Episode 29: Introducing Stuart Mease

Introducing Stuart Mease

Hey, everyone! Welcome back to another episode of Leaving The Nest. I'm your host, Kathleen Pellegrino, from ROCS Grad Staffing. Our mission is to help you find a job out of college and thrive in the real world. 

As we continue to move further into the new year of 2023 and the post-pandemic era, it has become increasingly apparent that there have been significant shifts in the realm of college recruiting and staffing. 

With the rapidly evolving nature of the job market, companies and job seekers must stay updated on the latest trends to stay competitive. ROCS is increasing our staff and expanding our markets to help clients and candidates navigate these dynamic and evolving times.

Today, I have Stuart Mease with me, who has recently joined the ROCS team as the Director of North Carolina Operations. With a wealth of experience in the private, government and higher education sectors, Stuart brings with him a deep passion for helping recent graduates connect with employers. I'm excited to have him on the show so our listeners can learn more about his story as he shares his knowledge with us.

Thanks again for listening to Leaving The Nest! Be sure to leave us a review wherever you are listening and to share this episode with others you know who are just leaving the nest! Enjoy my conversation with Stuart!

In This Episode:

[2:13] - We're introduced to our guest, Stuart Mease. 

[4:32] - Stuart shares the reasoning behind his sports analogies. 

[5:14] - We hear about Stuart's experience "Leaving the Nest."

[5:46] - Stuart shares how his educational foundation and experience prepared him for his role as the Director of North Carolina Operations for ROCS. 

[8:28] - How seeing young people struggle to select a valuable educational path fueled Stuart's passion for college recruiting.   

[09:59] - Stuart recounts the origin of the reverse job fair at Virginia Tech, where students were the ones in the booths rather than employers.

[13:25] - Stuart offers his perspective on how important it is for students to make informed decisions about their majors, increase their chances for success (and decrease their chances of being underemployed).

[17:20] - How guidance from people who have already navigated the college major selection process can be incredibly valuable for those currently making the same choices.

[18:19] - Stuart reflects on his time at Virginia Tech. 

[23:12] - Stuart recounts the amusing story of his first meeting with Tom and Brandon of ROCS.

[27:26] - The delight in witnessing the achievements of those we have known for a long time. For Stuart, this is especially true for the students he works with. 

[29:12] - Stuart shares the behind-the-scenes of his move into the staffing industry and the crucial knowledge he has acquired during the process.

[30:38] The three main areas Stuart is focused on for growth at ROCS.

[32:02] -The post-pandemic disruption in college recruiting and how he's using his position at ROCS to help level the playing field for small and medium-sized businesses.  

[34:18] - How ROCS is uniquely positioned to help clients and candidates navigate these dynamic and evolving times.

[36:42] - Stuart shares his interests outside of work.

[37:59] - Sharing some of his favorite ROCS memories so far, Stuart recounts his experiences and shares why everyone loves it when he visits the ROCS HQ.

[41:18] - Stuart lets us know how we can connect with him, and Kathleen wraps up the conversation. 

Resources:

ROCS Grad Staffing

Listen to Leaving The Nest Podcast 

Connect with Kathleen:

[email protected]

LinkedIn 

Call: 703-579-6677

Connect with Stuart:

[email protected]

LinkedIn