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

New Year’s Resolutions for Job Hunters

Posted by Kurt Rakos on 12/23/19 1:30 PM

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5 Steps You can Take Now to Land a New Job in 2020

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8 Ways to Inspire Your Employees During The Holidays

Posted by Kurt Rakos on 11/18/19 11:45 AM

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The holiday season is traditionally the time when productivity takes a nosedive as your employees are distracted by endless occasions to party. For Minnesota employers, keeping them motivated through this period can be a challenge, but here’s what might just work:

Offer flexible working

Staff who are traveling over the holiday season will welcome the opportunity to work remotely. Flexible working allows for easier childcare arrangements and the opportunity to attend various social professional and family events while staying up to date on projects. If this feels like a step too far, monitor productivity and connectivity by requiring employees to log in to your server during working hours.

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Forget the Corporate Ladder - Welcome to the Climbing Wall

Posted by Kurt Rakos on 11/4/19 4:23 PM

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If there is one career cliché that is overdue for retirement it is that of the corporate ladder. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a powerful image. I like the idea of always reaching higher in my work. If we aim high, stay focused and keep climbing, we rise, right? But ladders are also narrow, unstable and unforgivingly linear. Try to step sideways on the ladder and you’re going down – with a crash.

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Walk a Mile for a Smile 2019

Posted by Kurt Rakos on 5/31/19 9:50 AM

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Photo: 2019 Renaissance Walker Winners

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So You Want To Be A Sales Engineer When You Grow Up?

Posted by Kurt Rakos on 4/25/19 12:16 PM

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At SkyWater Search, we specialize in a number of disciplines and are often asked for advice on how to secure a job in a specific sector. Here, we explain what it takes to succeed in the role of sales engineer.

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The Earth Day Workplace Challenge!

Posted by Kurt Rakos on 4/22/19 10:28 AM

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7 Easy, High Impact Ways You Can Change the World, Starting Today 

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7 Rules For Your Post Interview Thank You Letter

Posted by Kurt Rakos on 3/19/19 3:03 PM

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As a candidate, it’s essential to pull out all of the stops to enhance your chances in a job interview, especially where a vacancy is hotly contested.

Sending a post-interview thank you note is your final opportunity to remind the employer why you are the ideal candidate for the role by demonstrating where your skills and background are an ideal fit for their vacancy. If you’re guilty of sending a standard ‘thank you’ note – or not sending one at all – try the following after your next interview:

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The Real Reason You Didn’t Get that Job

Posted by Kurt Rakos on 11/1/18 2:04 AM

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6 Little Ways Your Attitude is Undermining Your Job Interviews

You’re the perfect candidate for this job.

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What Kind of Boss Are You?

Posted by Kurt Rakos on 9/11/18 3:56 AM

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6 Questions to Identify Your Leadership Style

When you’re hiring, you invest all kinds of energy in determining exactly what kind of candidate will make the best hire. How much experience is required?  How important is education? But let’s be honest, those are the easy questions. Defining the skill set and work style of the perfect hire can be very challenging.

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(Work)Space: The Final Frontier of Hiring

Posted by Kurt Rakos on 4/10/18 1:53 PM

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Does your Office Design attract top candidates (or repel them)?

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