Keolahiwahiwa Pham

𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙚𝙢𝙖𝙞𝙡 𝙝𝙞𝙩 𝙢𝙮 𝙞𝙣𝙗𝙤𝙭 𝙡𝙖𝙩𝙚 𝙡𝙖𝙨𝙩 𝙣𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩. The subject line read: “Please help me find a job.” The message inside stopped me cold. “All I want for Christmas is a job. A chance to rebuild my life. An opportunity to stop feeling like I’m failing. A break from this never-ending silence.” I’m a recruiter at Engage Partners. Every day, I connect talented people with meaningful opportunities. But reading this email? It broke my heart. This is the reality of today’s job market. For every position I fill, there are dozens sometimes hundreds of people just like this person, waiting for someone to say, “You’re the one we’ve been looking for.” To every job seeker out there: Keep going your persistence matters more than you know. Take breaks when it feels overwhelming this process is a marathon, not a sprint. Reach out to your network you’re not in this alone. And to the rest of us: If we’re in a position to help, we must. Share a résumé. Make an introduction. Advocate for someone. Sometimes, all it takes is one person to believe in you. This email was my reminder: We can all be that person. P.S. What’s one act of kindness that changed your life during a tough time? #opentowork #hiring

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When we talk to candidates who want to relocate, it is the ones who have their ducks in a row who stand out… 🗺 Do they have a SPECIFIC place in mind? So many times, I speak to people who 'just want to get out of California' with no particular goal destination. 🏠 Have they looked at the cost of living – especially the housing and rent costs? Usually, people have an idea of this one, but the average cost of a “house in North Carolina” vs. “a house in Winston-Salem” vs. a “house in Burlington” vs. a “house in Cary” can easily be hundreds of thousands of dollars. 🏙 Do they know (or are they seeking to know) how their experience in a different market will translate to experience in a new market? If they build high rises in NYC, the opportunities and the pay to do something similar in Wilmington will be very different. 🧡 Do they have a compelling reason for making a move? E.g. Do they have family in the area? Are they moving for love? Have they spent a great deal of time in the area? Have they done extensive research and can tell me all the reasons the move makes sense for them personally and professionally? ⏰ Do they have a timeline mapped out? A big yellow flag is: “I can start whenever.” Moving is time intensive: they need to consider selling a house or breaking a lease, the spouse’s job, the kids’ daycare/school, packing and unpacking, providing their current employer a two-week notice, getting the dog across the states, etc. 💲Have they considered what realistic salary expectations are in the new market? This is a delicate conversation when someone is moving from NYC to Greensboro, but c’mon, if you are moving from NYC to a town of less than <500K people, if you haven’t begun to consider how your salary might change, this is a very big flag. 🛫 Do they have a preliminary trip planned where they will spend time exploring different communities where they can settle, put in for daycares, and possibly take in-person interviews? When I have early conversations with candidates just dipping their toe into the water, I have few expectations. And, that is fine. Asking these questions is part of my job. However, if when I speak with someone, they DO have this all thought out: I know they’re serious. My advice: talk to a recruiter as soon as you are considering making a move. You don’t need to have everything figured out. Probably, the recruiter can help you (yes, I’ve shared compensation expectations, recommended towns and neighborhoods, passed on realtors’ names, and sent lists of all the best of restaurants). If you DO happen to be ten steps ahead on all these things, I guarantee you will impress me.

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You're LinkedIn'ing Wrong! Are you blocking people when you should just be "UnLinked'ing" with them? Occassionally I get referred to someone that "needs my help." But, I can't find them on LinkedIn. I know what you're thinking, Tim, haven't you been recruiting long enough to know how to use this thing yet? Yes. Yes I have. The reason I can't find them is because they blocked me. They likely thought my periodic messages were too much, too annoying, or they had a guilty conscience because they were strongly considering a job change, and didn't want their company to sniff that out via a recruiter messaging them on LinkedIn. So, I have to circle back to the person who referred me with a message something like this. Hey, I'd love to help. But right now I can't, at least not via LinkedIn because they've blocked me. So that ball is in their court. If they want to re-open communication, I'm more than willing to see what I can do. And they almost never do. Why? Because it's awkward. Embarrassing. They have to admit they "need" help from someone who they intentionally avoided. And so, they may very well miss out on a great job opportunity. I'm not saying don't block people on here. There are many valid reasons why. Inappropriate messages come to mind. But to block a recruiter because they were... recruiting? Just a thought... but you can "UnLinkedIn" with someone, without blocking them. And you at least have the chance to awkwardly reconnect. That happens to me a decent amount. And I just play it off like I never knew we were connected in the first place. Because adding awkwardness to the awkward seems... awkward. #RaiseTheRoose

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This company had no intention to hire But still asked this Finance Director for references. (This is a HUGE waste of precious resources) Just watched a company destroy their reputation in one move. They asked a Finance Director for references. She gave them gold: > Senior CFOs > Industry leaders > Top executives People you don't casually ask for favors. Then? Radio silence. Rescheduled calls. Finally, a generic rejection. "We're moving in a different direction" Really? Here's what some companies do: They check references for multiple candidates, Playing them against each other, Using your network as their safety net But here's what they forget: Those references? They're not just names on a list. They're relationships. Built over the years. Nurtured with trust. And if you never intended to make an offer You’ve just used up their valuable resources. To hiring managers: Don't ask for references unless you're ready to hire. Period. To candidates: It's perfectly okay to ask: "Is this offer contingent on references?" Because references aren't free. In some cases they cost relationships.

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"At Will" employment.....you can quit anytime, for any reason, and you may be fired anytime, for any reason or no reason as long as the firing is legal. Does this staple of American labor law serve employers and employees equitably? Of course not! Simply, an employee is typically deriving 100% of their income from an employer where as the employer is only receiving a portion of their profit from said employee. This means that if the parties part ways, the employer can most likely still pay their bills on a cash flow basis but for the employee....not so much. Given the system of checks & balances inherent to the employment relationship, does this inequitable relationship actually provide value to the employer? I don't think so. I think it is fear/risk driven and actually more costly to the employer (turnover, productivity, retaliation, etc.). You can CYA as an employer when it comes to illegal, negligent, and other harmful employee activities so why continue to engage under "At Will" terms?

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𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭'𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐤𝐞𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝙛𝙖𝙨𝙩? 🔑 I saw a job announcement update recently for a candidate that I had placed with a company 6 years ago with a company back in good ol BG. He was promoted twice within the company that I placed him and most recently was hired at a corporate level with his current employer. Stories like this make my heart full. I love seeing the people that I've engaged with in the past grow. 🌱 If you're looking for talent fast- you're not the only one. In the last year, I've talked to many CEOs, Presidents of small businesses, recruiters and everyone in between. They all struggle with the same problem of hiring talent- quickly. I'll let you in a little recruiting secret- 𝐤𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐚 𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐀𝐓𝐒. ✅ A great under utilized resource for hiring managers is their existing Applicant Tracking System (ATS) or CRM. Maintaining a digital pipeline of candidates that may not have previously been a good fit for the role does not necessarily mean that they wouldn't be an ideal fit for a similar role in the future. 💚 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐝𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐀𝐓𝐒 𝐭𝐨 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐧𝐞𝐱𝐭 𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐞? #motivationmonday #careers #recruiting #manufacturing

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Stop blaming turnover on "lazy workers.” Blame it on your broken Point System.   A great worker gets three points in 90 days— five minutes late twice, absent once and you're firing them on the spot.   And I guarantee you, we've all done the exact same thing. But since you and I are salaried, we get away with it because the point system doesn't apply to us. And Why do we keep doing this? Because I need production workers on the floor. So I enforce these ridiculously strict rules to keep them there. Guess what? IT’s NOT WORKING. You’re either firing them in droves, or they're quitting like crazy, and everyone in HR and recruiting knows it. Am I saying that every worker who comes in the door is a rockstar? No. But when you're hiring 100 people and then firing 80 of them in three weeks, something's got to change.   Now, if we didn't have that damn point system, our turnover wouldn't be anywhere near what it is. "But Todd we'd have chaos because nobody would show up?" -First off, that's simply not true. People need to earn money and you can't do that if you don't clock hours. -Second, workers are already taking the time off whether you like it or not. So how are you going to manage it?   I was talking to a client the other day who is ditching the point system for something WAY better—bankable hours.   That’s right.   If you need an afternoon off or you’re running late because life happened, you use your bankable hours. No points. No nonsense. And you only get so many hours to use, so there's guardrails for the workers that really shouldn't be kept around.   This is brilliant.   It’s a move from pointing fingers and punishment to acknowledging that life happens. Give workers bankable hours to use for when life happens, without fear of racking up points or getting yelled at by a supervisor. I love it because you’re acknowledging a system that just isn’t working and you’re brave enough to try something new. So, what’s your take? Ready to drop that old point system?

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Job Stability vs. Increased Salary I did a post last week about how I understand companies not wanting "job-hoppers." And the main response I got back was that most people hop jobs to get a pay increase. Which I agree with. And... companies do too. That's why they don't want those people. Because they believe they'll "hop" on them the first time a higher salary comes along. And, I already know the follow-up argument. Because I've heard it a lot before. Companies aren't keeping up with cost-of-living/inflation in their annual increases. And I'd agree with you there. And they probably never have completely. It's just not often been as apparent, and so as painful as it is right now. But, isn't that probably a bigger issue with the cost of living/inflation than it is with the annual increases? Just saying, I know we all love a villain. I'm not sure "the man" you're working for is the most to blame. And now I'll stop talking before I completely open the can of worms... #RaiseTheRoose

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“Hiring the best candidate” and “hiring the best candidate willing to put up with your interview process” are two different things.

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Anatomy of a $200K, 1-employee, 15 hr/wk Accounting Firm 📅 Day 8: Time Tracking I track my time by the minute. I’ve done it for as long as I can remember. Go ahead, judge me. 🤷‍♂️ There are so many people and experts who say not to do this, but I do it anyway. I never use it to bill a client, it’s just for my own knowledge. The practice has brought me so much insight on where I’m wasting my time or need efficiency in a process, it’s brought me an insane amount of value over the years. I’ve used the data to make changes like refining my monthly client work, making changes to my podcast cadence, and leaving (good) communities that were no longer serving me. ⏰For example, I know I’ve spent 4 of my precious hours to-date writing this series, but it’s time well spent, in my opinion. 👇 What’s the old adage? “What gets measured gets managed” My time is more valuable than my profit. So if I’m going to take the time to do my bookkeeping, it makes sense to track my time too. I get it. Tracking time is not for everyone, but I think this is what has kept me true to my 15-hour weeks. (No fancy time tracking app hashtag #excelforlife) If you have questions, just pop them in the comments. 👈What you missed yesterday: Marketing Anatomy 👉Tomorrow: Growth ("tomorrow" means Monday #boundaries)

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Do You Feel Stuck in Your Career? Have you ever felt like you’re just going through the motions at work? Maybe you’ve been doing the same job for years and you’re starting to feel unfulfilled. Or perhaps you got promoted but now you’re struggling with the increased responsibilities. Feeling stuck in your career is very common, even for executives. But it doesn’t have to stay that way. The unique thing about being an executive is that your career development is primarily self-driven. Unlike individual contributors who rely on managers for career guidance, as an executive you have to take charge of your own growth. This requires self-reflection to understand what motivates you and what's missing in your current role. Maybe you need a new challenge or you want more work-life balance. Perhaps you need a leadership coach to help you improve certain skills. Or it could be time to move companies or switch industries entirely. Let me tell you a story about my client John, a successful VP at a Fortune 500 company. After 10+ years in the same job, he felt completely unengaged. We worked together to help John clarify his passions, which were around creativity and entrepreneurship. He ended up taking a leap to join a small startup where he could utilize more of his skills. The key takeaway is that feeling stuck is a signal it's time to take control of your career. As an executive, you have the agency to make bold moves. But first, you need to get clear on your motivations and true drivers. From there, you can craft a plan to propel your career forward again. Don't settle for feeling unfulfilled at work. Take back your career and unlock your full potential today.

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Anxiety is crippling. I struggle like so many to make sure my family is taken care of. This week hit hard. I had a few friends get laid off. Talented people. Family men. Just makes it easy to get lost in the thoughts of disparity. Here are 5 ways I try to combat my anxiety. 🚶🏻Walk like a MF’er… I try to get some Vitamin D in daily and ingest fresh air. 🥦 Eat clean when I can. If God didn’t make it, I try not to eat it. 🧑👨🏾👩🏽 Surround myself with community. WFH is lonely as hell. I try to get out of the house. 🔍 Find perspective. I ask myself what’s the worst thing that can happen from an outcome. ✅ Find routine. Structure at least tells me I am being consistent and do the best I can. Be there for each other today. Our employers don’t always have our backs. We have to look out for each other. Love you all 💙

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Here’s the truth about recruiting top accounting and finance talent for Bay Area tech companies: (Hint: It's easy and you could do it alone.) Post a job, review resumes, hire. Simple, right? In theory, but you’ll likely miss out on one or more of these to avoid a recruiting fee. 𝟭. 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀   The best talent isn’t actively job-hunting. Specialized recruiters have the network to find them. 𝟮. 𝗔𝘃𝗼𝗶𝗱 𝘂𝗻𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗻𝘁𝘀  Without a recruiter, you’ll waste time going through hundreds of irrelevant resumes and automated applications. 𝟯. 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗲𝘀  Finance roles in tech, like SaaS revenue recognition, require specific skills. A recruiter knows exactly what to look for. 𝟰. 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀   Specialized recruiters know the local market and help you offer the right salary and benefits to attract top talent. No Gar 𝟱. 𝗙𝗲𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗯𝗮𝗱 𝗵𝗶𝗿𝗲𝘀  Bad hires cost everybody money. Niche recruiters screen candidates thoroughly, ensuring they’re a good fit for the role and your culture. 𝟲. 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗿 𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗲𝘀   If you’re filling a sensitive role, recruiters can keep the process confidential while finding the right candidate. 𝟳. 𝗙𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗵𝗶𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀   In the Bay Area, speed is key. Recruiters help you hire quickly, so you don’t lose top talent or overburden your current team with extra work. Doing it yourself might seem cheaper upfront, but you’ll likely lose time, top talent, and efficiency. Plus, you may end up needing help in the long run. Good luck! (Repost if this is useful ♻️) P.S. Which one of these (1-7) do you think is most important? Mpowered Staffing LLC

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My son Davis just turned 3 years old, and his favorite word right now is… "No." Me: “Davis…Eat your breakfast, please.” Davis: “No.” Me: “Davis, Put on your shoes, please.” Davis: “No.” Me: “Davis, wash your hands, please.” Davis: “No.” Me: “Davis, quit throwing food, please.” Davis: “No.” Me: “Davis, put your toys away, please.” Davis: “No.” You get the idea. He probably says "No" 25 times per day, easy.  Oh, the challenges of raising a toddler, haha. Note: please isn't used in the ask every time. In retrospect, it makes sales a breeze. I rarely ever hear "No" that many times in a day! Here are some similarities: like my prospective clients, my son is growing and going through a lot of changes. I know his "No" is just "No" right now, but it can change quickly. So prospective clients, just know that I'll be here when that "No" changes to a "Maybe" or a "Tell Me More." And I'll be happy to help. Cheers to growth, prospective clients. 🥛 😊

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🚨 Are You Ready for California’s 2025 Minimum Wage Changes? 🚨 Starting January 1, 2025, California’s minimum wage will increase to $16.50 per hour statewide. Did you know that many local ordinances require even higher wages? Plus, the exempt salary threshold will rise to $5,720/month ($68,640 annually) for full-time employees. This is a big shift for businesses across the state, and we want to hear from YOU: 🤔 How is your company preparing for these changes? 💬 Share your thoughts, challenges, or tips in the comments—we’d love to start a conversation! 📢 What strategies are you using to adapt to the new minimum wage requirements? Drop your insights below! At Labor Finders, we’ve been helping businesses navigate wage law changes and workforce transitions for years. If you have questions or need support, don’t hesitate to reach out. Let’s tackle these changes together! #CaliforniaMinimumWage #BusinessTips #StaffingSolutions #WorkforceManagement #HRCompliance

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Dumb hiring practices.....to start your Monday off right 🤣 I was talking to a Headhunter, a friend of mine... She's a heavy hitter, a hired gun to fill big time executive jobs. She's working with a company that is trying to fill several critical roles. The person she's working with absolutely WILL NOT consider a candidate who is currently unemployed. The headhunter has presented countless candidates for the jobs. One candidate, in particular, is absolute perfection for one of the roles. It's a NO GO from the decision maker. I've said it before, and I will say it again. Being unemployed does not mean being unqualified. It means you might actually know your worth and refuse to settle. It's not a gap in your resume, it's a gap in the company's vision if they can't see past it. Remember, your value is not determined by your current employment status but by the skills, experience, and potential you bring to the table. My friend is going to refer him to another opportunity. One where they are open minded, reasonable, and not using made up rules to play with your life. #resumewriting #jobsearch #headhunters #dobetter #mondays

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Guess who that brother is…… This was the genesis of Operation Hired. How do we fix it? Well, as a vet, we roll up our sleeves and jump in. If you’re a hiring manager, TA professional or HR professional, I’d love to hear your thoughts. Post them below and let’s get the conversation started. #operationhired

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The power of a good network....a note from a resume client.... "After being laid off after 5 years of loyalty, hard work and sacrifice, I have little patience for values other than my own. The hunt for jobs is complicated, riddled with hurdles and forms that do nothing other than see if I can fill out forms. In the end it came down to my ability to find someone who could help sidestep those forms and push me to the actual person who gives a shit. The evening the connection introduced me, I had my first telephone interview in a bar parking lot at 7:30 PM. The next morning I leapfrogged in-front of the other 5 candidates at a 7 AM interview. Two days later I had the job. How this relates to you..... You created a resume that explained me, your LinkedIn posts helped me learn how to network again and your passionately written posts gave me confidence to be me. Thanks for being you and helping me be me." This is the nicest note I received all week! #resumewriting #jobsearch #networking

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