Building Design Executive Search Blog

Phil Rosenberg from reCareered, wrote an article / post on his blog this week, highlighting SimplyHiredand some of their new user-friendly tools.  I was surprised to hear that this site has advanced search capabilities for job candidates/seekers.  Some of the parameters you can use include: dog-friendly, Mom-Friendly, Age 50+ Friendly, Eco-Friendly, GLBT-Friendly companies. 

In today’s job market, these types of “fringe benefits” the companies are promoting will absolutely help their recruiting efforts.  There are quite a few potential employees out in the market who may need special consideration or tend to gravitate towards a firm who promotes a certain lifestyle. 

Do any Architecture, Engineering, or Landscape Architecture firms use a similar approach?  I would like to hear about any who do.

Please click here to view Phil’s post.

Where we used to have to think for ourselves, interact with others, read books, listen to teachers, or remember how to spell simple words, now we have Google. Virtually any answer to virtually any question can be found on Google. How many cubic feet in a football field? Type that line in Google and you’ll likely get an answer. Who won the Oscar for best actor in 1989? Let Google find out. What’s the number for that pizza place on Main Street that makes those tasty cheese sticks? Find it on Google. I makes life easy.

But is it making our brains mush?

Maybe. I’m not saying it is or isn’t. That’s a question up for debate. Granted it makes life easier. All the answers are right at our fingertips. But think of the brain as a muscle. Someone who regularly uses and exercises muscles will have a nice, strong, toned musculature. Someone who relies on something else to do all heavy lifting and carry all the weight will be sluggish and highly dependent.

Here’s an interesting article that provides review of a new book that analyzes the influence of Google on our everyday lives, and on our minds.

Washington, D.C. — Beginning January 2009, the U.S. Green Building Council will no longer certify buildings with its LEED rating system. That responsibility will pass to independent, accredited certifiers overseen by USGBC’s sister nonprofit corporation, the Green Building Certification Institute. GBCI will oversee Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification, called LEED, and will accredit certified bodies and assessors. The organization said the certification rules have not changed. For more information, visit the Web site: www.usgbc.org

This announcement was posted in Indiana Living Green.

Land8Lounge, a pioneering social network for landscape architects, is pleased to announce its official launch. The network is a first-of-a-kind in its industry, and it aims to bring together landscape architects from all around the globe. The site offers networking features, including Personal Portfolios (“My Folio”), Personal Blogs, Photo sharing, Video sharing, Discussion forum, Groups, Events, and a resource Library.

“We are extremely excited to bring such a dynamic networking tool to our industry, which fills the huge void in online presence for landscape architects.” says Andrew Spiering, Founder and Network Creator. Since its inception, Land8Lounge has rapidly become a popular site for professionals in landscape architecture. “Our goal is to provide a central gathering place for landscape architects from all over the world.” says Spiering. Land8Lounge visitors come from 70 countries and 985 cities around the world and since its introduction on March 12th, over 600 landscape architects have become full members of the site.

The multitude of site features provides members with endless resources to the landscape architecture industry. Personalized portfolios allow members to post their resumes and share their work. The members can also post questions and share industry tips in discussion forums, with other professionals.

The network is enjoying rapid growth and it is expected to be the main source of inspiration and support for landscape architects from the entire globe.

About land8lounge
The aim of land8lounge.com is to build up the profession of landscape architecture by strengthening the international community through sharing of ideas, individual work, and information relating to the profession. The website offers social networking features including Personal Portfolios (“My Folio”), Personal Blogs, Photo sharing, Video sharing, Discussion forum, Groups, Events, and a resource Library. The site provides a wide-range of features enabling members to share their work and express their ideas with ease and comfort, land8lounge is, “the lounge for landscape architects” and is open to all landscape architecture students, professors, authors, lecturers, researchers, photographers, artists, and professionals practicing the craft of landscape architecture.

Release found on Pr-Canada.net.

Tim Sanders recently posted on his blog about fixing a broken promise in regards to business and networking.  Great article to read if you want to learn how to overcome lost connections and organize stress and overloading yourself.  

“Manage your promise keeping ratio. To do that, you need to record your promises as well as their due date and then later review your track record. I challenge you to take ten minutes today to come up with a list of the promises you made last week at work, including promise dates. Next, take a look at how you are doing against that list. Miss a promise date last week? Immediately make a priority to keep it and send a note apologizing for missing the promise date. Have a promise date coming up today or tomorrow? Meet it on time or early. This is a habit. The more you do this, the more you’ll improve your promise keeping ratio. Get this ratio right and you’ll have credibility on your side.”

Please click here to view the post.

ASLA (American Society of Landscape Architect) is pleased to report that H.R. 3036, the No Child Left Inside Act has made great progress in Congress. On June 18, the House Committee on Education and Labor voted 37-8 to pass the legislation out of Committee, clearing the way for the bill to be debated on the floor of the House of Representatives. H.R. 3036 could be debated on the House floor shortly.

H.R. 3036, the No Child Left Inside Act, sponsored by Representative John Sarbanes (MD), would offer states incentives to develop Environmental Literacy Plans and integrate environmental education across their K-12 curriculums. It would also increase funding for teacher training to ensure that teachers have the skills and knowledge necessary to deliver high quality environmental education. Such curricula would use the local environment as an extension of the classroom. Passage of the No Child Left Inside Act would ensure that schools have the resources and training necessary to help the next generation understand and address the challenges of protecting the environment.

ASLA has actively advocated for passage of this legislation, working with fellow members of the No Child Left Inside Coalition. To date, numerous ASLA members have contacted their legislators urging support for this important legislation. If you have not done so, please take a moment to contact your legislator to urge their support of this bill that will take important steps to providing our young people with an environmental education.

With the price of gas skyrocketing, many companies are helping to ease the strain on their employees by providing additional compensation to cover gas costs. Believe me, as a recruiter, I’ve heard the gas card (pun intended) used again and again when hearing great candidates turn down offers. Working almost exclusively with engineers, who usually think in numbers, I know that the costs are on the minds of candidates. After all, what good is a salary increase if increased distance spurns increase in money lost at the pumps? Providing additional compensation for gas goes a long way toward employee retention, and the recruitment of new talent.

Here’s an interesting article on the topic, including how money and shorter work weeks help ease the burden on employees.

TRO Jung|Brannen, an international architecture and engineering firm headquartered in Boston, will create a master plan for Southcoast Health System’s three Massachusetts hospitals: Charlton Memorial Hospital in Fall River, St. Luke’s Hospital in New Bedford, and Tobey Hospital in Wareham. Healthcare consulting firm Stroudwater Associates will assist TRO with the project.

This announcement was posted in ARCHITECTONLINE.

Worcester Business Journal recently highlighted our press release, Northborough Firm Expands In Chicago.  Please click here to view the post.

I talk to a lot of engineers every day, from civil to mechanical to structural. When I ask these engineers about their long-term goals, many respond that they someday would like to go off and work for themselves as private consultants. Sometimes they even ask for advice on the best ways to make that transition. I came across an article recently that lists seven steps to transition into freelance life. Just how easy they may be is a matter of opinion, I suppose, but here they are:

1. Specialize in a Growing Niche
Examine your skills and background to identify the unique services and value you can offer. Then think of ways to apply them in an area that has high and growing demand - and not a lot of experts to do the work. For example, freelance writer Mary L. was having little luck finding travel and entertainment assignments, but after taking inventory of past projects, found several pieces she wrote for her former employer’s IT department. Today, she has a flourishing technical writing practice and more work than she can handle.  

2. Nurture Your Network
Stay top-of-mind by regularly keeping in touch with your network. Go where the people who can hire you are — attend the same conferences, join the same associations and read the same magazines and newsletters. Call your friends and colleagues and them what you are looking for and what you have to offer. Be sure to contact former bosses and co-workers, too. If you left the company on good terms, this can be an excellent way to get clients.  

3. Join a Service
There are many Web sites, like Sologig.com, that bridge the connection between independent contractors and employers. Unlike many freelance sites, Sologig.com is not a bidding platform. Job seekers are no longer required to register or log onto the site, and do not pay to post a profile or apply to projects. Instead, employers purchase project postings and access to the 1.1 million profiles and résumés in Sologig.com’s database.

4. Build Referrals
Referrals are one of the easiest and most effective ways to build your business. And, once you get rolling, they have a snowball effect. To encourage referrals, first be sure to take care of your existing customers in a way that will leave them absolutely thrilled with your services. When the kudos come in, ask for testimonials and referrals. One independent accountant even began his own “referral reward” program, where he sends a thank-you note along with a $25 gift certificate to those who send new clients to him.

5. Subcontracting
Subcontract your services out to other firms or independent professionals in your field. For example, a freelance graphic designer supplements her direct business by subcontracting with a large ad agency that uses her talent when it has more work than it can handle or can’t do the task as efficiently or economically. The designer works behind the scenes and is paid by the agency - often at a lower rate than if she got the project on her own. But she says it’s a win-win for both parties and has been a great way to build her portfolio!

6. More is Good
The more qualified prospects you reach, the more clients you will have. Even if you can only handle several assignments at a time, a larger client base gives you the option of choosing the most exciting and rewarding projects. And isn’t that why you became a free agent in the first place?

7. Establish Yourself as an Expert
Becoming known as an expert can be some of the best advertising you can get. Write articles in industry magazines, newsletters and trade journals and arrange to speak at professional or trade association conferences on topics related to your niche. Those who like your articles and speeches will contact you when they want more information, some may even become clients. Post your articles and speeches on your Web site, send “FYI” copies to your clients and associates, and include them in your marketing literature.

Read more on here.