Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Tonia Martinez. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Tonia, appreciate you joining us today. Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?

My career stems from an amazing 22-year background in human resources, corporate America with a focus on the talent acquisition space. I would not be where I am today and able to do what I’m doing if it weren’t for this career. Having an opportunity to support the human resources department for various organizations is extremely rewarding. I’m passionate about serving people so it was a perfect match for me. I have met so many amazing people throughout my career and was always closely connected to working with leaders of teams and divisions, and this exposure helped shape me for my future business.

Today, I help organizations gain their time back in the hiring process and with an HR background, I understand what they’re going through. I know the necessary investment in the interview process and take pride in making this easier for my clients. The first impression is the most important one and we don’t want to get this wrong, send red flags, or be unprepared. I have trained and coached management on this process and enjoy helping them learn how to prepare for the interview process, make a lasting impression, and stay in compliance along the way.

Protecting the organization’s brand and culture we work so hard to retain is not something to take lightly. Aside from recruiting, I also help clients when they have to exit individuals from the organization due to a layoff. The offboarding process should be handled just as important as the hiring process, with engagement, and concern for the employee’s well-being in helping them land on their feet. When you don’t do this, we put are putting so much at stake. I’ve been on both sides, laying off employees and being laid off, so I know the importance and want to help others do this well.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

I entered the Human Resources field early in my career and I started at the bottom and continued to learn about different departments within HR and grew to love this space. I developed a well-rounded background and this brings value to what I do on a daily basis for my clients. I am industry agnostic, having worked in various industries, and I love this as it keeps me challenged and professionally growing in my field. I was living in Virginia Beach, VA in 1998 and took my first HR role as an assistant to the recruiting team and management team of a call center. This is when I learned what my purpose was, “to serve others” through so many capacities within the HR space. I was able to learn about the hiring process, payroll, benefits, orientation programs, and onboarding of new employees. I also learned about the challenges of keeping people happy and always remaining professional, no matter what.

Throughout my career, I continued to stay within the HR department and found so much satisfaction in this space. I have recruited for all levels of positions, and for nearly all departments within an organization. My sweet spot is executive leadership hiring.

What truly sets me apart from other recruiters is that I bring 22 years of HR expertise, and a passion to help others. I understand what they’re going through and want them to achieve results quickly and effectively. I know the necessary investment in the interview process and take pride in making this easier for my clients. If you’re not invested in this process, you risk hiring bad talent which results in turnover that is extremely costly to an organization.

I’m most proud of my professionalism and care for my clients and the job seekers I work with. I give my all to them to help them achieve positive results.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

In 2019, I was laid off from my Talent Acquisition Manager role due to the company selling a majority of its properties and minimal hiring would be done, and that would be done by hiring managers. They gave me 3-months notice to find a new job. Being laid off as a recruiter seemed to happen every 2-3 years due to reorganizations, budget cuts, loss of business, and various reasons. The good news is that it’s never been due to my performance and that made me a little more comfortable being affected by the organizational change. Needless to say, I’ve grown a little numb to this and after all, recruiters aren’t generating revenue so it made some sense to me when it happened.

At this time in my career, I had been contemplating starting my own recruiting firm if I were to ever get laid off again, and it happened after 6 short months of being with my last employer in 2019. It took 3 months and using all of my small severance to start Career Transformations. Some thought I was crazy for trying to start something so difficult to build, but to me, it was a challenge, and I was excited to build something of my own.

Starting this business has been nothing but challenging, especially during a pandemic when companies weren’t hiring and most definitely not paying someone to hire for them. I was okay with this as it bought me time to learn how I was going to build this business. I have never worked so hard in my life for so little of a paycheck, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything. This has again, shaped me to be more resilient than ever.

Where do you think you get most of your clients from?

Networking is an important part of my day and one that I devote time to not only learning about but also investing in others to help them with their business needs. The investment is worth the effort and in time it all begins to pay off. Learning to educate your audience on who I am, what I do, how I do it, and why I do it will generate referrals and clients to me.

Initially, I joined BNI, a large networking organization that really taught me the foundations of networking and how to do it effectively. That was an experience I will forever be grateful for. Since my BNI days, I have learned the importance of networking with individuals that are your decision-makers, and going straight to the source will only save you time. I joined Colorado’s Mile High SHRM chapter for human resources professionals, and those individuals are my decision-makers that will become my new clients. I also volunteer on their Education Committee where I am able to recruit speakers for various topics that deliver training to HR professionals. This helps me build my network, share my business, and continue to add new clients for Career Transformations. I often work with HR professionals that are on the job market and need help getting a resume updated with some career coaching tips, which I also provide. Interestingly enough, they also become new clients when they find that new job.

Volunteering is something I’m very passionate about, helping others yet again. In 2021, I saught my first Board Member opportunity in an effort to help individuals on the job market learn to effectively market themselves, write resumes, and shine during their interviews. This has been rewarding and allows me to continue professionally developing myself and expanding my skill set.

Putting myself in spaces that allow me to connect with people, help people, and do good in our communities is extremely important to me and the values of Career Transformations.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.careertransformationsdenver.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/careertransformations/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CareerTransformationsDenver
• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/toniamartinez
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/CareerTransfor1
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuJ5iis1s_9TB-5KV47aQpQ

Image Credits
Sierra Nicole https://www.sierranicolephoto.com/about