Protiviti Recruiting

Superbowl Spirit

2012-01-30T11:56:00.000-08:00

With only 6 days until kick-off for Super Bowl XLVI in Indianapolis, I figured I would share a photo and a report from our Protiviti flag football team. While our team does not have a Tom Brady or Eli Manning at the quarterback slot, we do have our own technology offensive specialist Ray. Randy, might not be our Wes Welker; however, he did have time to provide me with a play-by-play of the second night of victorious play...

Left to Right: Consultants, Justin and Mike; Senior Consultants, Matt, Ryan, Ray and Luis; Consultant, Randy; Associate Director, Evan and Consultant, Nick

After a win less first week of play, the Protiviti Football Team entered week two determined to win, and they did just that.

Game 1 against Back That Pass Up was an uphill battle as Back That Pass Up took an early 14-0 lead. Speedster Quarterback Ray was able to get Protiviti back in the game with his legs and arm, rushing for several long gains and throwing a couple of touchdown passes to Matt, Luis, and Randy. Mike, quickly learned how to run like a robot to avoid penalties, and Nick “The Bulldozer” also had some critical catches and defensive stops during the game. New comer, Justin had a couple of penalties, but quickly learned from his mistakes and went on to make some critical defensive stops and offensive blocks in the second half. Randy, put away the game with a crucial interception in overtime to give the Protivitites their first ever victory!

With a win under their belts, the Protiviti squad went on to face America’s Team. With a devastating loss to America's Team in Week 1, Protiviti felt they had something to prove. Early on in the game, team veteran and Associate Director, Evan was able to fly through the offensive line with swan-like moves to not only sack the quarterback, which led to end his participation in the game and any chance of victory for America’s Team. Protiviti quickly took advantage of the injured all-star and jumped to an early 14-0 lead. Again, Ray’s speed was too much for them to handle. Old age began to set in on Matt and Luis as they both pulled muscles, but that wasn’t enough to stop the Touchdown Tandem. The best play of the night came towards the end with Ryan, playing lock down defense, caught his first interception of the season, topping off Protiviti’s second victory of the night.

We did have a few key players miss the victorious night; however, judging by week 1, Franklin will remain an important part of the rush attack and Brad will continue to play his role as defensive specialist. Vijan has proven himself as the “emotional leader” for the team and will surely speak up on our behalf when he feels the refs are not being fair.

Congratulations to an awesome start, let’s keep it going for the rest of the season inorder to make the Flag Football Super Bowl!

-Casey Jo

Houston Marathon Recap

2012-01-17T07:41:00.000-08:00

This past weekend the 40th annual Houston Marathon was held throughout the streets of the city and Protiviti was there to cheer on more than 28,000 runners participating in either a 5K, half marathon or full marathon. For the first time ever, the USA Track & Field and the Houston Marathon Committee hosted the men’s and women’s Olympic Trials Marathon on the same day, at the same site. The historic event determine the three men and three women who will represent the United States in the marathon at the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

Protiviti's marathon watching post was stationed between mile 24 and 25 which is where it is said the average runner needs a little bit of extra pep to make it to the finish line. Our post happen to be right outside of one of our local clients headquarters.

Three Important Things in Life: Country, Company and Client

Protiviti did have a favorite runner this year, our very own Senior Manager, Holly participated in the Houston Half Marathon. Holly cleared the finish line after only an hour and forty-four minutes had elapsed which allowed her plenty of time to return to the tailgate to watch the Marathon winners pass who finished 26.2 miles in under two hours and ten minutes.

The Houston Office Spectators, including Holly (seated, 4th from the right)

Associate Director, Evan and Manager, Daniel are shown here offering donuts to participants.

Way to go Holly and all who participated!!!

-Casey Jo

How Do You Start Your Day?

2012-01-13T07:39:00.000-08:00

When recent college graduates start working at Protiviti, there is always a carafe of coffee in the orientation room. However, the majority of the coffee is consumed by various presenters and recruiters who are there. I have noticed that when most people embark into their first professional career, they might have only consumed a cup of coffee here or there, to help make it through an all-nighter or because their 8:00 am class came earlier than expected. Very few of the new hires are daily coffee drinkers.

Recently, my office was relocated closer to the break room on our floor and I have noticed in the morning it is a high traffic zone. This got me thinking -- How long does it take for a recent college graduate to become a coffee addict?

My college roommates and I did not even own a coffee pot. Now, I have 3 cups a day: one in the morning while watching the news, one on the way to work, and then one while I am seated at my desk preparing for the day ahead.

Is it me getting older and joining the ranks of grizzled, Corporate America citizens? Or is life as a recruiter driving me to drink?

Just a cup of Joe!
-Casey Jo

BCS National Championship

2012-01-09T13:51:00.000-08:00

Louisiana State University and Alabama will play for all the bragging rights tonight in New Orleans on ESPN. The Protiviti Houston office today was a sea on purple and gold with staff showing their support for their favorite team.

Who do you think will win?

Recruiter, Casey Jo, Consultant, Mike (LSU Accounting Alumni); Assistant, Alma; Consultant, Caitlin and Senior Manager, Holly (LSU Information Systems and Decision Sciences Alumni)

As LSU goes for its third national title since 2003 and Alabama its second in the last three years, there really is no underdog in this game. LSU enters the game tonight ranked No. 1 in the nation not only the basis of the win over Alabama earlier this year, but also by virtue of the team’s perfect 13-0 record. Alabama (11-1) is second ranked and may have the psychological advantage that often seems to fall to the team that loses in the first meeting.

For now, as the recruiter that visits Baton Rouge multiple times a year I will cheer on our TIGERS... with a big GEAUX Tigers!
-Casey Jo

Happy New Year!

2012-01-05T07:20:00.000-08:00

At Protiviti we are back at the office and extremely excited about what the NEW YEAR has in store for us! Please continue to return to our blog to learn about our recruiting process, life as a consultant and our intern program. One of our new year's resolutions for the blog is to write about what you want to hear about; therefore, please leave us comments to various post if you would like to learn more about a various topic or feel free to suggest a new idea.

If your new year's resolution was to find an exciting career, then what are you waiting for? Protiviti keeps an active listing of our various open positions on our website and we are always looking for extremely qualified campus students to join our intern program or to embark upon their first full-time career with us.

Now that the glitter has been thrown, and the ball has dropped... Happy New Year!

-Casey Jo

Working For The Man (In Red)

2011-12-16T13:05:00.000-08:00

Last year, I mentioned the Chicago office’s long tradition of participating in the Salvation Army Red Kettle Campaign, and this holiday season is no different. We’re back at it, and individuals from across the Chicago team have braved the cold and risked tinnitus to raise money for a good cause.

from left: Jeff (Senior Manager) and Lemont (Office Administration)

from left: Hilary (Resource Management), Jessica (Campus Recruiter), and Sean (Consultant)

clockwise from top left: Jason (Consultant), Victoria (Consultant), Caroline (Consultant), Jen (Consultant)

from left: Jordan (Consultant), Eujin (Consultant), Dave (Managing Director)

Santa made another appearance this year, and in true consultant fashion, he rushed back to his desk after his shift to crank out some deliverables ahead of schedule.

Because if anyone understands deadlines, it’s Santa.

Thanks to everyone who helped make this another successful year of bell-ringing for Protiviti Chicago!

--Bridget

The Original Wolf Pack

2011-12-12T14:55:00.000-08:00

One of the best parts of my job is having the opportunity to hire new consultants and watch them become successful at Protiviti. An example of this is the group pictured below who I had the privilege of being with as they started their career at Protiviti this past August. I have touched base with the self named group of new consultants known as the "Wolf Pack" to receive an update on what they’ve learned over the past five months.

San Francisco Consultant, Joe; Dallas Consultant, Nick; Seattle Consultant, Quinn; Houston Consultant, Justin;
and Dallas Consultant, Chase

Meet the Wolf Pack:

San Francisco Consultant, Joe graduated from the University of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in June and is working in our Technology practice. Joe decided to join Protiviti after interning with our organization during the summer of 2010. In Joe’s own words here is the true reason why he decided to join Protiviti “I asked this same question to all the companies I interviewed with when I was an intern candidate, ‘Why do you enjoy your job?’ All of the Protiviti employees had the same answer, ‘the people’. I didn’t understand what they meant at the time, but after my internship and my first few months as a full-time employee, I can see exactly what they mean. Work is work; however, working alongside your friends and having a lot of laughs along the way makes all the difference in the world. The people I work with have become some of my close friends and even my roommates in San Francisco.” The best part about accepting his offer after his internship was, “Heading into my senior year of college with a job offer in hand. I got to spend every day of my last year of college living life to the fullest. No worries, no concerns (minus the midterms here and there). I knew my future was secure at a place I wanted to be and a place that wanted me to be there.”

Here is what Joe has learned since becoming a full-time employee at Protiviti:
• If you see room for improvement, speak up! Our job is to add value to the client.
• Proof read
• It’s okay to make mistakes. I’ve made my share of them my first few months on the job, but I’ve learned from each one. It’s all part of the learning process.

Dallas Consultant, Nick graduated from Baylor University in May and then joined our Technology group as a full-time consultant. Nick decided to start his career at Protiviti because of the challenge he foresaw in the career within our organization. When I had a chance to catch up with Nick again about what he has learned post college, he shared the following:
• Be prepared to spend some time sorting through paperwork on a new project, and figuring out where to start.
• If you come out of college thinking you “are not a coffee drinker” ; well in fact you are, you just do not know it yet.

Seattle Consultant, Quinn joined Protiviti as a Process consultant after graduating from Michael G. Foster School of Business at the University of Washington. Quinn decided to accept his offer at Protiviti because after his second round of interviews, he realized he enjoyed the company of the people at Protiviti, and it was a place where he could see himself working. Quinn said it was evident that Protiviti invests heavily into their employees and places an emphasis on training.

When asked what he has learned since embarking upon his career at Protiviti, Quinn shared the following:
• Take part in out-of-office activities and events scheduled by the operations personnel because you will be able to know the people you work with on a personal level.
• Learn to listen, be patient, think before you speak, and respect others.
• You might have had to pay for coffee in college; however, that does not mean you need 9 cups of coffee a day when it’s free at the office.
• Only you can take control of your career. No one will remind you to be more professional, punctual, or efficient.

Houston Consultant, Justin graduated from the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas at Austin in May and has started his career as a Technology Consultant. Justin was interested in a career in consulting due to the unique challenges the job presents because no client or engagement can be approached in the exact same manor. When asked why he decided to join Protiviti, Justin spoke to the ownership you have in your own career at Protiviti.

Over the past few months Justin has learned a few valuable lessons he wanted to share with the future of our organization:
• You cannot have a conversation with a fellow Protiviti employee without abbreviating something.
• Lock your computer when you step away from your desk.
• Casey Jo has taught me that Houston is the “Energy Capital of the World”

Dallas Consultant, Chase joined Protiviti has a full-time Process consultant after graduating from Texas A&M University Mays College of Business. When Chase was asked why he decided to join Protiviti he told me, "I decided to join Protiviti due to the NBA Lockout because prior to the lockout I was in negotiations with my favorite team on the high demand for a 5’6 power forward, but as of now my future NBA career is on hold. I decided on Protiviti due to the ability to have constant learning, feedback, and career development; which were important to me when choosing a career. Protiviti builds leaders, which is evident by those at the Management level. After interning with Protiviti, I knew that this was the place I wanted to start my career. Everyone you encounter and work with is not only competent, but extremely intelligent. Working in a team environment not only builds you up as a business person, it also helps you develop relationships and friendships. This is why I couldn’t think of a better place to work!"

When Chase was asked to share what he has learned over the past few months now that he has started his career, he said:
• Protiviti intramurals are not for the faint of heart. In consulting we like to win!
• Always, Always, Always be over prepared for a meeting, because the client will ask your opinion.
• Every single person at Protiviti wants to eat at 11:30am “to beat the crowd”; however, every other company in America also wants "to beat the crowd."

You heard it straight from the consultants; and trust me, no we do not have a uniform of blue button-up shirts and khaki pants here at Protiviti.

The Wolf Pack is just THAT close!

-Casey Jo

Protiviti Dallas represents at the 2011 Autism Speaks Walk

2011-11-18T08:11:00.000-08:00

On Saturday, November 12th, the Protiviti Dallas Office sent over 50 volunteers to the 2011 Autism Speaks Walk. Autism Speaks is dedicated to increasing awareness of autism spectrum disorders, to funding research into the causes, prevention and treatments for autism, and to advocating for the needs of individuals with autism and their families. Over 8500 people were present at the event and over $500,000 was raised for the cause. Protiviti volunteers managed the registration table, passed out t-shirts to supporters, helped out at the information desk and most importantly, accounted for all of the money collected on the day of the event. It was an incredible effort by our team and something we were proud to be a part of - some of us even saw Elvis! If you have questions about autism or want more information about future events, please visit www.autismspeaks.org.

Consultant, Keri Bowman & Manager, Melissa Morgan

Elvis even made an appearance!

The Protiviti team!

Hot Off The Presses!

2011-11-17T15:01:00.000-08:00

In today's print edition of The New York Times, Protiviti is featured as one of 20 leading employers in a special supplement covering the Universum Top 100, a list that Protiviti made earlier this year as a top-ranked employer for IT undergraduates. Joseph Rivela, a New York-based Senior Manager focusing on Information Security & Privacy Solutions, represented Protiviti in the supplement in an employee profile and shared his experience working in security and privacy.

Pick up a copy on newsstands today or read the online edition here! The full text of Joseph's profile is also available at WetFeet.com, a career website affiliated with Universum, which you can access by clicking here.

- Bridget

Friendly Tailgating

2011-11-16T08:28:00.000-08:00

On October 29, 2011 - Protiviti Houston took over a coveted spot within Spence Park at Texas A&M University for our annual tailgate. While football season has been a common theme for our recruiting blog this fall, we want to point out we recruit at multiple Universities across the United States; which made this tailgate particularly special.

Senior Consultant and Aggie Former Student, Vijan; Director and Aggie Former Student, Tyler; Manager and Missouri Alumni, Darci; Manager and LSU Alumni, Ashley; Consultant and Aggie Former Student, Linda; and Former Intern and Aggie Class of 2012, Nick

Chicago Manager, Darci traveled for her first time to College Station, Texas to watch her Missouri Tigers beat the Texas Aggies during the final match-up for these teams as Big XII Conference members. We even had members of our organization from other universities who were not playing in the match-up attend the tailgate this year. While the outcome was not one the Aggies were excited about, we were pleased to have a chance to host a mini Intern Challenge reunion. Darci has facilitated the past two summers at the Intern Challenge, along with Houston Director, Tyler, and myself.

Hope your trip to Aggieland lived up to all of your expectations, Darci!

-Casey Jo

"Donut" Stop Giving Back

2011-10-27T13:57:00.000-07:00

As recruiters, we talk a lot about a concept known as “work-life balance”… I heard recently that a better name is “life balance” to reinforce the appropriate idea. Here at Protiviti, a managing director whom I greatly admire points out that life balance should be measured in the long-term sense of an entire career, rather than a 9 to 5 workday. There are times in your life where priorities shift more to professional responsibilities, and then there are times when those priorities shift back to personal commitments. It is a constant flux, and therefore it is a constant challenge to achieve a true and empowering balance.

One of the ways that life balance is best achieved is through community involvement and the effort to give back. I am always blown away by the dedication that our campus recruits have to social and civic causes, and I assure you that this can and should remain a part of your life as you move into your post-college life. Below are Caroline and James, two recent campus hires who participated in a donut day to help raise money for our CommUnity Scholarship Fund…

Thank you for the donuts, guys, and thanks also for proving my point.

-Bridget

Capture the Flag

2011-10-21T08:43:00.000-07:00

Each office at Protiviti hosts unique events that ensure our staff enjoys their daily lives. One event that started this year in Houston has to do with the all-important Fantasy Football. I am not going to bore you with the details of how Fantasy Football works, because I am by no means an expert and would probably speak unintelligently about the rules of the game. I am extremely excited that my team is dominating, even when I forget to reset some of my players on the roster when they are on bye weeks.

What I do want to share with you is how our office has started a great game of capture the flag. You will see below that the Houston league commissioner, senior consultant Vijan, did have his cube decorated like the image below:

Please take note of the flag posted in his cubicle that reads "2011 Fantasy Football Champion"; in my personal opinion, I feel this is a premature posting, especially since his team has yet to be matched up against mine. (On a side note, he would like for you to see his favorite NFL team's Tervis Tumbler).

Since my team is matching up against Vijan's this weekend, I decided I should take it upon myself to capture the flag. (No worries, my favorite team is not the same as Vijan's; therefore, I let him keep his tumbler).

Notice the flag here, in my office:

I captured the flag on Tuesday and it has yet to disappear from my office. Perhaps everyone is finally realizing that this campus recruiter knows her NFL football and will probably be the rightful owner of the flag at the end of the season; therefore, there is no reason to continue to capture it.

Have a great weekend!

-Casey Jo

Where have we gone....

2011-10-19T07:55:00.000-07:00

Hello "Blogosphere"!

We would like to apologize for not writing lately; however, our recruiting team is currently reviewing amazing resumes left for us to qualify and find the best candidates for our campus recruiters to interview on-campus.

Exhibit A - my office:

You might not understand from this picture what has happened; however, I had just dropped 135 resumes on the floor by accident and had just finished sorting the stack between our entry level process and technology positions. People that know me are aware that I usually have items color coordinated and in binders which is why this picture of my office is one that appears to show you how busy we have been.

We have many blogs in the works and will be posting updates again very soon!

Good Luck!
-Casey Jo

Southbound 35

2011-09-14T14:21:00.000-07:00

The life of a campus recruiter never lacks excitement! On Tuesday, September 6th Dallas Recruiter, Jill and myself were driving on Interstate 35 headed to Austin for various recruiting events at the University of Texas at Austin. Jill picked me up in Uptown Dallas at about 8am and informed me, we would be working a thirteen hour work day to help Protiviti find the top talent on-campus. We decided our first stop would be in Waco, Texas to allow us to start our journey down the road; but not too far to go without coffee.

Right as we passed through Hilsboro, Texas, and about 30 minutes down the road we heard a big noise and then saw our right, front tire speed off away from our car. Jill and I safely made our way to the shoulder of Interstate 35, as we watched the tire roll away from the car.

The tire, further down the road than the car.

As we were able to get out of the car and began to call for help because changing a tire in business casual was not going to be an easy task. A nice Texan stopped on the access road to see if he could be of service. Jill and I were relieved for this man's generosity.

Texan changing our tire

Only 10 minutes after the initial accident, Jill and I found that our we were ready to go forward on our journey to Austin. The Texan said farewell and asked us to drive safely for the rest of the journey, but assured us we would be able to make the rest of the trip on our spare if we did not go over a suggested speed of 55 mph. Jill and I became an excited pair of campus recruiters and this nice gentleman almost secured a job in consulting!

The spare is secured.

Jill and I had left Dallas in plenty of time to still arrive in Austin on time for our first event! If you are wondering, we did go ahead and stop for coffee in Waco, because even after a jilt of excitement, we needed our coffee.

You never know when you could help your chances for a job, just by changing a tire!

-Casey Jo

We Remember... 9/11/2001

2011-09-11T19:58:00.000-07:00

Our thoughts are with the families who were impacted by the events that occured on September 11, 2001. Today marks the 10 year anniversary, but here at Protiviti we will NEVER forget those who lost their lives for our country.

USA! USA! USA!
-Casey Jo

Protiviti Game Day

2011-09-09T10:14:00.000-07:00

I have said it before and I'll say it again - You can't love campus recruiting like we do without also loving college football. As the season kicked off last week, Protiviti was there at the tailgates, in the stands, and on the mission to cheer our schools on to victory. Before the next round of games begins, below are some pictures from our first Protiviti game day.

Casey Jo (Recruiter and Aggie alum) had a great spot to watch the Texas A&M game unfold at Kyle Field.

Kat (Consultant and Notre Dame alum) snapped a shot of a "Here Come The Irish" banner hanging on Zahm Hall in rainy South Bend, IN.

Martin (Associate Director and Florida alum) sent a picture of his daughter in her Gator gear preparing to enter The Swamp.

And in the most exciting game of the week (in my humble opinion), Jared (former intern and current Baylor student) documented the rushing of the field after the Bears' upset.

Go Team,
Bridget

College Colors Day

2011-09-08T14:23:00.000-07:00

Friday, September 2nd was the seventh annual College Colors Day event, which is being conducted in partnership with NCAA Football, and is celebrated by thousands of organizations nationwide. Last Friday not only marked the kick-off of intercollegiate athletics, but it aims to increase public awareness of the importance of higher education.

Protiviti-Houston encouraged employees to you to wear their College Colors on Friday, for a project team competition! Below is a picture of our winning project team for their spirit and participation.

University of Texas Alum, Consultant Taylor; Louisiana State University Alumni, Senior Consultants Matt and Leslie;
and Texas A&M University Former Student, Consultant Kara

-Casey Jo

Representing In The Twin Cities

2011-09-02T07:34:00.000-07:00

Members of the Protiviti Minneapolis Office

At Protiviti, we strive to be known as a best place to work. This effort leads to success as an organization as well as recognition in the market. One such story draws attention to our Minneapolis team and the great strides they have made to represent Protiviti in the Twin Cities. As a result of their efforts over the past several years, the team was recently recognized by the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal as a Best Place To Work. (You can read more about it here.)

I was introduced to our Minneapolis office early on in my career at Protiviti. While I am based in Chicago, my visits and interactions with the team gave me exposure to the great office culture for which they are being recognized. One of my first career fairs took place at the University of Minnesota (documented from an early version of a camera phone below).

Recruiters at the Career Fair

While working the booth, I was inundated with stories about off-site teambuilding events, school rivalries within the office, friendly banter and pranks played by coworkers, and most notably, the regular food challenges that took place involving blazing hot wings, giant burritos, and other dazzling feats of consumption. The office is tight-knit, supportive, and most importantly, they function as a true team. Congratulations to Protiviti Minneapolis on a well-deserved accolade!

- Bridget

Bay Area Summer Social 2011!

2011-08-24T14:41:00.000-07:00

The Bay Area offices enjoyed a day at Angel Island located in the San Francisco Bay on August 5^th. True to SF weather, the morning started out foggy but cleared into a beautiful summer day. Employees and their families were invited to participate in the activities; egg toss, kickball, bocce ball and barbeque. With a ferry ride to and from the island, it was great day in the Bay!

Consultant Ryan and Manager Kavi show us their egg catching kills while Senior Jeff demonstrated his soccer style with an egg.

Everyone enjoying the day!

The ferry ride back to reality. . . . .
-Kelly

Are you up to the Challenge?

2011-08-23T09:22:00.000-07:00

Currently, I have been provided the opportunity to sit in on our Consultant Challenge program. Here at the Challenge our new consultants are being trained and led in the classroom of the future. Four of our organizations top management employees from across the Globe are teaching through a project simulation environment. The consultants arrived from Australia, Cincinnati, Denver, Chicago, Los Angeles, Dallas and Houston unsure of what to expect here at the Challenge.

Monday morning these individuals found themselves meeting with a Managing Director, and embarking upon a learning experience of a life time. Training and development of our employees is an extremely important part of our business at Protiviti because these young brains will be aiding to increase profitability of many Fortune 500 companies. Each person that joins Protiviti attends training equivalent of their level within our firm.

Interested in joining Protiviti... are you up to the Challenge?
-Casey Jo

Farewell Summer Interns

2011-08-15T11:37:00.000-07:00

Friday marked the official last day of our Summer 2011 Intern Program. A few interns across the nation are still working for Protiviti; however, the majority have started moving back to their college town and changing from business casual attire back into their casual college t-shirt attire. The past eight weeks have flown by extremely fast for those of us here still at Protiviti, and we do have a few key memories we would like for our former interns to take with them.

ACCESS TO THE TOP: remember how you had the opportunity to meet our entire Executive Team and the majority of the Advisory Board.

CHALLENGING WORK: remember how you were provided the opportunity to work on various client projects over the summer.

BEST PEOPLE: remember the bright individuals you were able to call your coworkers over the summer and for many of you once again in the new future.

MENTORING: remember the buddies, mentors and advisors you were assigned to assisted in guiding your career over the summer.

FUN: remember the office wide events, The Intern Challenge, baseball game outings or getting to know new people in a new city.

FOOD: I mean, I could not do an applicable recap of the summer if I did not remind you about the great food you had throughout the entire summer!!!!

We already miss you Summer 2011 Intern Class!!

-Casey Jo

Relocating for a Career

2011-08-05T08:43:00.000-07:00

One exciting part of starting a career at Protiviti is the potential of relocating to a new city or even a new state!

When I started my career at Protiviti I had only been in the city of Houston for a little less than a year and by taking the job at Protiviti I was given the opportunity to connect with many people who have similar interest as myself. Joining Protiviti helped me to not only expand my network professionally, but also on a personal level. Looking back at the four years I have spent at Protiviti I have learned many important life lessons not only to aid in my career development, but also in how to adapt to a new environment from a personal stand point.

Recently, in Houston we have had a returning intern from the Summer of 2010 rejoin our organization as a full-time employee. Zach graduated from Louisiana State University in December of 2010 and started with Protiviti in April of this year. Throughout the recruitment process, I discussed relocation to a new state with Zach. Zach was very excited about the opportunity about coming to Texas. One Friday this summer, Zach stopped by my office to show me his new purchase of his first pair of cowboy boots!

As a recruiter, I was pleased to see that Zach was enjoying his new state and was even embracing the typical attire of a true Texan. This week, I again was met with a pleasant surprise by Zach showing me that he is now a proud card carrier of an official Texas Drivers Licenses.

All-in-all, I feel Zach would tell you he misses his home state of Louisiana due to his family, friends and of course the Cajun cooking that the southern part of his home state is famous for making; however, I am excited Zach is fully embracing his new life as a Texan and doing so with his new Protiviti co-workers.

Welcome to Texas Zach! And we will know you are true Texan when you start speaking with a deep southern draw and decide to ride in your first rodeo!

Yeeeeeeeeee-haw!

-Casey Jo

Hello from Chicago!

2011-08-04T13:43:00.000-07:00

One of the best parts about being a member of Protiviti is the opportunities that present themselves when you least expect them. Krystal, a Houston Technology- Security Manager was presented with the opportunity to travel to Chicago for her very first time! Krystal is helping to represent Protiviti at the Black Data Processing Association National Convention that kicked off yesterday and will run through Saturday. When Krystal arrived in Chicago she was greeted by one of our recruiters, Bridget who is also attending the conference.

I have had the pleasure to receive a few photos capturing their experience. Here is one of my favorites, where the attendees have photographed themselves in "Cloud Gate" which is the centerpiece of the AT&T Plaza in Millennium Park of Chicago, Illinois.

Manager, Krystal and Recruiter, Bridget

Have fun!
-Casey Jo

LUCK to Work for Protiviti!

2011-08-04T06:54:00.000-07:00

Last Thursday evening the Houston office headed off to play BINGO at the local Slavonic Benevolent Order of the State of Texas Lodge 88. The best part of playing BINGO at our local lodge is the proceeds of the Lodge goes towards scholarships for the surrounding community. The Houston interns will admit they were a little worried when I sent out an invite for a fun night of BINGO since most had not played since they were younger; but with a little bit of trust everyone arrived right on time to a crowded BINGO hall that was filled to capacity.

Just when everyone was starting to feel lucky not one, but two of our attendees ended up being able to yell BINGO and were awarded a part of the prize for two different games.

Whether the game was black out, corners, kite or just regular BINGO fun was had by all!

-Casey Jo

Take Me Out to the Ballgame.... Dallas Style!

2011-08-03T13:38:00.000-07:00

On July 28^th, the Protiviti Dallas Office hosted a Family and Friends Summer Outing at the Ballpark. Over 100 Protiviti guests attended with their claws and antlers to watch the Rangers beat the Twins!

We enjoyed some hot dogs, hamburgers, cold draft beer, and an air conditioned escape from the 110 temps we’re experiencing in Dallas this summer!

Above all, everyone had a great time visiting with co-workers and especially their families who we don’t get to see very often.

The most dedicated Rangers fans took on the heat and ventured outside of the AC to cheer the Rangers onto a victory. Will they be cheering them on to another World Series appearance? We hope so!

This game was a big “HIT” and we hope to make it an annual Dallas office event.

GO RANGERS!

-Jill

House of Air

2011-08-02T12:16:00.000-07:00

The Bay Area Office was invited to “House of Air” for some flying, jumping, dodging and flipping! House of Air is a giant trampoline park overlooking the Bay and right next to the Golden Gate Bridge in Crissy Field.

The evening started out with the basics then kicked into high gear with dodge ball. Even without the training of Patches O’Houlihan, we managed to play a few pretty competitive games!

But we WARNED . . . trampoline’s can be hazardous to your health.

Taking a breather.

- Kelly

The Atlanta Office Lends a Helping Hand

2011-08-01T13:56:00.000-07:00

Saturday morning the Atlanta office got up bright and early to volunteer at Open Hand food kitchen, an organization that provides healthy meals to those with chronic illnesses.

Our team of 13 people helped package 1,336 meals during our morning shift!

Ana & Ross

Tim & Nick

The Protiviti crew

For more information on Open Hand and opportunities to volunteer, please visit their website at: http://www.projectopenhand.org/.

-Brennan

The Ft. Lauderdale Office Sizzles at the Summer BBQ

2011-07-28T13:29:00.000-07:00

The Ft. Lauderdale office held its summer BBQ at Hugh Taylor Birch Park and served classic BBQ delectables such as BBQ ribs, macaroni and cheese, baked beans, and cornbread!

A “Craft Beer Tasting” activity also took place so that everyone could rate each beer on initial taste, refreshment, and aftertaste. We came up with an “overall drinkability” score for each beer.

It was a beautiful Saturday afternoon complete with great co-workers, food, and fun!

Thanks Valerie!

~Brennan

Los Angeles Office Intern Beach Cleanup @ Venice Beach

2011-07-28T11:25:00.000-07:00

The Los Angeles office got together on Friday, July 22nd at Venice Beach for our annual beach cleanup! We spent the afternoon under the sun and had lunch, picked up some trash, and finished off the afternoon with some bocce ball, volleyball and football! We split up into groups with our trash bags and gloves and picked up any trash we could find on the sand, both north and south of the Venice Beach pier.

We picked up some interesting things, even a dirty diaper! Here's all the trash we picked up….the beach is now a little bit cleaner!

Of course, we need to balance the hard work with some fun in the sun...our LA Office Managing Director, Tom McClune, shows the interns and new hires how to have some fun with Bocce Ball!

Part of our beach cleanup crew! Go Los Angeles!

~Tu

Houston aids to End Hunger

2011-07-26T13:07:00.000-07:00

Houston Area Hunger Facts:

865,000 individuals need assistance with food each year in Houston and throughout southeast Texas.
Nearly 900,000 people live in poverty in our 18-county area (15% of the population).
One in four children in Harris County lives at or below poverty level.

After reading these facts the Houston office knew what we needed to do! Last Friday the Houston office interns and their fellow consultants spent the afternoon at the Houston Food Bank working to prepare almost 4,000 pounds of food. The day consisted of chopping hundreds of onions; shredding 120 pounds of cabbage; carving nearing 560 pounds of pork; dicing 320 pounds of cantaloupe; peeling 250 pounds of carrots; opening cans of peaches, water chestnuts, and apple sauce; and using gourmet skills to flavor 360 pounds of chicken breast.

Consultant, Brad & Interns, Jonathan and Nick

Look at these consultants CHOP!

Senior Consultant, Matt, Consultant, Zach and Intern, Donny

-Casey Jo

Help Keep Magnuson Park Clean!

2011-07-25T14:29:00.000-07:00

Members of the Seattle Office helped keep Magnuson Park clean on July 16th!

It was a good day for Seattle weather as the rain held off for a few hours.

Intern, Mike helped clean up the environment, making it better for us and this bug's life.

Thank you to the Seattle Team!

-Kelly

Learning Never Stops at Protiviti

2011-07-25T09:09:00.000-07:00

At Protiviti, a huge part of our employees professional development is that they continuously KEEP LEARNING no matter how high they progress in the organization. Our people typically do this through Challenge Schools, Online Trainings, and Professional Certifications. Russ Collins, Dallas Managing Director, took this principle to a whole new level when he brought out a flip chart one day and conducted a lesson on inventory accounting for his project team. It seems that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, Russ’s dad is a recently retired Accounting Professor from Baylor University in Waco, Texas.

Just another example of how learning is not something that stops once you graduate from school. You never know when, where, or how you might learn something new at Protiviti!

Thanks Russ!

-Jill

Orlando Office Gives Back

2011-07-19T07:40:00.000-07:00

This past weekend the Orlando office spent some time volunteering at the Second Harvest Food Bank. The Orlando Summer interns have volunteered at the Food Bank for the past 4 years.

Megha, one of our Orlando interns, really enjoyed the event and prepared the following to share with us:

We spent some time volunteering on Saturday by sorting donated goods at the Food Bank. From toys to dental products, everything was distributed to nonprofit organizations around Central Florida. One thing we learned was that everything we were sorting was not exactly what we thought it was...

"I think these are Cubans." Jose & Anthony

Shelly sporting a leprechaun hat!

Towards the end, we were all exhausted so we decided to refresh ourselves with some Capri Suns.

Consultants, Alex & Shelly

Protiviti has always encouraged professionals to be involved in the community and that is exactly what we did. It was a great day volunteering and spending quality time with co-workers! This has been one of the best volunteering experiences I have had thus far.

Alex, Jose, Anthony, Julia, Megha, Shelly & Kurt

-Brennan & Brittany

10,000 Wins- Atlanta Interns Bring Braves Good Luck

2011-07-18T12:07:00.000-07:00

Interns, Buddies & baseball fans alike from the Atlanta office spent Friday night rooting for the Braves as they dominated the Washington Nationals 11-1 for their 10,000th all-time win!

For some of our Interns, this was their first experience at Turner Field so we (Brittany and I) made sure to make it a special occasion complete with cold drinks, a trip to the top of the Chop, and ball park dogs of course.

Brittany starting the tailgate a little bit early...

Atlanta Interns with their Recruiters! (Jordan, Will, Brittany, Brennan, Ross & Stewart)

Will and Jordan playing cornhole.

Stewart and Connor tossing for the win!

The whole crew.

Turner Field--Home of the Braves!

And lastly, I would like to leave you with a few words from Stewart, one of our Interns who is a Florida native and has never been to a Braves game before:

"Some of the regulars showed us newbies the sights and sounds of Turner Field. We got pizza, BBQ, & hot dogs, found our seats, and even found time to watch the game for a little bit. After a brutal beatdown of the Nationals to the tune of 11-1, the night was capped off by a pretty incredible fireworks show. I had pretty high expectations, but this trumped ALL of them. I can't reiterate how great of a time I had. The only downside of the night was that it had to end. There is only one question left unanswered... When is the next one?"

-Brennan

Chicago Intern Whirlyball Event

2011-07-18T09:51:00.000-07:00

The Chicago interns recently got to show off their whirlyball skills! (For those of you not familiar with whirlyball, educate yourself here). It was a great day filled with bumper cars and pizza. At the end of the event was the big Hoosier face off: Indiana University Interns vs. Indiana University Alumni. A bet was made and the stakes were high...

Group Shot!

Operations Team What What

GAME ON!!!!!!!!!

Unfortunately for the interns, they were crushed by the alumni. Regardless, it's safe to say that everyone had fun and got some quality bonding time!

- Jessica

Bike & Build Bicycle Trip

2011-07-13T07:26:00.000-07:00

In case you didn’t know…

Brad, one of our recent Los Angeles office campus new hires from USC, is currently participating in the 2011 Bike & Build bicycle trip which raises funds that benefit affordable housing groups. Brad will travel 3,800 miles on his trip which began on June 19, 2011 and ends on August 27, 2011. His route will take him through the most drastic weather extremes for the summer, from the cool back roads in New York’s Adirondack National Park, to hot days on the bike through Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois, before finally climbing over the Cascade Mountains in Washington. Along the route, the team also stops at certain locations to help build homes with Habitat for Humanity.

Brad sent me an email update recently and said that he’s having a great and rewarding time.

Brad – we wish you the best and can’t wait to hear all your stories when you return from your trip!

-Tu

Another Day in the Bay...

2011-07-12T07:57:00.000-07:00

On July 8th, Protiviti hosted its annual Giants game and tailgate event at A T & T Park. Although the Giants lost to the Mets (2-5), we enjoyed a sunny night filled with Mexican food, sunflower seeds and good company. Looking forward to the Giants clinching another championship title in 2011!

-Kelly

A Dallas Office Favorite... TOP GOLF!!

2011-07-05T08:37:00.000-07:00

On June 30th the Dallas Office had some quality Intern, Mentor, & Buddy bonding time at TopGolf! It was an absolute blast and everyone had a great time swinging the sticks, eating great food, and just catching up!

Intern, Nick with his two buddies Consulants, Nick & Stephen

Senior Manager, Scott, Resource Management, Peyton, Consultant Jeff, and Intern, Chris

Top Golf is a long standing Dallas office favorite and a safe haven for the most to the least experienced golfers. That’s one of the best things about Top Golf - everyone can play!

Jared, Intern showing us how it's done

A good time was definitely had by all! As evidenced here...

- Jill

Interns + A Clear Night in SF + High Speed Extreme Ride Boat + Italian Dinner + Karaoke = Last Night!

2011-07-01T07:53:00.000-07:00

The interns and members of the Bay Area practice experienced their first RocketBoat ride on the Bay.

It was an evening filled with speed, crazy turns and salt water sprays followed by yummy Italian food in the heart of North Beach!

A few awards must be given out . . .

“Best Hair After” Award – Consultant Ryan Darling
“Best Face of Extreme Shock” Award – Consultant Heather Rhyne-Christensen
“Best Smiles While Windblown” Award – Senior Clint Maples & Manager Sylvia Auyeung

“Best All Around Windblown” Award– Manager Jeffrey Weiss and Consultant Peter Wicklund

Food is a passion in the SF Office. Here we are feasting on Italian pizza and pasta at Bocce Café.

Our night wouldn’t have been complete unless Interns Alex and Luis sang for us! All in all, another successful evening.

-Kelly

This one is for the Silver Boot...

2011-07-01T07:26:00.000-07:00

Houston and our interns had the opportunity to cheer on our beloved Houston Astros this week as they were attempting to win back the Silver Boot from the "other" MLB team in our great state of Texas. We attended the second game of the series and the Rangers had won the night before, leaving this game to be our chance to tie the series!

We sat in our beloved mezzanine section that houses the Houston summer game participants each season. The stats show that the Rangers having a better talent pull than the Astros this year which was proven by Senior Consultant, Joe's comment, "There is a reason why I know more starters in the Rangers line-up this season than my hometown team." The Houston office and Interns were HIGHLY optimistic.

Consultant, Kyle and Intern, Nick

The Astros were down 3-0 heading into the 7th inning which Carols Lee then helped to what the spectators hopes was to put a rally into motion by hitting his sixth home run of the season, to cut the Ranger's lead to 3-1. Lee was followed by Matt Downs who nailed a double into the left-field corner. Downs was soon brought home by Clint Barmes who dropped a single into right field to score Downs and get the Astros within one.

The final ended up being 3-2, and the greatest hit this year was the ice cream!

Consultant, Bjorn; Senior, Matt; Intern, Jonathan; and Consultant, Randy

The Astros did end up winning the final game in the series, but this left Houston empty handed of the Silver Boot this year again. Better luck next year!

-Casey Jo

Northeast Region Interns Off to a Great Start!

2011-06-28T12:29:00.000-07:00

The Northeast Region Interns are back from the Intern Challenge in Orlando. The Interns have started their client work and are off to a great start! We are excited to have them join the Protiviti family.

Bay Area 5th Annual Wine Tasting

2011-06-28T12:17:00.000-07:00

The San Francisco Interns joined the Bay Area Office 5th Annual Wine Tasting Trip to Sonoma County on Saturday. We visited 3 wineries in the area, each with its own distinct flair. If you are ever in the Bay Area, a trip to wine country is a must! Below are some great places we visited this past weekend.

The first was Bartholomew Park Winery, a certified organic winery.

Our second stop was Tin Barn Winery. A warehouse style winery with thousands of barrels housed inside, it stands on a parking lot in the middle of Sonoma. A unique winery for the area with a great selection of wines.

Imagery Estate Winery was the final stop on our tour. A great place to spend the day with wine, bocce ball, horseshoes and beautiful landscape. This winery has unique label art for year and types of wine, having 200+ labels by different artist. A great way to end the day!

If you are ever in need of suggestions, the Bay Area Office will gladly offer up many places to visit!

-Kelly

Summer Intern Challenge Class of 2011

2011-06-27T11:27:00.000-07:00

Today many of our interns from across the country found themselves no longer in The Intern Challenge environment, but on their first client assignments. As an intern they were trained, coached and brought up to speed on our consulting methodologies last week in order to go out with their own project team today.

From the Facilitators, Recruiters, Executives and the rest of the Protiviti family, we are excited for you to get started on a client! Here's to you the Summer Intern Challenge Class of 2011.

-Casey Jo

Live from Disney...4:44pm

2011-06-23T13:53:00.000-07:00

As day 4 draws to a close I found myself wondering what had happened in the training rooms while the Interns were giving their final presentation over their assigned client.

You decide...
-Casey Jo

Intern Challenge Scavenger Hunt - Day 2 & 3

2011-06-23T13:43:00.000-07:00

DAY 2:

Take a picture in a different country.

DAY 3:

Take a picture with people who go to the same University as you.

Take a picture with their college rival.

Take a picture with a Lego dragon.

-Casey Jo

Facilitator Flash - Matt M.

2011-06-23T13:09:00.000-07:00

Matt Mueller

Senior Manager, New York

Saint Joseph's University

Live from Disney...4:04pm

2011-06-23T13:05:00.000-07:00

One thing about the Intern Challenge is you NEVER go hungry! Every two minutes it fills like there is more delicious food presenting itself in my vision. If you are not cautious you could go home from the Intern Challenge needing a larger size of pants. What can we say our consultants need brain food!

Cajin Seafood Buffet - Thursday Night Dinner

Breakfast Burritos - Mid Morning Snack

Chips & Candy - Mid Afternoon Snack

-Casey Jo

Facilitator Flash - Scott

2011-06-23T12:34:00.000-07:00

Scott Rylie

Senior Manager, Dallas

Texas A&M University

Facilitator Flash - Matt S.

2011-06-23T06:49:00.000-07:00

Matt Sanchez
Senior Manager, Arizona

New Mexico State University

Live From Disney....9:20 AM

2011-06-23T06:48:00.000-07:00

This morning we were left wondering... what's my personal brand?

Our Executives Jim “Paj” Pajakowski and Bob Hirth shared with us some words of wisdom around networking and creating our personal brands. These are 2 very important components that will help us steer our careers in the right direction. Jim and Bob provided advice around using the personal branding process and our networks so we can create our careers and command our futures!

Thank you Jim and Bob for sharing your personal experiences and encouraging us to go out in the world to expand our networks!

-Jill

The Tower of...Balloons!

2011-06-22T14:31:00.000-07:00

We had the pleasure of performing a teaming activity with the entire group today. We challenged the interns to build the tallest free standing tower made only of balloons of various sizes and masking tape.

The teams were randomly divided and highly competitive. The purpose of the activity was to ensure the interns understand the importance of collaboration while in a team environment.

Here are a few photos of the event.

Live from Disney...12:20pm

2011-06-22T09:20:00.000-07:00

Today is college t-shirt day, which is by far one of my favorite days of the week!

All of the students arrived sporting their school pride and then had the pleasure of listening to Executive Vice President and Global Industry Leader, Carol Beaumier. Carol shared with the students the importance of networking and extending their reach.

2011 List of Best Places to Work for Recent Grads

2011-06-22T08:26:00.000-07:00

We are pleased to share an exciting accolade that Protiviti recently received. Experience, Inc., a provider of career services for college students and alumni, named Protiviti to its 2011 list of Best Places to Work for Recent Grads. The list recognizes 20 organizations from a wide range of industries across the United States for excellence in recruiting, hiring, training and retaining young professionals.

Protiviti was recognized for its adaptation to the emerging workforce, commitment to cross-functional training programs, and for embracing social causes that matter to Gen Y.

With our Interns starting in less than 2 days, this is an honor we are excited to share with our readers.

-Casey Jo

Facilitator Flash - Marie

2011-06-22T08:02:00.000-07:00

Marie McGillivray
Senior Manager, Denver
Colorado State University

Facilitator Flash - John

2011-06-22T06:49:00.000-07:00

John Hollyoak
Senior Manager, Chicago
Rochester Institute of Technology

Intern Challenge Scavenger Hunt - Day 1

2011-06-21T13:02:00.000-07:00

Throughout the week the interns have a photo scavenger hunt to complete by midnight for the opportunity to be entered into a drawing the following day. Here are Monday's responses:

Take a picture with the facilitator who is also a cheesehead.

Take a picture that includes one intern from each region.

Take a picture with a Sultans of Sauce medal.

Take a picture with your campus recruiter.

-Casey Jo

Facilitator Flash - Steve

2011-06-21T12:47:00.000-07:00

Steve Wang

Senior Manager, St. Louis

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Live from Disney...2:00pm

2011-06-21T10:53:00.000-07:00

Today, the interns focused on completing a DiSC activity that helps for them to understand various team dynamics. The recruiting team facilitated the activity which allowed for the interns to break out into their predominate DiSC dimension. It was very interesting as an outsider to witness how the personality traits came true during a simple activity like designing a sandwich.

The Dominate group was very straight to the point of the activity by writing down the ingredients. The Influence group was talkative, encouraging and creative; while the Conscientiousness group spent time talking about the process prior to making sure the sandwich was designed in a systematic approach. Finally, the Steadiness group created a stable environment where everyone was able to share their ideas and to be heard.

Influence Group

Dominate Group

-Casey Jo

Facilitator Flash - Darci

2011-06-21T10:30:00.000-07:00

Darci Lowe
Senior Manager, Chicago
University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Live from Disney...1:19pm

2011-06-21T10:27:00.000-07:00

This morning in the general session we had the pleasure of hearing from our CEO, Joe Tarantino. Joe spent time educating the interns on the history of our firm, his personal career path, and words of wisdom to make their internship the best experience ever! I realize Joe is extremely busy, but his passion for the intern program and commitment to spending time sharing knowledge with the interns is unrivaled by other firms. The pieces of advice Joe left with the interns was for each one to be prepared, build relationships, volunteer, do quality work, accept challenges, act on feedback and most importantly have fun!

- Casey Jo

Facilitator Flash - Martin

2011-06-21T08:00:00.000-07:00

Martin Nash
Senior Manager, Orlando
University of Florida

Live from Disney...9:47am

2011-06-21T07:03:00.000-07:00

Last night at Disney Fort Wilderness we competed to see who was the Sultan of Sauce for 2011. The battle was tough and the sauces were amazing; however, "The Most Interesting Salsa in the World" ended up on top.

The assignment was to recreate your assigned sauce by choosing the appropriate ingredients based strictly on taste. Each team chopped, heated, mashed and stirred with multiple taste in between. The winning team attributes their chopping skills to Houston Technology Intern, Bailey. While part of the team was cooking the other part of the group was busy strategizing to create a five minute marketing presentation that would be shown to the entire group before judging took place. The Sultan's of Sauce for 2011 would like to thank Phoenix Process Intern, Kirk for his idea for the winning commercial.

I am pleased to inform you all that my team took home the prize this year and I plan on wearing my medal proudly!

-Casey Jo

Live from Disney...4:23pm

2011-06-20T13:23:00.000-07:00

Our first day at the client at The Intern Challenge here within the walls of the Hilton Disney is about to draw to a close and we are getting ready for our cook-out evening at Disney's Fort Wilderness. Stay tuned to see who will be dressed in the greatest western attire and which team will be crowned the Sultan of Sauce for 2011!

Facilitator Flash - Mike

2011-06-20T12:48:00.000-07:00

Mike Pisano

Associate Director, New York

University of Delaware

Facilitator Flash - Tyler

2011-06-20T12:17:00.000-07:00

Tyler Chase
Director, Houston
Texas A&M University

Live from Disney...2:31pm

2011-06-20T11:42:00.000-07:00

We just participated in an activity which demonstrated the importance of thinking before speaking, in life and especially at the client site.

The interns were divided into groups and told to figure out a word that describes something they have in common. Once the team wrote the word on a piece of poster board, they were provided the additional instructions to outline the word in toothpaste. The final piece of instruction: the interns were asked to put the toothpaste back into the tube. This is nearly impossible! The interns were excellent sports and tried extremely hard, but learned an important lesson.

In the words of Houston Intern, Donny "think fast and talk slow."

-Casey Jo

Facilitator Flash - Jeff

2011-06-20T09:50:00.000-07:00

Jeff Tecau

Associate Director, Orlando
Wake Forest

Facilitator Flash - Nicole

2011-06-20T08:27:00.000-07:00

Nicole Miller

Manager, San Francisco

Cal Poly Slo

Live from Disney...9:50am

2011-06-20T07:02:00.000-07:00

Good Morning!

We are here in Orlando at the 2011 Intern Challenge. Last night after the welcome dinner, we were able to enjoy the dancing skills of a few of our interns and facilitators.

This morning, we had the pleasure of having our Vice President of Human Resources, Scott Redfearn kick off The Intern Challenge! He shared the importance of this week and the pride we have in hiring top talent.

- Casey Jo

Your Biggest Fans

2011-06-03T10:55:00.000-07:00

Today closed out the 2011 NACE Conference in Dallas, which I was fortunate to attend, and guess what! Students of America, the news is good. The conference encompassed days of workshops, dialogue, and presentations on topics ranging from best practices for career services to diversity to social media and, of course, the ever-present challenge of effective campus recruiting. Leaders within career services functions at large universities and small colleges partnered with recruiting and HR professionals from a variety of employers to address common goals, values, and concerns.

So here’s the good news, kids: You have an overwhelming amount of people in your corner. The tone of our conversations was not about quick fixes, band-aid responses, or maintaining the status quo, and it definitely was not centered around making our jobs easier. Instead, our discussion focused on one thing: you. How can we make the recruiting and employment experiences more rewarding for you? How can career services help you find the best paths on which to start your careers? How can we, the employers, enable you to better access us, learn about opportunities, and add value in our organizations as young professionals?

I’m pretty sure no one left with the magic answers to these and other questions. I’m even more confident that there IS no magic answer that works for one and all. But the sharing of knowledge, the debate and analysis has at least one participant walking away with a Protiviti padfolio full of ideas – that, as well as a certainty that we’ve got your back.

- Bridget

Cap n' Gown n' Koozie

2011-05-16T10:39:00.000-07:00

As many of you say farewell to your college days, Protiviti wishes you the best of luck in your future endeavors! Below, two University of Georgia students celebrate graduation, clearly excited to take the next step of their lives with Protiviti (and clearly in need of more Protiviti paraphernalia).

Congratulations to Brennan, Michael, and all the rest of the Class of 2011 who look forward to what the future holds!

Brennan (Future Atlanta Campus Recruiter) and Michael (Future Atlanta Process Consultant)

- Casey Jo

Solidariti

2011-05-09T15:58:00.000-07:00

Last week, Protiviti hosted a call for campus hires across the country to check in on current news and relevant, real-time updates. As part of this call, our CEO discussed the impact of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan with regards to our client service delivery and our team based in Tokyo.

His insights, which centered around our team's ability to respond to clients in the aftermath of the crisis, reminded me of a gesture coordinated here in our Chicago office during that same time. In the weeks after the disaster, the office created messages of solidarity and collected donations to reinforce and encourage our team in Japan. One of our managing directors presented the messages to the Tokyo office during a timely visit (see below).

Left to right: Yasumi Taniguchi (Managing Director), Hyo Kambayashi (Managing Director), Dan O'Keefe (Managing Director), Gyoshu Hiramatsu (Managing Director)

The gesture struck me in that it came about so organically in a corporate environment where many things are often over-planned. It also highlights a value that I hope all new hires can say about their employer, wherever they choose to go: As a community, we rally around our people to provide support and encouragement during challenging times. This is no doubt something that our Protiviti new hires will see and contribute to when they join our organization.

- Bridget

Special Olympics Volunteer Saturday

2011-04-11T07:21:00.000-07:00

This past Saturday, our Houston office participated as volunteers for the Annual Special Olympics Spring Games at Strake Jesuit.

Protiviti was responsible with volunteering with the Track/Field and Mini Javelin competitions. Protiviti was recognized as a Bronze Corporate Sponsor at the games’ Opening Ceremony in a relatively short list of Corporate Sponsors. It was such a humbling experience to line up and greet the athletes as they were introduced as well as be right there next to them, cheering them on. The overall experience provided great spring weather, great friends, and overall a really great event helping better our community.

-Casey Jo & An Yu, Senior Manager

Cowboy Boots and Shooting Hoops

2011-03-31T09:27:00.000-07:00

It has been a busy month in Houston. The 78th Annual Houston Live Stock Show and Rodeo took place earlier in the month, and the NCAA Men's Basketball Final Four rolls into town this weekend.

For rodeo season, the Protiviti Houston office did its part to display our Texan pride, which involves but is not limited to business men trading in suits for pearl snaps and business women kicking off the high heels to boot scoot and boogie.

Since 1932, the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo has committed more than $265 million to scholarships, research, endowments, calf scramble participants, junior show exhibitors, the Rodeo Institute for Teacher Excellence™, School Art participants, and other educational and youth programs. Protiviti contributes to this philanthropic cause by co-sponsoring a Calf Scramble calf with a Houston office client. Below is a picture of Edna, Associate Director and her niece with the 2011 Protiviti Calf Scramble winner and his father.

In addition, many professionals volunteer their time on various rodeo committees. Sarah, Manager, and Casey Jo, Campus Recruiter, spend time on the Directions and Assistance Committee, the official host of the event, to ensure that rodeo-goers enjoy the experience to its fullest.

Now that the wagons and horses have moved on up the road, the focus turns to March Madness. The office recently participated in a bracket challenge, which brought the team together once again for some healthy competition. Below, a group debates their selections.

Left to right: Cody, Manager; Jana, Manager; Paul, Manager; Vijan, Senior Consultant; Brad, Consultant

All of this goes to show that, in Houston, March comes in like a lamb and out like a ram (or perhaps a bulldog?).

- Bridget and Casey Jo

This One is for the Gate Keepers

2011-02-23T09:40:00.000-08:00

The Protiviti team is on campus in tropical Champaign, Illinois conducting second round interviews today at the business school (go Illini!). After things kicked off this morning, I escaped to the break room in the career center to knock out a few emails. Waiting for my laptop to boot up, I couldn't help but glance around and notice the colorful notes peppered across one wall.

Upon further inspection, I realized that the notes were messages of gratitude or commendation for the amazing things that the career services staff does. Career centers truly are the gate keepers, for students and employers alike, in connecting quality students with the employment opportunities they are most interested in and making it incredibly easy for employers to interact with their candidates. I reflected on this as I read through the comments from students, professors, staff, and even, to my pleasant surprise, a campus recruiter...

As we go through the chaos of the campus recruiting season, we are reminded yet again of the value of career services. When it comes to our appreciation, the writing is on the wall.

- Bridget

Best Place to Launch A (Rock) Career

2011-02-14T11:25:00.000-08:00

The Atlanta office Operations team with their famous campus hire: Christine (HR Senior Manager), Brittany (Recruiting Senior Specialist), Dave Haywood, Julie (Senior Consulant), Megan (Resource Management Senior Specialist)

At Protiviti, we pride ourselves on our creative, entrepreneurial spirit. Usually, this creative flair is limited to the business world - but not always.

Dave Haywood was hired as a consultant when he graduated from the University of Georgia in 2005. A few years later, he was excelling in his role within our Technology practice in the Atlanta office. He was also moonlighting in a band that was chasing big dreams. The demands of his dual careers increased over time, and Dave eventually made the difficult decision to leave Corporate America and focus full-time on being a rock star.

In this case, the choice paid off. Lady Antebellum released their self-titled debut album in 2008. When it went platinum, Dave returned to the Atlanta office to present a platinum record dedicated to Protiviti.

The record hangs proudly in the office, and I imagine it will be getting a polish after last night's Grammy awards.

We congratulate a Protiviti alumnus on his continued success in the world of rock stardom!

- Bridget

The Gloating Gate Bridge

2011-02-03T08:47:00.000-08:00

Blog hijacks seem to be all the rage... In light of the recent "Snowmageddon" storm that delivered a healthy dose of winter misery to 26 states, Kelly has allowed another member of her local HR team to have access to our blog. The result is a biting treatise on why the west is the best.

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I thought today might be a good day to send out a little plug as to why working in the Bay Area is amazing and why I can’t wait for our future new hires to join us. With campus interviews right around the corner, if you are considering living in the Bay Area, let me tell you why that is an excellent choice.

While the rest of the country is getting pummeled by snow and below-freezing temperatures, I arrived at my office this morning and looked out the window. This is what I saw.

Weather.com says our high today will be a balmy 62 degrees. Chicago - that’s pretty close to your "0, feels like negative 40" degree weather, right? While you will often hear me say that my Colorado roots make me miss cold weather, I didn’t have to shovel myself out of my driveway this morning, put on a coat that is down to my ankles, or have frozen nose hairs. Today I simply tossed on a light jacket and sunglasses and strolled to work. I feel pretty fortunate to live in a city like San Francisco and have a view like this to look at every day.

I suppose there are some benefits to living elsewhere, in the end. For example, we never have snow days...

- Alex

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(Thanks, Alex, for alienating the majority of our target student population, which is currently frozen through and covered in snow).

Loyal Clients, Creative Consultants

2011-01-31T11:03:00.000-08:00

Happy Monday! Last week, the Protiviti Chicago office held its quarterly town hall meeting. As part of the agenda, a group of new consultants was asked to present on the topic of "Loyal Clients." This concept is a cornerstone of our business, and the consultants were challenged with interpreting what it means for them in their day-to-day work. Click here to see how they handled the task. Luckily, it's just in time for awards season.

- Bridget

Blog Hijack

2011-01-14T08:39:00.000-08:00

The Texas recruiting team is taking over the blog today because it is Bridget’s birthday. We are grateful for the daily guidance and entertaining conversations that she provides us. We all know Bridget loves Texas, so let’s give her a big:

Happy Birthday y’all!

-Casey Jo & Jill

Spotlight on Students

2011-01-13T08:40:00.000-08:00

As a recruiter, one of my favorite pastimes is putting students on the spot. The only trouble is, they rarely give me the satisfaction of watching them squirm. One such example is a recent job shadow event in which freshmen and sophomores visited our office to learn more about the consulting profession.

At the start of the event, I asked for a show of hands as to who knew anything about consulting going into the day. Only one individual timidly raised a hand halfway, then lowered it in an exercise of caution.

We proceeded with the day's activities, which included - spoiler alert for University of Illinois students in future job shadow programs - a presentation in which the students "sold" Protiviti's services to a potential client.

This is usually where I get to enjoy the squirm factor, but yet again I was let down, as each student confidently explained details that he or she had learned throughout the day. They even came up with new ways to describe our organization, including new marketing such as the above logo.

In the end, if anything, I was the one squirming, put on the spot to acknowledge that I learn as much about my job from students as they learn from me.

- Bridget

Ringing Our Bells

2010-12-21T09:17:00.000-08:00

Left to right: Julia (Manager), Anne (Consultant), Eujin (Consultant), Jordan (Consultant), Jimmy (Senior Consultant)

Every year, Protiviti Chicago adopts a Salvation Army kettle on the corner of LaSalle and Monroe, across from our office. In the weeks leading up to the holidays, volunteers from the office assume bell-ringing duties, be it morning, noon, or night, rain or shine (or, as is more typically the case at this time of year, snow). This responsibility had an even greater meaning for us this year, with Executive Vice President Jim Pajakowski chairing the Red Kettle Campaign for the Salvation Army Metropolitan Division.

As one such volunteer, I can vouch that an hour is a long time to spend standing outside, in Chicago, in December, ringing a bell. Of course, given our consulting blood, many strategies have been devised to attract visitors to our kettle (and to avoid frostbite). These efforts include singing, dancing, and choreographed ringing – and in the case of one Illini alum, they even required a wardrobe change.

Nice thinking, Eujin.

-- Bridget

Holidays in Houston

2010-12-13T08:29:00.000-08:00

Each winter, the Protiviti Houston office sponsors families through the Wesley Community Center and the Houston Area Big Brothers & Big Sisters. This holiday season was no different. Kristi (Manager) organized the efforts that led to the Houston office raising over $4,150 to help spread the holiday spirit to seven families who would otherwise go without. The office was divided into multiple teams and tasked with various activities, including shopping for the families based on a wish list, organizing a wrapping party in the office, and delivering gifts to the respective households.

This annual effort allows for the Houston office team members to work together to give back to the community. Fun was had by all!

Team Four with their wrapped gifts:

Left to Right: Jordan (Consultant), Wayne (Consultant), Garrett (Senior Consultant), Caleb (Manager), Randy (Consultant), Shayla (Senior Consultant), Mary-Pat (Consultant), Vijan (Consultant), Edna (Associate Director), Stephen (Manager), Josh (Senior Consultant) and Evan (Associate Director)

John (Senior Manager) even tested a few of the gifts for quality control.

Too bad the bike won!

- Casey Jo

Happy Friday!

2010-12-10T13:35:00.000-08:00

It's after 3 o'clock on a Friday afternoon in the (freezing cold) Windy City. This is about the time that my brain tends to involuntarily shut down from Weekday Mode in favor of the less demanding Weekend Mode. Before doing so, I just wanted to share another reason why it is an inspiration to be a campus recruiter in the consulting industry. It is because both consultants and students have a motivation to succeed that is contagious.

Examples of this are everywhere for me. It is evident when a campus new hire is tasked with researching new ideas for targeting his area of study from his alma mater, then proceeds to create a six-page document detailing his thoughts overnight. Or when an interviewee responds to one of my staple questions, "Tell me about something that have done that you are proud of," by saying (as if the answer should be obvious), "I'm proud of everything I do."

So as Weekend Mode kicks in for all of us, it's nice to leave the work week on that high note.

- Bridget

Managers Edge Past Consultants by a "Generous" Margin

2010-12-07T13:46:00.000-08:00

Protiviti Atlanta recently engaged in a friendly competition to support the Atlanta Community Food Bank. This year’s event was a huge success. The management team collected 2,155 nonperishable items, surpassing the number of items collected by the Consultants, Seniors and Operations personnel, who collected 1,426 items. The majority of the items donated were considered “most needed" items by the organization.

Collectively, the office donated 3,581 items this year - an office best, beating out last year's donations by about 1000 items (an increase of about 40%!).

Giving Back at Glide

2010-12-01T09:51:00.000-08:00

Earlier in November, a group from the Protiviti Bay Area offices lent a hand to the community at Glide Memorial Church by packing bagged meals for the underprivileged. Glide is a local institution that serves over a million free meals every year to a diverse population of those in need. Thank you to our volunteers!

Our star campus recruiter Kelly shows off her excellent food handling hygiene practices.

(We are loving the hairnet, Kelly!)

Gavin and Heather (Consultants) and Audrey (Manager) assist friends in making sandwiches.

The giving group from left to right: Brian, Brianna, Kelly (Campus Recruiting), Julia (Consultant), Clint (Senior Consultant), Audrey (Manager), Sylvia (Manager), Alex (Resource Management), Heather (Consultant), Gavin (Consultant), Justin (Consultant)

Celebrating Opportunity

2010-11-22T08:47:00.000-08:00

Earlier this month, Protiviti attended the Texas Conference for Women hosted by the First Lady of Texas, Anita Perry. For more than a decade, the Texas Conference for Women has served as the premier networking and professional opportunity for women of the Lone Star State. This was the conference’s third year in Houston, a city with a reputation for economic opportunity, and the theme this year echoed that sentiment of opportunity: “Your Time is Now.”

As a recognized sponsor, Protiviti's Houston and Dallas offices joined forces to send ten members of our management team. Inspirational speakers, including nationally-syndicated American television personality, Judge Glenda Hatchett, shared very personal accounts of how all of us should “write our own story” in an effort to chase our passions. Jennifer Arnold, M.D. spoke on her personal motto of “Thinking Big,” which helped her to achieve her personal goals throughout her life, attending medical school and becoming an accredited pediatrician when others doubted her ability. Another favorite speaker was Leigh Anne Touhy, whose best-selling book “The Blind Side” is based upon her family’s personal mission to care about the world. Touhy challenged the women in attendance to share ways that they can to help make the world a better place. The incredible and inspirational speakers left the audience feeling extremely motivated.

An Yu, Senior Manager, summed up the day by saying, “It is great that Protiviti was able to afford us the opportunity to participate in this event. The messages are empowering and remind us all of how our contributions can truly make a difference.”

-- Casey Jo

The Consultant's Rite of Passage

2010-11-03T14:51:00.000-07:00

At Protiviti, we take training very seriously. But you don't have to take it from me. Take it from Eujin, a new hire who bleeds Illini orange and blue, and who recently attended The Consultant Challenge held this fall (see the group picture above).

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Interviewing, process mapping, control testing, documenting….

As consultants, these become your basic tools. The Consultant Challenge is your training ground. From 8am to 6pm, you’re broken down, then rebuilt into a better version of yourself.

Take 40 recent college graduates, fly them out to San Francisco, place them in the same hotel, and give them a per diem. This has the makings of a new reality show.

The Consultant Challenge is a rite of passage, a trial by fire, a spirit walk. It is what, essentially, life boils down to: a huge tightrope style balancing act. It wouldn’t be called a Consultant Challenge if it didn't actually have the challenges, such as:

Conducting an interview with a purposefully difficult facilitator.
Rushing to finish testing before a deadline.
Averaging 6 hours of sleep a night.
Subsequently drinking your water weight in coffee and Diet Coke.
Dropping the 3 hole puncher, exploding all the pieces of paper inside.
Wearing business casual to every single outing because you didn’t bring any casual clothes.

And you persevere through it all, not because you have to, but because you want to.

Before you know it, you’ve grown up with the people around you. On the last day of training, these other people that were once strangers have become old friends, and as you go through the tearful goodbyes, handshakes, and hugs, you start realizing the core of this business...

At the client, you may be interviewing process owners, searching for control gaps, or documenting results, but you, the company, the industry lives and dies with people and the relationships created. I will not ever forget the group I started with, nor would I ever want to.

Home Stretch

2010-10-20T11:29:00.000-07:00

I am heading off in a few minutes to our last round of on-campus interviews. As I look around the recruiting office, I can see the toll the campus season has taken in the form of boxes, piles of paper, and marketing items scattered about.

Despite the fact that Allison and I have to climb over resumes to get out of our seats, we are enjoying the adrenaline of being in the home stretch of the fall season. I am reminded of all the hard work that went into our efforts at each school and all the amazing students we have met. Looking around, I am also strangely reminded of my dorm room back in college, and I realize now that I have always been the type of person who is somehow surrounded by clutter.

So my question to you is this: Is the current state of our office better or worse than your dorm room at this moment?

- Bridget

The Real Social Network

2010-10-15T08:07:00.000-07:00

First off, I owe an apology for the neglect that I have shown our blog in the last few weeks. As many of you will understand, I have been caught up in the beautiful chaos that is the campus recruiting season. The good news is that my time has been spent offline and “out of pocket”, to use a favorite phrase of corporate life, meeting and talking with amazing students across our core schools.

As we go through the recruiting process on campus, I am reminded yet of the unmatched power of the real social network. I have talked with childhood friends, neighbors, fraternity brothers, sorority sisters, coworkers, classmates, and teammates of people who have recently started at Protiviti. My favorite response to the question “How did you hear about us?” will always be “I know someone who works there.”

Students of America, your best resource for finding a job remains each other. As you consider your options for an internship or for employment after graduation, continue to rely on friends and colleagues, to learn about their personal experiences in different organizations, and to determine if their career paths fit the vision that you have for your own professional future.

- Bridget

Thick and Thin

2010-09-29T07:46:00.000-07:00

“There is a gunman in the library. Campus is on lockdown.” That was the text that I got yesterday morning from our Dallas recruiter Jill, who was at the University of Texas at Austin. She was there with two other recruiters and a number of individuals from our Houston and Dallas offices, as the entire team was scheduled to participate in on-campus interviews. Obviously, based on the turn of events, the interviews never happened, and we spent the morning communicating instead about news updates and the team’s safety.

The tragedy yesterday at UT Austin highlights, for me, the connection between our community and the campus community. Our company is filled with proud alumni from the schools where we recruit. Our employees have siblings, children, and other loved ones who attend the schools that we visit each season. Our people make a commitment to those schools with their time and effort, through participation in events on campus and hiring and mentoring students in our practice. When something happens on one of our campuses, it affects us very profoundly, whether we are physically present or not. Yesterday’s crisis hit home for many reasons, but most significantly for the way that it reinforced that invaluable sense of community.

-- Bridget

Recruiter Spotlight: Jill

2010-09-24T13:40:00.000-07:00

Meet Jill. Jill is a campus recruiter based in Dallas, TX. Though she graduated from Texas A&M University, she now handles recruiting at the University of Texas at Austin (among other schools), and this is a constant source of moral conflict in her life. Jill got involved in campus recruiting after spending time as a consultant in our practice.

A recruiter of many talents, Jill excels at cinematography, as she proved this past summer when she captured footage of the 2010 Intern Challenge (documented above – to check out her handiwork, click here).

Inadvertently, this spotlight coincides with Jill’s birthday, so we hope she is out enjoying one of her favorite pastimes, which include boat rides at the lake, live music in Austin, and karaoke.

This one’s for you, Jill!

- Bridget

Rock Interviews

2010-09-14T14:18:00.000-07:00

I recently accompanied a few proud alumni on a recruiting trip to a core school in the heartland of southern Indiana. After attending an evening reception at the university, we made a stop at a favorite local establishment, famous for its live music every night of the week. It was Battle of the Bands night and we enjoyed some of the competition before retiring to our hotel to prepare for mock interviews the following day.

The next morning, we were a shadow of our former rocker selves, arriving for the mock interview event in business professional, armed with business cards and portfolios. We spent the day asking equally professional students to tell us about a time when they had to overcome a challenge or communicate a difficult message, or when they set a goal and achieved it, and other such items that highlighted their skills in a business environment. We answered their questions as well – questions about career progression and training, about certifications, about client engagements and work-life balance…

"Work-life balance." Like when the sleeve of an interviewer's suit jacket inches up ever so slightly to reveal the guitar that was stamped on his arm during admission to Battle of the Bands the night before. Campus recruiting is a redeeming job for so many reasons, but moments like that are a particular favorite of mine. Even in the buttoned up world of Corporate America, our consultants find a way to rock on.

- Bridget

The Cream Of The Crop

2010-09-03T07:46:00.000-07:00

It’s that time of year again. The time of year to pack up shop and traverse the highways and byways of the Midwest, hitting every favorite college town along the way. As I kick off another fall campus recruiting season, I take time to acknowledge two constant companions for the next few months.
The first is Allison.

Allison is the better half of Protiviti’s campus recruiting team in the Central region and takes to the road with me as we visit our core schools. Today you’ll find her in Bloomington, Indiana. Next week? Who knows. It could be anywhere from South Bend, Indiana to Columbia, Missouri.

The second is corn.

Corn is everywhere I look when I gaze out the car window at this time of year, whether it’s I-65 or I-57 or I-90. The landscape of fall is another reminder of the change in season.

Here’s to the start of another school year and to the next crop of consultants that we will soon be meeting!

- Bridget

Lunch and Learn

2010-08-25T13:59:00.000-07:00

Much to my coworkers’ dismay (and my officemate’s disgust), I spend far too many lunch hours at my desk. It started a few years back and has become a habit that I cannot seem to break. For most of my career, I have been exposed to fresh air for an average of five minutes a day, when I run out to grab lunch before scurrying back to the office. I could literally blow an entire meal out from underneath the keyboard of my laptop. I’m not proud to admit this.

On a recent Friday afternoon, an exciting thing happened. One of our interns was accepting her full-time offer and wanted to meet me for lunch to hand over her signed offer letter. As a recruiter and a person, how could I refuse? The lunch quickly turned into a bigger social event when other consultants in the office came along.

We decided on a location – The Berghoff, which the group assured me was a favorite amongst employees in the Chicago office – and walked out into the blaring day. (For more information on top Chicago lunch spots, see the informative Lunch Evaluator above, which was created by impassioned foodies in our Security practice).

My eyes teared from the unfamiliar bright light of the noon hour. As we walked further from the office, I resisted the urge to head back, but persevered in an attempt to “act cool.” I knew I was officially out of my comfort zone when I stood at the cashier and uttered the words “For Here.”

While I can’t say the experience broke my habit completely, it brought home the value of taking a break, as well as the importance of getting to know people outside of their work selves. And though I may, on occasion, revert to my “To Go” routine, I am more aware of the time that I spend away from my desk, the sunshine on my face, and the hustle and bustle of a weekday in the Loop.

- Bridget

MORE THAN JUST A POWERPOINT…

2010-08-19T13:27:00.000-07:00

For any student organization leaders out there (Accounting Society, Beta Alpha Psi, Delta Sigma Pi, Alpha Kappa Psi, etc.), I’m sure you’re currently working with different firms on coming up with event ideas for the upcoming fall recruiting season! Many firms typically come to campus organization meetings and make a 45-60 min long presentation. While these presentations are very informative, we understand that it may be difficult for students to sit through 10+ presentations each semester/quarter…on top of all the classroom lectures.

Are you looking for ideas to make your meetings/events a little bit more interested for your members? Here is an example of a fun community service event that our Phoenix office held with the University of Arizona Accounting Students Association members. The student members still had the chance to learn about Protiviti and we all had the opportunity to give back to the community. (If you’re interested in holding a joint community service event with your local Protiviti office, just contact your local campus recruiter!)

Protiviti Philanthropy with the Accounting Students Association of The University of Arizona and Ben’s Bells Project

Ben’s Bells Project: Jeannette and Dean Packard lost their son Ben tragically when his airway swelled shut. The therapeutic effect of working with clay had an amazing healing power for the family. So the Packard’s decided to start a non-profit organization in their son’s honor by making hundreds of the Bells and distributing them randomly in the Tucson community and to families. Since Ben’s death, it has been the kindness of others, strangers and friends, that has helped the family heal. You can learn more by visiting their website at http://www.bensbells.org.

This year our Phoenix campus recruiting team thought that we needed to mix it up a bit with our recruiting efforts and for the students on campus. One of the greatest things about Protiviti is the people we get to work with everyday and it’s what really differentiates us when we step onto a college campus. Here in the Phoenix office, we have a committee of professionals who join together to come up with ways to really give back to our community because we are all truly blessed for the opportunities we have in life. Since everything at Protiviti is done as a team, we do everything together…thus the WeShare Committee was born.

So I decided that rather than heading down to The University of Arizona and rolling out the red carpet and a formal PowerPoint presentation for the Accounting Students Association members…we were going to get our hands dirty with these kids!! So I reached out to the club’s Activities Chair to coordinate a joint philanthropy with the Ben’s Bells Project. One of the greatest things you will see randomly in Tucson are these tiny little hand painted clay charms and bells hanging from trees, bushes and archways. These have been created by volunteers for the Ben’s Bells Project as a representation of honoring the Packard family and their tragic loss, but also the story and mission of the organization to give back to the community and bring comfort to other families who have experienced their own personal losses. It goes to say that if it “takes a village to raise a child” I think we can also say it takes a community to heal the loss of one.

First of all, we had a great turnout for the event and were able to fill three full tables of students eager to help us out in painting the bells for the community. To this day, I’m continually amazed at how bright these young students are and how excited they are to pitch-in and help in any way possible…plus the beautiful Friday afternoon weather didn’t hurt either!! We started off by enjoying a couple pizzas from a local Tucson staple, No Anchovies and mingling with many of these young minds to really see what makes them tick...I think a lot of times we meet so many people when we step on to campus that it becomes a blur…but in a setting like this we get to see what these kids lives are really like and what they love to do. After devouring the pizza, we set-up the painting supplies so we could start our volunteerism. We were really impressed with the student’s painting creativity, even though none of them would admit they had any painting talent!! Time seemed to fly by as the students entertained us with their stories of accounting classes, interesting times in their lives and things they enjoyed outside of the classroom. After we painted all of our charms that get attached to the bells, all the students helped us clean up and put everything away.

At the end of the day, it was sad to leave because we thoroughly enjoyed meeting all of the students and giving back to the community. Clearly, these students were not afraid of getting their hands dirty and I can definitely say Protiviti looks forward to the next time we get to see some of these familiar faces when we come back for future recruiting at The University of Arizona.

Protiviti Attendees (from the Phoenix office): Nick Trent, Michael Fowle, Rob Konkel

Los Angeles Business Journal “Best Places to Work” 2010

2010-08-17T15:36:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to our Protiviti Los Angeles office! The Los Angeles Business Journal has awarded our Protiviti Los Angeles office with a # 22 ranking on their “Best Places to Work 2010” list. This is a wonderful accomplishment! Jeff Sanchez, Barbara Cabello, Jon Bronson, Kim Tran and Madhushi Kurera represented our office and accepted the award at a luncheon at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel in downtown LA on August 4th, 2010. The August 9th edition of the publication will include a special “Best Places to Work” supplement.

See the complete list of companies awarded here: “2010 Best Places to Work in Los Angeles”.

Battle of the West!

2010-08-02T19:27:00.000-07:00

Intern Joe Murrell shows us where his loyalty lies

And the Giants did win – actually they swept the series against the LA Dodgers. The Bay Area office was invited to the game on Friday for a evening filled with good food, fun company and cold SF summer weather. . . . .

Kat Kennifer, Katie Brown, Clint Maples, Alex Goldberg & Spencer Starley are ready for the game!

Kat Kennifer, Meghan Hargreaves, Eugenia & Keith Kawashima, Nicole Miller basking in the SF fog

Ken Morretino, Nate Fong, Tyler Johns, Ashley Del Pozzo and Tony Chigazola are excited for a win!

Interns Kristyne Wada, Serene Lau and Dana Hansen along with Sylvia Auyeung, Gavin Yates and “RG”

GO GIANTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Insert Elevator Pun Here

2010-07-29T15:07:00.000-07:00

We recruiters love to talk about elevators. For example, we promote the art of the elevator speech – How would you describe yourself in 30 seconds or less, or about the time it takes to ride an elevator with someone? Other times, we use the elevator to demonstrate career progression, likening it to a clever slogan about getting to the top. We say how great it is to get in on something exciting on the ground floor. Or we say that every career path has its ups and downs. The elevator is a favorite analogy of our trade, and it took on even greater meaning for me today when…

I got stuck in one. By myself. At first I laughed drily at the irony of a recruiter getting stuck with no one to talk to. Next, I panicked slightly, admitting that I didn’t have the necessary resources to get myself out of the ordeal. Finally, I embraced the situation, realizing that it reminded me of three important elements of life that I tend to take for granted (and that’s actual life, not just corporate life).

1) Friendship. As you can see from the picture, my coworkers acted as friends, first by trying to spring me, and then by keeping me company until the electrician came. Once we knew I was officially “stuck”, they stuck by me.

2) Solitude. I think this was literally the first time I had been alone in a very long time, other than a tedious road trip to Cleveland a few months ago, and I remembered how important it was to carve out some time for self reflection.

3) Humor. The entire situation was ridiculous and it forced me to laugh at myself, which was no small feat on quite possibly the most stressful day of my week. Cancelling a noon conference call because you are stuck in an elevator? Now that is something worth smiling about.

Lucky for you, students of America, I eventually won back my freedom, complete with a fresh perspective on life, thanks to a journey that is usually the most mindless 30 seconds of my day.

-- Bridget

Houston Trivia Team

2010-07-28T12:13:00.000-07:00

Last night the Houston Interns, Buddies and Mentors decided to take part in the downtown trivia challenge at the Flying Saucer. The group felt the odds were in their favor due to the diverse crowd that was in attendance for our team. Many people felt they would be able to attribute with current event information, others are pop-culture followers and a few team members even seem to know the various questions that could be asked about science.

Needless to say the group ended up placing thirdout of approximately thirty teams in attendance. Way to go guys!

Below are a few of the questions that the team had to answer in order to win, take a guess and then view the comments section of this post to see the correct answers.

Pop Culture: What song is currently number one on the Billboard top 100?
Greek Mythology: In Greek Mythology Arges, Brontes, and Steropes are what?
History: What were the original names of the 3 Musketeers?
Sports: What number was Roger Bannister wearing when he broke the four minutes mile record in 1954?

Texas Ranger Baseball

2010-07-28T11:03:00.000-07:00

The Dallas Interns spent last Thursday evening with their buddies and mentors at the Ranger’s Ballpark in Arlington to watch the Ranger’s beat the Los Angeles Angels 3-2. For those of you who don’t follow professional baseball, the Rangers are currently leading the American League by SEVEN GAMES; let’s just hope that their luck does not change.

The evening in Arlington, Texas was an incredibly HUMID and HOT which had everyone “glistening”.

Luckily the tickets included entry into the indoor food and seating area. Everyone was happy to take a break from the heat and grab a bite to eat at the buffet which included all you can eat baseball food: nachos, grilled chicken sandwiches, hot dogs, peanuts, popcorn, and soft drinks. There were a few comments made about a Protiviti Hot-Dog-Eating Contest but unfortunately that never happened. The food was great, the people were fun and the Rangers WON!!!