Game-Changers: Chris LaVoie Creator of “Top Recruiter” The Competition

Game-Changers is a new series of interviews that we’ll conduct periodically dedicated to sharing the inspirational stories of individuals in the world of arts, entertainment and entrepreneurship.

As we kick off this series, I’m going to start with something that’s close to home for me. The jobs industry.  As I’ve stated time and time again, if you are not on LinkedIn, you are doing yourself a huge disservice.  It’s only fitting that this connection was built using the power of LinkedIn.

Last week when I was on LinkedIn, I came across a link for a new reality show called Top Recruiter. I was immediately intrigued because this show combines two things I love. Jobs and entertainment.

I watched a few of episodes, and I was hooked.  I used the power of LinkedIn to reach out to the show’s creator, and he was kind enough to accept my connection and so here we are.  In an industry that’s starved for disruption, Chris LaVoie is turning it on it’s head.

Without any further ado, Chris LaVoie is our first Game-Changer.

Tell us a little bit about Chris LaVoie.  Who Are you and What Do You Do?

I am the father of a set of 3 year old twins. A man who is happily married for 7 years and who could not be happier in this life. I am also the creator and executive producer of Top Recruiter, The Competition Reality Show.

How did you get into this industry?

I was recruited into the talent acquisition space 15 years ago to provide human capital intelligence for global companies. That lead to truly understanding how important HR and talent acquisition are to our economy. I have been through all the fluctuations of the job market since Clinton. That being said, I feel that I have a good grasp on the curvature of our profession.

I also own a production company that films commercials, short documentaries and shows. It was only natural to merge the two spaces given the current state of our economy and how useful information is delivered. I wanted to package the information in a way that would be entertaining as well as informative.

I’m always saying that jobs industry is prime for innovation, and it looks like you’re spearheading the movement in turning it on its head.  Tell us a little bit about the show, and how the concept came about.  

I couldn’t agree with you more, we are in a position to help move our country in the right direction. Quite frankly, I just got tired of doing nothing knowing good and well that many people do not know about what recruiters and HR professionals specifically  do and how they impact our job market. They are a great source of knowledge and I felt that they can not only educate the masses but each other as well.

The show was designed to entertain and educate at the same time, something exciting with big bold personalities. While we were filming I knew that these 5 personalities had the goods to deliver in how to get the job you want. Our motto was always, “helping America get back to work” and with that as our driving motivation, I feel that we did something really special and I am proud of the outcome.

Alex is my favorite cast member so far. He may rub some people the wrong way, but I like his style.  What else can you tell us about the rest of the cast?

No doubt, Alex King is the “silent assassin”.  In regards to his fellow competitors, I love each and every single one. We went through 3000 auditions to find these 5 stars.

They all bring something unique and different. Batsheva Chase blows me away with her persuasion and directness. She was (until very recently) a single mother of 3 and has claimed her success singlehandedly, what an exceptional example for her children.

Alysse Metzler has superb professionalism, ambition and grace. She has to be one the best in the business for her age group. I call her my top gun and she’s really a great dancer.  Beyonce’s got nothing on her!

Kim Pope is a fire cracker! She is a phenomenal person and researcher.  It is truly amazing to watch her in her zone, not to mention her wealth of knowledge in the technological world. Between you and me, I also think she secretly has a crush on me (don’t tell anybody).

Andrew Chase is the perfect mix of Al Pacino and Dustin Hoffman. He is a seasoned recruiter, where other recruiters try to pull,  he pushes and it quickly becomes apparent that this guy knows what he’s doing.

And Alex King, well, he’s just The King:) Poised and professional in every situation…no matter what.

The August Jobs report recently came out, and needless to say it was underwhelming.  What’s your take on the current job market?

Hmmm, where do I begin? I will say that there are so many variable involved, so many outdated policies, the morale of the people in our country is at an all time low. It is a sad thing to watch.

The job market is awful, no doubt, but I think the media likes to harp on the bad. I am an optimist and I also know that there are jobs out there, it may not be 1999, but it’s not all doom and gloom. Because of that, I wanted to create a piece of media that was going to deliver a different message. A message of hope, success and the need for people to be and remain proactive now more than ever!

I wanted to put the cameras on the people who know the job market,the ones in trenches working it out everyday. These people have a lot of inside information that others can learn from and use in locating the job they want!

What’s one thing you can’t live without?

My two beautifully perfect kids and my unbelievably sweet, talented, smart and gorgeous wife who is always supportive of me.

If you were not in this field, what else would you be doing?

I would most likely be composing sound tracks for the big screen.

What does the future have in store for Mr. Chris LaVoie?

Excellence.

Finally, what’s one piece of advice that you would give someone trying to break into the entertainment or recruiting industry?

I would tell them to stand tall with their own concepts and ideas. Keeping in mind that you can’t always please everyone. As long as you do what you love, that’s really all that matters in the end.

If you are recruiter or just interested in seeing what happens in the recruiting industry in Miami, head over to the Top Recruiter website where you can learn more about the show and the cast members.

If you want to suggest someone who you think is a Game Changer, drop us a line. Thanks!