Welcome back to #WeAreGreenKey, where we shine a spotlight on the people behind our powerhouse recruiting team.
Today we chat with Ryan Calpin, Director of the Marketing Technology team at Green Key. Ryan has worked in technology recruiting for six years and started the division here right before the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Now two years later, he is excited to continue growing his team and getting the word out on MarTech recruiting.
How did you first get started in recruiting?
I went to school for Communications and Journalism. I wanted to be a broadcast professional, but when I received offers in Kansas and Texas, it just didn’t seem like the right fit for me. So, I went on a ton of sales interviews after graduation. When a recruitment opportunity came along, I was hired among a large pool of applicants, and I’ve never looked back. I loved that the type of recruitment I got into was new and different. I came to Green Key in October 2019 and was tasked with building the MarTech division here.
How does MarTech recruitment differ from recruitment for other industries?
Not a lot of people know what it is. It’s new and exciting, while also continuing to grow. Other industries are more black and white. I get to work on so many different job titles, roles, and descriptions. A lot of our clients are in the startup space, so it’s an industry where personality is really important, as well as trying new concepts and technology.
What keeps you coming back to recruiting every day?
Every day is different. I really learned a lot about myself and recruitment during the pandemic. The whole experience gave me perspective; it’s a good thing to have different work to tackle every day. I get to do people and client management most days, while also still recruiting on the side.
What sets Green Key apart from other staffing agencies?
They’ve always stuck with me through the tough times. Green Key provides flexibility, creativity and doesn’t micromanage. I’m very appreciative of that.
What makes your team successful?
We’re a smaller team, but we’re growing. We can’t compare to teams that have been here 20 years. Instead, I always tell the team to look at how we did last week, last month, last quarter. It’s essentially comparing ourselves to ourselves.
Perseverance is also very important. Everyone knows how to make a goal, stick to it, and see it through. Every month is a record month. Recruitment will always be a rollercoaster, so it’s crucial to be mindful of what you’re comparing yourself to.
What are your goals for the MarTech team going forward?
One of the main goals for me is to grow the team in numbers. We’re operating the best we can with the amount of people that we have, but I’d still love for us to grow by the end of the year and train more recruiters.
