Rebecca Cenni Brings a Human Touch to Staffing

It’s not uncommon to look around a workplace and think, “If I were the CEO I would do this differently.” It is less common, however, to act on that impulse, and even less common to make that leap after only two years of experience in the industry. But that was exactly the bold move made by Atrium Staffing CEO Rebecca Cenni, and she has never once looked back.

Graduating from the University of Wisconsin and beginning a job at a staffing firm, Rebecca quickly discovered a passion for connecting people with the right job and felt that she could create a better agency – one that had a heightened focus on the candidates they were placing. With that credo in mind, Cenni formed Atrium Staffing in 1995 with an office in Manhattan. Sixteen years later, Atrium Staffing has eight offices, with the most recent office opened in San Francisco, CA. Four of those offices span New Jersey from Little Falls to Princeton, Iselin and Jersey City.

When asked about the key to her success, Cenni confidently asserts that the difference is in her Applicant Centric ™ approach, which provides benefits normally associated with corporate employment, including training and career counseling and a medical, dental and 401K plan that all applicants can buy into. She also implemented a fully automated “e-office” that applicants can access to log hours, check their job histories and view benefits and accrued vacation time.

“Everyone else in the industry focuses on the client - the companies and organizations with positions that need to be filled. At Atrium, we focus on the associate, taking the time to get to know them, find the right match between applicant and client, and offering benefits and services that foster positive and empowered working relationships for those we place. Being a temp is a hard job and it helps to feel that someone is invested in your success,” says Cenni. “What sets Atrium apart is knowing that it’s not just about putting someone in a job; it’s about finding the right opportunity for the applicant to feel comfortable and to grow and excel.”

With that theory driving the company, Atrium takes time during the pre-qualifying phase to best understand who the applicant is, what they are looking for and what they are passionate about and analyzing both the hard and the soft skills that will help identify the best match. With clients ranging from small five-person entrepreneurial start-ups to Fortune 500 companies, Atrium has the range of positions available to fit most applicants.

Despite the current unemployment rate, Atrium continues to place applicants and has many vacant positions, particularly in the finance and scientific sectors. In New Jersey alone, over the past 18 months Atrium has placed 2,300 associates in short-term, long-term and temp-to-hire positions. That number doesn’t include the significant number of direct placement positions they have helped to fill.

Atrium is actively seeking new candidates - to view a list of job opportunities or to submit your resume online, please visit the Atrium website.

Cenni’s human approach to staffing is garnering significant attention. Atrium has been named to the 2011 Women Presidents’ Organization ranking of the 50 Fastest-Growing Women-Owned/Led Companies™ in North America, ranked on TimeOut New York’s “Top Temp Agencies,” and on the INC. 5000, and NJ Biz’s “NJ’s Finest” from 2006-2010. Additionally, it made DiversityBusiness.com’s top Women, Diversity and Privately Held Firms Lists and Rebecca personally received the 2010 Enterprising Woman of the Year Award and is an E&Y Entrepreneur of the Year Finalist.

Cenni also understands the importance of a healthy work-life balance, devoting a significant amount of time to her 8-year-old son and supporting community organizations including CancerCare, Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation and Dress for Success.

For more information on Atrium Staffing, including a list of all offices in New Jersey, please visit the Atrium Staffing website www.atriumstaff.com.