Marie-Odile Lévesque, Owner & Talent Acquisition Specialist at Place & Forme, has wanted to work in the recruiting industry for as long as she can remember. She studied marketing at HEC Montreal and took a few Human Resources courses. However, she did not connect with the material because it did not feel meaningful. “It was too much on the surface and did not go to the level that I was interested in going,” says Lévesque.
While studying at University, Lévesque focused on Marketing and International Business and then worked in several different industries. She worked as a Sales Representative at a copier company and then transitioned to banking, where she became Sales Director. Three years later, she moved to Randstad, Canada, became an Account Manager, and fell in love with the recruiting industry.
It was at Randstad that Lévesque and Jessie first connected. However, at the time, they did not know that their passion for human-focused recruiting would lead to a more significant collaboration. In May 2012, Lévesque left Randstad to launch Place & Forme. For over ten years, she has provided recruitment solutions for specialized personnel in addition to training and coaching services. Five years later, Jessie started Défis RH, and the two business owners have worked together ever since.
Lévesque and Jessie share a passion for collaboration and an empathetic approach to recruiting. “We have a solid relationship where we can always count on each other,” says Lévesque. The mutually beneficial relationship built on openness, trust, and genuine support for each other has helped them grow because it empowers them to face unforeseen challenges together. Défis RH and Place & Forme’s relationship might seem uncommon to traditional recruiting companies. However, for Lévesque and Fortin, their weekly interactions help broaden their understanding of the market and improve their efficiency. In addition, the partnership allows them to extend their respective service offerings to help more clients and grow their businesses together.
Lévesque is grateful for the relationship with Fortin that has lasted more than a decade. She feels Jessie’s passion, proactive approach, and ability to bring people together sets her company apart from other recruiting companies. “I find in her something that is the right combination of a businesswoman and a very empathetic human, and that is very rare in business today,” says Lévesque. Too often, the recruiting business prioritizes the bottom line. However, Lévesque and Fortin’s work shapes people’s lives, so they prioritize getting to know and understand the person before doing the work. Lévesque says, “Since we share the same passion and beliefs about recruiting, I know my clients are always in good hands with Jessie.”
Please visit the Place & Forme website to learn more about Marie-Odile Lévesque and her company.
