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20 Dec 2012 4 42 pm
December Newsletter
19 Dec 2012 5 00 am
Tired of Losing Candidates during the Interview Process?
19 Dec 2012 5 00 am
Success in Hiring
17 Oct 2012 5 00 am
Facebook: Why it will Never be a Viable Recruiting Resource
17 Oct 2012 5 00 am
Do you Trust your company? Are they Trusting you?
1 Aug 2012 4 32 am
New Construction's Effect on the Lighting Industry
31 Jul 2012 4 29 pm
Lighting Regulation: Who is Truly Benefiting?
26 Apr 2012 2 54 am
Hire in 30 days and Save As Much As $30K (Part II)
25 Apr 2012 1 25 am
Lightfair 2012: Who will stand out of the Crowd?
25 Apr 2012 1 18 am
2012 Industry Employment Outlook
8 Mar 2012 4 54 pm
March Energy Newsletter
7 Mar 2012 8 00 am
Successful Strategies through Accurate Assessments
7 Mar 2012 8 00 am
Hire in 30 days and Save As Much As $30 K
28 Feb 2012 12 33 pm
Nenni and Associates Associate Recognized in Sales Competition
15 Feb 2012 8 54 am
Nenni and Associates & NIU Partnership
2 Feb 2012 11 00 am
Renewable Energy: Is it Truly Cost Effective?
2 Feb 2012 10 59 am
January Newsletter
11 Jan 2012 7 00 am
Rare Earth Phosphorus - Crisis or Non-Issue?
11 Jan 2012 7 00 am
January Lighting Newsletter
9 Jan 2012 11 39 pm
Join our mailing list
5 Jan 2012 11 22 pm
Find us on Twitter and LinkedIn
3 Jan 2012 11 34 pm
Nenni and Associates - Not just an Executive Placement Firm!
3 Jan 2012 1 57 am
New Web Site!

20 Dec 2012 4 42 pm
December Newsletter
Click the link below to view our December Newsletter!

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/December-Opportunities.html?soid=1108473013744&aid=FILJUK11pok

Happy Holidays from all of us at Nenni and Associates!
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19 Dec 2012 5 00 am
Tired of Losing Candidates during the Interview Process?

"The improvement of employment branding may make or break company's turnover ratio"

Proper qualifying of candidates is becoming more and more important. With increased competition fighting over available project dollars, it is more important than ever to get the right people on board and make those critical new-hires count. However, the environment within the Energy Services industry doesn't make this a simple task. Current challenges include:

  • Tighter Budgets and an overall squeeze on dollars available for new-hires
  • Long sales cycles and long term impact of bad hire on project pipelines
  • Team Dynamics that are critically important and the headaches caused by hires that aren’t a cultural fit
  • Increasing importance on building consensus internally since no one wants to be solely responsible for picking the person that didn't work out

    • The industry's attempts to avoid these pitfalls have ultimately drawn out the hiring process. On average we are seeing a minimum of 4 months from initial candidate submittal to hire, compared to a few years back when the process averaged about 45 days. Most organizations are asking candidates to interview with at least 4-5 key decision makers and some involve final panel interviews in addition to meetings with peers and subordinates. Everyone understands the importance of face-to-face interaction, but striving for consensus from everyone on one candidate can be complex and sometimes risky depending on the timeline. This puts organizations at risk for a number of reasons:

    1. In today's competitive environment, it is more and more likely that candidates entertain multiple opportunities during this process. In 2003, 1 out of every 4 candidates we represented entertained multiple opportunities during the interview process. That number has jumped to 3 out of every 4.

    2. Companies risk a loss of momentum in the process - the old adage "Time kills all deals" definitely applies to the hiring process.

    3. Companies operate within a finite window of opportunity. Things can happen ranging between candidates interviewing and accepting offers with other competitors all the way to a sudden hiring freeze at the current company. It is important to make the hiring process as quick and smooth as possible.

    How do we solve this problem? How can organizations perform their due diligence without taking 4 months or longer to go through an interview process? First step is to have a solid partnership with your recruiting team. Clear communication is key on a number of areas:

  • Have very clear objectives about what skill sets are critical for the position
  • Arm your recruiters with knowledge and let them do the legwork upfront to qualify and remove some of the initial steps in the process (talk about the importance of your recruiter as a trusted advisor, if you don't trust them with this simple task, why are you using them?)
  • Build a culture internally that focuses on an efficient hiring process as a top priority. Put systems in place to help achieve these goals
  • Utilize technology where possible to streamline the process (i.e. Skype, FaceTime, etc.)

    • The improvement of employment branding may make or break a company’s turnover ratio. The net result of successful employment branding is that your company’s exposure and reputation increases which creates consensus among your employees and high potential applicants that you are one of the top employers in your industry.

    Not only will excellence in this area help improve your organizations success rate and help to secure the candidates you are looking for, it will send a strong message to prospective candidates about how your organization works. It demonstrates that you are serious about your approach and can efficiently move through a process. It is a reflection of how you go through other business processes and what they can expect in other areas if they do become an employee. Even candidates that don't make the cut will be able to spread the word about how it is a professionally run organization that is on.

    Jess Galle, Director of National Recruiting
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    nenni_admin 19 Dec 2012 3 26 pm

    James, Thank you for your feedback! Currently, we post new articles every other month along with our e-newsletter. We sincerely appreciate the idea for the next written piece. Keep an eye out for the next newsletter! Jordan, Marketing Coordinator
    Leave a reply ->

    James McCarthy 19 Dec 2012 12 52 pm

    Good content. As a candidate I can relate to all of your points. The energy services industry is certainly challenging! Will we hear from you on the other side of the fiscal cliff? Thx!
    Leave a reply ->


    19 Dec 2012 5 00 am
    Success in Hiring

    "Back to the Basics of Interviewing"

    As managers, we are generally very good during the interview process at looking for the right person with the technical knowledge to perform a given position. We don’t just review the job description and zero in on the job qualifications that show competency in a given field. We look for significant experience, educational relevance, and certifications. We test for core competencies and we interview intensely to confirm those technical skills.

    In order to choose the most promising person for the job, it is important identify the personal traits and skills that will indicate that a candidate is going to be successful in our organization. A long list of writers including Steven Covey, Robert Heller, and most recently John R. Graham in the November 2012 issue of HR Magazine, have written about the traits that are needed for candidate success.

    Do you incorporate questions that expose the personal skills and qualities that are needed to be successful into the interview process? The following traits/qualities are some key indicators of a candidate who will bring success to any position:

    Communication Skills: Does the candidate speak and write with clarity? Are their statements succinct? Does the candidate really listen? Are their questions relevant and insightful? Do they ensure that their message is understood? Do they speak up on critical issues?

    Critical Thinking: How do they make decisions? Do they look at issues from a variety of angles to find the best course of action? Do they learn from past mistakes and failures? Do they seek out knowledge?

    Value of Customer Service: How does the candidate show the value of the customer? What do they do with feedback from the customer? How does the candidate interact with customers? How do they uncover the needs and wants of the customer?

    Team Building Skills: Does the candidate understand how teams work? Does the candidate have the capacity to both lead and/or be a supportive team member? Are they accessible to other members of the team? Do they recognize and have the ability to use key strengths of all team members?

    The Skill of Organization: How does candidate approach managing time? How do they set priorities? How does the candidate deal with deadlines?

    These metrics can be followed in order to further refine the interviewing process. Asking behavioral questions is key to determining if the candidate’s personal skills fit the needs of the organization. Whatever skills or skill level that we look for in candidates comes with the understanding that, “The candidate needs both the technical skills and personal skills in order to be successful.”

    Craig Cooper, National Consulting Director


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    17 Oct 2012 5 00 am
    Facebook: Why it will Never be a Viable Recruiting Resource

    “Facebook is for Friends, LinkedIn is for Business.”

    This motto has been stated time and time again in my personal and professional life. No one can argue that Facebook has revolutionized the social media world, and, in some cases, employment processes. We all have a “friend of a friend” that has lost a job, gotten an offer rescinded, or been chastised in some form for the content on their Facebook.

    Companies, and even universities in some cases, screen Facebook for concerning conduct of prospective candidates, making sure new hires or admissions won’t “harm” their image. This has caused a large shift in Facebook’s use, including increased usage of privacy blocks and people using fake or altered names to avoid being searched for. Because of this shift in honesty portrayed on Facebook, especially to the outside user trying to view someone’s background, Facebook will not be a viable resource for recruiting.

    How can you target an individual without knowing if the name, employer, or even location is correct? Can you automatically discount someone because of their personal views on politics, current events, or social life? Even though Facebook has a much larger user pool as well as extensive analytics and data on its users, do you really want to be targeted or discounted based on a profile picture you had during college? We all deserve privacy, we all deserve a way to vent, share, and stay in touch with people, without being concerned with the implications of what our current or prospective employer will think.

    Corey Kravitz, National Account Consultant
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    rawtherspices 27 Nov 2012 10 23 am

    Hi, Very good information, its helpful to others. Thank you. LED industrial lights manufacturers
    Leave a reply ->


    17 Oct 2012 5 00 am
    Do you Trust your company? Are they Trusting you?

    "As a leader, is your organization extending trust to you on a personal level?"

    Few HVAC service organizations utilize the available field technology in today's world that would make them more efficient and keep customers satisfied. Fewer even are the number of companies that do a good job at hiring the right technicians, competent sales folks, or dynamic and qualified leaders. When strong people are not given to resources to be successful, and organizations aren't doing everything they can to support their people, one area suffers most: Trust.

    When your mechanical service company sells a preventative maintenance agreement, the sales person should confirm that the customer will have skilled technicians working on the equipment that can easily identify problem areas and perform in emergency situations.  Is that always the case? If not the result is a poor customer relationship and more importantly a lack of organizational confidence and trust within one's company.

    Proposal: To create more trust within our organizations, one solution is to over-qualify our technicians and incentivize them for performance. The folks that are in the field with their hands on equipment every day are the true face of the company. Are they always encouraged to up-sell or interface with the customer? By empowering your field staff, a company can create a collaborative approach across all levels of leadership, sales, and technical support.

    As a leader, sales person, or technician, is your organization extending trust to you on a personal level? Companies that can consistently keep employees accountable, listen, clarify expectations, deliver results, and practice loyalty have considerably higher levels of trust within their organizations than those that don't. Low trust organizations typically have folks that struggle that would be better off in companies that put them in a better position to be successful.

    Proposal: Informal mentorship programs or internal partnerships can promote trust within a company. Another weekly or bi-weekly meeting does not always solve this problem. It is important that these programs be cross functional and always have an explicit purpose or goal.

    There are many different schools of thought on how to bring an organization together while improving quality and efficiency. Sometimes just one unique approach can affect an entire organization and it's customers. Undoubtedly, the takeaway is that improving your organization from the inside out starts with trust, and if you don't have it -- Fix it, or find a new home.

    Ben Cruse, National Account Consultant
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    16 Aug 2012 8 22 pm
    V.P. of Human Resources & Labor Relations Search

    Looking for a Vice President of Human Resources and Labor Relations?

    Nenni and Associates currently has a Fortune 200 Executive with the experience you’re looking for!

    • Currently VP of HR for a $13B national environmental services company. Oversees a team of 7 direct reports and 40 indirect employees across the United States and Canada. Manages a domestic and international territory of over 15,000 employees 
    • 18 years of experience in the HR function with Fortune 500 organizations within environmental services, packaging, and commodities trading industries
    • Areas of focus include: Union Labor Negotiations, Succession Planning, Employee Engagement, Talent Management
    • Improved time to hire by over 50% and reduced onboarding costs by over 65% in first 18 months
    • Significant experience in labor relations/Union related issues within volatile environments
    • Willing to relocate within the United States
    •  

      Let us know if you are interested or think someone you know might be. 

      Earn $500 or 5% off your next placement through referring the hiring source or a placed candidate!

       

      Contact John Curcio, Vice President of Sales & Operations with any qualified referrals

      (o: 630-786-7557 email: john@nenniandassoc.com )


    Leave a reply ->

    1 Aug 2012 4 32 am
    New Construction's Effect on the Lighting Industry
    According to an article from Bloomberg BusinessWeek, the Architecture Billings Index, an indicator of non-residential American construction activity, had shown increased billings for construction in five straight months before a slight decline in April.

    So what does that mean for the lighting industry? Especially amongst lighting manufacturers, we’re going to see a conscious effort to directly influence the general contractor. Executives from organizations like Turner Construction and AECOM can expect more contact from the lighting manufacturers, but will they even give them an audience? Electrical contractors have been the traditional channel, but to prevent being overlooked for a higher priced item, we will see increased communication to GC’s to sell value of respective products.

    Jim Schafer, National Accounts Manager  
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    Ben Johnson 20 Nov 2012 1 31 pm

    This is terrible news for the industry
    Leave a reply ->


    31 Jul 2012 4 29 pm
    Lighting Regulation: Who is Truly Benefiting?
    Over the last few years, the government has taken large steps in regulating the lighting industry to secure a more energy efficient future. My view on this initiative is that it could cause more harm than good. The effects of these regulations may impact our safety, economics, as well as hinder industry growth in the future.

    According to the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, all incandescent bulbs will be banned by 2020. We experienced a segment of this over the last month in particular with the phase out of T12 lamps. The reason behind taking this action is to reduce the amount of energy consumed by eliminating the less efficient bulbs. On the surface this sounds like it could be beneficial to the environment, but what the government has failed to do is dig deeper into the alternatives. By ceasing production of incandescent bulbs, consumers are left with CFLs and LEDs. Although these bulbs are more energy efficient, are they really the all around better choice for us and the environment?

    CFLs in particular are in fact more hazardous than traditional incandescents. They contain about 5mg of mercury in each bulb according to GE. Mercury is known to be one of the most toxic elements to humans. There’s even specific disposal and clean up instructions in the event that a bulb breaks. Waste Management charges $19 for a CFL recycle box. People are already forced into paying extra for a CFL bulb in the first place, who wants to go out and spend even more? Chances are that most households won’t take the time to purchase one of these boxes and will end up throwing the bulb in the trash. This may have an unwanted effect on the environment due to large accumulations of mercury in landfills.

    If the government provides a special disposing procedure due to the toxicity of a single bulb, than why eliminate the safest light bulb on the market? They are contradicting themselves when they say that the reasoning behind the regulation is to protect the environment. To further reinforce, in 2011 the EPA passed a new law restricting mercury emissions by power plants. These power plants only contribute to 0.5% of all mercury emitted into the atmosphere. According to Rebekah Rast, the other 99.5% of mercury remains naturally within the Earth. Therefore, this trace amount of mercury emitted into the outside world is not acceptable by government standards, but allowing CFLs containing a dangerous amount inside of our homes is.

    Not only does the ban of incandescent bulbs seem unnecessary, but manufacturers are also making a strong effort to increase sales of these dangerous CFLs. Coincidentally, physicist and secretary of energy, Steven Chu has made a large push to shape the new energy policies to favor these sales. This raises some curiosity as to where their best interests lie considering his lab, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, was the one that developed them.

    LEDs aren’t so innocent either. The technology is still relatively new and unforeseen problems seem to be continuously creeping up. Not only are they extremely expensive to most households, but the design and engineering still has yet to be completely mastered. There have been recalls in the past due to issues with dimming, color, as well as overheating. According to a study done by the University of California in 2011, toxins such as lead, arsenic, copper, as well as multiple other potentially hazardous materials exist within an LED bulb. If this is the case, then why are they being sold in the first place? The impression that seems to be given off by these manufacturers as well as the government shows carelessness, along with lack of awareness on the potential dangers of their own product. When prior CFLs were released, the environmental impact was irrelevant until the companies had already made their money and the damage had already been done. Oladele Ogunseitan, the chair of UC Irvine’s Department of Population Health and Disease Prevention said, “CFLs weren’t properly tested for potential environmental health impacts before being marketed as the preferred alternatives to inefficient incandescent bulbs”. There’s a possibility that history could be repeating itself in the form of LEDs.

    The federal government is putting a stop to the production of incandescent bulbs, which cost about 50 cents each and contain no toxins, in order to force the population into buying hazardous, expensive alternatives. Remember, according to the department of energy, this is supposedly the best solution for our environment. The obvious conflict of interest behind this regulation is poorly thought out. It seems to be that when companies are faced with a tradeoff between safe and affordable, versus hazardous and expensive, the latter triumphs. In a free market economy, traditional marketing should be able to drive away the poor competition without the interference of federal regulations. No ban is needed. The government does not need to get involved with a product that causes no threat to our safety, by pushing potentially harmful alternatives in order to be slightly more efficient. According to secretary of energy, Steven Chu, “We are taking away a choice that continues to let people waste their own money”. In what way is it acceptable for the government to withdraw our freedom of choosing how we ‘waste’ money within our homes? These decisions are especially crucial when they could compromise the safety of future generations. It causes one to wonder whether these ramifications have even been considered by policy makers before making these initiatives?

    Danielle Strauss, Research Coordinator
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    Mireille 7 Aug 2012 5 17 pm

    Very well researched article. Compliments for having the courage to articulate what most of the population feel about these new regulations, and toxic products. We need more people like you to stand up for a healthier and cleaner planet.
    Leave a reply ->

    Eric 3 Aug 2012 10 53 pm

    I agree with the tenet of this article. The government's role is to monitor and regulate the lighting, or any other industry for that matter, to ensure safe products are manufactured by the private sector. When policy makers get into the business of deciding which products are no longer valid, it skews the natural competitive nature of the marketplace by forcing the populace to make suboptimal purchasing decisions...with the resultant side affects as outlined in the article. When pushed to the extreme the industry then runs the risk of becoming transformed to one that awaits for direction rather than pursue creative and innovative solutions that are judged by the market based on price, quality and fitness of purpose.
    Leave a reply ->


    26 Apr 2012 2 54 am
    Hire in 30 days and Save As Much As $30K (Part II)
    In the first portion of this article, we highlighted a specific case in which we were able to help an organization fill a vital position in a timely and effective manner, while saving the organization over $30,000 in opportunity loss, time waste, travel, and relationship damage.

    While most of this comes from “soft money”, the amount of waste that can be avoided by having a true partnership with a recruiting firm is outstanding. What do I mean by partnership?

    In the executive search and staffing industry as a whole, we constantly battle the stigma of “fill it and move on”. Many organizations have been “burned” by a situation in which they have given the recruiter specifics on EXACTLY what they want, the recruiter acknowledges, promises to deliver, and nothing happens. While some firms don’t deliver because of the work, or lack of work, that they do, oftentimes this failure lies on both sides of the table.

    Open communication between your team and a staffing firm is scary. Of course you want to protect the talent that you have, of course you want to let them do their jobs and let HR handle hiring and staffing. Think about this: does your HR team truly know what you want? Do they know the dynamics of the team in place, where their strengths and weaknesses lie? Can they truly define your “must have” vs. your “desired” qualities?

    Don’t get me wrong; HR plays a VITAL role in every organization. That role, and the complexities of tasks beyond recruiting, does not allow for a true understanding of the needs of the specific team, the availability of talent in the marketplace, and other intangible aspects of a position.

    While allowing your recruiter to work with the hiring manager and team as a whole may seem uncomfortable and risky, the value of that communication in a hiring process cannot be understated. Not only does it give us as recruiters the ability to better identify and expand on intangibles, needs vs. wants, but it gives us the ability to give feedback, insight, and recommendations to better define the role.

    Your company may be outstanding; the role may be exciting, rewarding, and vital to your growth. It also may continue to be open for 12-18 months. Why? Because the expectations set forth are not realistic to the marketplace.

    I have watched HR leave a position open for months, spend thousands in advertising, time wasted, and opportunity lost because they wanted a “home-run”. In reality, the talent that was presented six months ago may be just what the team needed; a consistent candidate with a proven track record and the drive to constantly improve, but were passed up because their resume didn’t have the right buzzwords, they didn’t have one piece of experience or education on your checklist. Was that one piece or certification worth the opportunity lost in the time the position was left open?

    Corey Kravitz, Account Consultant
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    25 Apr 2012 1 25 am
    Lightfair 2012: Who will stand out of the Crowd?
    With an increase of almost 50 more exhibitors at this year’s Light Fair tradeshow in comparison to last year in Philadelphia, what can we determine as we look forward to the show next month?

    An easy explanation of the increase in exhibitors can be as simple as location. With this year’s show being in Las Vegas, we should see a stronger presence of organizations based on the western half of the United States. I’ve noticed an increase presence of lighting manufacturers on the west coast (specifically California). California based Xerlux and Lumenergi, and Colorado based Albeo Technologies have seen traction in the lighting industy over the past year and seem poised for growth in 2012. Lightfair should provide a forum for these organizations to further carry momentum specifically in Q2.

    Philips lighting appeared to have the largest footprint at last year’s show, but will their layoff of 480 people a few months ago affect their presence this year?

    I wouldn’t anticipate this to be the case as they continue to battle for market share amongst the traditional major manufacturers. Who can we look for this year with the largest footprint? If booth size directly correlates with market presence and momentum in LED lighting, I would look out for CREE.

    Jim Schafer, Lighting Consultant
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    Ben Johnson 27 Nov 2012 4 03 pm

    I think we all know the layoff won't effect any of Phillips marketing moving forward.
    Leave a reply ->


    25 Apr 2012 1 18 am
    2012 Industry Employment Outlook
    It's no surprise to anyone that the world economy has taken multiple blows over the last few years. Every time we start to see signs of improvement, economic instability, higher energy costs, and unrest in some corner of the world once again halts momentum. So how is this effecting the Energy Services Industry in the United States?

    As our consultants have surveyed over 100 firms and their executives within Energy industry, the feeling is fairly bullish. Over 75% of the companies expect to see growth in 2012 with over 50% forecasting double-digit growth. So will industry job growth correlate to this trend?

    Through the first quarter of the year, we have seen a significant increase in company activity looking for new hires. However, this has not translated into more jobs in the marketplace. Even though over 50% of the companies have discussed expanding their organizations, they have been very slow in making decisions. Why is this?

    There is still a sense of conservatism in the marketplace. Companies are still using a buyer’s market model. They are shopping for the perfect candidate and taking their time to ensure they are 100% confident with their choice. In the meantime, they are losing out on many great candidates in their attempt to hit the home-run.

    I do agree with our customers that we have seen the worst of the economy. I also do expect 2012 to be a strong growth year for many companies. But how successful they will be in the future, will depend on their ability to attract strong talent. Employees are already stretched. And as companies attempt to attain new clients and keep them happy, they will need to hire. Consequently, we will see the marketplace trend move toward a candidate's market. Those companies who recognize the need to improve their employment brand and hire strong players now will be ahead of the curve and poised for the future opportunities.

    John Curcio, Vice President
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    8 Mar 2012 4 54 pm
    March Energy Newsletter
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    7 Mar 2012 8 00 am
    Successful Strategies through Accurate Assessments
    Unconstrained by geography, almost every industry has moved to a global posture as borders are being blurred by the speed at which information as well as goods and services are being rendered and exchanged. This fast paced, global economy obviously increases opportunity as well as competition. For those companies that are looking to stay in the game, three processes must be at the forefront of their corporate strategy.
    1. 1. Efficient and accurate decision making
    2. 2. Efficient and accurate talent identification
    3. 3. Efficient and accurate team construction
    Time is of the essence: Ironically, as the economy slows down, the effort to stay productive increases. The downturn in the economy actually speeds up the game as the margin for error erodes and windows of opportunity decrease in frequency.

    Accurate Assessment: As game speed increased, industries need to move beyond the standard interview protocols of reviewing resumes, years of experience, performance history and industry expertise. Though these are very important points, the issue of goodness of fit within an organization’s culture is talked about, but often glossed over. In hopes of assessing this very important aspect of a new hire, companies have often utilized standard assessment tools that attempt to help individuals indentify their ‘basic’ personality profile, however these standard assessment tools often get to complex, in some cases offering more than 30 profile indicators to facilitate self-awareness. With the speed at which industry is moving, we don’t have time to become our own personal psychologist, understanding our own profile, let alone someone else’s, with the hope of ultimately understanding how all these profiles and personalities interact.

    Efficient and accurate: Efficient and accurate don’t always go hand in hand. Often, relying on what is the most convenient is substituted for efficiency; and most popular is substituted for accuracy. Unless the initial identification process is both efficient and accurate, the endeavor will fail. Sure you may get initial results by way of start-up energy, but this energy doesn’t last and the individual and/or team will falter at the first sign of resistance or soon thereafter. Accurate talent identification also relies on efficient means of understanding not only the individual’s background and current skill sets; it also requires an understanding of context. Michael Jordon is an extremely talented athlete; however the context in which he soared was basketball. He applied his talent to the context of baseball for a time and did not achieve the same level of success as he did in basket ball. Context, Context, Context. What is more, his specific skill set was enhanced wildly when he was surrounded by other talented players with specific complementary skill sets such as Dennis Rodman and Scotty Pippin (among others). Lastly it was Phil Jackson’s efforts to coalesce these players that created the Chicago Bull’s dynasty of the 1990’s.

    Creating systems that are efficient and accurate is the key to constructing successful strategies. These systems must include assessment tools that are not only accurate, but also helpful and brief; rendering information that is applicable to talent identification; team building; utilizing consultants to optimize skill sets; ultimately leading to sustainable productivity.

    Dr. David Niekamp, Organizational Development Psychologist
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    7 Mar 2012 8 00 am
    Hire in 30 days and Save As Much As $30 K
    I have always found it curious why some managers take so long to fill open positions. In the fast paced Fortune 100 environment I came from, I learned quickly to make hiring for an opening a priority or risk losing the best candidates due to procrastination, hiring freezes, or employee cuts. I have heard colleagues utilize countless rationale as to why the position hasn’t been filled on a timely basis; some saying their schedule doesn’t afford them the time while others use the contracted recruiting firm as their excuse. Although the quality of some recruiters is in fact the issue, the real issue generally stems with the hiring process. In order to be effective in filling a position quickly, a “true partnership” built upon open and honest communication must exist.

    Recently, I had the privilege to work with a new client. The client needed to fill a critical position within their business, and realized they needed external support. During our initial discussions, we set forth our process and the importance of working together as an equal partner. Upon the client retaining our services, we flew out to visit their office, getting to know them and their culture. We developed a strong marketing campaign, sought direct feedback from the regional players, and worked with the client to refine their position and expectations. On a weekly basis we met with the client to provide updates and discuss next steps. Within 10 days, we had three strong candidates. The client interviewed each candidate within 72 hours via phone and made arrangements within 7 business days to fly in the top 2 prospects. After two follow-up discussions, an offer was made and accepted 4 days later.

    Although this example may not seem realistic for your environment, the reality is that the open communication and willingness to accept the expertise of our market expertise provided a true strategic relationship that allowed for a quick turnaround of quality candidates. The timeliness of the clients hiring manager was critical in maintaining interest and a sense of urgency that was adopted by the candidates.

    Not only was the client able to quickly, effectively, and confidently fill a position with a quality candidate, but we were able to demonstrate over $30,000 in cost savings because of our efforts. How can retaining a quality executive placement firm actually save your company money? Read next month’s edition for our cost savings model.

    John Curcio, Vice President
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    28 Feb 2012 12 33 pm
    Nenni and Associates Associate Recognized in Sales Competition
    Nenni and Associates is proud to recognize Corey Kravitz, Account Management, for taking third place in an international sales competition. As one of over 100 participants invited to compete in the World Collegiate Sales Organization Sales Competition, Corey represented what Nenni and Associates is about; putting the customer first. Corey finished in the top 3 and received the highest honors in 2 out 5 events.
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    15 Feb 2012 8 54 am
    Nenni and Associates & NIU Partnership
    Nenni and Associates has partnered with Northern Illinois University to provide training and support to students whose career aspirations are Sales, Organizational Development, and Engineering. This partnership will allow Nenni and Associates to help a reputable and recognized University like Northern Illinois further develop student's business acumen, and prepare them for their future careers. We are extremely excited about this partnership and look forward to the opportunity to develop the future world business leaders.
    Leave a reply ->

    2 Feb 2012 11 00 am
    Renewable Energy: Is it Truly Cost Effective?
    In the most recent State of the Union Address, President Barack Obama dedicated a portion of his speech to his "Clean Air Initiative", further clarifying his investment plan into renewable technology. His message was clearly received and understood by the private sector, where several ESCO's have announced renewable technology projects over the past month. According to The Energy Information Administration's annual energy review (11/9/11), there has been a steady increase in renewable energy consumption within the United States since 2007, accounting for about 8% of total consumption. The biggest gains in that time have been within the biofuels and wind markets. For years, the potential of renewable technologies has been a topic of hesitant excitement due to the initial cost outlay. So, has renewable technology really made significant strides in reducing costs and creating a newly affordable solution?

    My contention is that this is not the case. Although the strides that have been made in renewable technologies are undeniable, the ROI for most projects is still too low to implement without significant government subsidy. According to industry sources, the costs for these projects will continue to significantly outweigh the benefits without these Federal subsidies.

    Jess Galle, National Accounts Director, Energy


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    jump manual 14 Dec 2012 1 36 pm

    jump manual... Along with everything which seems to be developing throughout this specific subject matter, all your perspectives tend to be quite exciting. However, I beg your pardon, because I do not give credence to your whole plan, all be it radical none the less....
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    2 Feb 2012 10 59 am
    January Newsletter
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    11 Jan 2012 7 00 am
    Rare Earth Phosphorus - Crisis or Non-Issue?

    It has been just over six months since lighting manufacturers worldwide learned that the rare earth phosphors needed to manufacture fluorescent lamps are becoming an increasingly rare resource. With China controlling over 95% of rare earth phosphors, they dictate the availability of the resource.

    The initial reaction was one of concern for some, yet I was surprised by the lack of panic we were prepared for. In communication with sales and sales management from the manufacturer level, it seems as though, while concerned with customer reservations about increased prices, they were confident that the problems they would face would be industry wide, and adaptations would be similar across the board.

    Astoundingly, even less concern was voiced from the lighting contractor and retrofit world. They didn’t seem to be concerned at all, citing that even with the increases they can still demonstrate a quick ROI to their customer base. These are the initial reactions and observations from June of 2011, but has this changed 6-7 months later?

    Personally, I am still not seeing the state of panic originally forecasted from any of the channels within the industry.  I believe that the lack of concern is mainly due the industry’s ability to adapt to market by recycling rare earth phosphors and the increased momentum in developing LED lighting.  As today’s industry experts, I ask for your thoughts.  Do you believe that China’s control of rare earth phosphors is truly detrimental to the lighting industry, or just the push we needed to truly develop and implement LED into the new way of the lighting world?


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    nenni_admin 16 Feb 2012 3 35 pm

    We customized our own theme. Thank you for your comments.
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    Jeffrey Smith 16 Feb 2012 12 23 am

    Many thanks for the information, and the web page genuinely looks amazing. Just what wordpress theme are you using?
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    11 Jan 2012 7 00 am
    January Lighting Newsletter
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    9 Jan 2012 11 39 pm
    Join our mailing list
    Nenni and Associates is providing industry specific newsletters on an ongoing basis.  The purpose of the newsletters is to provide real time information about the market.  We receive information from industry leaders and provide that information back to.  The feedback on the newsletter has been quite positive.  If you are interested in joining the newsletter mailing list, click here, and fill out the form with your request.
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    5 Jan 2012 11 22 pm
    Find us on Twitter and LinkedIn
    Did you know you can find Nenni and Associates on Twitter and Linkedin.  Join our network and keep in touch with what is going on in your industry.
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    3 Jan 2012 11 34 pm
    Nenni and Associates - Not just an Executive Placement Firm!
    For over a decade, Nenni and Associates has been known for their Executive Placement Services.  But did you know that Nenni and Associates does a lot more?  Nenni and Associates has launched a myriad of services from consulting services to organizational development to leadership development and coaching.  Go to our services page and click on the left links to see all the different services that Nenni and Associates has to offer across multiple industries, globally.

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    3 Jan 2012 1 57 am
    New Web Site!
    Today we releases a new web site. Be sure to visit often to keep up with all the job opportunities and latest news. We invite you to go to our new jobs page to look at everything we offer.  Also, let us know what you think by posting to this page.
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