Welcome back to #WeAreGreenKey, where we shine a spotlight on our powerhouse recruiting team.
Today we catch up with Larry Goodman, Partner at Green Key and one of the four heads of the Pharma division. Larry helped build the Pharma team from the ground up. Now, twelve years later, he and the team are more successful than ever and only looking to grow further.
How did you first get your start in the recruiting industry?
I graduated from the University of Florida in 1997 with a Telecommunications degree. My parents were living in Orlando at the time and I moved back in with them. My first interview was for the local NBC News affiliate to be a camera operator for their 6am news. When I went to the interview, I quickly realized the low salary and early hours; looking for a sales job seemed more realistic to me. I had a friend who worked in recruiting and even though I knew nothing about recruiting, I knew I had the personality for it. I got a job with an agency working in IT recruiting. Twenty-four years later, I’m still in agency recruiting.
In 2010, after 10 years of working in Pharma recruiting for Smith Hanley Consulting Group, I was contacted by Green Key to start up their Pharma contracting group. Matt Kutin [Managing Partner] called me and we talked for an hour and a half. It was such a normal, easy conversation. Sometimes you just know and you have let that wave carry you in. There’s no perfect situation or job, but this opportunity checked off all the boxes. It was the greatest decision I’ve ever made. I was able to start up something brand new and help make Green Key a household name in the pharmaceutical industry.
When we first started, Deloris Jones [Partner] and I met with every Pharma company we could get meetings with. We were getting our name out there and landing jobs. I’m very proud of everything we were able to accomplish and everyone we were able to bring in with us. It’s amazing to see how we’ve changed and grown over the years.
What makes a team as successful as yours?
There is a lot of trust that goes into the employees in our division. Everyone knows the leaders truly have their best interest at heart. It’s a very supportive group from the top down. We’re competitive, not cutthroat, but super encouraging. We cheer on each other’s wins and go out of our way to help each other.
When we went remote, I was nervous we were going to lose that family culture. So, I created these “buddy groups” for everyone to meet once a week and get to know each other. It doesn’t have to be work related or formal. Even if it’s a simple What’s going on in your life these days? We have a sense of lightheartedness in our group that makes people comfortable.
What keeps you coming back to recruiting every day?
Early on in my career, I was addicted to making placements. Now, when I see one of our employees make placement, that’s what keeps me going. I always try to give shout outs and recognition on my team. Being able to watch recruiters grow go from that kid out of college, to married with kids, to living a great life – that’s the biggest reward of working at a staffing agency.
What should someone want to work at Green Key?
There are awesome monetary advantages in this business. I encourage any recruiter to try your hand at Pharma. It’s an industry that continues to grow and rarely takes a dip. Even during the pandemic, we were able to support companies that had their hand in COVID trials. It’s a stable field with tons of new business opening up. As a Pharma recruiter, you won’t always be working on the same “stale” jobs. We have a full variety of clients that we work with.
At Green Key, we give people the opportunity to do what they want. We don’t box anyone in. We give them the key and the tools to gain success. And the more powerful our technology gets, the more efficient everyone can be.
What are your goals for the future now that you’ve made Partner?
For our division, our financial goal is to continue to grow headcount and eventually double our revenue stream. And we also want to continue hiring great people and expand our client base. We do a lot of business with CRO’s, but I’d like to see us increase our own FSP capabilities in Clinical Research, Biometrics and Medical writing.
We’re always looking to expand our technology and business intelligence. As we double down, we can strengthen our own skillsets and tackle emerging trends.
