Hiring a Recruiter: a Business Owner's Perspective

After the success of our first recruiting piece, I thought it would be fitting to talk to a company that has utilized a professional recruiter first-hand. I began with asking Kerrie Cloyd, owner of Holmberg Recruiting, what company she would suggest. She recommended Owen Gabbert LLC. 

Meet Owen Gabbert, owner and operator of Owen Gabbert LLC. His company takes on small to mid-size real estate development and construction projects, both residential and commercial. Some of their projects exceed a million dollars and above – Pretty impressive for only being in business five years!

Owen Gabbert LLC, like many other construction companies, generally find their rockstar employees through word-of-mouth. However, when word-of-mouth falls short, sometimes you have get creative with other ways to connect with future employees… That’s where a recruiter comes in. 
Owen stated the main driver in hiring Kerrie was to fill a position that didn’t fit into a clear box. Because the position was designed to perform a variety of tasks, Owen needed to call in some assistance. Kerrie helped the company develop the position to align with the vision that Owen had for the new addition to his team. The end result was a well-crafted and accurate job description for a Project Coordinator position. 

Like most companies in the industry, Owen Gabbert LLC is busy! Owen did not have the time to be constantly bombarded by resumes and the large pool of applicants. He described hiring a recruiter as “worth it” because you save yourself from the brain damage of finding the perfect candidate. Instead, hiring Kerrie was a huge time-saver because she manages the entire process, such as calling each candidate’s references. Owen noted that although it’s a large expense, it’s definitely worth it! He suggested doing a cost/benefit analysis to decide if its right for your company. And for those that prefer a more hands-on approach, he stated that you can be as involved in the hiring process as you want. Owen said he decided to give her the reigns and only got involved when Kerrie would recommend a qualified candidate for an interview. 

Typical of most business transactions in the construction field, Kerrie came to Owen through a recommendation. He described her as focused, inquisitive, and personable. She actively listens and is understanding, as well as responsive and proactive. For example, in one discussion Owen had with Kerrie about a temporary employee, she said it sounded like it wasn’t working out. She took the initiative and found a replacement that worked out better. Owen ended with, ”Kerrie provides a high level of service, I would definitely recommend her to anyone.”


If you know of a great business resource you’d like to share with SWCA members, please send me an email at andrea@swca.org.