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Meet Jocelyn Donegan, Rock Star Recruiter … Literally

Posted on May 5, 2008
Filed Under Interviews |

By Dave Mendoza, Master Cyberslueth, Affiliate Partner, Job Machine, Inc.
Author of SixDegreesfromDave.com

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Managing Partner
C4 Consulting & Recruiting
Austin, Texas
512.487.5963 (ph)
jocelyn@c4recruiting.com
www.C4Recruiting.com
Send Jocelyn a Linkedi Invitation HERE

Meet Jocelyn Donegan, a Partner at C4 Consulting & Recruiting. Jocelyn is a recruiter’s recruiter … a storyteller, wearing multiple hats in many mediums, because she believes that stories remind us all to go beyond what we feel is possible. That said, today we make history. Jocelyn is the first 10th generation Texan and Daughter of the Republic featured on RecruitingBlogs.com – granted she is likewise the first recruiter who can trace her family lineage to fighting at The Alamo! Not to be outdone, Jocelyn is also the first RecruitingBlogs.com member to have been seen in films & TV shows, such as, “Sex & the City”, “OZ” and “All My Children,” and she’s hosted different series on The Discovery Channel and The Weather Channel - but - as you’ll agree when you see her on stage - she’s a true rock star, literally.

You won’t believe the soulful power that comes out of that petite frame, and neither did radio when they spun her single in 25 countries. Her music Influences: The Band, Led Zep, Clapton, Janis, Alice in Chains, and Beth Hart - of course.

Q&A with Jocelyn Donegan, Rock Star Recruiter

Six Degrees: Tell us of your home world.

Jocelyn: I’ve been with Jeff Peterson for almost 4 years.…on May 9th, it will be 4 years. We met on a blind date in Los Angeles on Mother’s Day (I’d never been on a blind date before). He absolutely swept me off my feet and life, as we both knew it – changed. We have 4 kids, who have trained us very well. Joni Mitchell is our Great Dane, Kona & Kahina Nui are our Huskies with Hawaiian names, and Jayden is our cat, but to call him a “cat” is SO limiting. Jayden is “THE cat” that even cat-haters can’t resist.

When we moved from LA, Jeff and I bought a house in southwest Austin. We love it, and IT is my hobby. It was our first home, and we really have had a fun time doing everything by ourselves, and ecstatic that we haven’t been destroying the home in the process…hahah…. Re-painting every room, to replacing every faucet to incorporating a complete visual / audio production suite (recording studio, editing suite for film/digital projects, etc…)… Did I mention that we’ve been having a fun time?

Other than the house, I’m addicted to SCUBA DIVING! (I have to admit, if I could just stay forever below the waves, in a tropical environment, I would!

Six Degrees: How many years as a recruiter?

Jocelyn: I’ve only been recruiting for the last year and a half, and over that time (after establishing relationships with many different recruiters) I’ve realized how lucky I’ve been to be so successful at this, in such a short amount of time. I’ve always been a go-getter (because I’m too scared NOT to do something – not because I’m always as confidant as people think I am…), and I’ve always had a natural knack for business, while being a passionate people person. I think the other reason, I’ve been so successful at it, in such a short amount of time, is I REALLY CARE. I really care about PEOPLE. I really care about doing my very best all of the time, and I love to “save the day”. I also have endless energy, and if anything - I need to lighten up on myself sometimes. All of this though, is a wonderful lethal combination that leads to my clients getting EXACTLY what they asked for, and MORE.

Six Degrees: How did you get started as a recruiter?

Jocelyn: I fell into owning an Executive Search firm in such a back assward way, that I honestly think it will floor you.

Dave, you said to be honest and personal…so I’m not trying to type too much, but here’s the story…hahah… (and I hope you leave this line to you, in my response…hahah)

When Jeff and I met in LA we were both consistently working actors, which is not the easiest thing to accomplish in a city where everyone is an actor…hahah…. I was represented by ICM landing things on All My Children, Sex and the City, etc… He was doing equally as well with roles on ER, Huff, NCIS, etc… We met and like I said – everything changed. At the same time, we were both watching the caliber of what “entertainment” was, go waaaaaaaaay down (in our eyes). It really reminds us of the Roman Coliseum days now, to be honest. It’s RARE to find a strong story and most of what’s out there, is dumbed-down appealing to immediate gratification - primal impulses…whether it be the sex, the violence/effects, etc… We were in love with telling REAL stories, and both have always felt like to see the couple kiss and then have the door close (like in older films) is MUCH sexier then laying it all out for us. So… we decided to move to Austin, Texas and open Paradigm Shift Studios, where we could develop and produce stories that challenge the human mind, not dumb it down. By producing the stories ourselves, there are no agents to worry about and no “network” looking over our shoulder all of the time. I also had started having success as a singer in LA, and decided to focus more in that direction, as well.

Unfortunately…hahah… I’d been making my living as an actor since I was eighteen, so when we decided to limit the roles we would take…All I wanted to do is HELP others, have an extremely flexible schedule, and make a ton of money doing it. Was that asking too much? Hahah!!

Then… RECRUITING entered the picture. My stepfather has been the VP of Sales for Polycom, Accord Networks, Trapeze Networks, etc… and while discussing my frustrations on the phone with my mom…. WHAMO – it hit us!

I’d almost bought an acting agency in my early twenties and being a recruiter has A LOT of similarities to a talent agent. Knowing the strong network that my stepfather has had for the last 25 years (told you I was lucky, too!), I was able to convince myself that I could start a recruiting company. I quickly launched C4 Consulting and Recruiting. I LOVE recruiting and helping people!! Yes – my stepfather had a network, but I had to deliver, and it was hard work getting it up and going. Started calling into companies, landing the agreements, and then proving to them, that I was a LISTENER, and that THEIR TIME matters to me. Within just a few months, we had job orders pouring in and recognizable companies signing exclusive agreements. Our accountant actually hit the floor, when he saw what C4 Consulting & Recruiting had made in just it’s first year, and I SWEAR it’s because we’re HELPING people.

Six Degrees: What single event had the most impact on your sourcing/recruiting career?

Jocelyn: I remember when the energy of recruiting and sourcing changed for me. When I first started, I didn’t know ANY types of lingo. Lingo? Hahah… I didn’t even know the REAL terms for things in the Technology space. The first companies I was working with, I would take notes like mad – and then get on the web to find out what the heck they were just talking about. I had a backup line prepared, in case a conversation turned awkward and they could tell I didn’t have a clue what they were talking about… If that ever happened, I was going to say…with a warm chuckle… “You are the expert in your field, and I’m the expert in mine. Your field is the ________ technology that you’re working with… My field is listening to who you need to find, and then finding them for you! THAT is where my expertise lies.” Just KNOWING I had that line, helped in my initial cold calls, and you know…to this day… I haven’t had to use it.

With all that being said – the moment that had the largest impact on my sourcing and recruiting was when I started TARGETING.

When I first started, I was all about active candidates, because I was focused on learning the lingo, etc… and was really scared that I was going to “miss something obvious.” That when I presented a candidate to a client, they’d KNOW at that point I had no clue what I was really doing. Yes – you place people this way, but it takes so much more time. If you have to “spin and sell” a candidate too much…they may even make it to the 3 rd interview…but they probably won’t get hired for one reason or another. I remember the HUGE BELL going off in my mind, when I realized that I knew enough of the lingo and industry to where I felt comfortable doing a bit of research on the company and then targeting passive candidates who would compliment my client company (skill-wise, and culture-wise). It may seem like this tactic has less structure and I’ll admit, it’s not as “easy” as just checking Talenthook or whichever job boards you subscribe to, BUT….the time is saved on the other end. When you bring a STRONG, passive candidate from a target – they (most of the time) fly through. Your client is impressed, the money is in the bank and you’re on to the next opening.

Do you have a mentor to whom you attribute your overall outlook on recruitment, capabilities, and/or model your career after?

Jocelyn: You know, I don’t. If there’s anyone I can say I look up to… (…and this is not a brown nosing statement), it would be you and Shally. Do either of you actually recruit anymore or are you just making great money talking about WHAT to do… Hahha… I hope that’s the next step for me too.

Oh… and I don’t want to come across like I’m belittling what you guys do AT ALL. It takes a great amount of intelligence and energy to create what you guys have for yourselves. I’m being serious. If there’s anyone I look up to…it’s you guys!

Six Degrees: What an amazing path, I must say it’s up there with playing a pool game as the day someone fell into recruiting I heard from a friend. Tell us about your staffing firm

Jocelyn: I’m the Managing Partner and there are 4 people (total) in our firm. We are a retained/contingency firm and place both permanent positions, and contract positions. We have 3 recruiters and 1 sourcer. Each of the recruiters handles the process A-Z. New Bus Dev to negotiating the placements. We place Executive-level (CEO, CTO, VP’s, etc…), Sales & Marketing, Sales/System Engineers, Network Engineers, etc… and Support. Basically, any positions that are in the Technology / Telecom / IT / Emerging Technology space. Wireless, Networks, etc.

View my profile on RecruitingBlogs.com

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