If you ever have been in the realm of recruitment, you know it’s like shark-infested water, especially if the targets are the top talent. And yet, there are some organizations that the same top talent flips head over heels for, like OpenAI, Meta, or Apple – companies that are said to build careers. Ever wondered how these companies got to such levels? After all, their names weren’t that well known even two decades ago. Industry pro executive and the brains behind the book and program “Destination Employer”, Gerry Gadoury says it’s all in the team. He listed down the strategic structure of success gathered over his two decades of experience as a consultant and Business owner, and in 2023, he decided to document it all in his book to offer the world a peek.

Gerry Gadoury: Employee to Destination Employer

Gerry’s journey is as diverse as it is impressive. From Marine Sergeant to pioneering recruiter in the technology services industry, Gerry Gadoury’s life is full of career adventures. In his 25+ years in the professional field, he has had firsthand experience as a salesperson, a manager, a consultant, a speaker, and a trainer – in long-term Senior Executive roles (President, COO, and more) – and of course, as a startup founder. Besides working in diverse fields along with encompassing a broad variety of industries as a consultant and a business owner, Mr. Gadoury worked with hundreds of companies of every type – from a 2-person startup to State Governments. Through all this, he recognized a critical mantra for success in the business world: a smoothly functioning team that aligns with the culture and vision of a company; and realized just how many companies fail because of this one flaw. 

In his successful journey in the HR Consulting industry, Gerry discovered the qualities that constitute a “right team” and how to “Attract – Recruit – Retain” the creme de la creme for any company in any industry. He also realized how only a handful of companies knew these things and how many, especially early-stage businesses, had been taking a hit for the lack of this approach. Thus was born the idea for the book “Destination Employer” where Mr. Gadoury offers his industry wisdom as well as actionable strategies to counter the most common yet toughest challenges faced by startups and early-stage businesses.

Destination Employer: Book and Program

Launched in 2023, Gerry’s book, “Destination Employer,” is designed to be a roadmap for companies seeking transformative workplace strategies. Filled with proven tactics, it guides readers to attract, recruit, and retain high-caliber professionals, along with proven insights into leadership frameworks essential for building high-performance teams.

Gerry explains, 

“A destination employer is a company that is an aspirational place to work where candidates know they can scale up their careers tenfold.”

The book breaks down the attract-recruit-retain strategy into 12 key elements, covering every stage of an employee in an organization, starting from the first time they see the Employer Brand through until their Exit Interview. He also talks about the EFG aka “Engage-Fulfill-Grow” model of leadership that teaches what kind of environment a company needs to create for its employees to keep them working there, at performance peak, for a long time. Mr. Gadoury’s work with hundreds of companies, including his own firms, has made him confident that:
“Companies that embrace the EFG leadership framework don’t suffer from quiet quitting.”

The book hit #1 on Amazon in three categories after only being live for three weeks and has been capturing highly positive reviews.

Complementing the book Gerry recently launched the Destination Employer Program, an online self-paced program designed to give hands-on experience to the strategies described in the book. It offers the tools and knowledge needed to implement the Destination Employer methodology effectively. The program is for those ready to dive deeper, introducing step-by-step guidance and personalized support to turn theory into action. 

The Program covers five modules: Overview, Attract, Recruit, Retain, and Growth. Each comes with workbooks, templates, and videos for immersive learning. Developed from the same Destination Employer roadmap as the book, it presents founders with systems to assess their company’s state, compare it to best practices, and bridge the gap – all at a fraction of the cost of consulting services.

Looking ahead

Gerry remarks that the world is changing quickly and the concept of years of employment in one company, which was a norm even 20 years ago, is gone now. According to him,

“The modern way, the effective way, the winning way is to focus your effort on building long-term mutually beneficial relationships with the top talent in your marketplace to ensure you can work together whenever your interests and opportunities align. That doesn’t happen by accident, but it can surely be destroyed by accident.”

Just like AI, in 2024, implementing Destination Employer strategies is not an option anymore. For companies to survive and succeed in this new world, it’s a necessity. So as Gerry looks to the future, he remains committed to empowering startups and early-stage companies to achieve their full potential with his book and program. With a focus on innovation and adaptation, he makes sure to stay ahead of the trends and aims to continue revolutionizing the talent landscape for years to come.

Published by: Nelly Chavez