In another life Richard Perkins was a journalist with a long career in that field until the economy took a tumble in 2008 and newspapers were hit especially hard. He took some time off and then started helping an attorney friend, doing some paralegal work. His friend suggested he consider an “externship”—gaining experience at another organization related to the legal industry. He started looking around for some potential opportunities and he stumbled across Accurate.

“I applied and they saw a fit right away,” he says. That was back in August 2010. He’s been with the company ever since.

Varied Experiences Lead to Long Tenure

Richard first started out with Accurate doing criminal research. He loved the work because of his interest in the law. Later he was asked to help in the health services area, so he went to that department. Then, Accurate began to get involved in international research—doing searches outside of the country. It was a brand-new department, he says, and he had the opportunity to become a supervisor there.

He’s also had roles in data analysis and HR, where he became an HR Business Partner before taking on the responsibility of running facilities and security. “So now, I’m HRBP in title, but I actually run facilities and security,” he says.

The variety and constant change have suited Richard well. “I’m a tad OCD and I get really bored if I continue to do the same thing for too long,” he says. “Another thing that was really good for me was that because we were so small we were allowed to sort of go and try things.”

That ability to continually try new things and, at the beginning, “the small-town comfortable feel” really resonated with him and kept him on board and engaged. But despite having enjoyed the smallness of Accurate, he’s also enjoyed “the amazing growth.” That growth has led to continual new opportunities that keep him interested and motivated, including his next new role as a Jr. InfoSec Engineer on the Technology InfoSec Team, where he will be responsible for ensuring compliance to the company’s Information Security Management System (ISMS) Policy.

Working as One

Accurate’s culture is built on four core values pillars that unify the company with a common purpose, define where they’re headed, indicate what they’ll do to get there, what they believe in, and how they will behave with each other and their customers. They are:

• Take ownership: be accountable for your actions, your team, and the company.
• Be open: be open to new ideas.
• Stay curious: stay curious even as you move forward.
• Work as one: work together to create the best customer and workplace experience.

Richard says that the value that he identifies with the most is work as one. “I come from a really big, tight-knit family,” he says. “At Accurate it’s the same kind of thing.” He enjoys working together with a lot of different people, “all steering the boat in the same direction.” That can’t happen, he says, “unless there’s great communication and everybody knows that their role is and is doing their part.”

“I’m a huge fan of “work as one,” he says.

But he also enjoys a little down time.

Socializing Builds Community

One of the things that Richard feels has been more memorable for him during his years at Accurate has been an opportunity to work on the company’s social committee. The committee planned various events, including planning the holiday party every year, “a pretty big endeavor,” he says.

“Getting to put all that together and then seeing everyone’s faces the night of the party,” and interacting outside of the normal work setting, has been very memorable, he says.

Advice for Those Thinking About a Career With Accurate

Richard says that he would absolutely recommend Accurate as a great place to work. But he offers one word of caution: “If you’re taking a job just to ‘phone it in’ every day, it’s probably not the best fit.”

In terms of his own career journey with Accurate he says: “I’ve never really thought about where I’m going. I’m just going to go where I allow things to take me. My future at Accurate is where Accurate feels I can contribute the most. I’ve always just been that kind of guy. If you ask me to do something I’m going to find out how to do it and then do it.”

That, Richard says, has defined his time with Accurate. “It’s been a heck of a ride.”