For Amy Maldonado, recruiting is about more than matching a resume to a job opening. It’s about understanding people, their experience, their goals, and what they need to be successful, and connecting them with an employer where they have the opportunity to thrive.
Amy joined Friday Workforce Solutions in 2025, bringing with her a background in retail and bakery management. She was looking for a career that offered something more than just a paycheck.
“I was in pursuit of a career with purpose over profits,” Amy says. “Connecting with people and assisting them in their job search fulfills that.”
Serving Job Seekers in Two Languages
Originally from San Juan, Puerto Rico, Amy Maldonado is bilingual in English and Spanish, allowing her to serve job seekers in the language they feel most comfortable speaking.
For Amy, being able to communicate in both languages helps create a more personal experience for candidates. Whether she is learning about someone’s work experience, explaining a job opportunity, or helping them through the hiring process, she can make sure they feel heard, understood, and comfortable asking questions.
It’s another way Amy helps Friday Workforce Solutions better serve the diverse workforce throughout Asheville and Western North Carolina.
Sometimes, One Opportunity Is All It Takes
One of Amy’s most memorable placements is also one of her first.
She worked with a candidate who had been through a difficult period and lost a previous job. The candidate had been doing DoorDash to make ends meet but wanted to get back into manufacturing and find the stability and benefits they needed for their family.
Amy helped connect them with a temporary assignment and, more importantly, an opportunity to prove what they could do.
Within about six weeks, the employee received a raise based on their performance. They were trained on additional machines, continued to grow within the company, and were eventually hired into a permanent position.
“Being able to find someone a job and knowing you were able to be of service in that search gives you a real sense of accomplishment,” Amy says.
It’s something we see often at Friday Workforce Solutions: sometimes a person just needs the right opportunity to show what they can do.
Looking Beyond the Resume
Amy recruits for a variety of positions, including clerical, maintenance, production, and Human Resources roles, which are among her favorites to recruit for.
“I enjoy connecting with people from different backgrounds and getting to know what makes them a great candidate,” Amy says. “Then I can work to connect them with the right job.”
But finding the right fit also means understanding what the employer needs. When screening candidates for a client, Amy looks beyond whether someone simply checks the boxes on a job description. She considers their experience, reliability, communication, attitude, and whether their goals and expectations line up with the position and the company.
The goal isn’t just to find someone who can do the job. It’s to help find someone who has the potential to succeed and stay.
Honest Conversations Make Better Matches
Amy believes honesty is important on both sides of the hiring process.
“Be honest with your answers during your interview,” she says. “It is better to say, ‘I’m not 100% familiar with that skill,’ than to say you are and then be unable to explain yourself.”
Employers don’t always expect candidates to know everything. Skills can often be taught. Being honest about your experience, showing a willingness to learn, and having the right attitude can make a lasting impression.
Those honest conversations also help Amy make better matches for the companies she works with. Understanding what a candidate can truly do and what they are willing to learn helps her present clients with candidates who are a better fit from the beginning.
A Little More About Amy
Outside of recruiting, Amy has an adventurous side. She loves hiking, coffee, and discovering new places. Ask her about her favorite vacation destination and her answer is simply, “Anywhere I’ve never been.”
She describes herself as a “midday explorer” rather than a morning person or night owl, and one of her favorite local restaurants is Taqueria Muñoz.
One thing people might not expect? Amy loves hot air balloons and riding in them, even though she’s terrified of heights.
Ready to Make Your Next Move?
LOOKING FOR WORK?
Amy is recruiting for clerical, maintenance, Human Resources, production, and other opportunities throughout Asheville and Western North Carolina.
HIRING?
If you’re looking for someone who brings more than the right skills on paper, Amy can help. As a bilingual recruiter, Amy helps Friday Workforce Solutions serve both English and Spanish-speaking job seekers and connect local employers with a broader pool of talent.
Connect with Amy to talk about the people you need, the challenges you’re facing, and how Friday Workforce Solutions can help you find the right fit.
Amy Maldonado
Recruiter
Friday Workforce Solutions
maldonadoa@friday-staffing.com
828-575-1112
