Whether it’s that first love, first home, first day at college or first child, that which comes first is often the most memorable, leaving the greatest impression.
Companies that discover ways to rise to the top, to be the “first” and at the forefront of their industry, create opportunities to get noticed and move to the front of the line.
From its inception, AppleOne, a company dedicated to connecting “great companies with great talent,” has understood this concept. In the early days, using the only search engine at their disposal — the phone book — founders Bernie and Janice Halroyd chose their name so it would be among the first company names people would see, says Saundra Johnson, branch manager.
Founded in 1964, AppleOne Employment Services, located on Fountain Way in City Center, is a staffing company that serves as a liaison between those seeking employment and those wishing to hire. “Our goal is to be the middle person between our candidates and clients,” Johnson says. “Clients come to us to find great candidates, and candidates come to us to find great opportunities.”
As hiring advisors, recruiters and “headhunters,” of sorts, AppleOne takes a consultative approach, serving as a resource for finding people permanent job placements. It is in the business of matching individual qualifications with suitable company jobs and cultures. Searching through job portals such as Indeed, Monster and Career Builder, AppleOne seeks out candidate profiles and identifies jobs that match with that profile. “The job search is almost like dating, and we want to marry that person to the job,” says Johnson.
As part of the recruitment process, AppleOne covers all front work for its clients, including face-to-face candidate interviews, background and reference checks and a thorough vetting process that ensures the job seeker is, in fact, the best matched candidate of choice.
Although many of the profiles discovered are in the online world, AppleOne staff personnel prefer, when possible, to meet face-to-face with potential job candidates. Their desire is to identify candidates who stand out as different from the rest. “We are hands-on when helping a candidate understand job prospects. We don’t box people into a singular focus. Rather, we are with them every step of the way until they find that job opportunity that fits them,” says Johnson.
Once a candidate-job match is identified, AppleOne coaches the candidates to prepare them for their interview. “It’s a very personal experience for the candidate,” says Johnson. “We market our candidates — we market their background…. If you’re in real estate or property management, for example, we will develop a marketing list and reach out on your behalf. The candidates are the center of our universe,” Johnson adds.
In recent years, the founders’ son, Brett Halroyd, stepped in as president of AppleOne. To secure its place in the future of recruitment, Brett has helped to create a cleaner look for the organization while maintaining Bernie and Janice’s vision where everything begins and ends with the candidate.
Having been in the hiring industry for more than 13 years, Johnson has applied her expertise to another realm: starting her own non-profit organization, MYIHNDS — Mentoring Youth into Healthy New Dimensions Spiritually — where she spends most of her spare time. Her personal passion is to empower and encourage young women from underrepresented communities.
Whether it’s helping candidates find that first job, creating that first good impression or simply making that first move to something better, AppleOne is in the business of creating opportunities and, as branch manager, Saundra Johnson is pushing that vision, both professionally and personally.
TO THE POINT:
AppleOne Employment Services
Address: 11820 Fountain Way, Ste. 300, Newport News, VA 23606
Phone: 757-591-0400
Contact: Saundra Johnson, branch manager
Website: www.appleone.com
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