---
title: SkyWater Blog | Adam Hoffarber
description: 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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# SkyWater Blog
## 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.
Find me on:
### Recent Posts
[](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/why-hiring-managers-need-a-2027-salary-guide-beyond-ai)
## [Why Hiring Managers Need a 2027 Salary Guide Beyond AI](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/why-hiring-managers-need-a-2027-salary-guide-beyond-ai)
Posted by [Adam Hoffarber](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/author/adam-hoffarber) on 10/13/26, 12:00 PM
[0 Comments](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/why-hiring-managers-need-a-2027-salary-guide-beyond-ai#comments-listing)
The appeal is easy to see. You have a position to fill, a budget to prepare, and a dozen other decisions waiting. Open ChatGPT or your preferred AI tool, ask, “What salary should I pay a \[role\]?” and you'll get a recommendation in seconds.
Before you use that recommendation to set a hiring budget, though, you need to know what supports it. Which market? Which responsibilities? Which sources?
At [SkyWater Search Partners](https://www.skywatersearch.com/), we built our 2027 Salary Guides around our own placement data and the experience of recruiters working in the market every day. Our goal is to help you evaluate the range and understand the hiring conditions behind it.
[Read More](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/why-hiring-managers-need-a-2027-salary-guide-beyond-ai)
[](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/which-industries-are-hiring-right-now)
## [Which Industries Are Hiring Right Now](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/which-industries-are-hiring-right-now)
Posted by [Adam Hoffarber](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/author/adam-hoffarber) on 9/14/26, 11:56 AM
[0 Comments](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/which-industries-are-hiring-right-now#comments-listing)
If it feels like hiring slowed down earlier this year, you're not imagining it. But "slower" doesn't mean "stopped." Heading into Q4, the labor market is uneven by design: some sectors are adding roles steadily, others are holding flat, and a few are pulling back. Knowing which is which matters, whether you're a candidate deciding when to make a move or an employer trying to figure out how hard you'll have to compete for talent.
[Read More](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/which-industries-are-hiring-right-now)
[](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/reading-the-fine-print-what-the-upper-midwest-jobs-numbers-really-tell-employers-and-executives)
## [Reading the Fine Print: What the Upper Midwest Jobs Numbers Really Tell Employers and Executives](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/reading-the-fine-print-what-the-upper-midwest-jobs-numbers-really-tell-employers-and-executives)
Posted by [Adam Hoffarber](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/author/adam-hoffarber) on 8/6/26, 11:09 AM
[0 Comments](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/reading-the-fine-print-what-the-upper-midwest-jobs-numbers-really-tell-employers-and-executives#comments-listing)
Every month, a new unemployment rate lands, gets a headline, and gets treated like a verdict on the regional economy. For the boards, CEOs, and hiring leaders SkyWater Search Partners works with across Minnesota and the Upper Midwest, that single number is usually the least useful part of the report. Here is what the data actually shows right now, what it is probably hiding, and what it means if you are building a leadership team in this region in the second half of 2026.
[Read More](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/reading-the-fine-print-what-the-upper-midwest-jobs-numbers-really-tell-employers-and-executives)
[](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/congratulations-adriana-fontaine)
## [Congratulations, Adriana Fontaine, SkyWater Search Partners Employee of the Quarter!](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/congratulations-adriana-fontaine)
Posted by [Adam Hoffarber](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/author/adam-hoffarber) on 6/8/26, 12:52 PM
[0 Comments](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/congratulations-adriana-fontaine#comments-listing)
Please join us in congratulating Adriana Fontaine, Executive Operations Associate, on being named SkyWater Search Partners Employee of the Quarter.
[Read More](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/congratulations-adriana-fontaine)
[](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/skywaters-latest-team-updates)
## [Built for a More Targeted Market: Inside SkyWater’s Latest Team Updates](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/skywaters-latest-team-updates)
Posted by [Adam Hoffarber](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/author/adam-hoffarber) on 4/21/26, 11:17 AM
[0 Comments](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/skywaters-latest-team-updates#comments-listing)
[Read More](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/skywaters-latest-team-updates)
[](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/march-jobs-report-2026)
## [Beyond the Headlines: What the March Jobs Report and Minnesota Unemployment Data Really Mean](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/march-jobs-report-2026)
Posted by [Adam Hoffarber](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/author/adam-hoffarber) on 4/9/26, 1:35 PM
[0 Comments](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/march-jobs-report-2026#comments-listing)
The March 2026 U.S. jobs report delivered a stronger-than-expected rebound after a weak February, while Minnesota’s latest unemployment data shows a rare uptick in joblessness. But for Minnesota employers, the real story isn’t in the headlines. It’s in the context.
[Read More](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/march-jobs-report-2026)
[](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/us-jobs-report-feb-2026)
## [Beyond the Headlines: What the February Jobs Report Signals for the Upper Midwest Economy](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/us-jobs-report-feb-2026)
Posted by [Adam Hoffarber](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/author/adam-hoffarber) on 3/6/26, 2:26 PM
[0 Comments](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/us-jobs-report-feb-2026#comments-listing)
*The loss of 92,000 jobs nationwide is significant. But it increases the chance of further rate cuts.*
The February 2026 jobs report delivered a surprise, with the U.S. economy losing roughly 92,000 jobs, a sharp reversal from January’s modest gains ([Washington Post, 2026](https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2026/03/06/february-jobs-unemployment)).
[Read More](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/us-jobs-report-feb-2026)
[](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/employee-of-the-quarter-zach-hinkemeyer)
## [Employee of the Quarter 2025: Zach Hinkemeyer on Leadership and Giving Back](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/employee-of-the-quarter-zach-hinkemeyer)
Posted by [Adam Hoffarber](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/author/adam-hoffarber) on 2/24/26, 2:25 PM
[0 Comments](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/employee-of-the-quarter-zach-hinkemeyer#comments-listing)
[Read More](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/employee-of-the-quarter-zach-hinkemeyer)
[](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/black-history-month-2026)
## [Honoring Black History Month: Leadership, and a Celebration Of Excellence](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/black-history-month-2026)
Posted by [Adam Hoffarber](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/author/adam-hoffarber) on 2/3/26, 9:06 AM
[0 Comments](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/black-history-month-2026#comments-listing)
Black History Month is a time to recognize the contributions, leadership, and resilience of Black Americans whose work has shaped our economy, our communities, and the way organizations lead today. We believe this reflection is especially relevant in the recruiting and executive search industry, where leadership decisions shape culture, innovation, and long-term impact.
[Read More](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/black-history-month-2026)
[](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/skills-based-hiring)
## [Moving Beyond the Diploma: Why Skills-Based Hiring Is Reshaping Talent Strategy](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/skills-based-hiring)
Posted by [Adam Hoffarber](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/author/adam-hoffarber) on 9/15/25, 2:37 PM
[0 Comments](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/skills-based-hiring#comments-listing)
In recent years, the job market has witnessed a clear shift: many employers are placing less weight on formal degrees and more on what a candidate can *do*. Skills-based hiring, prioritizing competencies, experience, and demonstrated ability over educational credentials, is becoming a leading trend in recruitment. According to NACE’s [Job Outlook 2025 Spring Update](https://www.naceweb.org/job-market/trends-and-predictions/almost-two-thirds-of-employers-use-skills-based-hiring-to-help-identify-job-candidates), **almost two-thirds of employers** surveyed reported using skills-based hiring to help identify candidates with potential. Below, we explore why this is happening, what the data shows, and what organizations and job seekers should be thinking about as the change accelerates.
[Read More](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/skills-based-hiring)
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