SkyWater Blog

A trend is emerging among mid-market, publicly traded companies that we'd like to share: The perfect candidate profile for a Chief Financial Officer is shifting. I'll explain who we're being asked to find, why, and how this impacts you...

While the events of the past eighteen months have driven major disruptions to hiring and staffing processes throughout the business world, few leadership roles have been as impacted as that of the CFO. Today, as organizational leaders continue to sort through the lessons learned from this challenging and unprecedented time, there is growing recognition of the importance and influence of the CFO position.

6 Elements of a Perfect New Employee Announcement

If you’re hiring, here’s something you already know: you’re competing with other top employers for a handful of superior candidates. 

But if you’re not currently hiring, here’s something you may not have considered:  you’re still competing.  Every day.  And the competition is fierce.  All of your employees, from new hires to old-timers want to feel welcome, engaged, challenged, successful, and appreciated.  Every day.  If they don’t, greener pastures are just a recruiter’s email away.

What happens when your number one job candidate turns down your best offer?  Here’s what happens:  you’re suddenly breaking all speed records to reach back out to Finalists Two and Three (and maybe Four).  But if they were so great, they may no longer be available.  And if they’re no longer interested, you’re starting all over again, re-working your network for the same job. The repeat calls, emails, postings, conversations and negotiations cost you time, money and credibility.

Thanks to recent, remarkable successes in vaccination rollouts, a growing number of Chicago businesses are reopening their doors and ramping back up. This surge in activity is, of course, a reflection of optimism that the U.S. economy is in recovery mode. As organizations prepare for strategic growth, we are seeing a spike in demand for accounting and finance professionals.  

Try to schedule job interviews on a Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday, between the hours of 9:30 AM - 11:30 AM or 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM.

Our recommendations for choosing the best time to schedule an interview are both based on our own observations and on solid research. In fact we've written on this topic before in our article "Is There Really A Best Time To Schedule An Interview?".

Recruiting is a lot like dating and, like so many relationships, it’s complicated. In today’s super competitive labor market, every successful hire depends on your ability to find that right person, then woo them, get to know them, turn cartwheels to impress them, and simultaneously pluck up the courage to share the truth about your own shortcomings. And that’s before you try to make it official...

It goes without saying that 2020 was tremendously unique year. Through it all, we've done our best to broadcast the industry trends that we have been able to observe through our access to the job market in the industries we serve. Recently, we shared the single biggest hiring mistake we've seen in 2020, which speaks to a trend we saw of companies freezing their hiring of key leadership roles out of caution. 

In the eight years since SkyWater Search Partners first opened our doors, we have partnered with law firms and corporate legal departments to match highly talented attorneys with exceptional career opportunities throughout the Twin Cities and Upper Midwest. In response to growing client demand, we recently made a strategic decision to expand our legal practice and bring in a leader with the experience and insights to oversee that growth.

“Don’t quit your job until you’ve lined up a new one.”

How many times have you heard that little chestnut? (In full disclosure, it’s advice I routinely dispense, myself.) But like all good rules, this one has some important exceptions. When you’re trapped in a toxic job, the path to “something better” can be a steep, rocky, exhausting – and increasingly treacherous – climb.

If you’re stuck there now, you simply may not have the luxury, mental energy, or emotional wherewithal to launch a winning job search. More importantly, though is this little fact that’s too often overlooked in the heat of the moment: you might not be in the best head space to really know what your next job should be. Figuring th

at out requires time, introspection, and ideally, a little healthy distance.

3 Steps (and a Free Template You Can Use) to Save a Great Candidate

Have you ever been waist-deep in the hiring process with your dream hire, only to have them second guess the opportunity and decide to stay where they are?