AMBASSADOR UPDATES
TJ’s advice on the challenges and market changes relevant to SME construction companies searching for talent on the West Coast.
Frequency: every month or two.
Introduction: No One Gets Hiring Perfect Every leader wants to get hiring right. You put in the effort.You refine your process.You analyze every candidate. 🚨 And yet, some hires will still fail. The reality is, even the best hiring leaders don’t bat 1.000. Yet the business world is flooded with over-simplified advice from:❌ Thought leaders […]
Today I had a conversation that made me pause. A client was telling me about a previous recruiter they’d worked with. “They helped us find two people,” they said. “One didn’t work out, so they were batting 50%.” Fifty percent. That number stuck with me. Not because it’s off the mark (we’ve all seen mixed […]
Recruiters are often seen as energetic connectors—always networking, always “on,” and always driving toward a win. But beneath the hustle lies a deep emotional load that most people outside the industry never see. If you’re a recruiter, you know this truth all too well. If you work with recruiters, it’s time to understand what they […]
Introduction: The Resume Trap A resume is often the first impression a hiring authority gets of a candidate. But is it the truth? 🚨 Candidates are perfect two times in their life—once when they’re born and once when they write their resume. 📌 The resume only tells you what the candidate wants you to know.📌 […]
Recruiting looks fun from the outside—fast-paced, people-oriented, and full of potential. And it can be. But let’s get real: behind every job offer is a trail of emotional weight that most people never talk about. If you’re considering becoming a recruiter, it’s not just about resumes, interviews, or commissions. It’s about navigating uncertainty, managing complex […]
Introduction: The Hiring Team’s Hidden Weakness Most companies assume their leaders and managers know how to interview. 🚨 They don’t. ✅ They may be great at running projects.✅ They may be strong at technical execution.✅ They may have years of industry experience. ❌ But interviewing is a specific skillset—and most hiring authorities have never been […]
Recruiting might look simple from the outside. A client says, “We need a project manager.”A recruiter says, “Great. I’ll find you one.”And a few weeks later, poof — a qualified candidate walks through the door. But that “poof” moment?It’s the result of a mountain of effort you never see. Let’s peel back the curtain. Step […]
When a great employee leaves, most construction companies quietly move on. No announcement. No acknowledgment. Just silence and a missing hard hat at Monday’s safety meeting. That’s a mistake. In sports, schools, and elite firms, alumni are everything. Former players return as coaches. Grads become donors. Past team members turn into top referrers and future […]
Introduction: Why Confidence in Hiring Matters Most construction leaders have felt the sting of a bad hire. Whether it’s a superintendent who didn’t lead well, a project manager who wasn’t as capable as they seemed, or an estimator who struggled to keep up, hiring missteps can be expensive, disruptive, and frustrating. But here’s the real […]
Promise: Firing someone is one of the hardest parts of leadership—but it doesn’t have to wreck your conscience or your culture. Here’s how to do it with clarity, dignity, and zero regrets. The Stakes Are Higher Than You Think Letting someone go isn’t just a business decision. It’s a moral act. In construction, where loyalty […]
