Proven Recruiting

The "Real Recruiters of Proven" is making its public debut! There's drama, intrigue, a dance-off, A+ amateur acting, and some can't-miss cameos. And all it took was a full production crew, a weekend of filming, and a troop of surprisingly versatile recruiters.

Congratulations to all of the nominees for Employee of the Year and to Joseph Park in particular - our newly crowned Employee of the Year!

And a special thank you to Lee Ann Kim for making our video dreams a reality - without you we'd just be a bunch of bumbling recruiters with an iPhone camera.

If you're looking for a career in acting, we'll be taking applications for next year's video soon.

Proven's 2022 Employee of the Year Video!

Before you run off for the holiday weekend, our team wants to thank you all for the community you've helped build, the partnerships that defined our year, and the sense of fun and adventure you've engendered!

And if you're killing time scrolling Facebook waiting for the weekend, you have our blessing to call it a day. Happy holidays!

Not everyone has the good fortune to work alongside people they admire and respect. We feel extremely lucky to partner with such good-natured, hard-working, principled professionals - all of you included.

We sincerely hope you feel the same fondness and excitement when you think of your own work, and if you don’t…you know where to find us!

Jokes aside, we're wishing you a wonderful Thanksgiving - ideally surrounded by an abundance of good food and good company. Now close your browser, mute those notifications, and ignore us until next week!

Thank you to everyone who joined our end of summer happy hour last week! Always a pleasure to catch up with such excellent company.

And if you missed it - we'll let you know when's the next one!

We're thrilled to partner with San Diego Wave FC as the Presenting Sponsor of their Pride night - but it won't be a real celebration until our community is involved. So bring your competitive spirit as you cheer on Alex Morgan and the current crop of league-leading women to celebrate Pride in style!

You can check out available seats here: https://sandiegowavefc.com/

See you there!

Congratulations to all our 2021 award winners! Celebrating each other's success is our favorite thing to do. We’re incredibly lucky that such a hard-working, talented, quirky group of people have chosen to work alongside us for all these years. Way to put in the effort and go the extra mile especially during these trying times.

And the winners are....

- Overall Performer of the Year: Kelly Feest
- Flex Performer of the Year: Kelly Feest
- Search Performer of the Year: Kelly Zastrow
- Rookie of the Year: Sabrina (Rina) Dang
- Jason Collins Memorial Founders Award for authenticity, loyalty, and generosity of spirit: Mike Chiv

Now to celebrate!

How can we honor Martin Luther King Jr. today (instead of just watching Netflix)?

- Educate yourself! We read Trevor Noah’s “Born a Crime” in Proven's book club and it was an excellently written, enlightening story of racial segregation in apartheid South Africa
- Go through your closet and give away clothes that no longer fit/you don’t need
- Donate time or canned goods to a local shelter
- Put your money where your mouth is – give back through Givewell to ensure your money does the most good

Let's not miss this opportunity to reflect on all the sacrifices that have been made to get us to this point in history, and to consider how each of us can make our world a better place - for everyone.

We're in the heart of Kwanzaa, an almost week-long celebration of African American culture, people, and accomplishments held from December 26th to January 1st. Started in 1966, it's the only African American holiday of its kind.

One (very delicious) way to celebrate? Take advantage of this liminal period between Christmas and New Years to check out a local black-owned restaurant, or consider giving back to your community directly.

For inspiration, we're drawing from our monthly newsletter where we feature San Diego-based minority-owned restaurants. Let us know if you have a place we need to try next; we'll add it to the list!

- World Beat Cafe (Balboa Park)
- Laylah’s Jamaican Food (Barrio Logan)
- Da South In Ya Mouth (Chula Vista)
- Protein Plate (Chula Vista)
- Red Sea Ethiopian Restaurant (City Heights)
- Spoiled Vegan Cafe (Downtown SD)
- Tastee Temptations (El Cajon)
- Nomad Donuts (North Park)
- One Love Island Cuisine (Oceanside)

Happy Kwanzaa!

https://lnkd.in/eiVtB2S

5 Things You May Not Know About Kwanzaa As millions of people around the world prepare to celebrate Kwanzaa, explore five things you may not know about this pan-African holiday.

Merry Christmas, friends! Join us on a trip down Proven's memory lane: Christmas 2012-2021. We tried to include photos from our earlier holiday parties but camera phones back then were....not great.

Looking back, we're grateful for all the people – new and old, current and past – who’ve impacted our team. Thankful for the countless personalities and perspectives, for the long-lasting friendships and fleeting (but treasured) acquaintances. Appreciative for the struggle, the growth, the challenge.

Most of us will only ever celebrate 80 or so holiday seasons, and only 60'ish as adults – so don’t let this one go to waste. Here's wishing you and your loved ones a very happy, very stress-free holiday season!

The career path for Asian Americans is often depicted in…limited terms. Doctor, scientist, accountant, etc. Rarely do we see spotlighted someone forging their own path in a creative field, learning and adapting as they go.

So in that spirit - tune in this afternoon for an unfiltered conversation between Leonardo Nam of HBO’s Westworld and the Fast and the Furious, and Lee Ann Kim, founder of the San Diego Asian Film Festival and former broadcast journalist at ABC San Diego. Sponsored by the Korean American Coalition. RSVP: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/an-uncommon-career-an-unconventional-life-tickets-216084593837?aff=ebdsoporgprofile

AN UNCOMMON CAREER, AN UNCONVENTIONAL LIFE Join us for a pop up conversation with two exciting guests!

Last night, Jews around the world celebrated the beginning of Chanukah, the eight-day festival of light and hope. Latkes were shared, stories told, and gelt (chocolate coins) consumed.

Today Sarah Navi is sharing the story of Chanukah and why it still impacts so many, even in our modern world:

"Perhaps the most well-known of all the Jewish holidays, Chanukah is an eight-day festival of light, commemorating a miracle that occurred around the second century B.C. The Greek ruler at the time sought to assimilate the Jewish people and outlaw their celebrations and customs. Although the Jews were significantly outnumbered, they triumphed and regained control of their Temple in Jerusalem.

To rededicate the Temple, the Jews sought to light a menorah (a candelabrum), but only had enough oil for the flames to last a single day. Yet to their surprise and delight, the oil provided light for eight days and nights.

From this story, we learn that a little light can go a long way, and this is a powerful message. The miracle of Chanukah doesn’t only live in the past. Every day we can find small miracles of light illuminating our world. Giving to the poor. Visiting someone who is ill. Comforting someone in distress. We don’t often stop to appreciate all the small miracles that give us hope.

It’s been a tough year adapting to a post-COVID world. Sometimes it feels like darkness surrounds us, and we struggle to find the good. This holiday season, let’s pause to remind ourselves to always seek the steady unwavering light, even when all seems lost. Just as the Jewish people didn’t hesitate to light the menorah when they knew that they only had a small amount of oil, we shouldn’t hesitate to perform acts of kindness and help others, as small as they may seem. Let’s be a light onto others and appreciate the light that illuminates our path."

Happy holidays!

Today we’re grateful for a team of people so different but so alike in all the ways that matter. For a group that will cheerfully wake up for an 8AM Thanksgiving Peloton ride on a day off. Moreover, we’re thankful for clients and candidates who give us purpose, who tolerate our eccentricities, and who let us into their work and lives.

There’s so much to be grateful for - from the good that makes us joyful to the bad that makes us stronger.

We hope you’re spending the day with your loved ones and not your notifications. Get off Facebook! Go eat food! Disagree over some minor political thing! Enjoy the people who make life worth living.

Happy Thanksgiving!

What’s a company without its back office? Proven would all but collapse without the guiding hands of Shirley, Vanessa, Shana, Yulia, and Lindsey. Show some love to your corporate team today – they've earned it. Bonus points if you grab lunch with them!

One of our favorite interview questions is “what was the last book you read and how have you incorporated what you've learned into your life?” There’s obviously no right or wrong answer, but it still tells us a lot about the person sitting across from us, their interests, and their approach to self-growth. Plus we get some great book recs out of it.

So in the spirit of sharing, here’s what we’re reading right now in the Proven book club! So far it has prompted some mixed responses, but still we’ve gleaned a few notable takeaways:

- People want to be heard. If you can repeat their (often unspoken) feelings back to them, you’ll earn instant buy-in
- Persuasion happens on an emotional, not factual, level
- Not everyone wants a “solution” – some people just want to unload their anxieties
- Bragging doesn’t win people over, but telling a universal story of struggle and success might

What are you reading? Would you recommend it?

Happy Halloween (& early Day of the Dead!). We celebrated with our annual costume contest - more scary than usual this year, maybe from all the pent-up spooky energy of 2020 - and pumpkin carving bash!

And congrats Carly Zuckerman for earning Proven's deadly "best costumed" award with her chillingly accurate embodiment of Wednesday Adams.

This month we're spotlighting (and learning more about!) the traditions, cultures, and impact of the Hispanic community and how they've helped to shape our world.

Test your knowledge with this fun quiz and let us know how you do in the comments! https://bit.ly/3aclzrv

Quiz: Hispanic Heritage Edition! - Proven Recruiting Put your knowledge to the test! Plus hopefully learn something new, or at least get inspired to try some new things. Happy Hispanic Heritage Month! Loading…

Last night's sunset kicked off Rosh Hashanah - the Jewish New Year! This two-day celebration involves family dinners, prayer, and lots of apples and honey (to ensure a sweet new year).

Ten days later - on September 15th - Jews will come together again, fasting and abstaining from life's usual delights for Yom Kippur, their 'Day of Atonement' - a time of deep reflection and personal improvement.

These times are a delicate blend of joy and solemnity, feasting and fasting, prayer and inspiration as Jews reflect on the past year, make amends and atone for misdeeds and celebrate hope for the future.

This year in particular, communities are leaning into hope individually and collectively, to help heal hearts, bodies, and the planet—and forge a united, inclusive path forward.

Happy holidays!

These days we often credit Zoom and Teams for making the world feel connected - but people have been moving across the globe for centuries, closing the gap between disparate cultures, beliefs, and traditions.

At Proven Recruiting alone our team features people from almost every continent (sorry Australia and Antarctica!), including 14 different countries and almost as many languages. A grand total of 45% of our people are immigrants or children of immigrants - including both of our Co-Founders.

In short, our company would cease to exist if it weren’t for people uprooting their lives and starting anew. The same can be said of at least 25% of US businesses and 45% of Fortune 500 companies. This is a country, an economy, built on movement. On diversity of perspective and approach. On hard work.

Happy Immigrant Heritage Month!

Hello from our Dallas team! Returning to the office or not, we can't wait to spend more time together. How is your team celebrating the new new normal? Company reunion? Happy hour? Surprise getaway?

Congratulations to our top performers, who just returned from their Hawaiian getaway! The fact that 2020 was a strange and complicated year comes as a surprise to absolutely no one, but these guys pulled through and showed up for their clients and candidates every day.

P.S. If you thought recruiters were intense before, you should see them on vacation.

This is the story of Ted “Donut King” Ngoy, one of the first Cambodian American Millionaires and a trailblazer in the donut industry (and a really interesting character - Wikipedia him).

Like many Cambodian donut shop owners, Ted was on a tight budget after settling as a refugee in California having fled the killing fields of the Khmer Rouge. Thriftiness drove innovation - Ted and other Cambodians sought out cheaper boxes for their donut offerings, and thus was born the iconic pink donut box! The rest is history.

Ted’s success allowed him to start a chain of donut shops where he helped sponsor and mentor many Cambodian refugees as he rose to (and then fell from) donut fame.

If this story made you hungry – or at least intrigued – check out some of San Diego’s local Cambodian donut shops in celebration of AAPI Heritage Month! Our own Mike Chiv is sharing some of his favorites:

- KT Donuts, Spring Valley
- Rose Donuts, Linda Vista & Clairemont
- Sunny Donuts, Kearny Mesa
- Golden Donut, University City
- Donut Plus, Normal Heights
- Donut Factory, North Park
- Donut Star, Hillcrest
- Crispy’s Donuts, Chula Vista
- Encinitas Donut House, Encinitas

Happy eating!

Sharing what we’re reading in book club for all you overthinkers out there. Soundtracks by Jon Acuff helps dial down the "I'm not smart enough; I'll never get that promotion; I'm a loser" self-talk and replace it with something actually beneficial. Let us know what you're reading/what we should read next!

In celebration of AAPI Heritage Month, we're spotlighting a few Asian-owned businesses - all of which our people regularly frequent and enjoy. This week's recommendation comes from Qian Cen, who has been ordering from Yasukochi Family Farms since the beginning of the pandemic.

Located in Oceanside CA, Yasukochi Family Farms is a Japanese-family-owned farm that supplies farm boxes full of fresh, seasonal veggies straight to your doorstep. Qian assures us that they'll leave you feeling good about your health, community, and environmental impact.

And as a bonus, you'll get to experiment with all kinds of unexpected and surprisingly delicious veggies and recipes!

Learn more: https://www.yasukochifamilyfarms.com/csa
Order: https://app.barn2door.com/e/90pP9/all

Happy eating!

Yasukochi Family Farms Hello! We are all a small family-owned and operated farm that has been farming in Oceanside since 1929. We have been growing local and delicious products for ov

Eid Mubarak! After a month of spiritual reflection and devotion, Muslims are celebrating Eid al-Fitr - the Festival of Breaking the Fast. Celebrants enjoy family meals, lots of sweets, and charitable giving. It's a time of joy and community - something we could all use some more of!

Chag Pesach Sameach! Last night marked the first night of Passover, a Jewish holiday recognizing the suffering and ultimate freedom of the Jewish people from slavery. The Passover plate (seen below) contains various representative foods to honor Passover's legacy of adversity, perseverance, and strength.

After year #2 of Zoom Passovers, we're happy to report that Jewish bubbes and zaides are still struggling to turn on their webcams and/or find gallery view. Happy Passover!

Questions of a woman's worth, ability, and potential have been systemically baked into the American landscape. These ongoing issues impact all aspects of life, especially in the corporate world, where DE&I leaders have been hard at work trying to identify and eliminate barriers for women.

That's why we're showcasing a candid conversation with four notable women, each sharing their personal experiences and discoveries to help inspire a re-imagining of our collective future.

RSVP now: https://leadingwomen.eventbrite.com