Today we’d like to introduce you to Susan Levine.
Hi Susan, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – To start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers.
I was excited to start a business and offer a luxury recruiting strategy firm that would seek out the very best talent and pair them with the leading companies. I saw the opportunity in the market to create a brand and elevate recruitment services.
I saw the need to peel off layers and get to know the candidates – listen to their wants and needs, and find them a career, not just any ordinary job. Regarding our clients, they appreciated this approach in Miami as they knew it would lead them to long-lasting relationships and strong hires.
I have always loved a great challenge, and I was passionate about my vision. I was also excited at the prospect of having the very best recruiters on my team, much like a sports team. A team of professionals all moving in the same direction with the same goals – it was exhilarating to me.
Can you talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I’m often asked, has it been easy? I feel very fortunate for the success that we have all been able to share here at Career Group Companies. No business is without its challenges.
However, we have navigated very well through the downtimes and challenges, always coming back stronger. I have never veered from my vision and the confidence that when you do hit bumps in the road, you learn how to put your head down, stay focused, and just work through it.
And somehow, we have always come out on the other side stronger and better.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I founded Career Group Companies, and all our affiliates, nearly 42 years ago. I’m often asked what sets us apart from others, and I am proud to say that it is never a one-man show.
I think it began with me, my high standards, and my vision to build an extraordinary company that never lost sight of what is important in the recruiting industry; which is fantastic talent, extraordinary people, and connecting with the leading and very best companies throughout the country.
I am proud of so many things that it is hard to name just one! I am proud of the journey, how quickly it has gone, how much I have learned, and the opportunity to work alongside wonderful people who are dedicated, devoted, loyal, who all have a strong voice and have always been my running partners.
Success is never about one person; it is about the team. The best sports teams are not about an individual player, they are about the collective team driving it home. Collaboration, energy, and playing off each other’s ideas while holding each other up during tough times is critical.
I got to where I am today by being relentless, having a strong vision of what the future should look like, and using the most challenging times as an opportunity to connect with my inner strength and stay positive.
It has been 42 years, and as with any relationship in life, it is not always easy. What differentiates you will be your ability to work through it and come out on the other end with solutions and growth – that is what makes a good leader and a solid and strong company. I was able to overcome the challenges because of my DNA – I am a strong woman who never gives up. I learned my greatest life lessons through difficult times, and without them, I wouldn’t be where I am today.
I always have wanted to surround myself with people who share that philosophy, who are willing to work hard, be loyal, and stick by my side, so we can go through tough times together.
Career Group Companies are successful because of the people who work here. We have over 200 very different individuals, which I love. No two people are alike, just as no two companies are alike. I enjoy the interaction of people’s ideas meshing.
We have grown so much, even in the last 4 years, amidst a pandemic and volatile employment markets. When the bottom drops out, which is inevitable, the secret is to stay focused, and positive, and to come back stronger. So, I challenge myself all the time. Fear is what has always motivated me to be successful.
Do you have any advice for those just starting?
If you are passionate, stay true to your dreams, your vision, and your goals, and work as hard as you possibly can. If things seem to be challenging and not necessarily working out your way, pivot. Do not give up.
What I know today is what I learned along the way, and the success that I have is due to a lot of failures along the way. However, I always viewed these failures as life-learning lessons because I used them as positive courses that were key in learning and guiding change.
But again, I have always stayed focused on the goal, and that was to build a super successful company while doing things my way.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.careergroupcompanies.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/careergroupcompanies/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CareerGroupCompanies
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/career-group-companies/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/career-group-companies-los-angeles-4?osq=career+group
