“You have a gift.” When a boss says those words to a young employee, they stick. That’s what happened with Marlene Horrocks, Action Property Management’s Senior Staff Recruiter. Early in her professional career, Marlene set out to make a difference in people’s lives through human resources. As she adapted to the profession, she quickly gravitated toward the recruiting side of the business. It was in this role that her boss gave her the strong affirmation she needed to take the next step forward.
That ultimately led her to accept a position as a recruiter with a staffing company. While in that position, she had several clients who kept coming back with more and more staffing needs. With an easy-to-talk-to personality, Marlene became proficient at zeroing in on the best candidates for her clients, and she made an impression.
One company in particular happened to be a pre-IPO tech start up. After seeing her gift in action, they lured her away from the staffing company where she was working. The move proved to be a good one for Marlene. Most of the tech-minded people she worked with were wired very differently than she was, but she quickly grew to love the straight-forward, honest approach.
As is often the case with with start-up companies, employees need to put in long hours and Marlene was no exception. When she started with the IT company, she was single with no kids. She eventually married and started a family. As her family grew, her priorities shifted. Eventually, Marlene was ready for a change and made the tough decision to approach her boss about leaving. Work-from-home jobs were rare at that time, but as the leader of an internet service provider, her boss, who happened to be the CEO and founder, was interested in trying something new. He convinced Marlene to move her office home and continue working from there with a modified and flexible schedule.
As the company grew, additional recruiters were added to lighten Marlene’s load. The work-from-home model allowed her to continue to enjoy the family atmosphere and meet the demands of the company’s hiring needs. Despite the distance, she felt supported. When a third baby was born, however, she knew it was really time for a break.
Marlene Horrocks
”Marlene's goal as a recruiter is for every candidate to feel welcome, regardless of the outcome.
“I need to step back for a while,” she recalls telling her pediatrician during a visit. Her pediatrician’s response was simple, yet impactful. “You’re not stepping back,” she said, “you’re stepping forward.”
With that nugget of wisdom tucked away, Marlene stepped forward and took the break she knew her family needed.
As her youngest son grew and the older kids moved on to college, she was open to the idea of returning to work. In 2021, Marlene was given the opportunity to help Action’s recruiting efforts on a temporary basis. What was supposed to be a two month assignment gradually extended, and she never left.
Action is a company rooted firmly in its values and this was not lost on Marlene. It’s those values that drew her in and made her see Action as much more than a temporary situation. Backed by a company with an understanding of the luxury hospitality industry, Marlene was convinced she had an opportunity to extend that same warmness to both her colleagues and to external candidates. Her goal as a recruiter is for every candidate to feel welcome, regardless of the outcome.
Today, working remotely helps Marlene to maximize her time on the job and achieve a healthy work-life balance.
Part of that balance includes not only cheering on her son as he plays on several sports teams, but also cheering for her favorite NFL teams with her husband and kids. Though she was raised in San Diego, she never latched on to the Chargers the way others in the area did at that time. Instead, as a seven year old girl, Marlene became enamored with the stark contrast of the yellow and black on the Pittsburgh Steelers uniforms. To this day, she’s an avid Steelers fan and has even traveled to Pennsylvania to watch them play. During the football season, the Saturday night church service comes in handy as most of the day on Sunday revolves around various games.
As a company grounded on values, Action strives to develop a passion for excellence in each of its employees. For Marlene, living out this value isn’t a chore. It’s an extension of who she is. She is always willing to work a few extra hours whenever needed because Marlene doesn’t have a job, she has a passion and it’s a passion that propels her to keep stepping forward.
