We Asked Building Materials Recruiter Ryan Fehr to Share His Recruitment Origin Story
Recruitment careers often begin in unexpected ways, and Ryan Fehr’s story is a great example. From landing his first retail job while completing a school project to finding his way into recruitment through a business development opportunity, Ryan has built his career by staying curious and open to new challenges.
Today, he uses that curiosity and drive to connect building materials companies with people who can help them succeed. We asked Ryan a few questions about his career and his experience at DMC.
Q: Where did your career start, and what led you to recruitment?
Ryan: My first job was as a Customer Service Representative at Tommy & Lefebvre, a ski and sports retail chain in Ottawa. I was in Grade 10 and originally walked into the store to gather information for a school project. I walked out with a job offer.
I studied Human Resources in college and was particularly interested in health and safety. Recruitment was often mentioned as a possible career path, but it did not interest me much at the time.
I eventually stumbled into recruitment after applying for a part time Business Development and Marketing Representative role with a local recruitment agency in Kelowna. It happened organically, but it turned into the right career for me.
Q: What are people surprised to learn about your background?
Ryan: I originally studied Fitness and Health Promotion before completing a Business Administration program. My goal at the time was to own and operate a gym.
I also completed my final year of school in Cork, Ireland.
Q: What do you enjoy most about recruitment?
Ryan: I enjoy making a positive difference in people’s lives and finding the right candidate for a client.
Recruitment also gives me the opportunity to meet new people and learn about different businesses and sectors within the building materials industry. I also enjoy attending trade shows and connecting with people across the industry.
Q: What is your favourite memory in recruitment?
Ryan: One of my favourite memories was working on my first role for Kenroc Building Materials. It was only the second search I had worked on at DMC.
The search started as one Outside Sales Representative position, but I found three excellent candidates. The Kenroc team was so impressed that they hired all three. It became a three for one placement and a great early moment in my career at DMC.
Q: What advice would you give someone considering a career in recruitment?
Ryan: Recruitment is an excellent career with many possible directions, depending on your interests and motivations. However, you need certain traits to succeed.
The role requires hustle, resilience, drive, emotional intelligence, empathy, patience, confidence, adaptability, sales ability, influence, and strong time management.
At its core, recruitment is a sales role. Successful recruiters need to be comfortable hunting for new opportunities and consistently creating momentum.
Q: What has surprised you most about working at DMC?
Ryan: The camaraderie across the team has surprised me. It is rare to find, especially in an industry filled with competitive people and personalities.
We are all driven to succeed, but the culture at DMC encourages us to support one another and celebrate everyone’s wins, both personal and professional.
Q: What do you enjoy outside work?
Ryan: I enjoy snowboarding, golfing, biking, and hiking.
Q: If a recruiter were an animal, what would it be?
Ryan: An octopus. It is adaptive, strategic, and an excellent problem solver. It can manage several things at once while staying focused on one mission.
Ryan brings curiosity, persistence, and a strong understanding of the building materials sector to every search. His ability to adapt, build relationships, and find strong candidates has made him a valuable member of the DMC team.
