In all the years of building the Mobile arm of The Staffing Exchange I have only been asked that question around a 1000 of times, but do you really know what it means to be Mobile?

We originally started with the word “Remote”, but who wants to be remote? What does that mean anyways…that I am operating deep on a island in the Caribbean? Or somewhere in the Rockies? We did not want this word to represent isolation, but more collaboration.

Mobile sounded interesting. At that time in my life there were certainly MOBILES (like the kind over a baby’s crib) on my mind as I awaited the birth of my twins. So, in this the Mobile CareerBroker was born and the twins lol. Yes, a great deal of the growth and building of this arm of the Staffing Exchange was done while looking after 4 kids under the age of 5, so in essence I was…oh no not that cliché…. “working from home”. You see this term “work from home” has its positive and negative reviews and we certainly did not want people to think being a CareerBroker was sitting in front of a computer in your pajama’s all day (albeit I would be lying if didn’t say SOME days are like that).

What I thought would be the most common misinterpretation of our new term only happened twice “Does that mean you do Mobile app development?” or “do you find people in the mobile phone industry?”

The big question…WTF is Mobile!?

Well, here it is….our definition of MOBILE is found by expanding the word. MOBILITY. That’s it. Mobility.

A Mobile CareerBroker is MOBILE…meaning they can build their business from anywhere. Anywhere there is an internet signal that is. Now, isn’t that the dream??? To be able to work from the edge of a dock, the top of a mountain or the parking lot of a client visitation. Well, it was always ours.

Going MOBILE means unchaining yourself from your desk, going to meet a candidate for a coffee, taking a client out on the links for the afternoon all while being CONNECTED to all your colleagues, candidates and job orders.

Does that mean Mobile CareerBrokers never go into an office? Hell no!

We have access to office space when we need it globally AND most importantly to our spectacular Corporate HUB on Bay St. in Toronto and our CareerBroker training HUB in Eastern Ontario conveniently located along the shores of the St. Lawrence River bordering Ontario, Quebec and New York State.

Even the best Mobile CareerBroker needs a place to get that “water cooler” effect or work and train in a real “BullPen” with some of the best in the business. So, if you want to unchain yourself from the desk, get out of the 9-5 and that awful commute…GO MOBILE!

So, what did you do with your summer?

Did you kick back and relax? Or did you vacation at your desk while others were enjoying the sun? Or did you manage to close deals and write up new business all while sipping Mojitos off the end of the dock? Whatever you made of your summer, hopefully, you are not chasing your tail and behind the eight ball on all the new business you need to finish off with what’s left of Q3 and end the year with better billings then last year. If you are the latter well then “lock & load”, smile and dial and hopefully there are some scraps left for you! Those that enjoyed the Mobile lifestyle in the recruitment industry are surely already ahead of the game and ready to fill all those orders that they picked up over the summer. The end of Q3 will be filled with bells ringing while those chained to a desk are still hitting the bricks.

As we all get back into our routines I am not going to do my usual singing from the mountain tops about being Mobile because it is not complete without one other very important element…..we will get to that in a minute. The picture you see above was taking from the top of “La Roche” trail in Parc Mont Tremblant in Quebec, Canada. For years now I have been progressively exposing my children to more challenging adventures in nature AND no cellular signal, essentially, “off the grid”. Well, all the “mobility” in the world will not do you a lick of good deep in the Laurentians. Being “off the grid” in our world can be scary especially if you have deals still on the table and it is very common for us as CareerBrokers to close deals on our vacations because of the mobility we enjoy. On this trip, I was fortunate enough to close one of the largest deals of my career WITHOUT wifi or a cell signal.

How you ask?

Back to that other very important element which facilitated this billing opportunity…..COLLABORATION! Mobility is enhanced by collaboration. I can be the best Mobile/Remote recruiter but by myself I am just a “Lone Ranger” and will never really reach my true billing potential. That adage of “Many hands make for light work” couldn’t be truer in the world of headhunting. Having a strong team to rely on not only helps with that elusive 3rd candidate on a tough search or in my case, closing a deal while you are off the grid because you have a strong reliable team to lean on.

This will be my 10th year as a professional Head-hunter and 2 things still boggle my mind in this industry. 1. No barrier of entry (another topic for another day) AND 2. Lack of collaboration. There tends to be too many egos in this industry to create a truly collaborative environment. However, our collaborative community at The Staffing Exchange miss second to none. Our CareerBrokers collaborate every day to maintain an edge in our industry with 90% of billings happening by way of….COLLABORATION. I am inviting you to stay tuned for a series of information sessions I will be hosting in the coming weeks for our Fall training session in October. If you want to work smarter and not harder, “Get Connected!” and take yourself up to the next level by becoming a Career Broker!

While the North American Manufacturing industry is a cornerstone of economic vitality, identifying and hiring apt executive talent continues to be a challenge for many companies. Having 20+ years of hands-on experience in Manufacturing recruitment, our CareerBrokers have compiled 6 proven strategies that can help you hire the executive talent you need.

1) Expand Your Network and Industry Connections
Networking with industry professionals and passive candidates plays an important role in recruiting executives. In fact, this LinkedIn survey indicates that 85% of all jobs are filled through networking. Our experienced team of CareerBrokers has experienced this too.

Our team has also witnessed that qualified executive-level candidates like VP of Operations, Plant Managers, Production Managers, and Maintenance Directors are found through networking.

2) Collaborate with Executive Search Firms
If you want to save time and hire a qualified candidate, partner with an executive search firm. Executive search firms like The Staffing Exchange Inc. have robust networks of passive candidates which is why they can introduce you to the most eligible candidates.

A report by the Association of Executive Search and Leadership Consultants (AESC) suggests that 60% of manufacturing companies use executive search firms to fulfil senior positions.

3) Develop Compelling and Visible Employer Brand
Having a compelling and visible employer brand is essential for grabbing attention of top-tier executive talent. Your employer brand builds trust amongst people. It also conveys your organizational culture to executive-level candidates.

A LinkedIn study shows 72% of job seekers pay attention to the employer’s brand even before even before applying to their job. In order to build your employer brand, highlight your company’s case studies, career progression stories of candidates, future plans and potential, employees’ testimonials, and industry awards.

4) Craft Irresistible Compensation Packages
Companies typically have salary ranges for almost all roles. However, it is imperative to craft irresistible compensation packages for senior roles. That also means you need to be flexible with compensation packages when you consider hiring for a senior role. To craft a competitive compensation package, it is important to have a comprehensive know-how of the market value of the role, market trends, and industry standards. Apart from this, consider doing a survey on perks, benefits, and bonuses. Using these steps, you can create a competitive compensation package for the right candidates.

5) Create Effective Succession Planning Strategy
Succession planning is imperative to attract qualified executive-level candidates. This strategy also helps candidates get “psychological safety” and can clearly see their growing career path. Besides hiring top talent, this strategy can help your company in many other ways, including mitigating leadership gaps, retaining top performers, and improving company’s performance.

6) Focus on Diversity and Inclusion
Diversity and inclusion are important aspects of a hiring process. Keep your shortlisted candidates updated with status on their application throughout the process. With 20+ years of experience in the industry, we can say that this culture helps companies hire best-fit candidates for senior roles without making any biased decisions.

Conclusion
Hiring executive talent in the manufacturing industry requires a multifaceted approach. These strategies, supported by industry data and best practices, provide a comprehensive framework for successfully navigating the complexities of executive recruitment in the manufacturing sector. If you’re looking to hire proven executives for your team, please reach out to us at info@staffingexchange.com