An old photograph can show how much someone has changed. A conversation can reveal how much they have learned.
When we found a photo of Levi from early 2020, he noticed how much older he looked today. That prompted us to ask a different question: What does he understand now that he didn’t understand then?
His answer brought us beyond the photographs. It revealed the experience he brings every day to his work at Tidewater Staffing’s Chesapeake office.
From First Come, First Served to Finding the Right Fit
In 2020, Levi was still developing his experience on the recruiting side of staffing. He had previously worked through a temporary staffing agency in 2003 and 2004. His impression of the process was straightforward: first come, first served.
Working on the other side of the desk gave him a fuller picture of the process.
Over time, he began paying closer attention to associates’ consistency and follow-through. He also considered how well they met the requirements of an assignment.
“Today I am more reserved with recruiting and would rather place high-quality associates than a large quantity of associates who barely meet the job requirements,” he explains.
That lesson reflects a more thoughtful approach to placement. Employers need people prepared for the work ahead, and associates need opportunities suited to their abilities. Taking time to understand both helps a recruiter make a more informed match.
Experience can teach you what to look for. It can also teach you which assumptions to question. For Levi, understanding reliability meant looking more closely at how people actually showed up. He learned to recognize the different paths they took to get there.
Reliability Doesn’t Always Arrive by Car
Transportation became one of the clearest examples of that lesson.
“I’ve seen associates who have cars that barely show up for work, and I’ve seen associates who ride the bus or rely on other means of transportation and are always on time.”
For Levi, that understanding comes from personal experience.
“And I know this because I used to ride the bus and walk with some of the same people I was placing in jobs.”
He had made that journey himself. He understands the effort that can happen before a shift even begins. That might mean planning around a bus schedule, allowing time to walk, or coordinating another way to get to work.
The practical question remains whether someone can reach the assignment consistently and on time. His experience taught him to give that question more consideration than whether someone owns a car.
It is a lesson in paying attention to follow-through while allowing people to show what they are capable of.
Experience That Changes Your Perspective
Together, these lessons reveal how Levi’s approach has developed. He takes greater care in evaluating a job match and brings greater understanding to the people seeking work.
A candidate’s circumstances deserve a closer look, alongside the requirements of the assignment. Asking questions and learning how someone manages those circumstances can reveal more than an initial impression.
There is a quiet kind of wisdom in becoming more discerning while remaining willing to be surprised.
Levi’s perspective has a personal foundation. He has been someone seeking an opportunity, someone making the commute, and someone helping others take their next step. Each experience has given him another way to understand the person across the desk.
A Message to His Younger Self
We asked what he would tell the younger man in the photograph. Levi offered a response with the same candor:
“It’s been one hell of a ride and I appreciate the way you have adapted and overcome every obstacle in your way.”
There is appreciation in that answer for the younger version of himself who was still figuring things out. Much like we all are.
The photograph can hint at that journey. His thoughts and words help us understand what he learned along the way. Learning, adapting, and developing a deeper understanding of people can make a good worker an even better recruiter.
At Tidewater Staffing, Levi brings that understanding into his work as a Senior Staffing Coordinator. He considers the requirements of the job while taking time to understand the person who hopes to fill it.