Recruiting for IT: Jennifer Gray’s Market Street Talent helps companies find coveted workers
September 25th, 2019
PORTSMOUTH — When Jennifer Gray founded Market Street Talent in 2008, it was just her, a part-time bookkeeper and a part-time recruiter hired later that year.
Since then, the nationally recognized staffing firm that provides permanent, contract and temporary jobs in information technology has steadily grown and now has a core team of 12 employees.
Gray said the Portsmouth company has grown “purposefully and thoughtfully” over the years.
“Our vision is to promote and foster the growth of information technology in our communities — one candidate, one client, one community at a time. We do this by pursuing excellence in everything we do, having empathy towards the customers’ true needs, keeping a clear focus on only the important opportunities, showing honest care for the desired quality and outcomes, and treating all people with the utmost respect,” she said.
The company specializes in IT staffing and consulting, with a focus on staffing solutions for short-term contract positions and full-time permanent positions within a 60-mile radius of Portsmouth, including the Seacoast, Manchester, Portland, Maine, and Greater Boston.
Market Street Talent, of Portsmouth. From left: Sharon Hussey, Tori Leavitt, Jay Robichaud, Kelsey Kane, Jennifer Gray, CEO, Ryan Flanagan, Sarah LeBlanc, Sam Kuncio and Katie Brown.
“We are living in a time we affectionately refer to as ‘reverse unemployment,’ where there are far more open positions in IT than there are qualified people to fill these positions, and we don’t see this changing any time soon. We will continue to focus on the clients we serve and look to grow by diving deeper and wider into the markets we serve,” she said.
A graduate of Franklin Pierce University with a degree in international business, Gray described herself as an entrepreneur and technology executive whose firm knows “what it takes to find highly skilled technology specialists that fit seamlessly into a company’s culture.”
Gray’s team believes in being community-minded and community-driven.
Market Street Talent has a corporate give-back program in which it picks two local nonprofits each year and offers time, talent and resources as a team throughout the year. The company also sponsors various local, innovative, technology networking events, such as eBrew, and user groups like the New Hampshire User Experience Professionals Association. Its “Women in Technology” annual events aim to raise awareness about important issues around diversity, inclusion, hidden bias and gender parity, she said.
“We truly believe that the health of an organization centers around its people. A strong team and a healthy culture is of utmost importance for sustained growth and success, and today more than ever, people are looking to work for companies whose values align with their own,” Gray said.
