Meet Andrew Wren, Product Owner – Customer Experience, Allegis Group

Question: You’ve had an exciting career with Allegis Group. Tell us about it.

Andrew: I am a naturally curious person. I like to know how things work and how to make them better. Those traits have led me to multiple roles within Allegis Group over my 11 years here, and I have been able to form a very well-rounded perspective on our business and industry. We are a large organization with a lot of different departments and roles, but the one thing they all have in common is that they all impact the customer experience in some way. Knowing this helps ensure my teams are creating products and the necessary business processes behind them to deliver an outstanding customer experience.

I first came to know Allegis Group by working for its company Aerotek as a national recruiter. I was responsible for high-volume, full-cycle recruiting within both professional and technical industries. I traveled a lot and appreciated the knowledge and exposure to varying perspectives I gained during those few years. I ultimately spent 10 years working for Aerotek in progressively more challenging roles that involved talent delivery, vendor-on-premise staffing program implementation, business process analysis and design to support new product offerings and existing corporate service functions, as well as organizational development. My last role with Aerotek was to be the primary owner of the voice of the customer – both client and contractors – and the barometer it served for the Aerotek experience.

That decade of experience capably prepared me to assume my current position in October 2016. Today, I’m in a role that involves combining the decades of research and data we have about the customer experience to identify critical touchpoints where we can employ technology to provide an industry-leading, consistent experience. It’s truly fulfilling to experiment and move projects forward in ways that positively impact peoples’ lives and careers.

Question: Your product owner role at Allegis Group is within our Connected initiative, whose goal is to empower customers, sales, and recruiting with a clear competitive advantage in the marketplace – optimizing quality, time, and cost – through an enterprise-wide suite of front-office technology products. What do you love the most about working on the Connected project?

Andrew: As the global leader in talent solutions, Allegis Group has a deep history and foundation in service. Our commitment to service isn’t changing but what is changing is HOW we do it. Technology has reshaped how we do business and what our customers expect of us. With the Connected program, we are building off that strong foundation of service and using technology to ensure we are delivering a world-class experience to all of our customers.

Question: Who or what plays a role in your career fulfillment and happiness at work, as well as your continued career success?

Andrew: Every company says they are committed to “excellence” or something similar. A lot of times, this is purely marketing, and the people behind the brand can’t back up that statement. At Allegis Group, within all of our brands, you find a level of passion that continues to push us forward. Working in that type of environment with genuinely passionate people who are committed to success and accomplishing our goals together keeps me moving forward each day. Our culture of serving not only our clients and talent but also each other is extremely fulfilling and something that isn’t found at a lot of companies.

Question: How do you spend your free time?

Andrew: When not at work, my wife and I are caring for our daughters. Family is a big part of our life, and we are lucky enough to have the majority of our family living nearby. We really enjoy food and wine, as well. Food and family seem to go hand-in-hand, so there typically isn’t a weekend that goes by without us hosting some family or friends for dinner. In the summertime, we are at the beach most weekends. I grew up spending summers at the beach, and it is great to be able to do that with our children and our extended family.

Question: Have you read any good books lately?

Andrew: I can’t seem to fall asleep at night without doing a little reading. Typically, I read things that are relevant to me at the time. For example, I just went to San Francisco for the first time this fall. Before going on the trip, I read “Cool Gray City of Love” by Gary Kamiya in which each chapter tells a story about a different part of the city. Also, although I enjoy wine, I don’t know much about it. To that end, I just finished “Cork Dork” by Bianca Bosker. I recommend it to anyone looking for an entertaining way to learn more about the world of wine. Currently, I’m reading “Beneath a Scarlet Sky” by Mark Sullivan. I have always been interested in World War II and the impact it had on those involved. This book is based on the story of a young Italian who goes undercover to help dismantle the Nazis.

Question: What career advice do you have for people curious about your field of expertise? 

Andrew: Entitlement is a very dangerous within your career. The old saying is true, “No one owes you anything.” The majority of people will be working for 30 plus years. Your career will not be a straight line to the top. It will zig and zag, go forward, and backward. The only way to ensure you continue to move forward is to stay hungry, always look to learn more, and push yourself to get better each day. When you don’t do these things, your career will stall, you will stall, and the world will move on.

Interested in working at Allegis Group? Explore our career opportunities here.

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