Chuck Smith

Chuck Smith may be the only temp ever who bought his agency. With a master’s degree from the University of Chicago’s Divinity School in hand and few job prospects, he went looking for work in 1988. He answered a classified ad placed by a new temp agency looking for skilled workers. On his second temp assignment he was sent home from the job before it started because “the old geezers you’d be working for expect a skirt outside their door.” -- This according to the Office Manager for a large architectural firm in downtown Chicago. Undeterred, Smith went on temping at ad agencies, newspapers, and other architects. Next it was on to radio fame as a guest on Cathy O’Malley’s WGN radio program, appearing as the “male secretary” along with a female firefighter in a show dedicated to the changing workplace. Fast forward 25 years, Smith now owns and operates NewHire. NewHire provides the candidates, hiring tools and coaching to help small & mid-sized business hire better. He has interviewed more than 20,000 candidates for work, helping more than 4,000 people get jobs.