Construction Management Recruiting is all we do.

OUR BLOG

• Calling all Construction Management Recruiters!

  Admittedly this blog post is aimed at recruiting YOU, my fellow construction management recruiter!

  Many people try their hand at recruiting. The majority of those people concede their recruiting careers in defeat and move on to easier roles in business development and talent acquisition. But for those of you who can power through and find success in our industry we believe you should be handsomely rewarded for your efforts. 

  Recruiting is equal parts personal performance and team sport. Can a two man shop in a garage do well recruiting, sure they can. Can they do better if they are on a 30 person team generating leads, flipping and splitting deals, and signing new accounts every day, of course. It’s why armies don’t go to war with two people on the front lines. They go with an army. If you want to go fast, go alone, if you want to go far, go together. The strength of your team will ultimately determine your success long term. A strong team protects you during slow months and tough economies.

  Does your company have a track record of success? We do.

  Does your company pay over 50% of revenue in the form of salary, commission, and benefits? We do.

  Does your company match 401k? We do.

  Does your company offer equity and profit sharing? We do. 

  Instead of making a bunch of bloated, out-of-touch executives (many of whom are strangers to you) rich at a massive company, while you get 5-10% commission, bring your talents to an innovative 6 year old company with an excellent growth trajectory and a scrappy start-up mentality. 

  Want to have fun every day in a killer office? Come work here.

  Want to work remotely 100%? Come work here.

  Want to be handsomely rewarded for your efforts? Come work here.

  Want to take one more job and never have to look for work ever again? Come work here.

  Want a job that provides unlimited PTO and puts family first? Come work here.

  Want a company concerned with substance and not empty “Best places to work” awards? Come work here.

  Want to do direct placement and not temp or temp-to-hire? Come work here.

  Want a national territory and to not be confined to recruiting your local or regional markets? Come work here.

  Want a leader who inspires you and recruits every single month just like you? Come work here.

  Want to work a half day every Friday? Come work here.

  Want to be off work from Christmas to New Years? Come work here.

  Want a place to call home where you can influence policy and processes? Come work here.

  Want a place where you can advance through the organization without politics or competing with hundreds of other internal applicants? Come work here.

  We are currently hiring proven producers with at least 300k in verifiable direct placement sales, excellent tenure, a winning attitude, and a focus on personal and team performance. We can and will make you a stronger offer than what you make today.

  If this sounds like you, please text me directly at 407-591-1970, Ken Brown, President & CEO.

  
  
  
  
   

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• A quick guide to checking references!

  References are one the most important and valuable things you'll do during the recruiting process. I'll explain why. The average reference call only takes a couple minutes, but during that time so much can be learned about the candidate. Avoiding a bad hire can save your client tens of thousands of dollars and your recruiting team hours, days, and weeks of valuable time. Small time investment, huge returns. Additionally, relationships can be built, referrals can be made, and new business can be generated. It's one of the most authentic phone calls you can make. It's not a sales call, however it is one of the easiest ways to generate new business in addition to avoiding a major pitfall in the form of a bad hire. Bad hires lose clients. Great hires solidify clients. 

   

  You should start every reference by obtaining the name, position of the individual with which you are speaking, as well as ascertain the business relationship between the individual you are speaking with and the candidate for which you are checking a reference. This not only allows you to follow up with additional questions, but it allows your client to reach out and verify the information as well as ask any follow-on questions they may have.

   

  Without further ado, here are some questions that you can ask when checking references.

   

  1. What was it like to work with this candidate?

  This is a nice softball question to start with as It gets the individual loosened up and it's a very open-ended question that can go in any direction. Don’t be afraid to dig in to any answer where it may seem the person is withholding information.

   

  2. What are this candidate’s greatest strengths?

  Again, this question is a great place to start because it is vague and positive. The individual may reference the person's soft skills or they may get into specifics. If the person goes with soft skills make sure to ask a follow-up question about how they handle their job responsibilities. If the person gets into responsibility specifics, make sure to ask a follow-up question regarding soft skills.

   

  3. What were this candidate’s biggest areas of opportunity while you worked together?

  Now that the person has been warmed up, you present a question about the person's shortcomings. This question is phrased in such a fashion where it encourages the person to specifically name the weaker areas of the candidate. This is one of the most critical questions on this list. A good recruiter will not skip this question, nor will they move through it very quickly. When the person does give you areas of opportunity, ask follow-on questions to dive deeper into the individual’s qualifications. Clients respect recruiters more when they deliver the whole truth and do not try to make their candidate seem like a perfect candidate. If you want to build genuine relationships with your clients make sure that you give them the whole story, every single time.

   

  4. What was one of this candidate’s biggest accomplishments while you worked together?

  I love this question because oftentimes in the latter stages of the recruiting process the client is on the fence about making an offer or increasing the salary to meet the candidate’s expectations. When you arrive at these junctures, being prepared with candidate accomplishments is enough ammunition to successfully place your candidate. The answer to this question alone is worth the time invested checking the reference.

   

  5. If you could hire this candidate again, would you? Why or why not?

  If someone is eligible for rehire they are undoubtedly a worthwhile prospect.  If they are not eligible to be rehired, dig into why not and see if they need additional training or are generally not well suited for the role.

   

  6. Why did this candidate leave your company?

  This question is a really good one because you can see if the candidate’s story lines up.

  Oftentimes candidates will be untruthful about being fired. If you discover that your candidate is lying to you I strongly recommend ending the recruiting process with them.  If they were fired, this question will allow you to dig into the reasons why they were terminated and uncover issues that may potentially be deal breakers for future employment.

   

  7. How did this candidate handle challenges?

  This question will tell you a lot about how the candidate handles difficult situations and works under pressure. Pressure in the new job will undoubtedly arise as time goes on, do a good job with this question to make sure the person you are placing in the role will be able to successfully navigate the upcoming challenges.

   

  8. Tell me something about this candidate that might not be listed on their resume.

  This is a great opportunity to find out about your candidate personally. Do they go out of their way to build relationships with team members? Are they extremely detail-oriented? Are they extremely coachable? Are they really into sports? Are they family-focused? Many of the things that you will learn by asking this question will allow your candidate to become more relatable to your client and oftentimes there will be things you'll discover that other people notice that your candidate may have unintentionally omitted from the interview that makes them a stronger candidate overall.

   

  I've only listed 8 questions that I like to ask for a quick reference, however I highly recommend adding other questions that pertain to the specifics of the position. No matter what you decide to do - do not skip the reference, it will be one of the most valuable investments of your time that you will ever make as a recruiter.

  
  
   

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• Three steps to navigating your next conflict.

  Conflict is inevitable. Use these 3 steps to navigate your way through your next conflict.

  Step 1.

  Say to yourself "It's okay to disagree."

  First off, let us not fear conflict, but welcome it. Conflict is when we grow, when we learn. I'm not saying to create it. I'm not saying to encourage it. But when it does arise, don't shy away. Do not avoid conflict. Avoidance will only leave issues unaddressed. Problems not faced will only grow in magnitude. See every conflict as an opportunity to build a relationship, learn from someone, and to grow professionally. 

  Step 2.

  Keep it professional and factual.

  Often times we know our co-workers personally. Avoid the urge to combine personal frustrations with business topics. Keep it facts and evidence based. Keep it on topic. Be a good listener. Use a calm tone. If possible, keep it short and sweet. Organize your main points. Step away for 24 hours if you are emotional or mad. Most importantly, determine in writing what you hope to achieve before engaging the other party. Be results focused and understand there is no winning, only a resolution that more than likely involves a compromise and both parties admitting some fault in some area. 

  Step 3.

  Clear the air.

  Often times our best laid plans fail. If the conflict does escalate, or leave either party upset, be quick to "clear the air". Be quick to offer a sincere apology. Grab lunch, get an early cup of coffee, or just take a long walk with the person. Maintaining solid personal relationships in business is far more important to your long term success than winning some short term battle. The odds are you will need that person's help at some point soon in your career. Better to have an ally than an adversary.

   

  Hope this has helped you in some way!

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• Your leaders will determine your culture.

  Culture is everything. I mean that. It's not lip service.

  Culture is not company picnics or laser tag. Although those things are pretty cool! 

  Culture, I believe, is the sum of all of your people, what they believe, and ultimately what they execute upon.

  Here at Hire10 our core values are innovation, purpose, excellence, attitude, and last but not least kindness. You can read more about our values at: https://www.hire10.com/our-mission#values. Beyond those core values we share a lot more than values as a team. Here at Hire10 we have shared beliefs, a singular mission, and a common purpose. 

  Personally, I believe that every person at Hire10 is valuable. I believe that they are a good person, who is honest, who works hard, deserves to be treated with respect, and deserves to have a team to execute with consistency and excellence. I believe we can all get better. I believe humility is key. I believe the moment you "make it" is the moment you starting "losing it". I believe that complacency, lack of grit, thin skin, not having a sense of urgency, and ultimately not caring about what you are doing will ruin your business and your career.

  I also believe that we have an obligation to each other and the company at large. If we win, we will all share in the success. We will share in the prestige, the accolades, the money, and the ownership. If we fail, we will all share in the shame, the humiliation, and the heartache that is involved with loss. Losing isn't fun and I'm not good at it. That being said, I do fail. Often. That's okay. That's when I learn. If you ever want to be a massive success you will need to have a mountain of failures first. Sorry, it's inevitable. But don't worry, failures make us better, stronger, and ultimately, if we learn from them, more successful. 

  A good team knows the mission. Our mission is simple: Deliver America's best construction talent. Period. That's where the brand comes from. Hire is what we do. 10 means the best. If you are ever unsure about a candidate, just ask yourself if he or she is a "10"? Do they meet the quality standards Hire10 has set forth? Do I consider them to be America's best construction talent? We deliver quality candidates above all else because we care about our clients and ultimately want to be successful at whatever we do. We bring our passion with us each and every day. We strive to get it right the first time.

  Our vision is a big one. We WILL obtain it. Our vision is simply: To centralize the largest AEC recruiting workforce in the United States by 2030! I've built and sold a company once. We can do it again. This time we sell the company to ourselves first, then our kids, and eventually our grandkids via an ESOP. We are building a legacy for our children as well as an inheritance. A good person leaves an inheritance to their grandkids. Your career is your ticket to retirement. Pensions are all but dead. Aside from your retirement account, your career choice (and the company you select, the team you select, and the people you select) will be the single biggest determining factor in whether or not you get to retire, and if you get to enjoy retirement or live on a meager fixed income.

  Now that we have defined our values, stated our mission, and laid out our vision, let's talk about individual success. I will tell you that being an individual success is not being the top producer. Usually the top producer has sacrificed a tremendous amount personally to get to the top position. True individual success has to be defined on an individual basis by each of us. I highly suggest creating a personal mission statement. It will help you to align your actions, activities, days, and nights to what you want to accomplish while you are still able to do so. We are all headed to the grave eventually, let's make our time here on earth count.

  Here is a great Indeed article on creating a personal mission statement. My advice: make it short and sweet. Make it memorable. Commit it to memory, live it everyday. It's the litmus test for everything you do. It's the lens through which you will evaluate your life. 

  As a CEO, and as a father, my personal mission statement is simply this: "To positively impact the life of every person I encounter through business success, charity, and sharing the gospel (good news) of Jesus Christ."

  Before I let you go, I have a few more items to share. These are things you will probably hear me say often. If I don't say them at the very least I will be thinking them.

  1. "Living your passion" is a cliché, a false narrative. Hobbies aren't work. You don't follow your passion. You bring your passion with you. Here is a very important video to watch on the topic by the world famous Mike Rowe. 

  2. The harder you work, the "luckier" you will get. Hard work solves a multitude of problems in both your personal and professional life. Forget the shortcuts. They are a waste of time. There is no elevator to success. You have to take the stairs.

  3. Bring three solutions to every problem. 

  4. Health is wealth. Take care of yourself. It's the only "you" that you will ever get.

  5. Live by design, not by default. 

  6. The biggest threat to your future success is your current success. Always maintain a positive attitude, always continue to strive. Always stay humble.

  7. Respect everyone. Even if you think they don't deserve it. 

  8. Never look down on someone unless you are helping them up.

  9. If you will be dishonest in the small things, you will be dishonest with the big things. If you can't be trusted to execute on small tasks, you will never be entrusted with the larger ones.

  10. Be careful what you feed your mind. What you watch, what you read, and who is in your social circle. Those thoughts and ideas become actions. To be a success your thoughts and actions must align with your goals. Your goals combined should be a roadmap that aligns you with your vision and ultimatley your life's purpose. If you don't have a vision, you need one...today.

  Hope this has helped you in some way. Thank you for taking the time read this post. Take care.

  Regards,

  Ken

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• Exciting times at Hire10!

  Written by: Ken Brown, Founder/President/CEO

  This won't be a long post, I swear. After selling my technology recruiting business back in 2016 I ventured out to do something new. Something bigger, more polished, a more professional organization, with better processes, better health benefits, better people, and a more serious outlook on the recruiting business. Well folks, we’ve done it. I mean…we’re not exactly what we want to be (we probably never will be) but we’re well off to the races, that’s for sure. We’re doing everything I mentioned, and then some. Over a 100 clients in the United States, with client revenues well exceeding $20B, and the best team I have ever had the pleasure of working with! I can honestly say I absolutely love where we are as a company and what we are doing. Our future is bright and there is an unmistakable electricity in the air each morning when we come into work.

  The work we do matters to us because it matters to our clients and we take it seriously. That is not just a talking point. We mean it! We pour over our candidates and their qualifications. We strive to really bring value and when a candidate is subpar, we do the hard work of eliminating them from processes. Trust me, eliminating a mediocre candidate is the hardest thing you will ever do as a recruiter. It requires mental and emotional discipline.

  Anyways, I want to talk about the picture above for a moment. Besides the fact I need to drop 10 pounds, this picture makes me extremely proud of what we’ve accomplished. We have grown this organization over the past 5 years to the point where we can build out a multi-million dollar corporate headquarters here in Altamonte Springs, FL that is “made to order”. Everything from the carpet tiles, to the full swing indoor golf simulator, to the Embody chairs is designed specifically with our business in mind. It hasn’t been easy. Most days aren’t. Most days are more of a struggle than they are a success. However that does make the victories that much sweeter! Everyone is running a million miles an hour, deals fall apart, and sometimes clients are downright tough to work with! Startups aren’t perfect or easy. Business in general never is. But all in all, I wouldn’t trade this journey with this incredible group of people for anything. It’s an honor to serve them as their leader and I wouldn’t give up a single day for a coushy corporate gig. I guess I like the excitement at work. It makes you feel alive. We’re headed for greatness. We’re going to be the household name in Construction Management recruiting. We’re going to be the preferred recruiting partner for the best developers and general contractors on earth. I'm sure of it. 

  I am going to update this thread often as I want to remember these times and how exciting they were as a company. Thanks for reading and sharing.

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