Let’s connect with Taryn Schmidenber of The Together Staffing Group. Please leave your comments and questions for Taryn below. If you are interested in being featured in a member spotlight please email customerreference@8x8.com.
Video testimonial: https://videos.8x8.com/watch/TgWayD7iDV3cozQecgivwt?
Describe your role at The Together Staffing Group.
I'm the group managing director for a company in the US called The Together Staffing Group. Within that company we have a couple of direct higher permanent placement staffing agencies and we focus on direct higher permanent placements within the engineering and construction, mining and finance industries both in the US and Canada. Our parent company is MSP Personnel.
What path led you to MSP?
I never envisaged myself working for a staffing agency. My goal when I graduated from the University of Cape Town in South Africa was to work as a college professor teaching English literature. Unfortunately no one would give me a job because I didn't have the experience. I interviewed with a staffing company almost 15 years ago and worked my way up through the industry.
What about the staffing industry excites you?
For an introvert to say that they're passionate about people and everything to do with people is hilarious because that is exactly what I am. I'm introverted by nature, but I really, really love the staffing industry and I'm very passionate about what we do, and I'm very passionate about the company. Our company motto is Changing Lives, and I really believe in that every single day.
Did you have an interest in technology growing up? How did you get into it?
I've definitely gained an appreciation for technology from our CEO James Dallas. Technology is definitely something that drives our world. It can affect our world and industries in such a big way. Although I find it daunting and although there's something that I learn every single day about technology because I'm in no way an expert, I think it's definitely something that we need to incorporate more in our businesses and also need to look at how we use it.
Do you have any role models?
One of my biggest role models is my director James Dallas. I wasn't directly managed by him at the start of my career, but he was definitely someone who played a very important part in my career over the last couple of years in many different ways. He's very passionate about technology. He keeps up with market trends, and he's also someone that's genuinely passionate about what he does. As a business owner, it's very important for him that we're a successful on many levels, including financially, but he also genuinely cares about the work that he does. He genuinely cares about the company and its employees. That, for me, is something that stood out. I'm very, very passionate about my career and career driven, but I also want to make a difference. A staffing company definitely has the ability to do that.
What advice would you give to women who want to follow a similar career path that you have?
Don't be afraid to break through ceilings. Oftentimes, women want to do everything perfectly. We want to be the perfect partner, the perfect mother, the perfect employee. Sometimes you just need to take things one step at a time. For me, when I'm at work I'm focused on my work. I love what I do. I don't think I could ever give it up and this is my safe space. When I'm at home I have a home safe space. I set strict boundaries so that certain worlds don't collide into other worlds. And another thing that is important: it's okay to have a sick day with your little ones. It's okay to not be at that meeting. That's important to understand. You can still be a successful woman and miss a meeting.
What do you do for fun?
I live in Phoenix, Arizona. I also never thought I would live in the desert, but for the last year and a half, I discovered that I actually like to be outside and I like to clamber and climb over things. I used to swim and play hockey in college, but I wasn't an athlete by any means. But for some reason I really, really love to hike, and I love to cook. My favorite holiday Thanksgiving is coming up and that is all about the food. I am very excited for the next couple of weeks!
Does your staff have a favorite 8x8 feature?
The staff loves the call recording feature. We interview people on a daily basis, almost an hourly basis, and at times you speak to someone that's incredibly busy or you speak to someone like me with a foreign accent and perhaps you don't always catch what they're saying. Call recording enables us to go back to a call to make sure we got the correct information. We're dealing with people, we're dealing with their careers, and the information we collect is pretty important.
What about you: what do you like most about 8x8?
Oh my goodness, where do I start? One of my biggest things that I love is 8x8 analytics. The analytics that I have found to be most interesting is looking at the call logs of the most successful account managers, the ones who are able to arrange interviews quickly so we can replicate their success.