You pass them in the halls, see their faces on Teams calls, and exchange emails. You know their job title and department and might even know their extension by heart. But do you truly know who you’re working with? Get to know Hannah Elfant, one of the Directors on our Physicians team and Tandym’s Employee of the Month for August 2024!

Who are you?

I’m a South Jersey girl – Go Birds – and originally from Voorhees, NJ. I usually just tell people I’m from Cherry Hill because it’s more well-known. Both my parents are doctors and, while they were always on the move and busy with work, they gave my sister and I the best life we could’ve possibly asked for and encouraged all our hobbies and activities. Growing up, I played field hockey all my life and my high school was actually #1 in the nation while I was there.  

I considered trying to use field hockey to get into a more academically challenging college but decided to forego playing and fell in love with Maryland. Going to college and joining a sorority broke me out of my shell. In fact, sorority recruitment is where I really came into my own. Every year that was truly my Super Bowl. I guess that’s why I naturally gravitated towards a career in recruitment. My younger sister is studying to be a Nurse Practitioner and I’m recruiting for Physicians. So, in a way, we pleased our parents by both being in healthcare! 

What is Hannah Elfant currently binging these days?

Whether it’s today, tomorrow, or down the road, at any given point in my life I’ll 100% be watching whatever is on Bravo. I love it all – specifically all the variations of the Real Housewives. Currently, I’m fully embedded in “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives”. I’ve been following all the drama that revolves around that community via TikTok and now that they have an actual show, I’m all in. I don’t care who you are or what your preferred genre of television is, this is a must-watch. Trust me! 

Who were your heroes/inspirations?

I don’t want to sound corny or cliché in any sort of way, but it’s my parents and I genuinely mean that. They’re both established physicians and do very well for themselves now, but that wasn’t always the case. My mom was 1 of 6 children and she never had an easy road, but that seemed to motivate her more and for the better. My dad’s upbringing was no different. He didn’t come from wealth either and, when he wasn’t in classes or studying, he worked the night shifts at Newark Airport to pay for his medical school education. And now, he’s the Chief of Gastroenterology at a hospital in New Jersey. They weren’t there for every school trip or every game growing up, but they did everything to make sure my sister and I had a better life. When we were younger, they’d always say, “Well, when I was a kid…” and that would annoy us all the time. But in a way, it helped me appreciate what I had and motivated me to succeed down the better road that they worked hard to pave for me. They’re my heroes.  

Word on the street is that you had a very unique morning ritual when you first started at Tandym. Care to divulge?

Okay, let me start off by saying this: anyone who comes out of college and starts their career as a recruiter has zero dollars to their name. And let me preface this by saying I was born to live in Europe in the sense that I don’t believe any meals are associated with any time of day. I hate the idea of “breakfast food” vs “lunch food” vs “dinner food”. Anyways, if you go to the grocery store, hot dogs come in 20 packs and at a reasonable price. So, every morning, I’d wake up, microwave a nice Hebrew National or two for breakfast, and then make my way to 675 Third Ave. It was my regular morning ritual for my first couple of months at Tandym. Say what you want, but I was living the dream and doing it cheap! 

Describe your ideal concert (3 act max).

Oh, this is a good one. Okay, give me a second. (10 seconds go by) All right, I’m ready and I don’t care if this sounds weird. It’s going to be The Killers, Fleetwood Mac, and Kygo. I know there’s no connection between any of them, but those are my three favorite bands/artists. All are invited to come and you’re welcome in advance for the amazing time you’ll have! 

Did you find Tandym or did Tandym find you?

I’m 90% sure that I found Tandym. During my senior year winter break, I spent a lot of time applying for jobs. I was anxious that I wouldn’t have anything to do when school ended and I figured if I applied to a bunch of places then, I could have something locked down by March. I was driving back home from Spring Break a couple of months later when I got a call from Tandym’s HR Department about an interview. Me being me and also driving back to school from a week on spring break, I got flustered and asked if I could call them back. I eventually got on the phone with them, scheduled an interview, and the rest is history! 

If you were a contestant on “The Amazing Race” and had to choose someone at the company who isn’t on your healthcare team, who would it be and why?

This is tough, but I think I would pick Alan McGinn. We think similarly and I don’t think there would be much conflict about our intentions in planning our moves to a victory. I also think we would talk our way through the entire competition and just will ourselves to win. In fact, I bet they’d even give us the crown at the beginning just so they didn’t have to hear us talk anymore. 

What did it feel like to win Employee of the Month and what advice would you give to a coworker striving for the title?

I was appreciative and happy, but also kind of a little embarrassed. I know I’m loud and all that, but I like doing it on my own terms. So when people talk about me unprompted, I get unusually shy. The best part was just being nominated by so many people from my team and beyond. Learning the new systems has been tough for a lot of people, but I want everyone here to succeed. At no point in my mind was I thinking, “this should get me Employee of the Month.” I genuinely like helping people.  

My advice for anyone striving to be Employee of the Month: come in every day wanting to be here and succeed. Because honestly, that’s all I was doing. Whether I’m in the office or working remotely, I do what I must do day in and day out and, if I can help anyone along the way, I’m all for it. 

If you weren’t in the staffing industry as a Recruiter, what would you be doing?

If I wasn’t in the staffing industry or doing recruitment, I would have stayed in school to get my Master’s in Social Work. It’s what I really struggled with right out of college: should I jump straight into the world of Corporate America or continue my education and pursue a career in social work? I’m even on the junior board of the New York Center for Children, which provides free therapy and other services to victims of child abuse across all five boroughs. It’s truly a passion of mine and something I really enjoy giving my time and energy to. 

You’ve been such a champion and SME for the recent systems change at Tandym. What motivated you to step up and shine the way you have these last few months?

Weirdly, I enjoy being challenged. I loved math in school, and I know that doesn’t make total sense for this, but it does. I like trying to figure out the most efficient ways to get from point A to point B. When we first were introduced to the system, I’d log onto the Sandbox (testing area) as soon as I got access just to play around and do different things. I even relished going to the instructors teaching the new system and asking all sorts of questions – questions that were way ahead of where we were in the training. On top of all that, I just like helping people and being reliable.  

What are your goals for 2024 and beyond?

I want to keep pushing myself in all the best ways. I’ve been having a great quarter and want to continue riding this wave so that I can exceed all my billing goals. And I don’t want to just hit those marks. I want to pass them by a significant amount. I also want to keep being a champion for this new system for the company. I personally am all in for it and plan on continuing to help people get used to it so they can be as comfortable as me. And, of course, I want to help this Physician team grow. 

Overall, we’re having a solid year, and the potential grows with each day. We have some committed and energetic people who want to succeed too, so that’s even more of a motivator. I started here when I was 22 and I’m 27 now with no plans on leaving. I want the younger, newer people on my team to have the same passion and loyalty that I do. And the only way to make sure that happens is to keep coming in every day and giving it my all and supporting them to the fullest! 

If you had to recommend one restaurant in New York City to someone, what’s it going to be?

Easy question: Hillstone in Murray Hill. That is my place and I absolutely love it. You can’t go wrong with anything on the menu. Whether it’s a burger or sushi, everything they pump out is a guaranteed good meal. Also – (at least) a basket of fries for the table is a must!