Shay O'Bryant

After working as a nurse in hospice care for about 8 months, I realized I needed to make a change, but I still wanted to help people in some way. That's when I found staffing. I started in customer service at a staffing agency and worked my way up through sales rep, branch manager, and now liaison for client relations. What keeps me in this field after 15 years is the impact I can make. Early on, I had a couple come in who were pretty down on their luck and had made some questionable decisions, but they were ready to get their life back on track. That was in August, and the following December, they both came in with tears rolling down her face and a big grin. They told me that for the first time in their kids' lives, Santa was going to be able to come that year. That kind of just sealed it for me. Today, I work with businesses of all sizes, from small mom and pop shops to big corporate companies with seasonal changes. Every day is different, but I get to meet face-to-face with clients and our people to figure out what best connects them. We're not headhunters, we're cherry pickers, because finding the perfect person for the exact job matters. Just because you have a heartbeat doesn't mean you're going to be good at something or happy doing it. The best part about my job is really the people - they make my job easier and more exciting. Watching people grow and being able to help them take the next steps to be better has made me a better person, a better family member, and a better community member in every way I can think of.