For Signet Screening’s President and CEO Matt Messersmith, his long-time love of motorcycle riding describes his approach to his professional life: keep your focus on where you want to go, lean in and enjoy the ride.
Where he wants to go
For as long as he could remember, Matt wanted to own his own business. After graduating from Ohio University, Matt spent the next two decades in the corporate world gaining valuable leadership and expertise in sales and project management, procurement, budgeting, computer technology and customer service. A people-person at heart, he thrived on the constant interaction with customers that his business experiences afforded him.
Finally, his dream of entrepreneurship was realized when an opportunity to assist human resource professionals improve the effectiveness of their hiring decisions arrived. In 2011, he partnered with the nation’s leading resources in employment screening, aptitude testing and online reference organization to form Signet Screening.
“The more I researched the pre-employment screening industry, the more excited I became. I felt this was an opportunity to make a real difference,” said Matt. “Of course, Signet is committed to competitive pricing, a sense of urgency and pinpoint accuracy, but what really sets us apart is the importance we place on building trustworthy, ongoing relationships with our clients.”
A key part of building and maintaining those relationships is providing excellent customer service.
Leaning in
Background checks are an important part of the hiring process, yet they’re constantly evolving, thanks to the industry’s ever-changing laws and regulations, technology and customs. That’s why Matt makes customer communication and education a top priority at Signet – to help clients navigate through a process that often seems complex and confusing.
“We want our clients to feel like we’re their partner in hiring,” said Matt. “We don’t believe in a ‘typical’, one-size-fits-all, background check. We offer a highly customized screening packages to address each client’s specific needs.”
Matt gives kudos to Operations Manager Jill Hilvert for keeping clients in the loop on the pre-employement screening process, as well as for making sure they completely understand what’s happening every step of the way.
Enjoying the ride
“Great service stands the test of time. I’m constantly hearing from customers about how happy they are with the service we’re providing and the difference we’re making for them,” said Matt. “That really excites me and is what keeps me going!”
When he isn’t working or maneuvering difficult twists and turns on a weekend motorcycle ride with friends, you can find him hunting, fishing or working on a home remodeling project with his dad.
