Name: Brenda Cox
Job Title/Employer: Director of Human Resources, Spooner Physical Therapy
Year of Graduation: 2003
Degree/Major: B.S., Business Management
 
What kind of recruiting do you do for your company?
My recruiting function at Spooner Physical Therapy is comprehensive, involving full-cycle recruiting for all position levels from front-line staff to executives. Some of the positions that I hire for are licensed professional therapists, sales and marketing professionals, patient service coordinators, physical therapy technicians, and business office personnel in accounting, collections, medical records, and other areas.

My goal is always to hire right and hire efficiently, while ensuring that our human resources are aligned to the organization's strategic goals.
 
Who is your company's ideal recruiting candidate?
The ideal candidate for Spooner Physical Therapy is one whose values are aligned with ours: someone who is motivated to learn, grow, and share knowledge; someone who is team-oriented; someone with the ability to effectively communicate; someone with a high degree of integrity, who is willing to take accountability for their own actions as well as hold others accountable; and someone that respects others and believes in treating others as they desire to be treated. Additionally, we look for individuals with an entrepreneurial mindset, as we look to grow our company through our people.

Also, because we look to create a fun work environment, our ideal candidate should be one who brings added energy to our clinics and has a genuine interest in the therapy industry. Lastly, as Spooner looks to define and differentiate through service, we have high expectations for excellence in customer-service delivery.

What strengths do Arizona State University graduates bring to the hiring table as job candidates?
Candidates that come to us through Arizona State University are generally physical therapy technician candidates with a genuine interest in the industry and are either kinesiology or exercise science majors.

Compared to the general population, ASU students seem to be of a higher caliber and are a great match to the core values mentioned above. Strengths these students bring are that they have higher goals, a desire to learn and succeed, as well as confidence and maturity. Additionally, ASU students have an excellent understanding of what it means to be accountable and are well-versed in working in a team environment.

What can current students or alumni do to improve their chances of finding work with (or through) your company?
The best advice I have for current students and alumni looking to work for Spooner is to present yourself as professional, no matter what position you are applying for, display an interest in what Spooner does and what it stands for, come motivated with higher goals and an interest in personal growth and learning, and help us understand how you can contribute to a great work environment at Spooner Physical Therapy.

Any other job hunting secrets you'd like to share?
Before you go hunting, know what kind of company you want to work for and what you can bring to that organization. Make sure your values and goals are aligned with theirs, and then share that information in a cover letter and during the interview.

Leave the “what's in it for me” attitude behind and understand the expectations of the company you are pursuing and the nature of the generation represented by the person you might be interviewing with.

Express your willingness to be flexible and compromise, which will show you are easily manageable, adaptable, and team-oriented. Lastly and most important, you will be more believable if you show confidence! It is OK to pursue opportunities that challenge your abilities!