Leveraging Modern Communication Methods to Engage and Build Company Culture

Your organization has accomplished the hard task of attracting and bringing A-players on board. Now how do you keep them? That's a question that companies face more and more, as confidence builds in the labor market, and top performers feel more comfortable about making job moves. A focus on internal communications has become increasingly important as a way to connect and engage staff, and ultimately build a desirable company culture that encourages high-performance and instills the brand from within. Modern communication methods and tools are helping pave the way in this effort.

Click to watch the video.

There is nothing new about the concept of internal communications. Most organizations use the same basic methods to communicate information across the company, whether it's an employee publication or intranet, memo or all hands meeting. What differs among companies is how these tools are leveraged, both to keep the lines of communication open, and to maintain an enthusiastic and positive outlook about the organization. "Companies that are most successful with internal communications use a strategic approach across multiple platforms - it's not just about communicating company announcements but making a concentrated effort to define your culture," says Scott Bass, director of marketing & communications for MRINetwork. "When modern, interactive communication methods are incorporated into the process, employers increase their ability to engage staff and create an environment where people are 'checked-in' as opposed to 'checked-out' at work."

Bass provides the following insight to companies looking to engage with modern communication tools:

Extend communication through internal social platforms. The success of social platforms like Facebook and Twitter can have a similar impact when used internally. Internal social networking tools like Yammer provide employees with a quick way to share positive company news, recognize the contributions of individual staff, and collaborate on projects, with the added ability to include pictures, documents and videos. It also breaks down physical silos, exposing employees to other parts of the company they would not normally get to see.

Augment traditional company-wide meetings with video and audience polling tools. Company-wide meetings are a quick way to communicate information from the top down, but they can also become routine and mundane. Bring to life the leaders of your company and others through brief video messages or webinars. There is only so much passion that can come from a static text memo or audio conference call. This does not have to be produced by expensive, professional video companies. Most modern mobile devices have high-quality recording capabilities and available easy-to-use editing apps that are more than appropriate for an internal communication. In addition, polling tools, such as Poll Everywhere, can help invigorate meetings by expanding the capacity for a two-way conversation, and showing staff their opinions matter by letting them vote on topics, instantly showing their feedback in real time.

Involve all levels of the organization in your communication strategy. Antiquated communication methods that just focus on a business leader addressing the organization do not lead to desirable results. Highlight successful individuals in the organization and have them lead meetings or draft communications. Allowing them to share insights and best practices about their daily routines will not only help others become successful, but bring to life the personality of your company. This will also create recognition opportunities for your top performers, as they will now be perceived as the "celebrities" within the company creating even more stickiness.

Share highlights of your communication methods with clients. Companies prefer to do business with forward-thinking, modern organizations where employees have a sense of pride. Your company culture can be a major differentiator when competing. Summarize your company culture, along with your communication methods that drive it, in sales presentations. Share examples of your communication methods to not only highlight this competitive edge, but to motivate other organizations to do the same. This "behind-the-scenes" look at your company will result in stronger relationships with clients, exposing the human-element behind your company.

Implement communication tools that fit your business. Ultimately, no matter how fun or cool modern communication methods may seem, consideration should be given to whether they are right for the company culture and size. Focus on technologies that present the most potential for improved interaction, excitement and discourse across the company that will support business objectives.

Technology is enabling companies to breathe new life into standard internal communication methods like never before. "Leveraging these platforms in a meaningful way is increasingly becoming necessary to drive employees to become active participants in the work culture," adds Bass. "While modern communication methods are not a fix all for talent retention, they are key in creating an enjoyable, engaging work environment that provides top performers with one more reason to stay."

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Investing in Cutting Edge Technology Can Be Key in the Recruiting Process

Does Your Company Have the Cool Factor?

Every organization wants to be considered a "Best Place to Work" in order to attract and retain top talent, yet there is no cookie cutter formula for achieving this. Many factors go into making your company a great place to work such as company culture, employee benefits, and other perks. One thing that remains constant among the most desirable employers is the "cool" technology factor. As companies increasingly focus on providing more enjoyable work environments and improving employee engagement, technology is playing a key role in championing those efforts. This is becoming especially important for attracting top millennial talent, as technology and the flexibility, creativity, and efficiency it can bring is extremely valuable to them.


Click to watch the video.

Deciding when and how much to invest in the latest technology can be an arduous task for many organizations, and will depend greatly on the industry in which the company operates, as technologies can provide a different impact in manufacturing environments, for example, vs. an office setting. Typically the focus is on improving productivity and efficiency, and transitioning people away for doing things the way they always have for years. The process is often not fun and is met with resistance. However, when you consider the ability of technology to provide the "cool" factor of being a great place to work, it provides added incentive for employers to introduce new equipment and software.

So why is the technology push more important now than ever before? It really is a reflection of the highly digitized, mobile world in which we live, especially as more Millennials are entering the workforce and eventually maturing into greater leadership positions. "As the job outlook continues to improve, candidates are attracted to companies that incorporate the latest gadgets and technologies into daily work functions," says Reagan Johnson, director of technology operations for MRINetwork. "The best talent know their skills are in high demand, so an employer's ability to sell prospective hires on the flexibility, more efficient communications, and the fun these technologies will provide, is invaluable."

Johnson provides the following tips for companies looking to enhance their "cool" factor through technology:

Make it mobile. Today's professionals value the flexibility to do their job wherever and whenever, and mobile technology makes that possible like never before. Consider laptops or 2-in-1 laptop/tablets over desktops, so your talent don't feel shackled to their desks. These will provide the flexibility to take work into the conference room, the coffee shop, or home for those late night meeting preparations before an early day. Cloud technologies such as Office 365's OneDrive and Google's Drive make any document available on demand, for quick reference and use by backing it up online and making it available to smartphones and tablets. Voice communication tools are additionally available to make phone numbers mobile. A number, and the voicemail accompanying it, can be set up to ring through to more than just one employee’s desk. This further allows employees to have the flexibility to take and make calls from anywhere.

Make it slick. Technology should look modern and cool. For example, while a small light laptop looks very impressive, it can also be made easier to use in the office environment by pairing it with a docking station and a multiple-monitor setup. This enables the laptop to operate as a desktop, in a more ergonomic manner for the office. Done right, a multi-monitor laptop set up can be impressive to see, leaving a good impression on potential talent, and also provide great efficiencies while working in the office.

Make it about communicating. Today's top talent are very connected, social and are used to getting instant feedback on their performance and in their communications. Consider implementing an instant communication platform such as Skype. This technology allows instant communication in a controlled environment that speeds up results. In fact, younger professionals use email less and less and will prefer more modern options to communicate.

Embrace social media for your company's communications both internally and externally. Top performers looks for companies to be communicating via social media. Consider apps such as Yammer to build an internal social environment for your employees to share ideas and garner feedback. Millennials, in particular, value frequent feedback and evaluation and respond best to visual data. Business intelligence tools that provide visual graphic dashboards are a great way to communicate constant, instant feedback to your teams so they can strive to out-perform themselves.

Ultimately, what makes an organization cool or fun is a combination of many factors. "Technology is becoming a critical piece of the pie in terms of building an enjoyable, engaging company culture, while also sending a message to current and prospective clients that the company is a forward-thinking, modern business," adds Johnson. "Marketing efforts, as well as recruitment and talent management strategies, now require an emphasis on the "cool" technology factor to attract and retain top performers, and maintain brand equity with clients and investors."

Click to view the full article on MRINetwork

The Recruiter's View: Candidate-Driven Market is Impacting Hiring More Than Ever Before

Despite some challenges during the winter months, U.S. employment has experienced consistent growth in 2015, with 251,000 new jobs as the monthly average. Many companies are expanding their teams, but are finding it difficult to recruit, especially in the executive, managerial and professional job market. In this sector, which is candidate-driven, employers continue to lose great candidates who are accepting other job offers. This is due to lengthy hiring practices, below-market salaries and an inability of prospective employers to sell their brand, the role and career-pathing opportunities. Retention is also a challenge, as the brightest talent recognize more jobs are available and feel more confident about pursuing them. Now more than ever, companies are feeling the pressure of the candidate-driven market, forcing many to reevaluate and overhaul their recruitment efforts, to attract and retain the specialized talent needed to move their organizations forward. 

Click to watch the video.

New data from the most recent MRINetwork Recruiter Sentiment Study, a biannual employment landscape survey of MRINetwork recruiters across approximately 600 worldwide offices, indicates that the candidate-driven market, which has experienced a consistent uptick since 2011, is here to stay, and the rate at which top performers are rejecting job offers continues to grow. According to the survey, 90 percent of respondents feel the executive, managerial and professional sector is candidate-driven. This stands in strong contrast to companies who still believe employers are driving the labor market, and that their pre-recession talent acquisition and retention methods can still be effective.

"The job climate has definitely shifted in the past three years to a candidate-driven market," said a recruiter responding to the study. "Candidates now have choices and employers need to make the interview process go smoothly and quickly." The report reveals in the first half of 2015, a 36 percentage point increase from the second half of 2011, that recruiters feel the talent market is candidate-driven.

The availability of more job opportunities and a growing shortage of highly specialized talent are the overriding forces behind the candidate-driven market. With multiple job offers to consider and the ability to reject less desirable work opportunities, top performers have the upper hand. To that end, a reluctance by many companies to provide respectable wage increases, or offer competitive salaries to prospective hires, is impacting their hiring and retention abilities. According to the study, 47 percent of recruiters say the primary obstacle to hiring is a failure to recognize that top candidates are no longer accepting the low salaries that were customary during the recession. Further, year-over-year survey data points to acceptance of another job offer as the most common reason that candidates turn down a role, with a six percentage point increase from the first half of 2014. The message is clear; employers who do not recognize this reality will continue to lose their top picks to competitors. Further, the time between the first interview and the rejected offer is shrinking, with an eight percentage point increase from the second half of 2013, for candidates that rejected offers within two weeks of the first interview.

MRINetwork recruiters provide the following survey insight about rejected job offers:

• The shift to a candidate-driven marketplace has been enormous just over the course of the last year. The biggest concern is that candidates understand this, but companies do not.
   
• Companies tend to feel their offer/opportunity is unique. Candidates are expecting more in the way of benefits and compensation.
   
• Employers think there are better candidates out there who they haven't seen. They also don't seem to have a clue that the best candidates are in the driver's seat.
   
• Many organizations still don't realize they need to bring their A-game to attract.

With more top performers moving on, the candidate-driven market points to several things:

• Internal and external branding will continue to be important as companies face growing pressure to sell their value proposition to employees and candidates. "Clients are beginning to, but not across the board at all levels, recognize this is a candidate-driven market where the best talent need to be convinced their lives would be better if they were in that particular role," says an MRINetwork recruiter.
   
• Lengthy hiring processes must be replaced with streamlined, candidate-facing interviewing practices. One recruiter notes, "Clients need to understand that they are in a competitive situation and good candidates are getting multiple offers. "They are still taking too long to finish the deal."
   
• Not surprisingly, talented employees who were hired at bargain salaries during the recession are moving on. According to one recruiter, "Clients are beginning to understand that if they aren't competitive with compensation and culture, they will struggle to make strategic hires. The time where companies could seek to hire someone who's already done/doing the job for which they're looking to hire, and willing to come for lateral compensation is just about over."

Although the study results demonstrate that top performers are driving the hiring process in the executive, managerial and professional space, recruitment and retention will continue to present challenges for overall hiring as the job market expands. The recruitment practices of the past are no longer effective and companies need to recognize that modern hiring approaches are now necessary to acquire and keep the best talent.

To view the complete study, visit www.MRINetwork.com/recruitersentiment. 

Candidate Tips...The Right Way to Resign: How to Leave Your Job in Good Standing

By Caroline Levchuck

After you've landed a new job, the excitement of starting something new may be accompanied by anxiety and guilt over leaving the familiar and perhaps some good friends, too. Even if you're leaving mostly enemies behind, it's still a good idea to leave your job in good standing.

Corporate alumni associations are sprouting up all over the Fortune 500, at companies including GE, Procter & Gamble and Yum! Brands, and it's in your best interest to be a part of these burgeoning professional networks. In fact, if you handle your transition properly, your former employers may even view your ascension elsewhere as a PR asset.

"Whatever the circumstances are around your departure, keep your mind on the big picture and don't do anything that could come back to haunt you," says career coach Deborah Brown-Volkman.

She recommends three steps for wrapping things up at your old job and departing with a pat on the back from your boss.

Write Down Everything You Do and How It Gets Done

Forget job descriptions. They rarely tell us precisely what an individual does day-to-day or reveal the "It's not really my job, but I kind of do it anyway" responsibilities that grace any worker's plate each week. Also, in an age of zero redundancy at many companies, you cannot rely on even your supervisor to understand what you do and how you do it.

"Often a boss feels like, 'I don't know what this person does -- I only know she can't leave!'" Brown-Volkman says.

So, do your boss and colleagues right by creating an exhaustive list of everything you handle, along with detailed instructions on how to handle it. Your coworkers will appreciate you for having this thorough document -- and for having done so much during your tenure.

Remain Until You Train the New You

Two weeks' notice may be the minimum an employer requests, but most companies will appreciate a more lengthy lead-time so you can help train your replacement. If you do so, your boss will be indebted to you. You're also sending a message that you want your former coworkers and employer to succeed.

"It's hard to give a lot of notice because your next employer may be waiting anxiously for you to start, and many people want to take a week off between jobs," Brown-Volkman says. However, she urges departing workers to spend "as much time as you can with your replacement or colleagues who will be temporarily handling your workload. Train them so they've got it down cold."

Also, tap your own network for a potential replacement. You may even be eligible for a finder's fee if you refer the right person for the job.

Wish Everyone Well When You Leave

Brown-Volkman advises giving all your coworkers a heartfelt farewell and offering them a few words of encouragement and appreciation. "Even if you don't like someone, bury the hatchet," she says. "It takes a big person to do that, but you never know when you'll meet this individual again."

Also, she points out that former coworkers are the best candidates to join your professional network. "You will always have common ground with these folks," she says. "They're easy to stay in touch with. There will always be some bit of news or gossip you can bond over, and that makes it less awkward to pick up the phone and chat."

All of this is for the future -- the big picture, she adds. "You could end up working for some of these people," she says. "You may need a favor. You just don't know, so make sure you leave on the best possible terms."

View Article on MRI Network

Client Tips...10 Questions the Boss Should Ask Every Employee

Behavioral Interviewing

You may feel that two short interviews and a three page resume are not sufficient for you to make an important hiring decision. Perhaps you should consider the kinds of questions you are asking the candidate in your interviews. Behavioral interviewing is a very good technique to help you identify the right person.

What is behavioral interviewing?

It is a style of interview that forces candidates to answer questions which demonstrate their competencies (knowledge, skills and abilities) by giving specific examples from their past experiences. The focus on the interview is less about what they can or could do (ie, hypothetical situations), and more about what they have done in specific situations in the past.

Behavioral interviewing is based on the assumption that a person's past performance (in previous roles) is an excellent predictor of their future performance.

How to prepare for a behavioral interview

To prepare for a behavioral interview, take the following steps:

• Make sure you have clearly defined the competencies for the role. General competencies include:

• Enthusiasm
• Knowledge/skills
• Problem solving
• Team building
• Personal attributes
• Leadership
• Communication
• Flexibility
• Decision making
• Develop a series of questions which will enable you to find out if the candidate has these competencies.
• Questions might take the form of:

• Give me an example of how you have .
• Tell me about a situation where you .
• In the past, how did you deal with a situation where .
• Given your past experience, how would you best deal with .

What should you look to evaluate in a behavioral interview?

There are three types of competencies you should look for:

• Content competencies - which are work/role specific.
• Functional/transferable skills - which are used generally with people, information or things, regardless of the specific environment.

Adaptive or self-management skills - which are personal characteristics.

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The Recruiter's View: Candidate-Driven Market is Impacting Hiring More Than Ever Before

Despite some challenges during the winter months, U.S. employment has experienced consistent growth in 2015, with 251,000 new jobs as the monthly average. Many companies are expanding their teams, but are finding it difficult to recruit, especially in the executive, managerial and professional job market. In this sector, which is candidate-driven, employers continue to lose great candidates who are accepting other job offers. This is due to lengthy hiring practices, below-market salaries and an inability of prospective employers to sell their brand, the role and career-pathing opportunities. Retention is also a challenge, as the brightest talent recognize more jobs are available and feel more confident about pursuing them. Now more than ever, companies are feeling the pressure of the candidate-driven market, forcing many to reevaluate and overhaul their recruitment efforts, to attract and retain the specialized talent needed to move their organizations forward.

Click to watch the video.

New data from the most recent MRINetwork Recruiter Sentiment Study, a biannual employment landscape survey of MRINetwork recruiters across approximately 600 worldwide offices, indicates that the candidate-driven market, which has experienced a consistent uptick since 2011, is here to stay, and the rate at which top performers are rejecting job offers continues to grow. According to the survey, 90 percent of respondents feel the executive, managerial and professional sector is candidate-driven. This stands in strong contrast to companies who still believe employers are driving the labor market, and that their pre-recession talent acquisition and retention methods can still be effective.

"The job climate has definitely shifted in the past three years to a candidate-driven market," said a recruiter responding to the study. "Candidates now have choices and employers need to make the interview process go smoothly and quickly." The report reveals in the first half of 2015, a 36 percentage point increase from the second half of 2011, that recruiters feel the talent market is candidate-driven.

The availability of more job opportunities and a growing shortage of highly specialized talent are the overriding forces behind the candidate-driven market. With multiple job offers to consider and the ability to reject less desirable work opportunities, top performers have the upper hand. To that end, a reluctance by many companies to provide respectable wage increases, or offer competitive salaries to prospective hires, is impacting their hiring and retention abilities. According to the study, 47 percent of recruiters say the primary obstacle to hiring is a failure to recognize that top candidates are no longer accepting the low salaries that were customary during the recession. Further, year-over-year survey data points to acceptance of another job offer as the most common reason that candidates turn down a role, with a six percentage point increase from the first half of 2014. The message is clear; employers who do not recognize this reality will continue to lose their top picks to competitors. Further, the time between the first interview and the rejected offer is shrinking, with an eight percentage point increase from the second half of 2013, for candidates that rejected offers within two weeks of the first interview.

MRINetwork recruiters provide the following survey insight about rejected job offers:

• The shift to a candidate-driven marketplace has been enormous just over the course of the last year. The biggest concern is that candidates understand this, but companies do not.
   
• Companies tend to feel their offer/opportunity is unique. Candidates are expecting more in the way of benefits and compensation.
   
• Employers think there are better candidates out there who they haven't seen. They also don't seem to have a clue that the best candidates are in the driver's seat.
   
• Many organizations still don't realize they need to bring their A-game to attract.

With more top performers moving on, the candidate-driven market points to several things:

• Internal and external branding will continue to be important as companies face growing pressure to sell their value proposition to employees and candidates. "Clients are beginning to, but not across the board at all levels, recognize this is a candidate-driven market where the best talent need to be convinced their lives would be better if they were in that particular role," says an MRINetwork recruiter.
   
• Lengthy hiring processes must be replaced with streamlined, candidate-facing interviewing practices. One recruiter notes, "Clients need to understand that they are in a competitive situation and good candidates are getting multiple offers. "They are still taking too long to finish the deal."
   
• Not surprisingly, talented employees who were hired at bargain salaries during the recession are moving on. According to one recruiter, "Clients are beginning to understand that if they aren't competitive with compensation and culture, they will struggle to make strategic hires. The time where companies could seek to hire someone who's already done/doing the job for which they're looking to hire, and willing to come for lateral compensation is just about over."

Although the study results demonstrate that top performers are driving the hiring process in the executive, managerial and professional space, recruitment and retention will continue to present challenges for overall hiring as the job market expands. The recruitment practices of the past are no longer effective and companies need to recognize that modern hiring approaches are now necessary to acquire and keep the best talent.

To view the complete study, visit www.MRINetwork.com/recruitersentiment.

Engineers Get Busy! A Welcomed Resurgence.

Sometimes trends in the engineering professions are difficult to define because of slow pace or incremental changes that can be difficult to perceive.  But, demand for engineering talent has been a dramatically increasing trend in the past few months.  Simply put, many firms have more work than people to execute the work, and the ability to win more available work is constrained by not having the necessary leadership and personnel.  Of course this is good news for recruiters like us, but, most importantly, it is a welcomed resurgence for the engineering professions. It is good news for everyone from the entry-level grad ready to enter the profession, to the senior engineer ready to take on a Principal role.

Improvement in the general economy is the prime driver.  In addition, there might be some improvement in the political environment in many states that is driven by the understanding of the critical needs of our crumbling infrastructure.  Credit the ASCE for their quadrennial
Report Card for America's Infrastructure and some excellent coverage in general media such as reviews of books like Jonathan Waldman's Rust, The Longest War and Rosabeth Moss Kanter's Move: Putting America's Infrastructure Back in the Lead.

Some of our recent opportunities are listed here but remember that job opportunities are very fluid and the best strategy for finding a new opportunity is to create a relationship with a recruiter who can identify the right career step as it becomes available.

Contact Pat Havard at 530-478-6478 Ext 115 or Pat@prgnc.com to learn more about our services and these exciting opportunities. Referrals are always welcome!

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Client Tips...Make Your Small Company Culture a Stand Out to Job Candidates

By: Eric Herrenkohl, Monster Contributing Writer Does size matter? When it comes to recruiting, a small company can actually be a big advantage. Use these recommendations to inform your recruitment process and attract A-players using your small-company culture. Attract top talent who prefer working for small companies. There are big company people and small company people -- your job is to find the ones that are naturally attracted to your environment. A sharp young woman recently told me that she and her friends made a pact after college that they would not "sell out" by working for big companies. Working for a big company can be terrific for the right person, but the fact is there are many people who prefer a smaller work environment. Actively promote the fact that you are "a small company that does big-time projects," or something similar. Don't try to hide the fact that you are small (it won't work anyway.) Instead, emphasize to candidates the clients whom you serve and the quality of the work that you do. Let your company culture come through in your job postings. Typically, small companies have a more laid-back, less corporate work environment. If that is true for you, let that "un-corporate" attitude come through in your job postings as part of your recruiting strategy. For example, a client of mine in the kitchen and bath industry posted a job opening for a designer. In the ad, they described themselves as a company that designed "award-winning, high-end kitchens and baths while not taking ourselves too seriously." Then, they described their ideal candidate as follows: "You know how to design kitchens and baths and are darn good at it. You can sell what you design (that seems obvious but you would be surprised.) You like people and they like you. You are a good problem solver and you can prove it. You care about where you work and the people you work with." This is a great job description because it clearly describes the profile of this company's ideal candidate and does it in a non-reverent tone that captures their culture. You should strive for an appropriate tone in your postings on Monster. Be clear about what you want in job applicants while using the tone of your posting to attract people who will do well in your environment and culture. Use the interview process to play up your work environment. I once referred a young salesperson to a client of mine as a job applicant. The salesperson worked for a big company. The President of the client company, a smaller franchisor, set up the interview himself. He arranged to meet the salesperson at a local coffee shop, and told him that he would be the guy "wearing shorts and riding a Harley." You can imagine how much that appealed to this 25-year-old. Here he was stuck working in a corporate bureaucracy while other people were running companies and riding their motorcycle to work. It was a powerful, non-verbal way for my client to communicate the advantages of his small-company culture. This doesn't mean you have to head to your local motorcycle dealership (unless you want to). Use your own authentic, distinctive characteristics to appeal to applicants. Let them experience you and your company, and see who responds to your culture. The people who respond positively are likely the ones who will fit your company best. Provide flexibility. The world is filled with people who are looking for flexible work arrangements. There are seasoned A-players in all professions -- salespeople, attorneys, CPAs, and consultants just to mention a few -- who would do anything for a job that lets them use their skills and still have a life outside of work. Design a role for these people, let everyone in your network know about it, and see if you get any A-player referrals. Remember that time and flexibility can be more important to people than working for a big company. If you design and promote different roles with this in mind, you will be pleasantly surprised at the quality of people you can attract. Pay and benefits. If you want to compete for A-player talent when making a job offer, you have to offer competitive pay and benefits. However, there is a difference between being in the ballpark and matching the benefits of the Fortune 500. Put the best plan that you can afford in place for compensation, health insurance, retirement, vacation, and associated areas. If a job candidate puts together a spreadsheet to compare your dental coverage to that of a Fortune 500 company, you likely won't be able to beat them. Don't worry about it; move on and find other people who are the right fit for your environment. Hiring takeaway: Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. For many A-players, small is beautiful. Work hard to find A-players. Actively promote the advantages of your smaller-company culture. Get creative about things like flexible work arrangements. Be competitive about benefits but don't worry about matching bigger companies in everything. Your job is to promote your advantages to a wide number of candidates so the people who prefer your kind of culture and work environment can step forward. Author Bio Eric Herrenkohl is the author of the book, How to Hire A-Players (John Wiley & Sons, April 2010) and is President of Herrenkohl Consulting. Herrenkohl Consulting helps executives create the organizations they need to build the businesses they want. To receive Eric's free monthly e-letter Performance Principles, go to www.herrenkohlconsulting.com to subscribe. Editors Note: The article comes to us with permission, from Monster's Advice Center.

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Candidate Tips...8 Ways to Research Your Prospective Employer

The amount of knowledge you have about a potential employer, and on the industry in which you hope to work can give you a competitive edge. This pertains both to making initial contact with employers and before going on interviews. In addition, having information on a company is also invaluable when it comes to evaluating a job offer. You should know the company's industry, what they do, who some major clients are, and the names of some of the company's higher-ups, i.e. CEO, President, etc. You should also know who is in charge of hiring for the position you are seeking. Here are some resources to find company information. Corporate Websites-Most businesses use their home pages as a marketing or communication tool for generating and retaining business. They may also provide annual reports, news articles, business ventures, and information about products and services. You should spend a good portion of your research time reviewing the information available at your company's home page. You can locate a company's web page by using a search engine such as www.google.com. Directories-Here you can get information on public and private companies, although you may be limited with private company information. A couple sites to check out are: http://www.corporateinformation.com/ & http://www.hoovers.com/free/. Press Releases-Like an annual report, press releases present information in a way that appeals to the media, and in turn to the consumer. They are generally written by professionals who know how to make even the most damaging news somewhat palatable. If you need to find out newsworthy information about a company they are a good source. Local newspapers-Local newspapers usually publish articles about companies in their city or town. This is often the only place you will find information on small, local companies. Some newspapers publish special business sections once a week. You will also find information about employees at those companies. Should someone win an award or special recognition, a local newspaper is where you would find it. You are probably wondering what this bit of trivia could mean to you. Well, imagine this scenario. You learn you are going to be interviewed by Joanne Manager. You do a little research and find out that she just won a 10 kilometer race. It just so happens that you're a runner as well. Isn't this a great way to establish rapport? National Newspaper-While the New York Times is not planning to change its name to the U.S. Times, it can serve as a source of national information. The same can be said of other newspapers across the country, like The Boston Globe, The Chicago Tribune, and The Washington Post, to name only a few. Articles on larger U.S. and international companies are featured in the pages of these publications. If something newsworthy happens you will probably find it in any large newspaper. Many are also available online. Business Journals-The most well known is The Wall Street Journal. There are also smaller, more local business journals. You can find information on local companies as well as companies with a wider geographic scope. These journals provide a good way of tracking who has moved where, what companies have what clients, and which companies are relocating to your area. Openings of new businesses should also be announced in a business journal. Industry Journal-These publications follow companies within different industries. This is a great way to become more knowledgeable about the industry in general. You can look at trends and upcoming changes to determine how you can best make an impact. Remember, you are trying to show potential employers what you can do for them. Professional Journals-These journals keep you apprised of goings on in your field. In addition to providing company information, professional journals give insight into changes in a particular field. These publications also contain advice about how to do your job better. Being able to discuss new medical billing software with the office manager of a doctor's office will show your level of expertise and interest in the field. Sources: About.com : Career Planning

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Considering a career in Recruiting? We're Hiring!

Are you ready to take on a professional challenge on a national scale 

without having to move to the big city?

Principal Resource Group, an established executive recruiting firm with long-term clients specializing in civil engineering, environmental, and construction related fields, seeks an Executive Recruiting Specialist.  This is an opportunity for an individual who takes pride in personal success and who can take initiative to leverage existing clients and an outstanding market reputation to thrive. The successful candidate will have a proven track record in sales, willingness to be a team player, excellent written and oral communication skills, intermediate/advanced computer skills, and a sense of humor.  Entry-level and experienced positions are available.

Account Executive: Use your sales skills to develop and maintain relationships with our clients and make a difference in people’s lives.  Work with clients to identify staffing needs and manage the recruitment process from finding candidates through communicating offers.  The Account Executive position generally requires at least 2 years success in Business to Business sales and a Bachelor’s degree.

Project Coordinator – Recruiting Specialist: Great people skills and the ability to communicate well over the phone are a key part of this position.  Work with Account Executives to recruit qualified candidates by conducting complex internet research, sourcing, interviewing, screening, and referring candidates for client companies’ openings.  The Project Coordinator position generally requires a Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent experience) plus two years in sales or marketing.

As an executive search consultant with Principal Resource Group you will:
• Have access to the best training in the industry
• Enjoy a family oriented work environment with flexibility
• Control your earning potential with an excellent compensation and benefits package
• Work in an office with opportunity for advancement

Explore the world of executive recruitment at Principal Resource Group – the career you impact the most will be your own.  To apply, contact Kelli Newnan at 530-478-6478 or kelli@prgnc.com.

Visit our website to view the full job description.


About Principal Resource Group

Since 1999, Principal Resource Group has provided executive recruiting services to civil engineering, environmental, and construction companies across the United States.  Our clients are small and large consulting firms, leading national engineering firms, and companies with global engineering projects. We are part of the MRINetwork™, one of the largest and most successful recruiting organizations in the world.

Principal Resource Group specializes in recruiting executives, managers, and technical specialists in the Civil Engineering, Environmental, and Construction disciplines, including: Water/Wastewater, Water Resources, Municipal/Public Works, Power/Transmission, Renewable Energy, Environmental, Geotechnical, Transportation/Traffic, Construction Management, Hydraulics/Hydrology, Geology/Hydrogeology, Structural, Mechanical/Electrical, and General/Civil.

For Companies:  Our recruiters are experienced professionals who understand the civil and environmental engineering communities.  Our goal is to introduce you to professionals who can make a long-term contribution to your firm.

For Candidates: Our recruiters are proud to provide personalized and confidential services to professionals with all levels of experience in the civil and environmental engineering industries.  We want to know you and your career goals so we can introduce you to opportunities that will inspire and challenge you.