Internship Application Frustration Leads to Rosslyn Recruiting Startup

Editor’s Note: Sponsored by Monday Properties and written by ARLnow.com, Startup Monday is a weekly column that profiles Arlington-based startups and their founders, plus other local technology happenings. The Ground Floor, Monday’s office space for young companies in Rosslyn, is now open. The Metro-accessible space features a 5,000-square-foot common area that includes a kitchen, lounge area, collaborative meeting spaces, and a stage for formal presentations.

Like many college students, Andrew DeZarn became frustrated with the process of applying for internships that would be important to launching his career. But instead of continuing to send out hundreds of resumes, DeZarn took a different approach.

“It motivated me to create a technology-based compatibility platform that focused on connecting college students to internship positions based on characteristics and metrics that were much more relevant than university/program selection or even GPA,” DeZarn said. “Ultimately, this platform allowed companies to connect to students who they may not have considered otherwise.”

Little did DeZarn know, he had just taken his first step on the path to becoming a career head hunter.

In January, DeZarn co-founded Vooru, a Rosslyn-based professional recruitment and consulting services agency with a special focus on the finance and accounting domains.

“With technology platforms at our core, we specifically provide direct hire or ‘permanent’ staffing solutions to our growing portfolio,” DeZarn said.

With a network of more than 23,000 professionals, Vooru records and matches individuals’ skills, desired contract terms, cultural sensitivities, and other metrics to its clients’ open positions. Those include positions in business services, technology, not-for-profit, real estate and marketing organizations.

Vooru also offers career consultation to its network of professionals, including resume development and strategy, interview preparation, and career advisement.

“We ensure that the professionals we work with are in a position to put their best foot forward,” DeZarn said, adding that he and his business partner have “a combined 20 years of experience, so we definitely know how to help guide people to land that dream job.”

Unlike other staffing agencies, DeZarn said Vooru “relies on proprietary technology and data collection that results in instant connections between the professionals and companies we work with.” That process allows the firm to fill positions in a more timely and cost effective manner.

The name Vooru is derived from the Dutch word “vooruit,” which means forward or forward thinking. “My business partner and I are passionate about improving the way professionals can connect with some of the best companies out there and we ultimately hope to ignite advancement in the staffing industry, which has seen very little innovation in the past decade or so,” DeZarn said. “We are confident that our technology and forward thinking are the way do this.”

He said basing the business in Arlington also made sense with the firm’s forward-thinking character.

“Not only is Arlington easily accessible from almost all parts of the DC metro, but the highest concentration of companies and professionals we work with are within a 30 or so mile radius of our office,” DeZarn said. “Additionally, there is an exciting energy and buzz that can be felt in Arlington with all the commercial and residential development that is going on. Walking out of our office, you can walk in any direction and find a new restaurant, bar or entertainment attraction.”

He added, “It doesn’t hurt that Arlington is continually ranked atop multiple publication lists of ‘Best Places for Young Professionals’ in the entire country … we see so many of our peers and previous colleagues moving to the area as well, and it’s the perfect environment for any small business to incubate.”