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The Recruiter’s Toolkit: Jay Cammack on Tenacity and Investing in Results

“We want people to love their work, to thrive,” Jay Cammack says. “For us, hiring and recruitment is about meeting a bigger need than the work itself: even for the most complex roles, it’s about more than just finding a person who can do the job. It’s an investment in the future.”

As we kick off 2022, we sat down with Jay Cammack to talk about the good stuff: taking on tough challenges, committing to opportunities that inspire us, getting the results we want, and doing it all with joy. Is there really any other way to start a new year?

Jay knows a thing or two about persistence. It’s critical in his everyday work at Summit Search Group, where this recruiting specialist works to help both his clients and candidates seize opportunity every day. It’s not an easy job. “What we do is different. We tackle hard roles here. If you come in and don’t give 110%, you barely even move the rock. Hard-to-fill hiring is our business,” he notes. “And our ethos is that we’re always pushing forward.”

How does he meet goals, even when the challenge seems impossible? Does persistence in these roles really pay off, or is it more luck? Let’s find out – onward and upward, 2022!

Committing to Opportunity in Hiring 

“Everyone I deal with, coast to coast, is truly trying to help: on all sides, our team revolves around a genuine investment in putting both the client and the candidate first. We’re all pulling the same direction, and that’s the first step,” Jay begins.

The second step? Perspective: seeing the opportunity in each challenge, committing to it, and helping everyone win.

“When we see an opportunity that can help somebody, it isn’t always obvious. A client or candidate might not see what we see when they’re on a search: we have a unique perspective. We pick up on great matches that might be unexpected. If we don’t persevere in those moments, those great matches can just slip away,” he emphasizes. “This is when you have to choose to be tenacious – and for the right reasons. We’re committed to opportunity. We bring expertise to the table, and we can help guide people in directions they may never have expected. We see the patterns, we see decisions day in and day out, and we see those moments that can make a huge difference in someone’s life or business. We see the way to securing success.” 

Investing in Long Term Hiring – and Happiness

Jay reminds us that hiring and recruitment is, at the end of the day, a service industry, too. Helping people inspires him and his team, even on the toughest searches. “The type of people here are kind, genuine, and helpful: it’s at the forefront of what we do,” he adds. “When we get a new role, we ask one question first: who can I help with this opportunity? Who could move into this role and embrace this step in their career?”

In Summit’s customer-centric approach, these values lead searches, plain and simple. Jay points out that they lead to genuine matches and stellar results for clients, too. “It’s about more than just filling a role. When a client connects with talent who’s truly invested, that chemistry meets a bigger need than the work itself. The tenure and longevity is more authentic,” he highlights. “We want people to be extremely happy for years to come.”

Small Steps that Add Up to Recruiting Results

“Tenacity is never about being in someone’s face: it’s about adding value,” Jay explains. “Every time you connect with someone, approach the conversation that way. It makes all the difference.” 

He shared his personal notes about the seemingly small steps he takes to tackle tough searches – take a look. 

• Contact people on their terms.
  Get an email address, or get a phone number. Everyone works on different channels, and comfort level is incredibly important. These are the kinds of small details that add up!
• Reach out, then reach out again.
  When you reach out to someone once, certain people respond. When you reach out twice, there’s a percentage of people who will respond who didn’t previously. That person may have been just as interested the first time, but didn’t respond. Assume people don’t see your first message.
• Use your calendar and set reminders.
  Jay schedules reminders for everything: especially follow-ups. He adds that maintaining momentum with a contact is key, as are those follow-up exchanges. “It’s critical to keep in touch. Maybe it’s a birthday, a surgery, a kind thought, whatever it may be: be tenacious in a soft way. Connections are valuable. It always pays off.”

Finally, Jay points out the most essential ingredient: the mindset. At Summit Search Group, it’s just how they work. “We are known for managing hard-to-fill searches here. If we can’t help you, it will never be for lack of trying. We approach everything with 110% effort. Every search is driven by that mentality, and by our deep commitment to the work.”

Does he ever question it? Nope.

“What’s difficult? Difficult is worth it. The toughest searches are the most rewarding – and we’re never done. It’s always on to the next one!”

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