Where To Find The Perfect Job Candidate Without Looking Too Hard
Learn how promoting from within has helped Van Meter and its employee-owners grow together
Looking for that perfect candidate to fill your vacant position? Well, you might be looking for a while. Just a couple years ago, workers across the country were quitting their jobs in record numbers in what has been called the “Great Resignation.” Now, as fewer workers are voluntarily leaving their roles and unemployment remains low, how do you find people who will elevate your business?
What if we told you the best candidate is likely right under your nose?
At least that has often been the case at Van Meter. Here’s how three employee-owners at Van Meter have grown their career and why it’s beneficial for employees and companies to grow together.
1. HIRE SOMEONE WITH A MORE COMPLETE KNOWLEDGE OF THE BUSINESS
Liam Steineck was tired of job hopping between fast food and retail jobs and wanted to work somewhere he could stay and grow with the company. Eleven years later, he’s found that stability at Van Meter, but stability doesn’t mean his career has been stagnant.
Steineck started in various warehouse roles like picking, shipping and quality assurance, then moved to counter sales, inside sales, the pricing team, back to inside sales and recently started as a financial services analyst. He joked he was trying to “catch ‘em all.”
He wasn’t just trying to hop jobs though. “I wanted to master each role and become proficient,” he said, and that exposure to different areas of the business has made him more effective at each stage of his journey. “With more knowledge in my back pocket, I am better suited to pursue opportunities and create lasting value for the company.”
Adam Steva, a Van Meter employee-owner for over 10 years has had a similar growth path. He spent his first eight years in the Cedar Rapids warehouse, wire center and customized solutions team before taking on his current role as a service desk administrator in Van Meter’s IT department. How does working in a warehouse, spooling wire and assembling parts prepare someone for a desk job in IT? He had hands-on technical experience with machines in the wire center, but more importantly, he has experienced different areas of the business and understands the needs of the people he supports.
Steva said, “Having been in the warehouse, I know their workflows, demands and equipment needs, and it helps me make better decisions about the technology our company invests in.”
2. RETAIN YOUR CURRENT EMPLOYEES AND INCREASE THEIR JOB SATISFACTION
How do companies avoid another Great Resignation? Lack of career development and advancement was the and number one reason workers were quitting their previous job, during the Great Resignation (2021-2022), and 63% of those who left a job in 2021, cited opportunities for career advancement as the reason.
Krystal Robinson, now a repair coordinator in the Cottage Grove office, had experience in various warehouse roles at other companies before taking a warehouse job at Van Meter eight years ago. What made her stick at Van Meter?
“When I first started, the culture was to promote from within, and I never wanted the warehouse to be my end goal. I wanted to grow with the company, and this was the perfect place to do it,” she said.
What is it about a promotion that improves job satisfaction though? A pay raise is nice, but according to Steva, there’s also the feeling of accomplishment that comes with advancing his career and solving challenges for others.
“ Van Meter is really good at seeing the potential in people.”
– Adam Steva, Service Desk Administrator, Cedar Rapids
Van Meter Inc.
"Van Meter is really good at seeing the potential in people,” he said. “Now, I get more of a daily challenge from the constant change of software and technology. Plus, I get to socialize with people from all over the company and get to know them better.”
3. IMPROVE RELATIONSHIPS AND COMMUNICATION WITHIN YOUR COMPANY
Why are those relationships important? When Steineck moved to the inside sales team, his experience in the warehouse helped him explain different processes to the inside sales team and improve communication between the two departments.
For Robinson, the relationships she has built at Van Meter motivated her to take on different warehouse roles and work her way into the office job she has now. She said her leaders helped support her at each step and even coached her through the internal interview process.
“ Everybody was rooting for me because they know how hard I worked to get here.”
– Krystal Robinson, Repair Coordinator, Cottage Grove
Van Meter Inc.
“I had a lot of love and support, and everybody was rooting for me because they know how hard I worked to get here,” she said. “I get to work with people who motivate me, and everyone is so supportive of everything I’ve done since being here.”
Plus, it’s easier to work with people you like. Studies show having a best friend at work improves job satisfaction and retention. Steva has found that and more at Van Meter, “Every team I’ve been on has felt like family.”
FIND A WORKPLACE WHERE YOU CAN GROW
Looking for a workplace where you have opportunities to grow? Like Robinson said, “[Van Meter] is a great company, and they like to see people move up into higher roles and contribute.” Visit our careers page to take the next step in advancing your career.