Kurt Rakos

Kurt Rakos
Kurt Rakos is a founder and partner at SkyWater Search Partners, the Short List ® search firm dedicated to placing top tier candidates in Sales, Marketing, IT, Accounting/Finance, and HR related positions.
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Recent Posts

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Reflecting on 2021 and our Path Forward

Posted by Kurt Rakos on 1/17/22 8:43 AM

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In 2021, SkyWater Search Partners took several concrete steps toward our diversity, equity, and inclusion goals.  We’d like to share some highlights of our progress so far.  

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Ramsey County Inclusive Workplaces Cohort - Session 3 Recap

Posted by Kurt Rakos on 12/16/21 8:16 AM

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Earlier this year, SkyWater Search Partners was invited to join the Ramsey County Inclusive Workplaces Cohort. The group had its third monthly meeting in December 2021. We would love to share what we have learned and continue the discussion.

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5 Strategies for Overcoming Today’s Talent Shortage

Posted by Kurt Rakos on 11/23/21 9:45 AM

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This time last year, millions of Americans had lost their jobs. Millions more remained employed but fearful of what the future might hold. For employers, it was an equally strange and unpredictable time. Hiring managers routinely saw competitive offers rebuffed by candidates who might have been tempted but were ultimately unwilling to risk leaving the relative stability of their current positions.

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Ramsey County Inclusive Workplaces Cohort - Session 2 Recap

Posted by Kurt Rakos on 11/18/21 10:22 AM

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Earlier this year, SkyWater Search Partners was invited to join the Ramsey County Inclusive Workplaces Cohort. The group had its second monthly meeting in November 2021. We would love to share what we have learned and continue the discussion.

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Why We Built A Wellness Room

Posted by Kurt Rakos on 11/17/21 9:08 AM

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Imagine you're interviewing a talented professional for a critical role within your company. Your salary offer is competitive. You offer an excellent benefits package. As you walk this candidate around your office space, you are able to show off the wellness room. What does this say about your company? 

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SkyWater Joins Ramsey County's Inclusive Workplaces Cohort

Posted by Kurt Rakos on 11/9/21 8:45 AM

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Earlier this year, SkyWater Search Partners was invited to join the Ramsey County Inclusive Workplaces Cohort. The group had its first monthly meeting in October 2021. We would love to share each month what we have learned through being a part of this Cohort.

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The SkyWater Team Tackles Highway Cleanup

Posted by Kurt Rakos on 6/3/21 9:12 AM

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Each year we carve some time out of our busy schedules to take care of a stretch of highway in our community that we have adopted through the MN Department of Transportation's Adopt a Highway program. If you've been looking for ways your company can make a contribution to a cleaner environment, this is a great program to look into. 

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A Focus On Community This Earth Day

Posted by Kurt Rakos on 4/22/21 9:00 AM

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Why “Don’t be a quitter” could be the worst advice your parents ever gave you

Posted by Kurt Rakos on 2/2/21 8:45 AM

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How to shake off the ridiculous myth that quitting = failure

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The Single Biggest Hiring Mistake I’ve Seen This Year

Posted by Kurt Rakos on 12/28/20 8:30 AM

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This is a tale of two companies. 

You could call it a cautionary tale. It’s about two companies that are Twin Cities clients of mine. (But the truth is, I’ve seen this story play out so many times this year that I think there’s a lesson here for all of us.) 

In February, both of these organizations had much in common: both were (and still are) respected brands, run by highly competent, caring leaders. Both were on the cusp of launching executive searches to fill critical leadership roles. 

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