Jeanette Ramirez

I attribute my success to just trying new things, staying flexible, and being open to learning. I think being flexible to change is critical. The market changed so much after 2020, and the way that recruiters work is completely different now. Each year has been a shift in the market, and I think recruiters have had to adapt multiple times to the change in the marketplace, but the ones that are able to keep up with that are the ones that are successful. I've learned to stay consistent and get creative in finding new ways to make connections and have conversations, even when the economy is challenging or candidates are afraid to make a move.

The best career advice I've ever received is to be yourself in the workplace. Bring your own value to the workplace and learn to collaborate with other people's strengths. Just being authentic is so important. I was also told to manage my expectations, which upset me at the time, but in hindsight, I think at a corporate level, people do need to learn how to manage their expectations. That advice was hard to hear initially, but it turned out to be valuable.

Enjoy it. Enjoy what you do, because there's an opportunity to change an individual's life and give somebody hope that is looking for a job or wanting to grow and advance into the next level. It's a really cool job and it does not feel like work. It can be very rewarding when you see that you are changing a person's life. So don't overthink it, but don't do it if you don't enjoy it, because it doesn't work the other way. It is a very personal job, and you have to genuinely enjoy it for it to be fulfilling.

I think there's a lot of concern in the marketplace right now. We just had tariffs that were causing companies to lay off or face a shortage of goods, and that affects how businesses are doing, which then affects hiring needs. The economy plays a big factor in the industry, and so it can be challenging when candidates are afraid to make a move or companies aren't hiring. But you have to get creative and find new ways to make connections and have conversations. You just have to stay consistent and adapt to the changing market conditions.

For me right now, it's important to enjoy the work that I'm doing, because then it doesn't feel like I'm working. I can't partner with a company that doesn't align with my values. I recently left a position because of how the company was treating their employees - they were being sued for sexual harassment and there was high turnover. It really showed me that I need to work in an environment that uplifts one another and motivates and encourages each other. Work should be fun. I think you should enjoy what you're doing and be able to work with cool people that are on the same mission. When work becomes about something else, it's just not fun anymore. Integrity and working with organizations that treat people well is essential to me.