Hall of Fame (hôl əv ˈfām): an institution honoring the achievements of individuals in a particular activity or field.
We’re thrilled to welcome you back to the Impact Recruitment Hall of Fame! This is where we pay homage to the best of the best, the success stories, the mentors, the people who deserve to be celebrated for being just that wonderful.
Last quarter we introduced you to the man behind the success of Impact’s building division, Michael Scott – if you missed that interview, have no fear, you can read it here. Yes, we rhymed on purpose.
Today’s inductee is known as Double T, Brett K, and also George, apparently. You really do learn something new every day. We hope you’re excited as we are to get to know a bit more about (the incredible) Brett Kuseler!
Q: Okay, so before we start, could you just sum up what you do around here for anyone who isn’t familiar with your role at Impact?
A: I guess you could say I’m the office dad.
Q: I’d like it on record that I 100% agree.
A: In addition to that, I help two different teams: our operations team – they focus on filling industrial positions (skilled and unskilled trades roles, plant and operations management, logistics and procurement), and our office team – that group works with candidates in accounting, administration, marketing and HR.
Q: Prior to joining Impact, what was your most memorable job? This could be a job where you had a really great experience, or, on the flipside, a really not-so-great experience. Totally up to you.
A: Okay, well – I have two, I guess. While I was growing up – and we’re talking high school years here – I worked at Canadian Tire and I really loved it, partly because I was known as George.
Q: Pardon me? George?
A: The manager’s name was Brent, and mine’s Brett – they sound pretty similar, right? Now imagine trying to call one of us over the PA system. Confusion inevitably ensued, so I became ‘George’ instead of Brett.
Q: That’s hilarious.
A: I didn’t even mind – I grew up in a small town so everyone who came in knew me and they relied on me to help them out with whatever they needed that day. It was a really excellent experience for me, overall.
Q: And now, also, a great story!
A: Exactly. The other memorable job I should mention is one that I had while I was in university. I worked for Gatorade and, unsurprisingly, it was a lot of fun. I was able to attend a lot of really cool special events, and meet a ton of different vendors who were also involved as sponsors or whatever.
Q: That sounds super fun – also, you’d basically never have a hangover, right? With an endless supply of Gatorade?
A: Exactly, and you could be very strategic trading product with the other vendors.
Q: So, you could just assess the situation and be like, “How bad does this person need this Gatorade right now?”
A: Maybe not quite, but people were always very excited to swap for some Gatorade, especially after a big night out – I’ll just say that.
Q: So, you went from masquerading as ‘George’ at Canadian Tire to working with Gatorade – how did you make the decision to pursue a career in recruitment?
A: Well, I didn’t really make a conscious decision to get into recruitment. Like a lot of people, I kind of fell into it. I was with a third-party inventory company and working absolutely crazy hours, more or less around the clock. We were growing very quickly, and I’d taken on a ton of responsibility in a short amount of time. I just didn’t have the work life balance I needed, so I was looking for an opportunity that might give me a better overall quality of life.
Q: And you just kind of stumbled into recruitment?
A: More or less! I came across an opportunity in the recruitment industry, and the people I was in contact with really did a great job convincing me that it was worth making a big change. They shared their own experiences and made it clear that I could continue to do well financially but have more of that balance I was after. I took a bit of a risk and just went for it – and it’s really paid off in the long run.
Q: Amazing! So then what specifically made you want to work with Impact?
A: I wanted to join a company where I could see a real future. I wanted to be somewhere long term – as long as the organization was the right fit, of course. And I feel really lucky to have been dealt an opportunity here, with Impact, that provided what I was looking for. As a dad, I’ve really appreciated working with a company that offers me that flexibility. And it’s been – what? – seven years now?
Q: Pretty sure it’s eight years this year, isn’t it?
A: Wow, yeah – you’re right. There you go. Eight years.
Q: This seems like a great time to ask how you’ve seen the company change since you’ve been here?
A: The continued growth is the biggest thing, for sure. When I started, there were about a dozen people working with Impact, all out of our Vancouver office. Now we’ve got more than 90 employees working with us, from various locations all across Canada, and we’re still expanding. It’s been really exciting to see.
Q: What behaviour or personality trait do you most attribute to your success in the recruitment industry?
A: Recruitment can be a tough industry, but if you take pride in what you do, you can be very successful. Honesty is so important. It’s the primary reason I’ve built up a good reputation for myself, or a good “personal brand”, I guess you could say. Whenever I work with someone, I make it a priority to ensure that I don’t set any false expectations, and that people are very clear on the reality of the situation at hand – whether that be a candidate or a client. I want to make sure that every person I interact with is treated with respect and understanding, that’s incredibly important to me.
Q: That’s a really great answer. Next up – what’s a work related accomplishment (during your time at Impact) that you’re particularly proud of?
A: I’d like to remind you that you’re talking to a guy with a very poor memory… but I think that something I’m really proud of is that people know that they can come to me, and that they can trust me. I’ve worked hard to build an open-door policy with everyone in the organization – regardless of which division or department they’re a part of. I really want everybody to understand that, at the end of the day, they need to be happy where they are – and I want to do whatever I can to help them make that a reality.
Q: Okay, so on the flip side: what’s been your biggest challenge during your time at Impact?
A: Again, it comes down to dealing with people. Each person you interact with is so different: they have different personalities, goals and motivations; they learn differently; they’re dealing with different situations in their personal lives. You have to figure out how to best support and manage all of these very different individuals – it’s very challenging, but equally rewarding.
Q: If you could snap your fingers and become an expert in something, what would it be?
A: Well, I can snap my fingers – so that’s a good start.
Q: I cannot snap mine – it’s embarrassing.
A: Okay, so I snap my fingers and just like that, I’m an expert at anything?
Q: Yes.
A: I actually don’t think I have an answer for that question.
Q: Ah-hah! Because you’re already great at everything, right?
A: Not quite. It’s more because I think that there’s always an opportunity to learn more, and develop your skills. You can be great at something, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t room for you to improve. I think it’s really important to be open to learning all the time, at any stage of your career.
Q: Alright, so what’s a workplace skill you think everyone benefits from?
A: I’d say problem solving. Don’t be afraid to trust your instinct and take a chance; understand that mistakes happen, and they’re not the end of the world. That fear of messing up or doing something wrong can sort of paralyze people, and leave you stuck in one place. You have to be confident in your ability to make decisions in order to move forward. And know that, if you do make a mistake, you’ve got the problem solving skills to figure out how to fix it.
Q: Totally agree with you on that. Ah, this question might be tricky: what three words do you think your team would use to describe you?
A: Oh, wow. Uh – chatty? Supportive. And then maybe, positive or happy-go-lucky? I do realize that’s too many words.
Q: Ah, it’s okay – we’ll accept it. If you had to swap jobs with anybody at Impact for an entire week, who would it be and why?
A: I’ve done so many different roles over the years as the company’s grown – so I think I’d actually go with marketing, I’d love to develop my creative side. I’ll be the first to admit that I’m pretty weak in that area, so I know there would be lots to learn.
Q: We’d welcome you with open arms!
A: I’ll keep that in mind.
Q: Alright, last question: what’s your best advice for somebody who’s just starting their career in recruitment?
A: That one’s easy: build your army. This is the one thing I’ll repeat day in and day out. You can ask my team and they’ll confirm that.
Q: You just said it today in the company meeting!
A: Exactly – I say it multiple times a day because I believe so strongly in the importance of marketing not just your company, but yourself. Your personal brand is crucial to your success. It’s your responsibility to constantly be networking, talking to as many people as possible. Making those connections and building those relationships will benefit you time and time again throughout your entire career.