![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Jessica-Crowley-Copier-Careers.jpg\")
Copier Careers<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
CROWLEY:<\/span><\/strong> It\u2019s still very much a candidate\u2019s market. When candidates are available, they\u2019re active and selective, holding out for the right fit. However, we\u2019re seeing clients becoming more cautious and slower to make hiring decisions than they have in previous years, which creates a disconnect between the candidates\u2019 and our clients\u2019 time frame. This delay often results in losing top candidates to competitors or other industries. We\u2019re having to remind clients that while it\u2019s important to find the right fit, timing is critical\u2014candidates won\u2019t wait forever. Hiring is about people, and people\u2019s circumstances can change quickly. It\u2019s a puzzle with many moving parts, and aligning them all is increasingly challenging.<\/p>\n\n\n\n ENX:<\/span><\/strong> What are some of the less-heralded traits that enable industry employers (dealers, OEMs, etc.) to differentiate and make them more attractive destinations?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n SCHWARTZ: <\/span><\/strong>Culture and environment are key differentiators. Every company has a unique culture, and size plays a role\u2014larger organizations offer structure but also more bureaucracy, while smaller ones provide direct access to decision-makers. Candidates are drawn to environments where they feel connected and valued.<\/p>\n\n\n\n ENX:<\/span><\/strong> By the same token, what are the most common stumbling blocks hampering applicants? How can candidates do a better job of selling themselves?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n CROWLEY:<\/span><\/strong> Preparation is everything. Candidates need to research the company and interviewer, learn their history, understand the role and see if it aligns with what they want in their next role. Too often, people show up unprepared, thinking they can wing it. That lack of effort shows and can derail the process. Knowing what you want and how it fits with the opportunity is key to making a strong impression. That preparation enables candidates to put their best foot forward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n ENX:<\/span><\/strong> With some candidates, is there a tendency to provide the canned\/rehearsed answer instead of being more natural?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n CROWLEY:<\/span><\/strong> Yes, and again, it comes down to preparation. If candidates truly understand their goals and the opportunity, they\u2019ll come across as authentic. Whether in sales or technical roles, being genuine resonates more than a rehearsed pitch. If all the candidates are doing is trying to sell themselves to the other party, it\u2019s going to come off that way. When it comes to technicians, it\u2019s typically not natural for them to sell themselves. If candidates want employers to invite them back for the next round in the hiring process, they need to be themselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n ENX:<\/span><\/strong> With many of the companies that engage your services, do you see a common denominator in terms of faulty hiring practices?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n CROWLEY:<\/span><\/strong> A big issue is timing. Clients often ask how quickly we can deliver candidates, but the reality is we can\u2019t control when someone is ready to make a move. Great candidates don\u2019t always align with hiring timelines. We encourage clients to stay open to conversations\u2014even if they\u2019re not hiring immediately\u2014because you never know when the right person will come along. The market is unpredictable, and you never know when a strong candidate is going to become available.<\/p>\n\n\n\n SCHWARTZ:<\/span><\/strong> Hiring is about people and life circumstances. Changing a position is one of the top stressors in life that people endure, and there\u2019s no way to control when a candidate is available. They might suddenly be ready to move due to personal reasons, so if a client isn\u2019t ready to act, they\u2019ll miss out. Our most successful clients recognize opportunity and move quickly. Even if they don\u2019t have an immediate need for the individual, they see the value in developing bench strength, which is something we talk about a lot. Those clients think like entrepreneurs\u2014if a great sales lead came in, they wouldn\u2019t wait. It should be the same with talent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n CROWLEY:<\/span><\/strong> I\u2019m working with a top-performing sales candidate relocating from California to Virginia for family reasons. I put this candidate in front of a couple clients, and for some reason they\u2019re dragging their feet. He\u2019s now in final interviews elsewhere, which means he\u2019s going to become a competitor who\u2019s going to succeed in that market. We can only control what we can control.<\/p>\n\n\n\n ENX:<\/span><\/strong> Many dealers we speak to have had longstanding openings for account representatives.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n CROWLEY:<\/span><\/strong> Often, hiring managers are overwhelmed, and they end up doing a Band-Aid solution, covering territories themselves or redistributing accounts. They hesitate to hire because they assume it\u2019ll take too long to train someone new. But even when we present experienced candidates who don\u2019t need hand-holding, some still hesitate. It\u2019s frustrating, because these candidates are ready to contribute immediately. For whatever reason, the dealer just isn\u2019t budging.<\/p>\n\n\n\n SCHWARTZ:<\/span><\/strong> The candidates we present can maintain or grow a business. So it\u2019s puzzling when dealers don\u2019t act quickly on someone who could be a game-changer. If we bring them a multi-year president\u2019s club candidate, they need to have a greater sense of urgency to meet with them, especially since that person could potentially grow their business significantly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n ENX:<\/span><\/strong> It seems like it\u2019s a matter of prioritizing, but when you\u2019re inundated with work, parsing out sections of a territory is the chosen Band-Aid.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n CROWLEY:<\/span><\/strong> Exactly. It\u2019s the same with service managers\u2014they\u2019re out handling calls themselves because they\u2019re short-staffed. Then it\u2019s hard to get them to schedule interviews. We remind them we\u2019re here to help, not just with finding candidates but also with moving them through the process. Once we place someone, they\u2019re grateful, but getting there can be a struggle. That\u2019s why they retain us\u2014to keep things moving. We\u2019re there to help push them forward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n ENX:<\/span><\/strong> Remote work opportunities gave many firms the upper hand in hiring in the post-pandemic period. Is it still a major selling point for prospective employees?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n CROWLEY:<\/span><\/strong> It depends on the candidate. Those used to remote or hybrid work often want to maintain that flexibility, especially if their current employer is pushing for a return to the office. But since our industry is largely face-to-face, most candidates are open to in-office roles. That said, for hard-to-fill positions where there aren\u2019t a lot of quality candidates\u2014such as e-automate billers\u2014offering remote options can expand the talent pool, grow the scope of our search and give companies a hiring edge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n ENX:<\/span><\/strong> My son is a Gen Z worker in the field of IT. Once he secured a work-from-home position, it became a must-have when he started looking for his next position.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n CROWLEY: <\/span><\/strong>That\u2019s common, but we\u2019ve also seen the opposite\u2014people who\u2019ve worked remotely now want to return to the office or prefer a hybrid setup. Administrative roles, in particular, have thrived remotely, and many question why they need to return to the office when they\u2019ve proven they can be just as, if not more, effective from home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n ENX:<\/span><\/strong> What qualities are prospective employees prioritizing in the current industry environment?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n SCHWARTZ:<\/span><\/strong> Stability is really important. With so much uncertainty in the industry, candidates want to know their future is secure. They\u2019re also looking for growth, whether it\u2019s technical skills, sales development or leadership opportunities. They\u2019re seeking organizations that can make that happen for them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n ENX:<\/span><\/strong> It may be an unfair characterization, but millennials developed a reputation for being job-hoppers.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n CROWLEY:<\/span><\/strong> It\u2019s still a trend, and some hiring managers struggle with it. But if you want younger talent to grow in the industry, you have to be open to them. Understand why they\u2019ve moved around and focus on how to retain them. What worked for employees who\u2019ve been with you for decades won\u2019t necessarily work for someone just out of school. You have to evolve your hiring and retention strategies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n ENX:<\/span><\/strong> For years, we\u2019ve heard doomsday predictions regarding the increasing dearth of service technicians. What are you seeing in terms of available talent levels?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n CROWLEY:<\/span><\/strong> The shortage has been ongoing since I started here in 2010, and each year it seems they\u2019re becoming even scarcer. Clients are adapting by being open to candidates from parallel industries\u2014HVAC, point-of-sale, ATMs, even automotive techs. If someone is mechanically inclined, they can be trained into the channel. It\u2019s important to find ways to incentivize those individuals to make the switch from their current industry, whether it\u2019s more compensation or providing them with a trajectory to evolve their career if they want to move into the managed services or IT world. There are ways for us to sell the industry. And when you\u2019re talking to techs about staying in the industry, it\u2019s important to find out about the pain points in their current roles and what would motivate them to make a move.<\/p>\n\n\n\n ENX:<\/span><\/strong> Many dealers we\u2019ve spoken to have resorted to finding young, mechanically inclined candidates through colleges, vocational schools and job fairs.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n CROWLEY:<\/span><\/strong> As long as clients are open to training technically inclined individuals, we can find strong candidates. And when we find someone already in the industry with two or three years of experience who wants to stay, they\u2019re gold to us, so we try to find them the best option possible. We make sure clients understand how valuable that is, and they typically appreciate that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n ENX:<\/span><\/strong> Both position seekers and employers are leveraging AI. On one hand, resumes and cover letters are optimized to match job descriptions, while companies use the technology to ferret out the best matches. Is there a danger in leaning on AI too much?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n CROWLEY:<\/span><\/strong> AI is a great tool, but it shouldn\u2019t replace personal input. I tell candidates to use it to enhance their resumes, not write them from scratch. At this point, HR professionals can tell when something is purely AI-generated. Unless you\u2019ve consistently used AI and it knows how you speak and the way you operate, it can backfire on you. Where AI can be really useful is interview prep\u2014feeding in job descriptions and resumes to generate potential questions. Used properly, AI can be extremely effective.<\/p>\n\n\n\n SCHWARTZ:<\/span><\/strong> Exactly. Recruiting is personal. We\u2019re matchmakers, and that requires human interaction. AI can help, but it\u2019s not the solution. It\u2019s a tool, not the endpoint.<\/p>\n\n\n\n ENX:<\/span><\/strong> What are the primary reasons in support of employers engaging recruiting partners?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n SCHWARTZ:<\/span><\/strong> We help maintain and grow your workforce. It\u2019s really exciting for us when we can place game-changing candidates who drive revenue and open new opportunities. The cost of engaging us is minimal compared to the return on investment. Whether it\u2019s service, sales, admin or leadership, we help you get there faster.<\/p>\n\n\n\n CROWLEY: <\/span><\/strong>We\u2019re long-term partners. Many of our clients have been with us for over 15 years. We\u2019re there for immediate needs and future planning, such as finding successors. It\u2019s fulfilling to help a client retire knowing we\u2019ve found the right replacement. That gives us great joy; it\u2019s why we do what we do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n SCHWARTZ:<\/span><\/strong> Plus, we save time and resources. Our recruiters know the territory, the candidates, the clients and the competition. This is all we do every day. We speak the industry\u2019s language and know how to get results. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" People of the pre-internet age enjoy sharing stories\u2014some of which are undoubtedly embellished romanticized\u2014in which they walked into a business, unannounced, and declared, \u201cIf you hire me, you won\u2019t regret it.\u201d Unusual though it may sound to most people born after 1980, walk-in job seekers weren\u2019t all that unusual. Attempt that in 2026, and you won\u2019t even be able to open the front door, if you\u2019re lucky. Worse-case scenario, security is alerted. Coincidentally, Paul Schwartz kicked off his industry recruiting firm Copier Careers in 1980, not long before office technology dealerships began pivoting away from the waning typewriter. Much has changed since then, both in terms of office technology and the ways and means of pairing businesses with candidates. But the value of a third-party facilitator, if anything, has grown despite the fact more technologies exist to aid the hiring cause. That\u2019s where Copier Careers flexes its value proposition muscle. Initially recruiters for OEM-trained technicians, its scope widened to include sourcing service managers, sales reps, back office\/admin and even C-level executives. Today, the Golden Valley, Minnesota-based firm is viewed as the preeminent matchmaker to the office technology channel, representing approximately 450 mostly independent dealerships across the United States. Whether you\u2019re a job seeker or an industry business, Copier Careers leverages a massive applicant tracking system and boasts territorial recruiters scouring every corner of the country to help make those connections. As Schwartz observed, \u201cWe have toner in our blood, and we understand the channel and how it\u2019s evolved.\u201d In this installment of From the Trenches, we sat down with Schwartz and Jessica Crowley, managing director, to assess the current job climate, the most common missteps among companies and job hunters, what today\u2019s employment seekers prioritize, generational trends and AI\u2019s growing role in the process. ENX: How would you characterize the current hiring environment for the office technology landscape? What are some of the variables behind what you\u2019re seeing? CROWLEY: It\u2019s still very much a candidate\u2019s market. When candidates are available, they\u2019re active and selective, holding out for the right fit. However, we\u2019re seeing clients becoming more cautious and slower to make hiring decisions than they have in previous years, which creates a disconnect between the candidates\u2019 and our clients\u2019 time frame. This delay often results in losing top candidates to competitors or other industries. We\u2019re having to remind clients that while it\u2019s important to find the right fit, timing is critical\u2014candidates won\u2019t wait forever. Hiring is about people, and people\u2019s circumstances can change quickly. It\u2019s a puzzle with many moving parts, and aligning them all is increasingly challenging. ENX: What are some of the less-heralded traits that enable industry employers (dealers, OEMs, etc.) to differentiate and make them more attractive destinations? SCHWARTZ: Culture and environment are key differentiators. Every company has a unique culture, and size plays a role\u2014larger organizations offer structure but also more bureaucracy, while smaller ones provide direct access to decision-makers. Candidates are drawn to environments where they feel connected and valued. ENX: By the same token, what are the most common stumbling blocks hampering applicants? How can candidates do a better job of selling themselves? CROWLEY: Preparation is everything. Candidates need to research the company and interviewer, learn their history, understand the role and see if it aligns with what they want in their next role. Too often, people show up unprepared, thinking they can wing it. That lack of effort shows and can derail the process. Knowing what you want and how it fits with the opportunity is key to making a strong impression. That preparation enables candidates to put their best foot forward. ENX: With some candidates, is there a tendency to provide the canned\/rehearsed answer instead of being more natural? CROWLEY: Yes, and again, it comes down to preparation. If candidates truly understand their goals and the opportunity, they\u2019ll come across as authentic. Whether in sales or technical roles, being genuine resonates more than a rehearsed pitch. If all the candidates are doing is trying to sell themselves to the other party, it\u2019s going to come off that way. When it comes to technicians, it\u2019s typically not natural for them to sell themselves. If candidates want employers to invite them back for the next round in the hiring process, they need to be themselves. ENX: With many of the companies that engage your services, do you see a common denominator in terms of faulty hiring practices? CROWLEY: A big issue is timing. Clients often ask how quickly we can deliver candidates, but the reality is we can\u2019t control when someone is ready to make a move. Great candidates don\u2019t always align with hiring timelines. We encourage clients to stay open to conversations\u2014even if they\u2019re not hiring immediately\u2014because you never know when the right person will come along. The market is unpredictable, and you never know when a strong candidate is going to become available. SCHWARTZ: Hiring is about people and life circumstances. Changing a position is one of the top stressors in life that people endure, and there\u2019s no way to control when a candidate is available. They might suddenly be ready to move due to personal reasons, so if a client isn\u2019t ready to act, they\u2019ll miss out. Our most successful clients recognize opportunity and move quickly. Even if they don\u2019t have an immediate need for the individual, they see the value in developing bench strength, which is something we talk about a lot. Those clients think like entrepreneurs\u2014if a great sales lead came in, they wouldn\u2019t wait. It should be the same with talent. CROWLEY: I\u2019m working with a top-performing sales candidate relocating from California to Virginia for family reasons. I put this candidate in front of a couple clients, and for some reason they\u2019re dragging their feet. He\u2019s now in final interviews elsewhere, which means he\u2019s going to become a competitor who\u2019s going to succeed in that market. We can only control what we can control. ENX: Many dealers we speak to have had longstanding openings for account representatives. CROWLEY: […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":166,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[4667],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/68908"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/166"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=68908"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/68908\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":68926,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/68908\/revisions\/68926"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=68908"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=68908"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=68908"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Paul-Schwartz-Copier-Careers.jpg\")
Copier Careers<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n