Name: Kyle McGarvey
Year Graduated: 2006
Website: www.cademgmt.com
Job Title and Description: Founder and President of Cade Management, LLC, a boutique recruiting firm serving the financial services industry.
What does your current job entail? Is there such a thing as a typical day?
As the founder of a recruiting firm, I am responsible for both business development and interviewing candidates. I really enjoy having the opportunity to see the recruiting process from start to finish: from getting to know my clients and their needs, to meeting with candidates in order to understand their career goals and how they can add value, to ultimately connecting leading asset managers with top talent.
A typical day consists of meeting with candidates, speaking to my clients and presenting my business to asset managers. The majority of my day is spent speaking, and more importantly, listening to people, which allows me to stay on the pulse of what’s happening in the industry.
What is the best part of your job?
It is tremendously rewarding to place a candidate in a role where (s)he is engaged, challenged and appreciated. I keep in touch with the candidates I have placed, and also receive feedback from my clients; being able to see the impact I have had on someone’s career, specifically when I hear that my candidate is both happy and successful within her role, is by far the best part of my job.
Do you have any advice for young women looking to get into your industry who are just starting out?
Prior to launching Cade, I worked within the asset management industry in investor relations, so when I launched Cade I had first-hand knowledge of the roles for which I would be recruiting. That experience has allowed me to have more in-depth, technical conversations with both my clients and candidates, which has proven to be invaluable. My advice for anyone looking to go into the recruiting industry is to first work in the sector for which you will be recruiting. It will not only give you the technical knowledge, but also give you a greater understanding of the culture of the industry and allow you to build professional relationships within that sector. Recruiting is a business largely dependent on knowing people and building trust, and there is no better opportunity to do this than to work along side people you may one day recruit.
What do you look for when considering hiring someone or working with someone?
My job is to listen to my clients and understand what they are looking for in a candidate. Each client can have a different organizational culture and each role can have very different qualifications, but I have found there are certain qualities that translate well for nearly any job. In my experience, all employers are looking for someone who is an effective and professional communicator, someone who is willing to work hard and learn from the feedback they are given, and someone who understands the larger goal of the company.
Who is one person who changed your professional life for the better?
The first investor relations director I worked for gave me a lot of great advice early in my career that has been beneficial to this day. Before my first client meeting he instructed me to hold my business card in my left hand as I walked into the meeting so I would have it readily available to hand to the client after I shook his hand and introduced myself. This one little trick allowed me to present myself in an organized and confident manner without delaying the start of the meeting or missing the opportunity to give the client my contact information; it allowed me to make a good first impression. He also told me to never cross my arms in a business setting, as it makes one seem unapproachable and defensive. These seem like obvious things, but they may not be when you are first starting out, and can have a significant impact on one’s impression of you.
Now, as I work with candidates in the process of interviewing, that guidance seems more relevant than ever. Most people have a tendency to fall back into comfortable habits when they are nervous, so it is important to be aware of your natural tendencies and body language to ensure you present a confident, poised demeanor when meeting with future employers, clients or business connections. Behaviors such as making eye contact, having a firm handshake and avoiding fillers such as “um” and “like” can ensure you make the right first impression and start the meeting on a positive note.
What words of wisdom do you find most valuable?
To constantly ask yourself “How am I adding value?” As an entrepreneur, and especially as a recruiter, my success is directly determined by the service I provide to my clients. If I am not helping my clients achieve their goals by providing them with talented candidates their firms want to hire, then my business can’t success.
Regardless of the industry, or one’s role within that industry, it is important to understand the value you are adding to the process and constantly ask yourself if you could be adding more.
What advice would you give to a 20-something with similar aspirations?
Work hard, work smart, network and take notes to ensure you never make the same mistake twice.