Employee Spotlight: Director of Financial Services Damien Richburg, CFA
EDITOR’S NOTE: Learn more about the people behind recruitAbility. We’re profiling each of our employees to shed light on their career paths, what they do in their free time, lessons they’ve learned, and much more. View all profiles here.
Last week, we welcomed a new employee to recruitAbility! Damien Richburg, CFA, is our Director of Financial Services, and he’s leading our new practice focused on finance and accounting direct hires and contract services.
Learn more about Damien and what he enjoys outside of work in our Q&A below, and click here to learn about the services that we offer in finance and accounting.
Describe your role at recruitAbility?
I have three essential responsibilities.
- Helping companies successfully identify, hire, and ultimately retain key talent in their accounting and finance apartments.
- Assisting individuals in identifying and obtaining career opportunities where they find additional value personally and for their families and loved ones.
- Juggling all of the above while doing my part to ensure recruitAbility performs at a level others can only hope to achieve.
Why did you pursue a career in recruiting?
I never at any point in my career envisioned I would be a recruiter. I was introduced to recruiting when I began seeking out new career opportunities. During that search, my recruiter at the time saw something in me that stood out and suggested that I use my talents to help others in their job searches.
While recruiting wasn’t something I ever set my sights on, my genuine desire to help people achieve optimal outcomes for themselves and for their organizations has made me realize this is a career path I truly enjoy and can continue to be successful in.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
I get the highest level of joy when I’m able to connect a candidate and client via an offer for employment. That candidate will now have a new opportunity that will ultimately add value to their lives. The client will now have a new team member that will help them achieve the goals of their organization. Knowing that I played a part in that is a great feeling.
Is there anything that has surprised you about recruiting?
Ha! Yes, there have been a lot of things that I have found surprising about recruiting. I think most surprising is that there are so many unnecessary obstacles that prevent managers from identifying the right candidates for their teams, or that prevent job candidates from putting their best foot forward when seeking their dream jobs. That’s why it’s helpful to work with a savvy recruiting firm.
What are the biggest mistakes you see candidates make when negotiating job offers?
This could be an entire discussion. But if I had to sum it up, I think most mistakes stem from not understanding what the position is paying before interviewing for a role. Even worse is when a candidate knows that compensation range, but asks for higher compensation without building a credible case or justifying the request. That only puts a bad taste in everyone’s mouths.
What is your advice to companies trying to attract and retain talent?
First, give recruitAbility a call. After we do the heavy lifting, I would advise that companies do the right thing for their people. What is the point of hiring key talent if you aren’t willing to do what is necessary to retain and develop your employees and keep them engaged?
Outside the office, how do you like to pass the time?
I enjoy what I do, but ultimately I do it all for my family. In my free time, I enjoy creating memories with my wife and kids. I also enjoy educating myself through reading, grueling CrossFit workouts, and adding to my ever-increasing list of successful home renovation projects!
What’s your favorite part about living in Austin?
I like that there is so much to do (when we are not in a pandemic) and unlike the Northeast where I grew up, there isn’t any snow to shovel!
Do you have a favorite business book?
So we’ll use the term “business book” loosely here. With that said, there are two books that I’ll list, and they are my favorites because I’ve read both three times at different points in my life, and each time they spoke to me differently. The first is Who Moved My Cheese by Spencer Johnson, M.D. and the second is The Alchemist Paulo Coelho.