Adam Hoffarber

Adam Hoffarber
A founding owner of SkyWater, Adam brings over a decade of exceptional executive recruitment and proven leadership experience to the SkyWater Search Partners leadership team. Adam has been featured in a number of local and national publications including the Star Tribune, WCCO Radio, Pioneer Press, PC World, and Computerworld Magazine addressing employment & labor news in the Minnesota market. He also contributes to an “Ask the Expert” column in the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal.
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Recent Posts

Nightmare on Hiring Street

Posted by Adam Hoffarber on 10/31/22 10:15 AM

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What if the scariest thing spooking your candidates is you?

Welcome to every job candidate’s nightmare.

For most hiring managers, filling an open role has become a frightening proposition. Finding, vetting, and interviewing candidates can feel like you’re trapped in a house of mirrors, filled with illusions, distortions, and endless dead ends. Why do the best candidates keep disappearing, just when you thought you were closing in on them?   

You’re right to feel frustrated and very, very afraid. But before you blame it all on today’s horrifying market or flighty talent, consider this:

It might be you.

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Congratulations, Brian Rudolph, Employee of the Quarter!

Posted by Adam Hoffarber on 10/3/22 2:36 PM

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At SkyWater Search Partners, we strive to strengthen our communities in many different ways and we are incredibly proud of the strong spirit of volunteerism we see among all of our team members. Each quarter, we honor a top-performing team member with the gift of a substantial financial donation, in that employee’s name, to a nonprofit organization that holds special meaning for them.

This quarter, we are thrilled to say,

Congratulations, Brian Rudolph, Senior Director, Consumer Products and Sales!

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Desperate to Quit Your Toxic Job?

Posted by Adam Hoffarber on 9/26/22 12:45 PM

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Are you stuck in a job you hate? Over the course of a career, most of us will endure a bumpy patch here or there: moments of feeling overworked, unchallenged, underappreciated, disappointed, badly bossed – or just plain bored. They’re awful. But they’re usually brief.

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Congratulations To Our Employee Of The Quarter, Emma Ishol!

Posted by Adam Hoffarber on 8/10/22 11:32 AM

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As part of our commitment to our communities, SkyWater Search Partners has developed an Employee of the Quarter Award. Each quarter, we honor a top-performing team member by making a substantial financial gift, in their name, to a nonprofit organization of their choosing.

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Job Switching? 3 Ways to Protect Yourself in a Shifting Economy

Posted by Adam Hoffarber on 7/19/22 10:20 AM

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It was yet another conversation with yet another highly talented candidate. The job I was recruiting had everything on his extensive list of must-haves, and nearly everything on his wish list. He, in turn, brought the credentials, experience, and stellar communication skills my client needed most.

Yet, I didn’t leave that conversation ready to place him at the top of my shortlist. Here's why...

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2022 Best Places to Work Award

Posted by Adam Hoffarber on 6/8/22 11:20 AM

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The Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal announced their 2022 Best Place To Work award recipients, and we were again fortunate enough to win the award! This is the seventh time we have been recognized with this honor, and it's not one we take lightly. 
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Congratulations to the Employee of the Quarter, Kirsten Prins!

Posted by Adam Hoffarber on 5/19/22 10:17 AM

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At the core of the SkyWater Search Partners promise is our commitment to the twin cities community. One way we celebrate that commitment is through our Employee of the Quarter award. Every quarter, we honor a top-performing team member with the gift of a substantial financial donation, in their name, to a nonprofit organization that is meaningful to them.

This quarter, we are delighted to say…

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Is Your Return-to-Work Policy Undermining Your Hiring Efforts?

Posted by Adam Hoffarber on 5/16/22 8:50 AM

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The concept of workplace flexibility is one that is front and center of nearly every client conversation we have at SkyWater. We hear employers describe their worries that dispersed teams will be less able to collaborate, engage, perform, and lead than teams who physically come to work every day. We empathize. At SkyWater, we knew we’d invested mightily in creating a shared work environment that facilitated closer connections and that hard-to-define but so important sense of belonging.

It's a tough mindset to rethink. But we have. And we continue to do so, paying careful attention to how our team members are doing, and what they’re telling us. The key has been our own willingness to be flexible, adaptable, and open. It’s also been about one additional, critical factor: the willingness of our own executive team to walk the talk. We hold ourselves to the same expectations that we establish for the whole team. Turns out, this may be even more important than we realized.

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Making The Most Of Your Recruiter – Advice For Hiring Managers

Posted by Adam Hoffarber on 3/18/22 12:31 PM

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You may be asking yourself: Is it worth it to pay a headhunter? 

Working with a recruiter to fill your company’s key roles and source the best available talent is a benefit that many employers recognize in today’s competitive employment market. How can hiring managers ensure they fully benefit from working with a search company?

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Congratulations to the Employee of the Quarter, Matt Hugdahl!

Posted by Adam Hoffarber on 2/16/22 9:00 AM

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At SkyWater Search Partners, we believe that one of our greatest strengths is our commitment to our community and how actively our team members engage with the many different communities they call their own. Each quarter, we honor a top-performing SkyWater employee with a substantial financial gift in their name, to a nonprofit community organization that is near and dear to them. This quarter, we are very proud to say...

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