75th Spotlight: Kristin Cooper – Sr. Paid Media Specialist

As part of our 75^th anniversary, we’re highlighting some of our tenured talent and sharing their insights. Kristin Cooper has been with NAS for 25 years and has seen the company grow from the beginning. Her ability to create positive connections with clients has led her to her current position of Senior Paid Media Specialist.

When did you join NAS and what do you remember most about your first days here?

I started at NAS in February of 1997. I began at the office in California, and I was new to the state, but I remember everyone was so nice and welcoming. I felt very comfortable there. NAS had offices all over the country, but we had a huge production office in Los Angeles. The office probably had 40-50 people working there.

What was the recruitment industry like at that time and what did you do in your role at the start?

The recruitment industry has changed tremendously. Back when I started, everything was focused on newspaper ads on Sundays. It was back in the time where, when you needed a job, you would look in the Sunday paper. Specifically, I remember the LA Times was a huge, thick newspaper with probably 30 pages of “help-wanted” ads. Our clients were almost all in California, but our office was only one of the two NAS offices in the state. We used to spend our weeks building up to a Thursday deadline to get 50+ ads to FedEx to be taken to the newspaper. Now everything is online. First, we began to utilize email as opposed to FedEx, then we started doing digital advertising and now everything revolves around social media. It is so instant.

What did you do in your role at the start? How has your role/career evolved?

My role has primarily stayed the same throughout my time at NAS. I started in customer service. After the sales manager would sell an ad, I would work with the client to determine what they wanted in the ad and then send them out. Things have changed and we have grown and added more positions. I now work with vendors and do more background work on the accounts.

How has the technology associated with your job evolved? How has NAS adapted to technology?

NAS has adapted well over the years. Obviously, if we didn’t, we wouldn’t still be in business. The transition from print ads to online advertising was smooth. We used to focus on the paper and target people who were actively looking for a job. Now, we can focus on multiple online channels and target where the potential candidates might be. It really shows the perks of digital advertising because we reach so many more people.

Can you tell me about one of the most interesting or enjoyable challenges you took on in your career at NAS?

A really challenging but rewarding task I took on happened within the past year. We changed our internal system, and I was tasked with working through the problems of transferring everything to our new platform. A few of us, along with our COO, were able to form the new system into what we wanted it to be and what would work best for us. It was challenging and time-consuming, but it was fun, and I learned so much.

What is most exciting about your role and the industry today?

I love that I get to work with so many different people from so many different backgrounds. I really enjoy the associates that I work closely with and all the clients I have been able to work with. I have clients who I have known since the very beginning of my time at NAS that I keep in contact with.

Where do you see NAS (and your role) going in the future?

I think NAS will continue to grow and expand our digital ads. They will continue to bring candidates to our clients. Having worked for NAS so long, a lot of people have come and gone – many of whom I keep in touch with. Every past colleague has said to me that they have not been able to find another team like the one at NAS. NAS has always found hard-working, good people.

Ready to see how our 75 years of experience can assist your organization? Get in touch today.

• What is Programmatic Recruiting?
• How Email Marketing Can Fit into Your Recruitment Strategies