Summit Interview with Shane Quarry

1.  How did you get into recruiting? After taking several months off to reassert my career, a friend of mine asked me to set up a Sales and Marketing division for a MNC recruitment company in Brisbane, Australia. The team was to focus on retail business in Australia and after 12 years in the retail industry I had established some great contacts and a detailed knowledge of the job requirements. My mentor at the time told me it would be a new experience and I should be able to find myself a good new career position if it wasn’t successful.
2.  How many years have you been in recruiting? Getting close to 9 years.
3.  What is one thing people would be surprised to know about you? I like to watch reality tv shows to relax 
4.  What are your top 3 goals you hope you and your team accomplish in the next year?  GRS compliance across Asia, promotions for all team members based on exceeding expectations and becoming culture champions the global sourcing business.
5.  What do you like most about your current job? Being involved in such a diverse and ever changing business that is working directly  with the US retail stores everyday.

6. What do you dislike? Dislike having to face a Chinese customs officer every morning.. Not quite the same as a happy Starbucks employee delivering my morning coffee.
7.  Do you have a work pet peeve in yourself or others? Inconsistency of our internet connection..
8.  What is the best thing for you about working for Walmart?  The people, doesn't matter what office or which team, the people will always thank you and recognize you, this truly is a special feeling!
9.  When does the day start for you? 6:45 a.m. on the train is when I generally start my emails.
10.   When you are off work how you do relax? I enjoy playing tennis, watching cricket on TV, skypeing my family in Australia and long seafood lunches.
11. Can you give us a few unchecked items on your Life’s Bucket List: Premier league football match in the UK, learning Mandarin, have healthy children, take my wife to Santorini, ride a motor bike on the great ocean road in Victoria, Australia
12. Tell us about yourself (home town, residence, family, education, etc):  I was born in Melbourne, Australia in the early 70’s and had a childhood full of sport and outdoor activities. Melbourne is known as the sporting capital of the world and I still follow the Australian football competition very closely, actually my team is playing in the Grand Final this weekend. When I was younger I wanted to be a lawyer after watching shows like LA LAW and finding out how much money they earn. In the end I chose International Trade due to the fact that Australia was starting to push into Asia and I thought this would be a great career opportunity.
13.  If you could have dinner with some notable person dead or alive – who would it be and why? Muhammad Ali - the greatest sportsman ever with the biggest personality.
14.  What was your top take-a-way from the 2013 Global Walmart Recruiting Summit? The size of the opportunity we have to improve what we do and the prospect of creating a true COE in Asia.
15.  If you had a Magic Genie and one wish; what one project on your plate would you ask for help on? GRS
16.  Fill in the blank: “I’ve been fortunate to have met my wife Anjelica, she is my rock and has helped me become a better person”
17.  Where do I spend most of my disposable income:  Clothes, travel to Australia and eating out.
18.  What 1 book would you recommend to colleagues to read?  Hiring and Getting Hired – Lou Adler
19.  What is your biggest productivity challenge? Nicotine and coffee
20.  One word to sum me up: Passionate

 

Summit Interview with Tom Colella

1.  How did you get into recruiting? After a few years of working in HR, I decided that I liked recruiting and joined Korn/Ferry in Atlanta.

2.  How many years have you been in recruiting? 25 years.
3.  What is one thing people would be surprised to know about you? I served in the US Marines for 30 years.
4.  What are your top 3 goals you hope you and your team accomplish in the next year? Identify and recruit world class talent, standardize relevant processes, create a pipeline of diverse talent for the international markets.
5.  What do you like most about your current job?  I like the opportunity to work with our international markets; I wish the communication between International and the markets was better.
Do you have a work pet peeve in yourself or others?
6.  What do you dislike? I think that we can recruit better and smarter.
7.  What is the best thing for you about working for Walmart? I love the culture and positive attitude of our Associates.
8.  When does the day start for you? 5:15 AM
9.  When you are off work how you do relax? Running and reading history.
10. Can you give us a few unchecked items on your Life’s Bucket List: Visiting Verdun and sailing across the Atlantic.
11. Tell us about yourself (home town, residence, family, education, etc.) I grew up in a small town and looking for adventure joined the Navy. I graduated from the Naval Academy and was commissioned in the Marines. After 5 years of active service with tours in the Far East and Europe, I served in the reserves for 25 years eventually being promoted to Colonel. I graduated with an MBA from Emory University. I have 3 sons and coached baseball and football for 10 years. One is a politician, one is a musician and one is in business.
12. If you could have dinner with some notable person dead or alive – who would it be and why? Winston Churchill who led the fight against Hitler for over a year until the USSR and the Americans joined him.
13. What was your top take-a-way from the 2013 Global Walmart Recruiting Summit? How much talent we have in our recruiting teams.
14. If you had a Magic Genie and one wish; what one project on your plate would you ask for help on? Improved communications
15. Fill in the blank: “I’ve been fortunate to_______” to lead Marines.
16. Where do I spend most of my disposable income: On the politician, the musician and the businessman.
17. What 1 book would you recommend to colleagues to read? "A Message to Garcia"

18. What is your biggest productivity challenge? Staying focused on what is important.

19. One word to sum me up: Optimistic