Todd Weber has become a rockstar recruiter while supporting Acara’s retail sales team. But many might be surprised to know that Todd wasn’t always destined for the recruiting industry. So how did his career transition from technology salesman to talent acquisition specialist?

In the latest edition of our “All-In at Acara” series, learn how Todd’s propensity for working with people led him to his current role as a Senior Recruitment Specialist at Acara.

Ambitions in professional athletics

I grew up in a small town outside of Evansville, Indiana—a city that’s very close to the Kentucky and Illinois borders. I chose to attend the University of Southern Indiana, where I majored in public relations. My goal was always to work with people and put my communication skills to good use. Sports were a huge part of my childhood, so naturally, I wanted to become part of the public relations department for a professional sports team.

Moving to the Music City

Upon graduating from college, I left Indiana and moved to Nashville, Tennessee. While in Nashville, I ditched my dream of working for a pro sports team and accepted a position to work in Dell’s computer sales program. This opportunity blended technology and sales, allowing me to gain some valuable experience as an account manager. While I enjoyed this position, I was ultimately burned out from the technology industry. For a sector that is constantly changing so quickly, I was somewhat anxious that the products I was selling were going to become obsolete. So I got a call from a recruiter about becoming just that—a recruiter—I decided to pull the plug on my tech career.

Ready for recruiting

While I was eager to shift industries and dive into something new, there were a few lessons that I had to learn. What became immediately apparent to me early on in my tenure as a recruiter is that I was no longer selling a tangible product. Going from selling computer servers to selling people was quite a transition for me. I discovered that recruiting is all about forming trust and developing relationships with both candidates and customers. As a “people person” myself, that’s one of my favorite parts of the recruiting world.

Joining Acara

When Marc Sweger reached out to me about an open position at Acara, I knew I had to listen. At the time, Marc was a friend of mine from our time spent at a previous employer. He told me about the retail businesses that I’d be supporting on engineering and manufacturing roles, which piqued my interest. And after interviewing with the team, I quickly got the sense that Acara was a great company that truly cared about its employees. The organization would do whatever it could to empower its workers. For me, that was a major selling point that swayed me to accept the offer.

Consistency is key

If I had to describe Acara in one word, the first one that comes to my mind is “consistency.” No matter who I talk to within our company, we’re all always trying to do the right thing for our customers, for our candidates, and for our brand. Never do I feel like I’m placed in a helpless situation or left on an island to survive by myself. Being part of such a strong-willed team that consistently works well together is what makes working at Acara so great. It’s easy to see why this is the best company I’ve ever worked for!

Competitiveness as a recruiter

Growing up as a competitive athlete while playing several different sports has definitely helped me become a better recruiter. Having that competitive mindset and doing whatever it takes to get the job done has been imperative to my success. The friendly—and healthy—competition that we encourage within our recruiting team goes a long way in pushing us all to be at our very best. Our team will go the extra mile to ensure our clients and our candidates are happy.

Out-of-work passions

Outside of recruiting, I spend a lot of time as a coach for my kids’ sports teams. They play football, baseball, softball, and a bunch of other sports, so you’ll often find me coaching on the sidelines. One of my goals is to make it down to a Florida beach at least two times every year. Traveling is definitely a passion of mine—especially when I can take vacations that my whole family can enjoy. I’m also a huge Notre Dame football fan. Cheering on the Fighting Irish on Saturdays is a must!

To learn more about Todd Weber, connect with him on LinkedIn.