Our Hiring Hero Series showcases talent acquisition pros across the globe who are dedicated to connecting people with their next great opportunity.
What does it mean to you to be a Hiring Hero?
Erin: We’re just matchmakers—which means my job is to find the right candidates for my manager and the right job for my candidates. So, for me, a hiring hero is when you find that perfect match: your candidate is excited, and your hiring manager is excited. That’s the moment we live for.
Luke: To me, being a hiring hero means making it known that our jobs are more accessible than they appear, based on the job title. For example, we have a New American program at several of our distribution centers where there’s a job coach onsite who translates for people who might not speak English, who might not be familiar with the work, or who might not be familiar with Gordon Food Service.
What excited you about GFS and made you want to take the role?
Erin: I didn’t know anything about GFS when I applied for the job. But after I applied for it, I started talking to people in the community… and everyone had great things to say about it.
Luke: I grew up in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where GFS is headquartered and has a great reputation in the community. So it was always a goal for me to work here. When I had the opportunity to join the team, I was thrilled. Everyone I know who’s worked here has had a really positive experience. There are benefits for you and the whole family—which is really nice.
In addition to your relocation assistance program, New American program, and family benefits, what are some other things that make GFS stand out?
Erin: We’ve got a Women in Transportation group that encourages women in the trucking/transportation industry to develop and grow into leadership roles. Transportation is such a male-dominated industry that, a lot of times, women feel like they have to act differently than they might otherwise in order to make it. This group provides them with the community and support to just be themselves.
How do you train your teams on skills-based hiring?
Erin: We’ve gotten a lot better in the way our job posts are written. For example, we know from industry studies that many women will only apply to jobs if they meet 100% of the requirements; whereas, men will apply if they meet 60% of the requirements. So we’ve started removing anything that is ‘optional.’ So, if it’s optional to have a high school diploma/four-year degree, we’ll leave off ‘four-year degree.’ We’ll just say, ‘Required: high school diploma’ in an attempt to open up that pool of applicants.
What do you want candidates to know about the growth opportunities at GFS?
Erin: One of the things I appreciate about GFS is that the opportunities are limitless. We have a program called Emerging Leaders. And that’s just the start of the development opportunities. They really grow from there. If you’re in transportation, and you want to grow into the supply chain, there are opportunities to do that. There are opportunities to move up in leadership. We’re always looking at that next distribution center that will open—and for leaders to help grow the company from that perspective. Even within our warehouse, there are opportunities to move into leads, supervisors, managers, and directors.
“At GFS, there are so many opportunities to move up, grow, and advance. I really think that the opportunities are limitless.”
What are the main reasons someone would want to work at GFS?
Erin: One would be that GFS makes investments in things that will improve our processes long-term. The company is thinking 10 years and more into the future and is investing accordingly. Another one would be the advancement opportunities. I’ve never worked for a company before that is so focused on having a development plan and working towards that. And not just in word, but in action. Lastly I would say… rewards for performance. There are incentives to go out and get the job done accurately and quickly. And everyone at GFS participates in our profit sharing. It’s a long standing Gordon family philosophy to share the company’s success with employees.
“GFS is a company that takes care of their employees. Because it’s privately owned, the company is able to make decisions that aren’t always driven by the bottom line. They’re willing to invest in their employees and their customers.”
Luke’s Tips for the Future of Recruiting
“I think the future of recruiting is three things: automation, specialization, and consultation. A lot of the recruiting process can be automated, but it doesn’t mean less recruiters working in the TA space; it means making their jobs better. We have the opportunity to help them specialize—be thought leaders—in the TA space and take a consultative approach to the equation.””
Join the Gordon Food Service team! As the largest private distributor of food and food experience products in North America, GFS is always on the hunt for skilled people to fill a wide range of roles. Take a look at some of the positions Erin and Luke are hiring for right now.
