What Do Top Recruiters Look For? (Featuring John Karas)

Do you want to work for a company with an incredible culture? John Karas is fortunate enough to work for this well-known company. Sorry guys- won’t be able to say what company it is. The big rigs are strict about this kinda thing. John Karas is a recruiter for this company. Although he primarily recruits those who are more experienced, he certainly provided some very useful advice for an entry-level job seeker.

Prior to his current position as Talent Acquisition at this company, John portrayed a pretty diverse working background. From HR to construction, and sports to the Internet industry- John has gained tons of experience and knowledge that has gotten him to where he is today. He is passionate, caring, and quite intelligent. Here is the interview:

Me: Do you find entry-level talent, or specifically the more experienced?

John: I usually look for the more experienced individuals (5-6 years). If you are a student, it is highly recommended to attend a recruiting event at nearby universities. Reaching out shows your ambition.

Me: It seems as though you have held a wide range of positions in various industries. Could you explain the reasoning for this?

John: When I was in college, I was also in that mindset of “What am I going to do?” So I decided to get a Business degree. After graduating, I worked for a company in which I learned early on I just didn’t really like. I graduated around the time of the dot com boom- which allowed me to explore different opportunities. I think that’s really what you should be doing early on.

Me: What’s the culture like at your work?

John: It’s great. Nobody has a private office—you wouldn’t even be able to tell who the CEO was. You can literally have lunch with the head of a department and not even know it’s them.

Me: What advice do you have for college students looking to get an entry-level job?

John: Do your homework. Know and understand what campaigns are running, who they’re partnering with, and etcetera. Just know your stuff! Then it is all up to your personality and skills.

Also, try to get a recognizable brand on your resume. Once you get that brand, you are pretty much in the club.

Me: Are there any outside resources that can be beneficial to students?

John: Get into networking groups such as LinkedIn. Understand the market too! Mediabistro.com, and other PR news outlets are very resourceful. Be aware of what’s going on in the industry. The schooling will give you the fundamentals—but the real world requires some real-time knowledge.

Me: What did you do that made you stand out from the competition?

John: I took advantage of opportunities. I certainly advise to take what you can from every opportunity and use it to excel. I’m a believer of support. Everybody needs someone to help him or her get his or her foot in the door. Don’t be afraid to ask for help.

Me: Last question! What is your favorite childhood memory?

John: Probably the early days of having no responsibilities. I really enjoyed hopping on the bike with my friends and going for rides; when life was easy!

End.

What we learned from John: Do your homework, utilize the resources out there and you will be ahead of the game!

-Cat