We love working with local businesses, so we were naturally pretty excited when we saw an order come through from our friends and fellow B Corp Boly:Welch. Little did we know that the project in question would be the most adorable guide to job searching we’ve ever seen. This book caught everyone’s attention, from our project managers and graphic designer, to our production team on the presses and in our bindery. We asked the marketing team at Boly:Welch, a few questions about the books.
What is Boly:Welch?
Boly:Welch is a women-owned local recruiting and consulting firm going 32 years strong in the Portland area. We provide Temporary, Direct-Hire, and Executive Search level placements in a variety of different areas, including accounting, office, legal, financial services, marketing/sales, and HR. And, not to toot our own horn too much, but we’re a B Corp, an Oregon 100 Best Companies to Work For in Oregon winner, and we’re often recognized for our flexible and family-friendly workplace.
How did the idea for a job search guide come about?
We get asked questions about the job search all the time. And, although we have accumulated decades of job search advice, we didn’t have a cohesive way to pass along that collected wisdom to job seekers. We saw the need to provide something tangible and helpful to job seekers – especially the candidates we work with – and had an internal connection to a professional comic book artist, Ross Jackson. We wanted the end product to be content-rich, but also engaging, hence the zine format. Our marketing team made it a priority and Ross was a dream to work with, so it came together really quickly.
How will you be using these books?
We’re going to be passing them out around town at the events we attend and sponsor. People have enough tchotchkes with company logos – we really wanted to make something that people would find useful, informative, and fun. We’ll also use them across our social media platforms, from the blog to Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter to assure that the information makes its way to everyone who needs or wants it.
We have to talk about these illustrations. How did Teddy become the main character of the books?
We have quite a few dogs in the office, but Teddy has an oversized presence. For example, he’s known for escaping into our lobby, jumping up on a candidate’s lap, and nosing right in to say hi. It’s hard to resist him when he gives you his goofy, easygoing smile. You can probably see it in some of the illustrations (which were mostly based on real photos of Teddy!); he’s such a personality that he’s become an (un)official Boly:Welch mascot.
What does being a B Corp mean for a recruiting agency?
For us, becoming a B Corp has brought a multitude of benefits – internally, it’s made us more intentional, sustainable, and transparent. Small changes in practices, like swapping out plastic utensils, have led to big changes in how our office talks about giving back and engaging with the community. Externally, it’s allowed us to become part of a community of like-minded businesses that work toward a common goal. Plus, we’ve gotten to connect with some other incredible B Corps, like Scout Books!
How can people get their hands on a book?
Come see us at an event, send in your resume and become a Boly:Welch candidate, or connect with us for a copy. We want to spread the word that you don’t have to be alone in your job search – there’s support out there, including Teddy. Just let us know if you need a copy or two.
Can we give Teddy some belly rubs?
Woof!
Thanks to Boly:Welch for making these amazing books with us, and for taking the time to sit down for a few questions! Check out what they’re doing online and on social media.
Originally published on October 31, 2018