#WISHRM24 Vendor Spotlight: The QTI Group, Casey Liakos

Six years ago, I made the life-changing decision to relocate from Colorado to Wisconsin with my husband, embarking on a new chapter in our family's journey. Despite feeling uncertain about the move and having limited connections in our new home, reaching out to my acquaintance Jeff proved to be a pivotal moment. His introductions led me to two individuals who would later play a significant role in shaping my career.

One was Gail Johnson with Restaino & Associates - relocation and real estate service provider. (I shared more about Restaino & Associates in 2023 here.)
 
The other was Nicki McCurdy with The QTI Group.
 
I had a meaningful conversation with Nicki to learn more about Madison and potential job opportunities for senior HR professionals. We connected instantly, discussing my background and the importance of a strong mission in my work. I also shared the personal impact of losing both my parents to cancer.

She asked, "Have you ever heard of Exact Sciences and Cologuard?"
 
I had not.
 
She proceeded to tell me about this dynamic company in Madison driving innovation in cancer research and early detection. What I didn't know at the time was she was contracted with Exact Sciences, and they were actively seeking talent for HR positions.
 
Upon exploring their website, I applied for roles that caught my interest. Sadly... shortly thereafter I received the dreaded rejection email. No worries. I pursued other opportunities that Nicki had suggested.

While continuing my research about Wisconsin, I decided to enhance my networking opportunities by attending the Wisconsin State SHRM Conference to connect with professionals and explore the local landscape. As I made plans for the conference, I received a call from a recruiter at Exact Sciences letting me know that Nicki had forwarded my resume to the SVP of HR, who was interested in interviewing me for an HR Business Partner role. Following a couple of initial phone screenings, Exact Sciences proposed onsite interviews in Madison, aligning perfectly with my travel schedule.
 
It was EXACTLY 6 years ago at the 2018 Wisconsin State SHRM Conference that I spent my time between the Kalahari conference center networking and Madison interviewing at Exact Sciences.
 
About 2 weeks later, I was offered the job. And 3 weeks later, my family and I rolled into Madison.
 
Moral of the story, networking is essential to making significant connections with peers and professionals in your industry. WISHRM offers a plethora of opportunities to connect!

It is truly a great honor for me to introduce you to The QTI Group.

Tell us more about The QTI Group and the services you offer.
Founded in 1957 as a small staffing agency, The QTI Group has grown into a privately owned human resources firm focusing on staffing, recruiting, executive search, and total rewards consulting.  We are headquartered in Madison, Wisconsin, and have branch offices in Baraboo, Beaver Dam, Milwaukee, and Portage, Wisconsin.

QTI’s staffing services focus on finding talent for administrative, light industrial, and skilled trade roles. We offer efficient and flexible placement options, including temporary, temp-to-hire, and direct-hire.

On the professional recruitment side, we deliver high-caliber talent for roles in the manufacturing, engineering, human resources, IT/technology, biotech, nonprofit, financial services, sales, and marketing areas.

QTI’s executive search practice focuses on recruiting c-suite and leadership talent for businesses and nonprofit organizations across a wide variety of industries.

QTI’s HR Consulting team designs talent, total rewards, and compensation programs that strengthen organizations and attract, engage, and retain employees.

What sets The QTI Group apart from other recruiting firms and consultants?
It starts with our core values: Quality, Talent, & Integrity.  And our people truly are driven by this. They are dedicated to making a difference for our customers, candidates, applicants, and each other.

Second, the breadth of services that we offer really sets us apart. QTI offers staffing, recruiting, executive search, and compensation consulting services to businesses and organizations, making us more than just a staffing agency. We really believe that we’re the only firm in the state that can help our clients in all these interconnected ways.

We also look at every decision through the lens of exceptional candidate and customer experiences, as demonstrated by our excellent and near-world-class NPS scores.

Lastly, we are dedicated to improving the quality of life in the communities where we live and work. We provide support through our services, volunteer activities, sponsorships, and donations to nonprofit organizations.

What can businesses and leadership expect when working with QTI?
Our vision is to help organizations reach their full potential through people. We achieve this by deeply understanding a business's needs, strategies, and culture, advising on best practices, and connecting them to the right solution for their business. We aim to be a long-term, trusted partner and are committed to helping our clients achieve their goals.

What can job seekers expect?
It is all about the match—our recruiters are dedicated to matching talent with culture and culture with talent. To do this, we deeply understand the job seeker's goals, skills, and background. Then, by creating a caring candidate experience, we partner with the job seeker to find the right job match. Throughout the process, Recruiters provide regular follow-up and are a resource for questions and guidance. 

We also offer many incredible benefits to job seekers who are working on an assignment through QTI, including a convenient mobile app, paid holidays and vacation, an ACA-compliant healthcare offering, and a fun sweepstakes, QRewards, which is a $1000 monthly drawing for temporary employees working full-time through QTI.

QTI has been voted one of the Best Places to Work. What makes the culture of QTI so unique?
Our people. I know that sounds cliché, but it is true! We believe that people are the heart of the business and that great employee experiences create great customer experiences.  The QTI culture embodies this belief, and the longevity and loyalty of our staff is a direct testament to that.

Another contributing factor to making QTI one of the “best places to work” is our employees' willingness to go “above and beyond” in their jobs to help the organization succeed. We are proud to share that this is consistently one of the highest-scoring questions in our annual employee engagement survey.

Plus, we like to have fun! Whether it is a company lunch, mid-day cookie breaks, happy hour after work, or volunteering together in the community, we always find ways to have fun. That part is non-negotiable.

What can attendees of the WISHRM conference expect when visiting your booth?
We pride ourselves on being fun conversationalists. We’re at WISHRM to meet people. Stop by and chat us up about work, play, the Brewers…whatever is on your mind. 

Our booth has a fun Plinko game this year.  Attendees can play to win prizes, a homegrown “Camp HR” t-shirt and a drawing for a $100 Amazon gift card. We also have the QR code to sign up for our annual HR Trends webinar on October 29th.  During the webinar, we will reveal the top HR Trends for 2025.  This annual webinar has become a must-attend for WI HR leaders over the years.

What are you most excited about when attending WISHRM this year?
Meeting new people! I love the opportunity to walk around the Expo Hall, connect with fellow HR professionals, learn about new businesses, and network. 

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​The QTI Group will be located in booth 223 in the Expo Hall. Be sure to introduce yourself to Casey Liakos, VP of Executive & Professional Search.  Connect with Casey Liakos on Linkedin, and visit the QTI website for more information. The Expo Hall grand opening is TONIGHT, October 9 from 4-7pm CST.

Connect with Nicki McCurdy, as well. She is PHENOMINAL!
 
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