recruiter

business development manager

account executive

senior recruiter

special education teacher

Onward Search

This company Is amazing and exciting to begin working in, however the politics and structural shift lead to downsizing and unclear objectives that would shift from meeting to meeting.

While employed, I was encouraged and provided with self-driven training resources that assisted with learning their processes. After time, despite receiving praise about my ability to track down and build connections with talented people, and being promised a trajectory toward growth, the actions I began noticing were opposite. I noticed and heard similar experiences from colleagues as well, and it seems that politics hold more weight than expertise when it comes to growth.

Granted, since Id started there were shifts in budget allocation, slowing of hiring with key clients of the team I was on, and an internal restructure that was of detriment to my team. I do feel however that there was a lack of clarity and consistency in what my managers would discuss with me regarding opportunity and progress.

Initially I enjoyed camaraderie, professionalism, and success. But the company made a lot of mistakes. They grew too fast by nearly doubling within a few months. During this transitional time, around half of the team who started before me departed. I found myself coaching and training new hires who were supposedly already trained. In contrast, receiving requested reciprocal support was nearly impossible. My observation was that team peers had a specific focus without a collaborative team focal point: directed chaos. The "cutting-edge technology" was a collection of siloed browser-based applications (websites). Nearly every person hired after me, including the company president, was laid off within 6-12 months. I was laid off 1-2 days after being given a 2-week PIP. The quality and longevity of my placements speak for themselves, as some of them are still working for employers that "didn't have a budget" but found a way to extend. If Onward Search is monitoring and responding to reviews on this site, then don't bother trying to smooth this over. Expressing concern after the facts doesn't change them.

I was hired as a recruiter at Onward and was told that I would be following up with interested candidates to place in travel nursing positions. I have been a sales professional for over 14 years. The reality was I was given stale (years old!) resumes of people to call. (One person I called told me that she hadn't lived at the address on her resume for over five years)
This is not a recruiting job, it is a call center job! Be advised that new "recruiters" are expected to call upwards of 80 people per day, but also be advised that these are not fresh leads by any means.
Also, the commission wasn't disclosed to me until day 3 of training! After placing one candidate I ended up making a $16 dollar commission.
The management has no problem yelling at employees, by turns being impatient and condescending.
The culture there is that employees are expendible. It says a lot that they are always hiring.
If you are considering working there, I guarantee that they will be evasive about commission, and I recommend asking if the "leads" provided will be within the past year!

•	Responsible for invoicing for 11 regional offices averaging 1MM in weekly sales (frequency: weekly/bi-weekly/monthly)
•	Manage daily activities of AP, AR, credit card processing/chargebacks, and credit/collections.
•	Maintained consolidated Days Sales Outstanding (DSO) report to help ensure collections of outstanding accounts receivables
•	Team Lead on full cycle AP check run, averaged 50 checks a week for an aggregate total of 100k in disbursements, set up and maintained over 300 A/P vendor accounts
•	Review/Approved all employee Travel &Expense reports for expenditures related to North, South, and Southwest Regional Offices
•	Ensure compliance with authority matrix as applicable to all accounting & purchasing polices
•	Interact with clients and vendors on a regular basis, cultivating strong professional relationships
•	Serve as key liaison between internal operations and external CPA firm regarding audits
•	Assisted in a variety of special projects as requested by Management
•	Act as backup for other departments and subsidiary companies (cash applications, AP/AR etc.)

I've read some of the nasty reviews, which may or may not be valid. We'll never know! What is clear however, is they all seem to come from disgruntled past employees who of course are usually the "victim's". We'll never know the validity of their claims, if they're true and what the "other side of the story" was. A.k.a. Lazy Employee's

I work full-time in a relaxing and refreshing environment at one of Onward Searches offices. I do my job as expected and have great work relationships with everyone I work with. There is no form of conflict or drama whatsoever.

With that said, we all work together to provide great results, placements and continued communication with all of our contacts, clients, and candidates.

With this job I was able to obtain insurance (health, dental and vision) and continue building my 401k.

Fairly great benefits given the job requirements, I'd say! All that's asked of me is I do my job and not be a lazy employee. That's what "working" is right?

Typical day starts with answering questions and laying the ground work for the week's work load.  Management is always available for questions or to bounce ideas off of. 
The hybrid work schedule is very flexible and really takes into account a proper work/life balance and when we are in the office, the atmosphere is very relaxed and still gives us the opportunity to focus on work tasks.  Constant touch base with management means you are always being moved in the right direction and given opportunities to expand and perform better.  
The toughest part of the job is being able to deliver excellent customer service, all the time, and as it turns out it is also the most enjoyable part.

I've been promoted 3 times already in my 6.5 year career with Onward Search. Management recognizes employees who are dedicated & work hard and will reward them. The Management team is very approachable and will listen to you. 

The culture is laid back with a very collaborative environment. Managers do not micro manage but expect you to work hard, do your job and hit your goals. 

As a new mom, I appreciate that Onward Search offers a wonderful work/life balance. Work is done during normal business hours an you are not expected to bring work home with you. 

I couldn't agree more with Hearst Media recently naming Onward Search 1 of the top 10 places to work in CT. I know I made the right decision in joining Onward Search 6.5 years ago for myself, both personally and professionally. I couldn't recommend Onward Search more!

It's never enough with this company. Expect to be pushed to be produce every second of the day. Even if you achieve your goal. There's a new arbitrary goal. 

Colleagues brag and boast about working after-hours. And although management doesn't encourage working after-hours....They also don't discourage it. So, you will be competing with colleagues who are working additional time outside of work and on the weekends. So naturally, if you don't over-work during uncompensated hours, then your numbers will reflect poorly when you only work the hours in the shift that they are paying you for.

Lastly, their commision structure is built off of lies. All of my colleagues were told the same lie from the hiring manager about how much people make with commision. Then when the cheques came, it was far far below expectations. 

As a long time marketer I have worked with many recruiting firms as a candidate and my experience with the Chicago team has been the best. They are smart, experienced, professional and ethical, sometimes a rare commodity in this field. They specialize in communication and they were with me every step of the way from my first interview through the onboarding process. Two individuals in particular stand out - the regional vice-president and the recruiter that I worked with. Both exceeded my expectations at all times. I recommend the Chicago office of Onward Search without any hesitation. If you are seeking a job in creative services in the Chicago area they should be your first stop. 

A typical day at work involves computer work in an office.
This recruiter had poor communication, especially regarding honest feedback for me or the employer. They were uninterested in addressing a request to discuss reasonable accommodation for a protected disability.
During the period of less than two months I worked with Onward Search, I had three different representatives due to turnover at the firm.
I learned to ask a lot of questions when working with a recruiting firm. I learned to trust my instincts when I feel I am in a situation with apathetic and weak support.
The hardest part of the job was the disappointment of squandered trust.  
The most enjoyable part of the job was getting paid.



Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Recruiter 5 salaries reported	$63,500 per year
Business development manager 4 salaries reported	$86,250 per year
Account executive 4 salaries reported	$98,750 per year
Senior recruiter 5 salaries reported	$67,000 per year
Special education teacher 3 salaries reported	$51.17 per hour

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