Why Recruiting Looks Easy

http://www.recruiter.com/i/why-recruiting-looks-easy/

Motivating Employees - Tips for Employers

http://www.ere.net/2012/11/12/motivating-employees-to-make-referrals-determining-the-most-effective-rewards/

 

Take time to remember those who for fought for your freedom. Happy Veteran's Day 2012

Consider Video Interviewing...

http://msn.careerbuilder.com/Article/MSN-3163-Interviewing-How-to-conduct-a-video-interview/?catid=iv&sc_extcmp=JS_3163_advice&SiteId=cbmsn43163
 In a day and age where technology drives everything, Hiring Managers are now cutting down on costs of interviewing by utilizing programs such as Skype to conduct interviews.
Read more at the provided link.

How to Prevent 50% of all Hiring Mistakes

http://www.linkedin.com/today/post/article/20121015020041-15454-how-to-prevent-50-of-all-hiring-mistakes 

Ten Ways to Improve Your Inteerpersonal Skills

Are You Well Liked in the Office?

Interpersonal skills are invaluable at work. How your coworkers see you can have a big impact on your career long term, as well as on your day-to-day life.

You may be the most brilliant person at your company, but if you can't get along with your colleagues, you won't get far. Fortunately, there are several things you can do to strengthen your social skills and become a team player. These 10 actions will not only help you make better connections at work, they'll improve how others perceive you.

-- Carrie Brenner

Tip #1: Put on a happy face

People who are the life of the party usually have one thing in common: They're happy. If you smile often and have an upbeat attitude, your coworkers will be drawn to you. And when youre having a bad day, don't try to pull others down with you. You may find that people pass you by in favor of those with a more cheerful outlook.

Tip #2: Show that you care

When it comes to praise, don't hold back the applause. If a coworker has done something you appreciate -- no matter how small -- thank them for it. Identify at least one attribute you value in each of your coworkers, and let them know about it. Give colleagues a warm welcome whenever they call you or visit your office. By showing others how much you care about them, you'll encourage them to do the same in return and give you their best work.

Tip #3: Be considerate of colleagues

Take note of what's happening with your coworkers. Recognize the happy events in their lives -- from a birthday to a kid's kindergarten graduation -- and be sure to show your genuine compassion when they face any personal tragedy. Look people in the eye when you speak to them, and refer to them using their first names. Show colleagues you value their input by asking their opinions.

Tip #4: Be an active listener

Unfortunately, active listening is becoming a lost art. Being an active listener shows that you intend to both hear and recognize another's perspective. Using your own words, repeat what the speaker has said. By doing this, you'll know that you've processed their words, and they'll realize that your answers have been genuinely thought out. Colleagues will feel more connected to you knowing that you're an active listener, and you'll develop a better understanding of them.

Tip #5: Promote togetherness

Help coworkers thrive by creating a friendly, cooperative environment. Treat everyone the same, not like they're part of a hierarchy, and don't act like one person's opinion is more important than another's. Don't gossip about your colleagues. Always consider your coworkers' suggestions. After addressing a crowd, make sure you've been understood. If you follow these rules, your coworkers will come to identify you as a team player and someone who can be trusted.

Tip #6: Settle disputes.

You know how to bring people together, and now it's time to become the person they can turn to when disputes arise. When colleagues disagree, it can bring the mood of the whole office down, but you can improve the situation by taking on the role of moderator. Arrange to have a discussion with both of the aggrieved parties, and try to help them resolve their conflict. Not only will your office be a happier place, but you'll come to be known as a leader.

Tip #7: Be a great communicator

In addition to being an active listener, you need to have otherwise great communication skills. When in a discussion with colleagues, don't blurt out the first thing that comes to mind. Instead, think carefully about the words you use. With clear communication, you'll be able to avoid any potential misunderstandings with colleagues.

A good speaker comes to be known as intelligent and mature, no matter their age. If you have a tendency to give voice to any half-baked thought that crosses your mind, people won't put great value in your opinions.

Tip #8: Make them laugh

Funny people are popular for a reason, so if you've got a great funny bone, use it. As long as you avoid inappropriate jokes and don't laugh off serious situations, you'll find your colleagues will be drawn to you. Humor can even be a great way to break down barriers with that super shy coworker or moody boss.

Tip #9: Put yourself in their shoes

An empathetic person can understand how another person feels, and empathy is an important trait when working with others. Always consider circumstances from another person's viewpoint. What may seem like the obvious, correct answer to you could have entirely different implications when seen from another perspective. Above all, keep tabs on your own feelings; people who are unable to tap into their own emotions often have difficulty empathizing with others.

Tip #10: Don't be a whiner

Almost every office has a chronic complainer, and you'll notice they tend to be the least popular person in the office. If you constantly whine about this and that, your negativity will push others away from you. If there's something you really need to get off your chest, write about it in your journal or briefly chat about it with your friends and family. Otherwise, you'll risk being known as the office brat.

 

Source: http://www.allbusiness.com/improve-interpersonal-skills/15606969-1.html#axzz25WHPXMcS

Check Out These 7 Career Mistakes

http://msn.careerbuilder.com/Article/MSN-3065-Workplace-Issues-Stop-making-these-career-mistakes/?SiteId=cbmsnhp43065&sc_extcmp=JS_3065_home1

New Team Member to ERC ~ Welcome Devon

We would like to welcome and introduce our newest team member here at ERC. Devon Alexander. Devon comes to ERC after a 9 1/2 years of proven sales at KELO. Devon will be specializing in the Ag and Manufacturing sectors and can be reached at devon@ercjobs.com or 605.428.6149.

As A Client What Are Your Fee Options

Read below to see what might be the best choice for you, as our client, and what each option offers.

How many times have you had a recruiter call you and want to market a potential candidate or generally market their services.  When the conversation turns to fees a lot of the time the response you get is dependent upon the type of search or agreement that is proposed.  How many times have you been faced with a choice of what sort of an agreement you could have available but then no one took the time to explain the benefits and advantages of anything but a contingency based search. Many times you pick the contingency based search because there is no upfront cost to you but then again is cheaper always better.

I would like to take this opportunity to offer information about the differences, advantages and disadvantages to agreements that might be offered.

Let’s start with contingency searches. In most cases the contingency search offers an opportunity to the client to see candidates with no upfront costs.  In many cases this search is used when there is limited urgency and there may be a larger pool of qualified or nearly qualified candidates.  The only cost incurred to the client is if and only if a client presented by the recruiter or recruit firm is hired. The disadvantage is that with this kind of search the recruiter or search firm cannot afford to dedicate a set amount of time to the search.  There may also be limited calls made to prospective clients outside the pool the recruiter has been working with.  In many cases the client will and can end up with a very good candidate but in most cases will not be the best the industry has to offer.

I am sure you have all had a recruiter pitch a retained search and probably presented it in such a way that both sides have some skin in the game.  This goes beyond a simple commitment between client and recruiter.  In most cases a retained search will involve up t a third of the projected placement fee to be paid up front.  This will provide the client with an urgent, committed, and dedicated search that has a larger market coverage.  When a placement is made then the balance of the fee will be due. In contingency searches a recruiter may limit the number of calls being made to prospective candidates or limited to a pool of candidates that are readily available. With a retained search the number of calls will increase immensely and the recruiter will research and call every candidate they can find until that market coverage is broad and in most cases all potential candidates have been contacted.  In many cases if the search is unsuccessful the fees can be moved forward to another search that may need to be done.

Another option may be the financially committed search. Normally there are payments upfront with milestone payments throughout the process. This opens the door for the client to request documented work that has been done so they can be confident in the recruiters work and efforts.  The client can also attach payments to the milestones they select and the recruiter agrees to. Also because of the shared risk associated with this option the client may be able to leverage better fees and contractual terms. This is also available for annual commitments where a company may be in a growth mode and anticipate needing a number of candidates.  The agreement can be crafted to cover potential hires and needs as they arise throughout the year.  It may also create a financial advantage for the company and may see more candidates hire at a lower percentage of the normal contingency type fee.

The final option may be a consulting agreement. I think recruiters do not present this option nearly enough nor do clients take advantage of this option as much as they could or should.  With this agreement there are many advantages to the client.  It will allow ongoing recruiting being done on a number of positions, it keeps the recruiter in the market place constantly in order to gather data and information that can be shared with the client, it allows the client to keep their thumb on their industry’s pulse and retrieve some information that otherwise might not be discovered, and it allows market feedback and reports of what is being found and heard within the industry on a regular basis.

In the meantime I think that it is would be imperative for a company to sit down with a recruit firm they are doing business with and look at all options that are available.  What could be gained is a stronger more client focused relationship that provides better returns for the client and a better outcome for the search firm or recruiter.

  Steve Green

Account Executive at ERC

You can contact Steve at (605) 369-2105 or email steve@ercjobs.com

Craig Libis quoted in The Street's Leadership Series

Can You Lead in a Hoodie?  Mark Zuckerberg Thinks So
http://www.thestreet.com/story/11536915/1/can-you-lead-in-a-hoodie-mark-zuckerberg-thinks-so.html

Rob Tiff - Congrats on one year at ERC!

Congratulations to Rob Tiff on celebrating his one year anniversary here at ERC! Rob specializes in the Ag Equipment industry. Working with sales managers, sales positions, parts managers, service techs, and diesel mechanics in the upper midwest. You can email Rob at rob@ercjobs.com.

Seed Corn Shortage? How About In South Dakota?

See what the experts around South Dakota think. Read Below:

By now you have probably heard about possible seed corn shortages across the Midwest so we decided to take a closer look at the situation in South Dakota. Here’s what some seed representatives around the state are saying.

-Reed Mayberry, Pioneer
“As an industry we are challenged with supply across the maturity zones. The storms we had last growing season wreaked havoc on our seed corn production fields.”
“We first recommend that farmers get possession of their seed. Then make sure you have the right product on the right acre. Have a plan for which fields you want to plant first and adjust accordingly.”

-Joe Schefers, Monsanto
“As conditions vary from one area to another, we recommend that you stay in close contact with your seed dealer to identify the best products for maximum production.”

- Mike Drey, Hefty Seeds
“Don’t be planting too early and expect to have decent, quality seed for replant.”
“There are certain numbers that just aren’t going to be there, especially newer varieties.”

The Street asks ERC's Craig Libis what leadership lessons can be learned from Tim Tebow!

http://www.thestreet.com/story/11468608/1/3-leadership-lessons-from-tim-tebow.html

If You Are Wondering How To Handle Those Tough Interview Questions - Check Out This Article

Ten Interview Questions Designed To Trick You
http://www.forbes.com/sites/jennagoudreau/2012/02/23/watch-out-ten-interview-questions-designed-to-trick-you/

Chris Libis Makes ERC Partner !

 

 Executive Recruiting Consultants, Inc. Adds Partner!      

Dell Rapids, SD – February 23rd, 2012 – ERC, Inc. & ERC Ag. announces the addition of Christopher J. Libis as a partner to lead its Agricultural Division in the State of Iowa & Wisconsin.

“Chris brings with him a wealth of sales and search experience and an unparalleled track record of professional success which will do everything to enhance our effectiveness in serving our client’s needs, as well as, strengthen ERC Ag’s position within the agricultural community,” said Craig Libis, Chief Executive Officer of ERC, Inc.
 Chris has been a team member at ERC, Inc. since March of 2009.  

Founded in 2002, ERC, Inc. is an executive search and recruitment firm that has grown by 30% each year for the past 5 years.  With the simple mission of making our client companies stronger and better.   For more information, please visit http://www.ercjobs.com/.

ERC's Craig Libis quoted in The Street on leadership!

Best Business Lessons from George Washington

http://www.thestreet.com/story/11423826/1/best-business-lessons-from-george-washington.html