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.
1. 🎯 Know Yourself and Your Needs Before stepping onto the battlefield of recruitment, clearly define who and what you need. Ambiguity is defeat waiting to happen. Know precisely the skill sets, attitudes, and experiences necessary for your role. 2. 🕵️ Study the Candidate Deeply Just as you would never go to war blindfolded, never […]
Most construction companies don’t fail because they can’t find candidates.They fail because they underestimate the risk buried in their hiring process—from scoping the role to sustaining the relationship. Here’s how Ambassador Group eliminates that risk. 1. Attraction Risk “What if we don’t attract the right candidates—or miss the best ones?” Hiring starts losing before it […]
Introduction: When the Hiring Problem Isn’t the Recruiter Companies love to blame recruiters when hiring doesn’t go as planned. 🚩 “The candidates weren’t a fit.”🚩 “The recruiter didn’t understand our needs.”🚩 “We made a hire, but they didn’t last.” But in reality, many companies set themselves up for hiring failure long before a recruiter enters […]
A hard truth every leader must face: You are the ceiling of your organization.Your clarity, your wiring, your blind spots — they set the upper limit for what your team can build, solve, and sustain. If you’re not growing in self-awareness, your business is growing into a box. And here’s the twist:Most leadership friction isn’t […]
“If you want better performance, stop asking what someone does. Start asking how they’re wired to work.”— TJ Kastning Most teams operate in low resolution. They hire based on job titles, vague instincts, and recycled job descriptions. Org charts look neat—but they rarely capture what really matters. Because the truth is this:Job titles don’t tell […]
And confusing the two will cost you great hires. Most hiring leaders say they want top talent. But too often, when a promising candidate disengages or turns down the offer, the blame lands on candidate quality—as if the problem was the person, not the process. Here’s the truth:A talented candidate who doesn’t align with your […]
Recruiting isn’t insurance.But the industry keeps selling it like it is—and clients are paying the price. 🔍 The Problem: Guarantees That Backfire The recruiting industry has painted itself into a corner. In a well-intentioned effort to show goodwill, most firms now offer a **”replacement guarantee”—**a promise that if the candidate doesn’t work out, they’ll find […]
Stop guessing. Start signaling what really matters. Hiring the right superintendent is half the battle. Paying and tracking their compensation in a way that drives performance, retention, and trust? That’s the other half—and it’s where many companies get stuck. This guide breaks down the many ways to base and track superintendent compensation, with examples, decision […]
In April 2025, the construction management job market on the West Coast is defined by a mix of robust demand, unique regional challenges, and emerging opportunities for professionals with specialized skills. Drawing on publicly available data and industry reports, here’s what’s shaping the industry this month. 1. Strong Demand in Urban HubsCities like Los Angeles, […]
Most leaders understand the importance of self-awareness at an individual level. But what about at the organizational level? If your company lacks self-awareness—both emotionally and operationally—it’s like driving a truck with mud-covered mirrors. You can’t see your weaknesses, which means you keep making the same costly mistakes. This is especially dangerous when it comes to […]
