quickly. It makes for a high-energy and team-oriented environment.

While at WGN I met Grumpy Cat®, the sourpuss kitty/Internet sensation (whose real name is actually Tardar Sauce). I thought that was the coolest thing in the world! But as a creative recruiter, I’ve already had the opportunity to work with some super-talented individuals. I’ve connected with designers who are behind national ad campaigns and journalists who have had one-on-one interviews with mega celebs… now that’s cool. As a creative recruiter, not only do I get to meet really awesome people every day, I get to help them enhance their careers. Or, better yet, get them started on a new one. Sort of like me!

In the end, I’m happy that I had the courage to make a career transition. I love being able to learn about my candidates and the creative talents they possess. Having the chance to find them their next opportunity — it’s a pretty rewarding job to have!

From the desk of smartdept. inc. Creative Consultant: Nina Strolia

Understanding the Affordable Care Act (ACA)

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) is here to stay. The ACA (formally named Obama Care), which was signed into law back in 2010, has finally taken shape and all employers will comply in 2016. The law requires that each individual within a household be required to do one of the following: have minimum essential coverage, have an exemption from the individual mandate, or be prepared to pay the penalty for not complying with the individual mandate upon filing a federal income tax return.

One of the big misconceptions of the ACA is that healthcare will be free or low in cost. While free isn’t the plan’s intended purpose, there have been some changes that do help individuals financially. One of the main components of the ACA Plan is that preventive services are at no cost (100% covered), with no deductible if you use an in-network doctor. Services such as routine physicals, certain screenings, child well-visits, women’s health and plan-approved contraceptives are now covered at 100%. Make sure when calling to set up your well-visit, you identify it as a preventive well-visit, so that your visit is billed appropriately.

If your condition isn’t life threatening be a smart shopper. Always ask if there is a generic alternative for what your doctor is prescribing. Utilize your health provider’s on-line tools to help search your area for best costs. This could help create additional savings, especially if you have chosen a high-deductible plan. I was recently told a story from someone who needed an MRI. He looked at his health-care provider’s on-line tool to see area costs. The nearby hospital costs would have been $3000 and the free-standing clinic a few more miles down the road (which he went to) charged him $400. The difference in payments can be that significant.

As the ACA and health programs continue to evolve, here are a few tips to help you become a smarter health-insurance consumer:

Always use an in-network provider – this can help reduce your health care spending.
Utilize the Wellness Benefits – as the saying goes “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”
Try calling your doctor to “pre-qualify” your symptoms, an over-the-counter drug could be available for your condition.
Review Explanation of Benefits and bills sent by your providers. Make sure that you and the plan are being charged only for services that you received.

If you are eligible for healthcare through smartdept. inc. and have any questions about your coverage, contact me, Angi Budnick, HR Generalist here at the smartdept. inc. 872.222.5605 or by email: angi@thesmartdept.com.

Have a Happy & Healthy 2016!

From the desk of smartdept. inc. HR Generalist: Angi Budnick

Happy Holidays, It’s Nice to Meet You (and Other Fun Traditions)!

The holidays have returned once again. And, just as in years past, I made the most of my opportunity to fill our environment with holiday cheer. The tree is back, the lights are up and the stockings are once again hung by the front door with care. But this year’s celebration had a new twist. For one thing, we doubled up on the parties! “Wow, party animals,” you’re saying to yourself. Well, maybe. But actually, smartdept. Vice President Matt Crook (sdVP for short) and I made a visit with a purpose — to Tulio’s restaurant in downtown Seattle to celebrate the season with our wayward team.

As some of you are finding out, the Seattle smarties have two new teammates. Yira Martinez and Hannah Schwartz (or Yannah, if you want to go the celebrity couples route) joined our team just after Thanksgiving. These ladies are professional, passionate about creative, and eager to find new opportunities for people in the Pacific Northwest. We’re very excited to have them aboard.

Exactly one week later, we enjoyed Christmas party #2. This time, it was Penrose Brewing Company in Geneva, Illinois. The fine folks at Penrose opened their doors to our Chicago team and treated us to a brewery tour and access to a private room, which was lined (wall to wall) with barrels of beer. Yeah, it was pretty cool.

Once more, I’ll take “Getting to know you” for $1000, Alex! The new additions in Chicago in 2015 include our HR Generalist, Angi Budnick, and Jaime Sklar and Nina Strolia, who joined our recruiting team. In addition, we extended an invitation to our trusted in-house creative catch-all, Jamie Brizzolara. Even though we were familiar (by now) with their work, it was great to get to know them (and a couple of their spouses) in such a quaint and laid back setting.

Finally, we added another first to the holiday docket this year. At the request of Chicago’s own Jaime Sklar, we held a gingerbread house building competition. I’m calling it, “The smartdept. inc. First Annual Gingerbread House Building Competition.” Yep, came up with that one on my own. Who won? Maybe you should decide.

Happy Holidays!

From the desk of smartdept. inc. Principal: Eric Pairitz

Cupcakes Change Lives

I’ve always been a firm believer that cupcakes change lives. This sentiment became a reality as smartdept. inc. partnered with Food Lifeline for Food Frenzy, Food Lifeline’s summer fundraiser.

Last year for the fundraiser, our Seattle office hosted an open house and the raffle prize was a fabulous painting by our very talented principal, Michelle Pairitz. This year, we decided to take a different route, and host a bake sale. We invited our neighboring offices in our building, our clients, candidates, friends and families to drop by for a treat.

Over the course of our two-day sale, we had a few “repeat customers” coming back for another slice of Meghann’s pistachio cake. Overall, we raised $1,062.00! Every dollar we raised equals five meals for Food Lifeline’s programs – that’s 5,310 meals for hungry kids!

For the second year in a row, smartdept. inc. secured first place in the “Per Capita – Kitchen Sink Category” (Professional Services, Technology, Marketing). Overall, Food Frenzy raised $620,000 this year, and it continues to be an honor to be a part of something that’s making a tangible difference in our community.

Thanks to everyone who donated via our Crowdrise page and stopped by our office to visit and pick up some treats during our bake sale!

From the desk of Seattle recruiter, Beth Miller

Welcome to the 5-Year Club, Meghann

“Meghann Francis Kern” is what we affectionately call her (to her face). But you might know her as the Branch Manager of the smartdept. inc. Seattle office!

Now, we can include “5-Year Jersey Club member” in the list of ways you can search for her on LinkedIn. On June 22, 2015, Meghann Francis became the second smarty in two months to garner the coveted 5-year jersey. Although it doesn’t come with a jelly-of-the-month club membership, it’s still something to be proud of.

I knew almost immediately, during our very first conversation, that Meghann would be a great fit for our environment. She was hired without staffing experience to be the Creative Consultant for our Seattle office. Meghann is a fast learner, and a short time later was promoted to a senior position. Over the years, Meghann has continued to display not only good business sense, but also outstanding leadership ability. These qualities earned her the opportunity to manage the Seattle branch — and her willingness to take on new challenges opened up the opportunity to change her focus from recruiting to business development, where I’m certain she’ll once again succeed with great enthusiasm.

Meghann, congratulations on this great accomplishment, and thank you for everything you do for us here at smartdept. inc.!

From the desk of smartdept. inc. Principal: Eric Pairitz

Smarties participate in Food Frenzy and look at one of the Food Lifeline programs it helps support

Our ongoing partnership with Food Lifeline has been very rewarding to our team. We continue to be inspired by the staff and volunteers at Food Lifeline that work day in and out to find new ways to feed hungry families. And this year, thanks to the wonderful staff at Food Lifeline, we got a look into the newly expanded Kid’s Café Program. This summer program brings meals to children who normally rely on the free or reduced lunch programs in Western Washington schools. With the help of many volunteers and staff, along with and fundraising efforts like Food Frenzy, kids from 1 to 18 are able to fuel their summer fun at 18 sites across Western Washington! The growth of the program is allowing more and more children to be served healthy meals every day. This June, the program served 12,298 meals and snacks over the first two weeks of operation. That is almost as many meals in two weeks as they served all of last summer – nearly 1,230 meals every single day! That’s exciting stuff, folks!

“Last week I went out to a Kids Cafe site. It was a Friday and after the kids were done eating and getting ready to go home, Sarah the site supervisor put out all of the fresh fruits and vegetables that would otherwise go to waste over the weekend and let the children know that they could take as much home as they wanted to eat over the weekend. I watched as almost a dozen children ranging from 5 to 13 years old ran to the fresh produce and began to fill the plastic shopping bags with food. One little boy came up to me and very excitedly told me how much he loves apples. It’s been a very rewarding experience to see first-hand how our Kids Cafe program is benefiting children throughout Western Washington.”

– Stephanie, Food Lifeline Kids Cafe Coordinator

If you want to learn more about the Kid’s Café program, here’s a wonderful cartoon that illustrates how the program works.

Meantime, you can help out this great program! This year, as part of the Food Frenzy fundraising competition, our Seattle smarties decided to mix things up (quite literally) and have a bake sale (July 13 and 14) as part of the fundraiser. If you happen to be in the Seattle area, specifically Pioneer Square, you can stop by, say hello and get a sweet treat courtesy of our in-house bakers and The Seattle Cookie Lady. And, if you’re not in Seattle, you can still support Food Lifeline. Check out our crowdrise page to donate for a virtual treat.

Getting Ready for Our July Fundraiser to Support Food Lifeline

1,290 lbs has little meaning when placed all on its own, but when talked about in regards to keeping children from being hungry after school, and its correlation to providing 1,075 meals for the hungry in Western Washington, it really does bring a heavier significance than just weight. Last Wednesday, June 24, I had the pleasure of volunteering with my new Seattle team at Food LifeLine’s food distribution warehouse in Shoreline. Being able to be part of an amazing organization that is providing such a great service to the community was priceless, and I’m looking forward to helping fundraise for this awesome group July 10-24.

If you’re in the Seattle Pioneer Square area, remember to stop by July 13 and 14 for our smartdept.inc. Seattle bake sale!

From the desk of Seattle recruiter: Chessjuan Monk

Chicago smarties Celebrate the Blackhawks’ Stanley Cup Win with 2 Million of Our Closest Friends

Last Thursday, the Chicago smarties invited our families to stop by the office in prep to hit the street and celebrate the Blackhawks’ Stanley Cup win. Back in 2013 and 2010, we were able to watch from our office windows – as many of you know we’re located on Washington St. – but this time we gathered in the office before heading over to Monroe.

We were hard pressed to find anyone downtown that wasn’t celebrating, and it was thrilling to be in the heart of it all. Even if you aren’t a hockey fan, it would’ve been pretty difficult not to hop on the bandwagon. Chicago is a city full of dedicated and determined people that also know how to enjoy themselves, and we feel lucky to be here, working with – and for – such passionate and interesting individuals.

It’s times like this that we remember toughing out the arctic blasts of the winter are for a reason, because Chicago is such a spectacular city to call home. Congrats Blackhawks, on your huge successes in the past several years, and thank you for sharing your excitement with Chicagoans all around!

From the desk of the Chicago recruiter: Leah Bye

Interviewing Tips from smartdept. inc. Recruiters

From the collaborative desk of the Chicago and Seattle smarties

Almost anyone who is actively looking for a job, whether you’re a recent grad or have years of experience under your belt, know the basic “to dos” to prepare for your interview. Our team compiled some of their favorite tips that might not be top of mind for some job seekers.

Come with Questions – Amy Amato
Always come to your interview prepared with questions. If you have concerns about the role or the company up front, you should always ask about it. It will help you make a more informed decision if and when an offer comes through.

Double Check Your Resume – Leah Burkhardt
Ask someone else to proofread your resume to make sure it is free of spelling errors, grammar flaws and typos. Errors in your resume can be a red flag to employers and hinder your chances of obtaining an interview.

Networking – Leah Bye
To stand out in a crowd, it helps to have someone on the inside, whether it’s an old colleague, a recruiter, or your Dad’s college roommate. You never know what opportunities may open up from connecting with others and showing your interest. LinkedIn and Networking Groups are great places to start!

Cell vs. Land Line – Meghann Kern
If you’re doing a phone interview with a potential employer, always use a land line when possible, or make sure you find a cell-friendly zone where reception is good and there’s no background noise.

Attire for the Right Hire – Chessjuan Monk
Always dress for success! Start an interview off on the right foot by dressing appropriately. It’s okay to ask the interviewer in advance what the dress code is, but when in doubt, dress up, not down.

LinkIn is Your Friend – Alison Lepek
Be sure to create a detailed LinkedIn profile that includes specific information on your skill-set and software skills. Recruiters and potential employers will have a much easier time finding you and reaching out if you are searchable on LinkedIn. Include things like your job title and target job title, certifications, industry-specific software, education details, etc.

Resume and Portfolio Design – Beth Miller
As a designer, it’s great to show your skills on your resume/portfolio and come up with a unique design that expresses who YOU are, but make sure that it doesn’t distract from the content of your resume/portfolio and what you’ve actually done and can do.

COLIN WODARSKI

ENTERPRISE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER
CHICAGO, SEATTLE, GRAND RAPIDS
Email Colin >
Colin is a graduate of Northern Illinois University, GO HUSKIES! He took the traditional route to recruiting by teaching PE after graduation. Soon after, he was introduced to creative recruiting and never looked back. Colin is fond of our local sports teams, especially the Cubs, Bears, & Blackhawks. He likes to cook (which will be handy at our next pot luck), play golf and loves all things Marvel Comics. And, my guess is that he would whoop you pretty good at Madden Football.

HANNAH MORGAN

CREATIVE CONSULTANT
GRAND RAPIDS, MI
Email Hannah >
A Michigan lifer, Ms. Morgan is chock full of pride for her home town of Grand Rapids. Hannah is a graduate of Grand Valley State (100 points if you can name their mascot), where she studied Spanish and Hospitality Management. After some wayward studying in Costa Rica, Hannah entered the recruiting world in the educational space before finding her way to smartdept. inc. Hannah is a foodie, who boasts of being ridiculously organized and makes happy people jealous because she smiles so much!

The “Paint Your Neighbor” Challenge

From the desk of smartdept. inc. Principal: Eric Pairitz

Last week the smarties took on the Paint Your Neighbor challenge. Using 5 colors, 1 brush, a canvas and 30 minutes, each one of us turned our head 90 degrees to the left (or right) and painted (portrait style) the person nearest to us. We had a grand time admiring each other’s imagination and effort as each of our artist visions were unveiled. To mark the occasion, we thought it would be fun to share the results with the creatives that we represent.

Which painting(s) do you like the best?

– Eric

The 5 Year Club has a new member!

From the desk of smartdept. inc. Principal: Eric Pairitz

The “5 Year Jersey” (Club) started with smartdept. Vice President Matt Crook. Many of our longtime friends and associates will remember a picture of Matt sitting proudly at his desk sporting his custom-made smartdept baseball jersey. This finely crafted cover-up was highlighted by an orange 5 year patch, stitched tightly into the left sleeve and driven home with his name and number 1 gloriously displayed on the back! The jersey was made and presented to Matt in celebration of five years with smartdept. inc. And, since that cold January day in 2012, I’ve been waiting patiently to distribute yet another.

Enter Leah Burkhardt, from the great state of Oklahoma (where the winds come sweepin’ down the plain). We met Leah in mid-April 2010 and were immediately impressed by her contagious brand of enthusiasm and her willingness to try her hand at something new. I recall being impressed that she had a mix of professional attributes we’d recognized in other successful smarties. So we went for it – and offered her the job of Junior Creative Consultant.

Fast-forward five years. Leah’s star still shines brightly, but now as a Managing Creative Consultant. Leah has blossomed into a leader, not only to her Chicago teammates, but to her coworkers clear across the country. Our entire organization is proud to call Leah a colleague and a friend and we congratulate her for accomplishing so much in the five years she’s represented smartdept. inc.

In ceremonies held earlier, Leah was presented with her very own smartdept. 5 Year Jersey. Finally, Matt has someone to share the honors with!

– Eric

Life at smartdept. inc. Through One Recruiter’s Eyes

From the desk of Chicago recruiter: Leah Bye

Lately we’ve been discussing in our Chicago and Seattle offices the way the workforce is changing, both for employers and employees/job seekers (case in point, Beth’s last blog post). While the job seekers are looking for extra perks in the workplace to engage them, employers also are looking at what job seekers are bringing to the table in addition to their career experience. Look on any career information site, and you’ll see article after article about employers needing to be capable of motivating their employees to keep them engaged and happy. On the flip side, you’ll also see discussions that encourage hiring managers to bring on individuals that have inspirational attitudes, are a cultural fit, and can contribute something extra to the team. Obviously, experience is also part of the hiring process, and position details and potential to grow are players in the searching process (but let’s not worry about the minor details).

So, with that being said, I thought I’d share a bit about our workplace, how we keep engaged and how I, personally, have wedged my way in so my coworkers will suffer from sugar withdrawals if they decide they don’t need me in the office.

Here’s a little insight into what it’s like at smartdept. inc.:
As you may know, we have “boutique” spaces, both in Chicago, and Seattle. So, making sure that our teams work and interact together well is extremely important. On the work/motivational side, we keep each other in check, we encourage each other to push boundaries when applicable, and we always keep it constructive. On the interaction/frivolities side, you’ll occasionally see us at Cubs’ or Mariners’ games, or the Thai place around the corner. You may even see one of us walking around in our new “Winner’s” belt (see Eric’s last blog post). Our office competitions might sound silly, but the winner is always rewarded with something special, like pork rinds, which in turn creates a lot of running office jokes.

What I contribute outside of my job description:
Because I’m a narcissist, so why not talk about myself? I’ve positioned myself as the resident baker (in Chicago, sorry Seattle) – mostly birthdays, occasionally just because, always because I want to make something and can’t be trusted to keep it in my apartment. My contribution outside of what I actually do as a recruiter here at smartdept, inc. is that I make treats, hopefully well, and will even put together your own personal stash to take home if it’s your special day. There have definitely been a few guinea pig moments. I’m thankful to have such an accepting crowd (especially Eric, don’t tell Michelle).

I’m not saying your workplace has to be your everything, but, you do spend an awful lot of time there. So why not be somewhere that keeps you at your best, better than the rest?

– Leah Bye

DANIELLE SPIGNESI

CREATIVE CONSULTANT
SEATTLE, WA
Email Danielle >
Danielle arrives at smartdept. inc. Seattle via television, film and, new media. This former San Diego Stater (yes “stater” is a word) fell in love with recruiting because she likes helping people find awesome opportunities. In her free time, she loves playing her guitar, exploring the city, and drinking craft beer. Sup! Oh, and if you have a dog and Danielle sees it, there is a 100% chance she will pet it.

YIRA MARTINEZ

CREATIVE CONSULTANT
SEATTLE, WA
Email Yira >
Yira is an experienced staffing professional who thrives on making the perfect match between candidate and client. A friend to the animal world, she will stop at nothing to try and “goat” you into a game of shuffleboard or Wii bowling (yes, that just happened!). And, after she’s done whipping her friends on the shuffleboard court, Yira likes to savor the sweet taste of victory with a glass of red wine—so civilized.

A Little Friendly Inter-office Competition

From the desk of smartdept. inc. Principal: Eric Pairitz

We have greatness among us. Our very own Amy Amato has now scored inter-office victories in 2 straight Oscar pools, our SD Fantasy Football league and the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. That’s right, she had the Badgers (not Kentucky) in the final! Obviously these are strange occurrences, so I immediately sent her file to the White House where I’m certain they will be involved in the future monitoring of the situation.

In the meantime, I’ve been inspired by Amy’s ability to win literally any inter office competition she has been involved in. So, in the spirit of great sports promoters like Don King and Vince McMahon (two people who may also have their files being looked at by the White House), I would like to introduce the Wild and Wacky Exhibitions (WWE) Championship Series.

You got it, buddy! Each week our Chicago, Seattle, and National offices will come together to compete against each other in a wild and wacky challenge. The winner of each challenge will receive the honor of sporting the WWE Intercontinental Championship belt. The winner of the current challenge will remain in possession of the belt until the next challenge is completed and a new champion is determined.

Oh, by the way, in honor of Amy and her ridiculous ability to win the past challenges, I am officially naming the belt after her. You read me right, from this day forth the belt will be referred to as the Amy Amato WWE Intercontinental Championship Belt. And, for her NCAA tourney victory Amy has earned the pleasure of being the recipient of the very first presentation of the Amy Amato Wild and Wacky Exhibitions Intercontinental Championship belt (okay, let’s just call it the AAWWEICB).

Congratulations, Amy, on you most recent victory!

P.S. Since this was originally written, Amy was defeated in the championship match of our rock, paper, scissors tournament by Leah Bye.

Corporate Culture Helps Determine Fit

From the desk of Seattle recruiter: Beth Miller

Corporate Culture. It’s the newest catchphrase for employers and job seekers alike. As the job market evens out, candidates are more concerned with work/life balance than finding a job they actually enjoy rather than just a number on a paycheck. Similarly, employers understand that happier, more engaged employees will stay longer and produce more, creating a shift toward culture fit and soft skills in many of the creative and marketing roles we’re staffing. I’ve experienced both sides of the culture equation – a great culture fit (thank you, smartdept. inc.), and a lousy one (we’ll be vague on the specifics). I’ve found a company with values that are similar to my own personal goals of professional growth and philanthropy, and I feel supported in my role.

But what does “culture” look like when you’re a freelancer? Here are a few things I like to keep in mind to gauge whether a candidate is a good long-term fit for a client.

First, take note of the physical space of the office you might be working in. Is it loud and bright, or mellow and dark? Is it an open area, or cubed? Is there music on or does everyone have ear-buds in? As much as skill set is a factor in determining whether or not a candidate is qualified for a position, it’s equally important to ensure a candidate can work in the physical space.

Second, ask process-focused questions. Having a firm understanding of how projects and tasks are managed, what the daily workflow looks like and understanding how your peers, managers and teams will interact is important. As a recruiter I do my best to set clear expectations at the beginning of any interaction with our candidates. Communication is key, and understanding how communication works within an organization can determine whether a candidate will be a good fit.

The final thing to keep in mind when assessing culture fit is whether the core values of an organization are similar to your own values. Employees come and go, and yes, corporate culture can (and probably should) evolve as there are advances in technology, organizational growth and new hires joining a company, but if you agree with the core values of an organization that’s a huge indicator that the role could be a long term fit.

Spending time thinking about culture fit, whether you’re a candidate or employer, is an important piece to the hiring puzzle.

– Beth

About smartdept

The Zombie

Introducing our new blog series – Interview Don’ts

A Career, Transitioned

Understanding the Affordable Care Act (ACA)

Happy Holidays, It’s Nice to Meet You (and Other Fun Traditions)!

Cupcakes Change Lives

Welcome to the 5-Year Club, Meghann

Smarties participate in Food Frenzy and look at one of the Food Lifeline programs it helps support

Getting Ready for Our July Fundraiser to Support Food Lifeline

Chicago smarties Celebrate the Blackhawks’ Stanley Cup Win with 2 Million of Our Closest Friends

Interviewing Tips from smartdept. inc. Recruiters

COLIN WODARSKI

HANNAH MORGAN

The “Paint Your Neighbor” Challenge

The 5 Year Club has a new member!

Life at smartdept. inc. Through One Recruiter’s Eyes

DANIELLE SPIGNESI

YIRA MARTINEZ

A Little Friendly Inter-office Competition

Corporate Culture Helps Determine Fit

Ready to get smart? Give us a ring.

Sure, you can email us to introduce yourself. But why not pick up the phone?
To get a relationship going, there’s nothing like one person talking to another. Conversations make us smart!

About smartdept

Ready to get smart? Give us a ring.

Sure, you can email us to introduce yourself. But why not pick up the phone?To get a relationship going, there’s nothing like one person talking to another. Conversations make us smart!

Sure, you can email us to introduce yourself. But why not pick up the phone?
To get a relationship going, there’s nothing like one person talking to another. Conversations make us smart!