*Secondary Locations in Davenport, IA; Columbus, OH; Washington, DC; Tampa, FL; Minneapolis, MN; Raleigh, NC.
Alyssa Smith has worked with the ICONMA team for almost two years as a contractor relations specialist. As a part of her job, she helps workers through the onboarding process and works closely with different teams within the company. Here is a look into her daily work responsibilities and some advice for those seeking a new position.
What does a typical day look like?
A day in the life as a Contractor Relations Specialist (CRS) consists of walking my workers through their onboarding process, working closely with our Account Managers, Background Check Team, and Recruiters, and maintaining a relationship with my workers after they start their assignment. My days schedule can vary depending on who is onboarding and if any follow-up is needed with my current workers. While onboarding, I work closely with our background check team to ensure our workers have completed their background checks, drug screens and onboarding paperwork. I’ll stay in constant contact with them throughout the entire process so they know when they will be starting and if we need anything additional to close out their employment, education, or criminal checks. Once that’s completed and they have a confirmed start date, I’ll send them their start details and give them a call to review exactly what they can expect on their first day.
After they’ve started, I will follow up with them to see how their first day went and ensure they received any equipment the client sent them. Then, we’ll touch base at the end of the week to make sure things are still going well and they are able to submit their first timesheet. After that, we will keep in touch with monthly touchpoints or as needed. I also handle assignment ends and provide feedback from the end client/hiring managers to our workers. Majority of my days are spent communicating with my workers and our internal teams about upcoming start dates and onboarding.
What do you love about your job?
There are a few that I love about this job. The first is getting to onboard people for their new roles. A lot of my workers are starting a job with a company they’ve been dreaming of or finally got the role they’ve been working towards for years. Getting to share in their excitement of their first day is what makes the whole process worth it.
Another part of this job that I love is when my workers get hired as full-time employees. When I get an email stating they’ll be converting to full-time, I’m always excited to make that phone call and give them the good news. Most of these workers have been with me for at least a year before they convert to full-time so I’ve gotten to know them pretty well throughout their assignment. It’s usually bitter-sweet when their last day comes, but knowing they’re getting hired in with their dream company is worth it.
Lastly, as a CRS, I work very closely with not only my CRS team but also with our background check team, my Account Managers, and recruiting team. I am very fortunate to work with such an amazing group of people who all want what’s best for our workers. I can honestly say that with ICONMA, I’ve felt like my hard work is appreciated and has never gone unnoticed. It’s very refreshing to be a part of a company who truly values you and recognizes your hard work.
Any advice for job seekers?
This role requires you to know how to prioritize your time and stay organized, especially when working with many people. Being proficient in Excel and Outlook will go a long way in this role. Excel has become my best friend when it comes to staying organized with my onboards and all of my active workers. Utilizing reminders, subfolders, rules, and your calendar in Outlook will help a lot too. Lastly, you also have to have good communication skills since you spend the majority of your day communicating with other teams and workers. Although there may be some tough conversations that you need to conduct along the way through feedback calls or assignment ends, there are a lot more positive conversations that make it worth it in the end.
August 3, 2023