Ever wondered what it’s like to be an Account Executive? We’ve got you covered!
This week’s guest is Angelina Martinez, a Principal Account Executive for our NetSuite-focused brand, Anderson Frank, who has worked at our Scottsdale office since late 2019.
What does someone need to succeed in a career in recruitment?
Angelina believes that her ability to talk to others is one of the best skills she has brought to the role, especially communicating with new people, as it has the potential to build connections. “Being comfortable on the phone is important too,” she added, as part of the role can involve cold-calling. “Just being able to kind of be comfortable with people, obviously calling strangers when they’ve never heard of you is intimidating, but you get over it. I’d like to say that I’m confident in that respect.” With no previous background in recruitment, the confidence she brought to the table was a definite aid to her progression within the company.
“You need to be working hard too, and be determined. I know a lot of people can get discouraged with the job because it can be a little slow trying to push yourself forward in terms of success. I was determined and patient throughout the entire process and it benefited me in the long run, so it’s key to have those traits too.”
How can Frank Recruitment Group support you in your role?
Strong leadership is essential to any successful team, something Angelina agrees with and has experienced firsthand while working with us. “I found it really encouraging. Adam Vandalini has been such a great leader and is someone I look up to so much,” she said. She continued to state how inspired she has been by his leadership and how his encouragement has supported her work to become an Associate Vice President in the future.
Angelina specifically recalled a talk between the two in late 2020, just as employees began to return to the office, “I was frustrated and felt like I wasn’t getting anywhere. It was a definite low point for me, but he gave me an amazing pep talk that helped me build a structure to become successful and be more open-minded about my role. I skyrocketed from there. That says a lot about the leadership here.”
She continued to discuss how the company culture has supported her in her working life, specifically the support she receives from colleagues in her team. “It’s very motivational,” Angelina stated, “we are constantly helping each other and having each other’s backs.”
It’s that motivation and encouragement that Angelina credits for helping her grow and gain valuable professional experience.
What can recruitment offer you?
Every business thrives on the connections it builds, and for Angelina, that’s what makes her job worthwhile. With her naturally friendly and conversational nature, she thrives in the high energy nature of recruitment, and having the opportunity to communicate with people on a daily basis. “Building a rapport with clients is probably my favorite thing because I know it impacts the company,” she admitted. “For me, it’s all about nurturing those relationships and finding ways to create a special connection with people—that’s my favorite thing.”
What does a typical working day look like?
Like many of us, Angelina relies on structure in her day-to-day routine. “I get into the office and usually check my emails, chase leads, and contact my current clients to ensure everything is going smoothly. Once I’ve made sure there are no concerns, I’ll turn my attention to anything important on my list, like chasing a client that could potentially turn into a job opportunity opening up. It’s a lot of chasing.”
“For the rest of the day after my lunch break, I focus on business development. That includes calling through certain lists I have, much like cold-calling in a way. It’s amazing when you can check off everything you wanted to do that day.”
She noted that most of her team follows that same structure: “It’s a lot more helpful when we’re all on the same page, especially in the afternoon, because it does get a lot louder when everyone is doing similar things. That being said, it does get me into the mood to talk to people when the office is alive.”
Of course, in recruitment there is a certain level of unpredictability, so you can’t necessarily stick to the same structure every day, something that Angelina herself discussed, showing the importance of skills like time management and adaptability.
What can be the best parts of the role – and what can be the toughest?
Feeling safe and supported in the workplace is important for any employee; for Angelina, this is one of the things she enjoys most about her role. “Having people motivate me is one of my favorite things about working here; I know there are people here for me. Every day I look forward to coming into the office. I’ve never been scared to come in because everyone is so great and fun—the atmosphere shows that. From being able to chat to people to the music we have playing in the office, it really makes for a fun environment. It can feel like a rave sometimes,” she laughed, “but it’s in an office setting so you’re still getting work done. It just helps get my day going.”
If there’s one thing we took from our interview with Angelina, it was her dedication to her job, and how rewarding this is for her. “Pulling jobs and closing deals honestly just make my day. It’s what I’m here to do. It is exciting to close deals and know that I’m secure for a few months in terms of my billing.”
Of course, every job has downsides, and for Angelina, these are the times when things don’t go to plan. “Sometimes things fall through, and I can get discouraged, especially if I don’t have anything in the pipeline. You naturally get frustrated when you’re getting everything done that you’re supposed to and still not finding that success. Those things are always going to come up—everyone has their highs and lows.”
“You just have to look back on those best days and remember that the bad moments are not temporary, the good will always come back.”
What makes Frank Recruitment Group a good employer?
Ensuring a positive employee experience should be a priority for any employer, one example of this in action is the way staff success is acknowledged and rewarded.
For Angelina, the recognition she receives is a large contributor to her happiness in her role: “I didn’t get out of college with recruitment in mind for my dream career, but the rewards I get make it worthwhile. Obviously I love my job, but no one likes working, especially cold calling. [Recruitment] isn’t cutthroat, but we are all competitive. Looking at our billing league, I want to see my name up there, we all share that drive to be successful and fulfil our goals.”
“It gives you that satisfaction of being successful in the way I want to, and with my role and billing, that means making money.”
Angelina also credited her colleagues and the high energy and fun they bring to the working environment.
What does someone looking to work in recruitment need to know?
For anyone wanting to follow in Angelina’s footsteps, the ability to be patient is an important trait to learn. “I started just before the pandemic, so I had to make the shift to working from home. No one wanted to hire at that point, there was a mass freeze in recruitment and hiring and I grew impatient.” Angelina admitted that her impatience made her second-guess her position and took her to a low point in her career.
“After I talked with Pat like I mentioned earlier, I began to get my motivation and confidence back. I gave it my all. I began to be more patient, and, in the end, it was one of the most rewarding things I have done. People will always come back around; it just takes time. I tell this to everyone who joins the team and the people that stay with us are the people who have that virtue. It’s a key factor for anyone who wants to be successful in recruitment, it is a frustrating job, you need to have that patience to see it through.”
Angelina also advises being open-minded, especially to advice: “being receptive to feedback, especially from your managers, will help you grow. I ask my colleagues for their advice all the time and it helps me a lot. You need to be determined to grow and get to where you want to be.”
Angelina’s experience helps give the best picture of what it is to be an Account Executive at Frank Recruitment Group and that, with the right mindset, you can go far.
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