As I wrap up my summer internship here at Prolink, I could not be more thankful for the opportunity I was given. Ever since I got lost in the office on the very first day, every single person in the company has made me feel as if I worked here for years. The company is full of employees who don’t just strive to further their own career, but to further each other’s careers. When I came in, I had little knowledge about the staffing industry and what it entailed, so as expected, there were a few road bumps. However, with whatever task I was given over the past few months, there were always people asking how they could help me. The “Prolink Family” that I constantly heard about is nothing short of a real family.
It all starts with the President, Tony Munafo. I had briefly heard about Tony and the plethora of awards he is constantly nominated for but hadn’t really had much interaction with him. (Side note: the Cincinnati Business Courier recently named him a winner of the Chief Executive Officer category in their annual C-Suite Awards. That means he’s a big deal.) Despite his repeated recognition, what makes Tony a great leader is his humble attitude and desire to insert himself into every aspect of the company. He doesn’t absorb all the attention and pompously walk around like he’s superior to everyone. He’s one of the busiest people I’ve seen, yet he continues to learn about each employee and how to improve the company. Everyone could learn something from the way Tony is able to control this rapidly growing company in the manner he does.
It then trickles down to the type of people Prolink hires and the standard they are held to. To name a few, if you look at employees like Abby Zimmerman, Peter Frey, Jackson Garn, Matt Frankey, and Don Waugh, it’s easy to tell why this is one of the fastest growing and best staffing companies in the United States. They continue to instill the values that Prolink prides themselves on and are a big reason for the continued success. Although I shouldn’t pick favorites, my boss, Abby Zimmerman, may just top the list. Easily one of the most self-driven, encouraging, and dedicated leaders I’ve had the honor to know, Abby comes in with a fearless attitude to get work done every day and it’s contagious to those around her. Maybe it starts with the sign in her office that reads, “Find a way, not an excuse.” (I’m still sorry that it’s crooked). She found out about a week into my internship that she was going to oversee my daily responsibilities and made every effort to get me involved with multiple aspects of the company. She’s always going to let you know when you mess up but will make sure she’s available to help with whatever you need. I’ve grown exponentially just learning from Abby and seeing the passion she has for her work. She will forever be someone I look up to and I can’t thank her enough for all her help over the summer.
I learned that the staffing industry is a tough business to be in. You never really know if someone is going to pick up the phone or show up for an interview. You could have a fantastic day one day and then the next day become discouraged with the number of people who won’t answer a call. The constant rollercoaster of this job is what makes recruiters the backbone of this company, and we have some pretty dang special ones. This would become way too long if I were to name all of the recruiters that have had an impact on me, but the people constantly come in each day and grind. There’s not really another way to put it. Even while they have a packed schedule, almost all of them made time to let me shadow and learn from them. They made themselves available and open so that the intern could come bother them for a few hours. I realized how big of a role they’ve played in my life when one recruiter, Eric Mills, let the office know that he’s going to be moving to Chicago to help open that location. Although I’ll basically be on my way out when he is, I found myself pretty upset that he won’t be here anymore. Each person in this office make such an impact that each departure leaves a hole here. (Don’t worry, Jen. I was upset when you announced the same news and I can’t wait to come visit). This is the only staffing company I’ve had the opportunity to intern for, but I have no doubt we have the best recruiters in the nation. Prolink is special for a reason and they’re a massive part of it.
I feel like this is getting long and people may get bored if I keep rambling, so I’ll let this be my little thank you paragraph to wrap it up. My experience at Prolink has been nothing short of amazing and I can’t thank everyone enough.
Best,
Jeff The Intern/Intern Jeff
