SkyWater Blog

It’s a question most of us – whether we’re employers or employees - have tackled at some point over the past three years: how important is in-person face time with the boss? Is it essential to achieving long-term maximum performance? Or is it just an old habit we cling to, based more on a fear of change than any conclusive evidence?  

While it may be too early to know the answers to those questions, here’s what we do know:  pre-pandemic, remote, and hybrid work arrangements were clearly shown to organizations, teams, supervisors, and employees.

Instead of quitting, try smart negotiating

In her recent Forbes article, writer Caroline Castrillon offers an 11-step process for building a win-win work-from-home arrangement to which you and your boss can agree. Her process is smart, clear, and effective. I’ve paraphrased and consolidated her steps here:

How Cyber Vetting Could Affect Your Ability To Land A Job

You may be familiar with the term "cyber vetting." But did you know how common the practice is today, among hiring managers? Even one ill-advised social media post has the power to knock you out of consideration for the job you want – no matter how ready you are for the interview, itself.

It’s been a year of near-constant economic headlines that are sometimes conflicting and often confusing. If you’ve been reading the latest economic reports with mixed feelings and some uncertainty about the 2023 economy, you’re hardly alone.

In their recent assessment, Bloomberg writers Rich Miller and Enda Curran describe the current state of affairs as “A Job-Market Riddle…” with layoffs occurring in some tech and financial sectors, while overall hiring and unemployment rates remain largely unchanged.

As we approach Thanksgiving this year, it would be difficult (and probably unwise) to ignore the possible changes and uncertainties that lie ahead. While inflation is slowing and fears of a recession are cooling, for many people, there are lingering worries that the economy may take a while to fully bounce back.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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...