Welcome back to #WeAreGreenKey, where we shine a spotlight on our powerhouse recruiting team.
We had an awesome talk with Jeff Blum last week, Director on the Financial Services team in New York. Originally working in accounting and operations, Jeff now has over 13 years of recruiting experience. He credits his accounting/operations experience for helping him relate to candidates and succeed in the field, while also attributing the strong relationships his team has been able to maintain over the years.
How did you first get started in recruiting?
I spent about seven years working in accounting and operations at large accounting firms, banks, and a hedge fund. Unfortunately, it’s not that easy to move internally at those companies and was not sure what I wanted to do for the long term. Over the years, I had developed strong relationships with a lot of recruiters. I knew Dan Katz, who introduced me to all the partners at Green Key. Through all their different personalities, I knew there was something that set this agency apart from the rest. I worked at Green Key for a couple years, before switching to insurance sales. In 2010, I came back to Green Key, originally in the Accounting & Finance division before moving to Financial Services.
How does your professional experience in accounting help you recruit for Financial Services?
I’m able to use my background in a different capacity. It helps me relate to candidates and garners a certain respect from them. I know what it’s like to be going on these interviews all the time, while also not being sure what you want to do. I’m always transparent with my candidates. You never know what direction your career is going to take.
Are there any trends happening in Financial Services right now?
It’s been significantly busy since the second quarter of last year. From a volume perspective, hiring is still very high. We hope for it to stay that way in 2023. There is still a direct need for candidates and a lot of positions to be filled.
What keeps you coming back to recruiting every day?
I love building strong relationships, both internally and externally. When I left for a short period of time, I saw the other side of staffing agencies, and it was immediately apparent why Green Key is one of the best recruiting firms in the business. A lot of our divisions work closely together to market each other, which has helped us to construct one of the largest and diverse client bases on Wall Steet.
What makes your team successful?
Our senior team is always to assist the younger recruiters if they have any questions or confusion. Everyone is here with the same goal, which is to fill these roles and make our clients and candidates happy. We have a great team, full of comradery, and everyone gets along well in order to create a productive environment.
