jsl_web_admin, Author at SearchWide Global

Destinations International Announces 2018 30 Under 30 Class

5.18.2018 by jsl_web_admin

Washington, D.C. (May 18, 2018) – Destinations International Foundation Chair Stephanie Pace Brown and President and CEO of Explore Asheville and Destinations International President and CEO Don Welsh today announced the 2018 30 Under 30 class, which will convene for the first time at the association’s 2018 Annual Convention in Anaheim, CA July 10-13.

The 30 individuals, 30 years of age and under, will have the opportunity to engage in professional development opportunities throughout 2018 and beyond. The honorees originate from a variety of destination organizations of all sizes, including Brand USA, Visit Panama City Beach, Tourisme Montréal and Choose Chicago.

“The 30 Under 30 program recognizes the up and coming talent of destination organizations nationwide,” said Brown. “The Foundation created this initiative to develop the future leaders of our industry and is proud to have supported the 210 professionals who have participated in the program the past seven years.”

“We are thrilled to welcome this year’s 2018 30 Under 30 class to our Annual Convention in Anaheim,” said Welsh. “Attendance to the convention will be the first of many educational and professional development opportunities offered through the program.”

Program benefits include:

Complimentary registration and three nights’ accommodations during Destinations International’s 2018 Annual Convention in Anaheim, California
Complimentary registration for Fundamentals in Destination Marketing, the first course of Destinations International’s PDM program
Year-round professional development focus, including regular interactive webinars and an online community to share ideas
Opportunity to apply to attend the Association of Australian Convention Bureaux’s Annual Conference

“Each year our convention attendees are inspired by the astute, creative minds in the 30 Under 30 program,” said Tammy Blount-Canavan, Destinations International Chair and President and CEO of the Monterey County Convention and Visitors Bureau. “The program provides the best and the brightest additional insights, opportunities and tools for success in destination marketing and management. These young leaders give us a glimpse into a very bright future for our industry.”

This year’s class includes:

Liana Acevedo, Richmond Region Tourism
Sarah Alexander, Galveston Island Convention & Visitors Bureau
George Bansah, Brand USA
Amber Burns, Visit Philadelphia
Jeremiah Cook, Athens Convention and Visitors Bureau
Colleen Costello, Newport Beach & Company
Nick Cusick, Visit Saint Paul
Barry Draper, DuPage Convention & Visitors Bureau
Carleigh Dworetzky, Destination DC
Jonathan Eckelberg, Travel Wisconsin
Alexa Gallagher, Choose Chicago
Nancy Gordy, Edmonton Tourism
Calista Klein, Travel Tacoma + Pierce County
Ali Lechlitner, Visit South Bend Mishawaka
Sarah Justine Leduc-Villeneuve, Tourisme Montréal
Ruida Lu, Tourism Toronto
Fidel Mitchell, CMP, Arlington Convention and Visitors Bureau
Randi Morritt, Visit Aurora
Ashley Patton, Visit KC
Kristen Pepper, Huntsville/Madison County Convention & Visitors Bureau
Brianna Prasloski, Tourism Vancouver
Brendan Pringle, Visit SLO CAL
Elizabeth Robinson, Cincinnati USA Convention & Visitors Bureau
Chris Robinson, Visit Salt Lake
Robert Row, Monterey County Convention and Visitors Bureau
Michaelean Stewart, Visit Panama City Beach
Cameron Teske, Greater Green Bay Convention & Visitors Bureau
Tamara Thorhallsson, Visit Seattle
Krystle Whitlock, Greater Newark Convention & Visitors Bureau
Christine Zetzl, Visit Indy

The 30 Under 30 program is supported by founding program partner, SearchWide Global and sponsored by IMEX and Northstar.

“In its eighth year, SearchWide Global is still thrilled to sponsor such an incredible program,” said Mike Gamble, President and CEO of SearchWide Global. “We’re looking forward to connecting with the 2018 recipients at Destinations International’s Annual Convention as well as offering our mentorship to these rising stars as they continue their career paths.”

For more information about the 30 Under 30 program or Destinations International, visit www.destinationsinternational.org.

About Destinations International:
Destinations International (formerly Destination Marketing Association International) is the world’s largest resource for official destination organizations, convention and visitors bureaus (CVBs) and tourism boards. Destinations International is about serving destination marketing professionals first and foremost. Together with more than 5,000 members and partners from nearly 600 destinations in approximately 15 countries, Destinations International represents a powerful forward-thinking, collaborative association; exchanging bold ideas, connecting innovative people and elevating tourism to its highest potential. For more information, visit www.destinationsinternational.org.

About the Destinations International Foundation:

The Destinations International Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering destination marketers globally by providing education, research, advocacy and leadership development. The Foundation is classified as a charitable organization, under Section 501 (c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Service Code and all donations to the Foundation are tax deductible. For more information visit www.destinationsinternational.org.

IAVM Foundation Announces 30|UNDER|30 Class of 2018

5.11.2018 by jsl_web_admin

The IAVM Foundation has announced the 30|UNDER|30 Class of 2018. The program, in its fourth year, is made possible thanks to the ongoing support of co-founding partners SearchWide Global and Ungerboeck Software International, as well as many IAVM Foundation donors.

“There were many extremely qualified and worthy applicants this year,” stated Kathryn Eades, IAVM Foundation Director of Development. “Tough choices were made by the Foundation’s large group of judges, which included members from the Foundation Board of Trustees and numerous CVP’s. Those chosen exemplify the characteristics of leadership and developing talent necessary to the future of our industry.”

Designed to engage the best and brightest young professionals in the venue management industry, the 30|UNDER|30 program recognizes emerging leaders – and their talents – which help accelerate the industry and carry it into the future. The Class of 2018 will convene for the first time at IAVM’s VenueConnect Annual Conference and Trade Show in Toronto, July 22-25.

Award recipients will receive full complimentary registration to VenueConnect, as well as an $800 travel stipend. They will also be provided opportunities for professional development in the venue industry to help better prepare them for continued career growth.

“As we embark on the fourth year as the founding partner, we continue to be proud of this program and thank IAVM for their commitment to it,” said Mark Gnatovic, Senior Vice President of SearchWide Global and a Foundation Trustee. “The 30 individuals selected this year show remarkable leadership potential in the venue management industry. We are confident the industry will be excited to meet these young professionals and offer guidance and mentorship to them as they continue their career paths.”

Meet the IAVM Foundation’s 30|UNDER|30 Class of 2018:

Billy Langenstein, Director Event Services, U.S. Bank Stadium (SMG)
Matt Christine, Marketing Manager, SMG Managed Santander Arena and Santander Performing Arts Center
Jericha McGill, Event Coordinator, SMG/Cox Convention Center & SMG/Chesapeake Energy Arena
Jack Wentzell, Senior Operations Manager, Spectra Venue Management/CFE Arena at UCF
Megan Dennis, Patron Services Manager , Wintrust Arena
Carly Cuene, HR Generalist, Resch Center
Sarah Mathis, Senior Manager of Fan Experience, Jacksonville Jaguars- EverBank Field
Mevisha Maistry, Marketing and Communications Specialist , Shaw Conference Centre
Craig Spillman, Director of Food and Beverage, VenuWorks of Ames / Iowa State Center
Geri Koenig, Visual & User Experience Designer, San Diego Convention Center
Justin Carlson, Senior Event Coordinator, Minneapolis Convention Center
Meghan Foehl, Engagement Coordinator, Walton Arts Center
Kevin Murphy, Event Services Manager, SMG Tulsa/BOK Center
Andrew Landrigan, Event & Meeting Coordinator, Exhibition Place
Courtney Urquhart, Event Manager, EventsDC/Walter E. Washington Convention Center
Justin Brand, Operations Manager , Charlotte Harbor Event and Conference Center
Shannon Thomas, Event Manager , Walton Arts Center
Shelby Rich, Denver County Fair Event Manager/Complex Event Coordinator, National Western Complex
Kalyn Smith, House Manager, Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra
Zachary Sloman, Booking & Marketing Manager, SMG/John Paul Jones Arena
KelVon Greer, Events Services Specialist, City of Dallas/ Fair Park
Alexandra Capitolo, Event Manager, San Francisco Giants
Grant Jones, Operations Manager , SMG/INTRUST Bank Arena
Lisa Niess, Marketing and Communications Manager, U.S. Bank Stadium – SMG
Mario Duran, Operations Manager, Event Center at San Jose State University
Kaitlin Higgins, Venue Manager, Old Town School of Folk Music
Myra Palacios, Event Coordinator, Curtis Culwell Center
Andrias JW Murdaugh, Senior Event Manager, Events DC at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center
Taylor Hight, Senior House Manager, Walton Arts Center
Philip Costa, Director of Client Services, Baltimore Convention Center

View press release on the IAVM website

Mastering the Mid-Day Workout

4.18.2018 by jsl_web_admin

Tips and tricks to help you squeeze in your exercise routine during work hours.

Life seems to buzz by with our busy schedules. We are all juggling careers, family, personal lives, and often blending it all together. Chances are you have health and fitness goals, but it may be challenging to find the time it truly takes to dedicate to living a healthy lifestyle. If you have the time to exercise in the early morning or evening you may not have the energy. That’s where the mid-day workout is a great option!

Why should you give the mid-day workout a try?

Your energy level is likely high in the late morning and around lunchtime.
Provides a mental health break from the office and reduces stress.
Increases productivity for the remainder of the day.
Frees up your mornings and evenings (more on maximizing this time below).
Time to think. Don’t check emails, texts or talk on the phone. Use the time to think, pray, reflect and be thankful. Listen to a podcast, Ted Talk or a sermon instead of music. You might find it peaceful and invigorating.
A time to socialize. This is an opportunity to meet people from different walks of life at the gym you attend. They’ll make fantastic workout buddies as time goes on.

Here are some tried and true tips to help you master the mid-day workout.

In a word, Preparation. The true key to succeeding at this routine is preparing for your day. Follow the steps below and you’ll be armed and ready to conquer your health and fitness goals during your work day!

Meal Prep

Most likely you’ll be working out during your lunch hour, so you’ll be eating at your desk when you return. Spend some time on the weekend or evenings finding recipes, planning your meals, grocery shopping and preparing your lunches for the week ahead. Assemble them either for the entire week or each night, you’ll quickly find out which way you prefer. We find it easiest if the meals don’t require assembly or heating to eat, as even those few minutes can be spent maximizing your workout. Salads work great to grab and eat.

Here are some lunch recipes that don’t require any heating:

20 Vegan Packed Lunch Recipes

38 No-Heat Lunches to Bring to Work

Maybe you follow a specific diet, if so, just Google (or use Pinterest) to search your ideal diet followed by the term “meal prep” or “lunches”.

Examples:

Vegetarian meal prep
Paleo meal prep
Low calorie lunches
Gluten free no-heat lunches
Salad meal prep

There you will find endless suggestions to help you succeed and love the food you’re eating. Healthy does not need to be boring.

Don’t forget your pre-workout snack. To maximize results eat it 30 minutes to an hour before your workout. Some quick go-to (and super easy) snacks might be a piece of fruit, a hand full of nuts, or a granola bar or protein bar.

Gym Bag

This bag should be packed and ready as you leave for work in the morning. You’ll need your exercise essentials and toiletries to freshen up before returning to work.

Your bag might include:

Workout clothes
Socks
Sneakers
Towel
Water bottle
Hair tie
Deodorant
Hairbrush or comb
Makeup
Dry shampoo
Or any other toiletries that are part of your routine.

*Extra Tip: For long hair, instead of wearing a ponytail or bun during a workout, go for a braid. It will keep the hair out of your face and is easier to touch up and return to work.

Save time by wearing yoga pants that double as dress pants! Perfect for traveling and avoiding wrinkles too.

Time Management

You have one hour, that’s 60 minutes to be broken down to getting a significant workout in. Where will you exercise? Do you have a gym on-site, will you drive to a gym or fitness studio nearby, or maybe head outside for a run?

Determine how long it will take you to:

Change into your workout attire.
Get to and from your workout location.
Change back into your work attire and freshen up.

Add all the above and subtract the number of minutes from 60. Then you have an idea of how long you can exercise. For instance; it could take 5 minutes to change, round trip to and from the gym is 15 minutes, 10 minutes to change again and freshen up. That leaves 30 minutes to workout.

*Extra Tip: Take an early lunch to work out so when you return you’re eating at your desk at the time you normally eat lunch. If you wait, you’ll be too hungry and won’t have the energy to exercise.

Block Out Your Calendar

This could also fit under time management, but block out the hour you choose to work out on your calendar, plus the 15-30 minutes it will take you to eat (your prepped and ready-to-go) lunch. This way your meetings can be scheduled around it. We find it most productive if you reserve a certain task to do while eating, like responding to emails, checking up on industry news, or something that doesn’t require face-to-face or phone calls during this time.

Your co-workers will grow to know this as your schedule and respect it, they might even get on board and give the mid-day workout a try too. Make sure you help and encourage them. A healthy workplace can greatly contribute to an individual’s overall health and wellness.

This won’t be perfect every single day, you will have to be flexible to work with your clients and customer schedules, or other circumstances. The most important thing is that you create a mindset that your health is important now, and deserves time dedicated to it daily. Even if that means squeezing it in when and where you can.

That’s why SearchWide Global created the Take Carra Foundation, to help our clients, candidates and industry of professionals “Take Carra” themselves. Find out more about it here.

*Extra Tip: If you are super pressed for time, keep an app handy like 12 Min Athlete or 8Fit that you can do quick, anytime, anywhere workouts. Or go for a walk with whatever time you do have, even if it’s just 5 minutes.

That brings us to maximizing your mornings and evenings as mentioned above. Studies show that having a less hectic morning routine can lead to a more productive day, and your overall happiness.

Some quick tips:

Start your morning off mindful.

Mental health is important too. Does it make you happy to enjoy a cup of coffee without distractions? To meditate right when you wake? Try incorporating a ritual that brings you joy and reduces your stress.

Here are some ideas from Inc.com.

End your day to feel complete.

Do you feel like your day was a success or lacking something? Spend time with loved ones, relax, cook. Whatever brings you a sense of fulfillment, find time after work for it.

***Each night prep your lunch and pack your gym bag to set the tone for the following day.

If you found these tips on mastering the mid-day workout helpful, share with your peers. They will be thankful you did.

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SearchWide Global is a full service executive search firm primarily for companies in Destination Organizations / Hotels & Resorts / Venue Management / Experiential Marketing, Tradeshow & Exhibition / Industry Associations / Sports & Entertainment. Specializing in C-Level and Director level executive searches for companies ranging in size from Fortune 500 corporations to mid-sized public and private companies and associations. Founded in 1999, SearchWide Global headquartered in St. Paul, MN, USA and operates worldwide.

SearchWide Global Announces Express Recruiting Service

1.18.2018 by jsl_web_admin

SearchWide Global, an executive search and recruitment firm that has primarily worked in the travel, tourism, and hospitality industry for nearly two decades has now launched a new recruiting service specifically for customers seeking to fill mid-level management roles quickly.

The new service, SearchWide Global Connect, will fill a void in the industry today. There is a need to bring speed of placement to the market, without sacrificing the quality of candidates. SearchWide Global has recently expanded their team and increased their resources to launch Connect.

“SearchWide Global has been placing leaders in the travel/tourism, hospitality, venue and events industry for almost 20 years. In that time, we’ve recognized a growing need for many of our clients, especially in the hotel and resort sector. It’s to fill their mid-level management roles with exceptional candidates, but at a faster pace than our executive search service offers. SearchWide Global Connect is intended to do just that. This division of SearchWide Global is led by a team of young and smart industry professionals who exhibit the ability to quickly find tomorrows industry leaders,” stated Mike Gamble, President/CEO for SearchWide Global.

“With unemployment at an all-time low and the war on talent at an all-time high, speed to market is critically important to many of our clients, especially in the hotel and resort sector,” continued Mike Gamble.

“Offering this solution has been in the works for a while, but we wanted to do it right. It was important for us to have the right team on board to ensure a seamless, high-quality experience like our executive search, and I’m excited we are there,” said Elizabeth McHeffey, Leader of SearchWide Global Connect.

Since 1999 SearchWide Global has been a traditional, full service, retained, consultative executive search firm. Connect, as a service will apply many of the core SearchWide Global quality standards with a focus on speed to market. Their large database of hospitality professionals and connections deep within the industry, allows them quick access to the talent needed to fill positions. While the service was created primarily for hotels and resorts, SearchWide Global believes it will also be beneficial for the other markets they serve as well.

“SearchWide Global was professional, thorough, efficient and proactive. They followed up with us regularly to ensure that the process was moving. We will call SearchWide Global the next time we have a recruiting need,” stated George Cozonis, Managing Director at The Fairmont Plaza Hotel.

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Founded in 1999, SearchWide Global is a full service executive search firm primarily for companies in the travel, tourism, hospitality, convention, trade association, venue management and experiential marketing industries. Headquartered in St. Paul, MN, USA and several regional offices, SearchWide Global serves clients and candidates nationwide. They understand that matching the right people with the right opportunity is not an easy task. That’s why they guarantee their work, and are committed to exceeding their clients’ and candidates’ expectations.

Mike Gamble, President & CEO, SearchWide Global

Elizabeth McHeffey, Leader of SearchWide Global Connect

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USA Archery Board of Directors Engages SearchWide Global to Conduct CEO Search

11.7.2017 by jsl_web_admin

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado – Last month, USA Archery’s CEO of eight years, Denise Parker, accepted a position at the United States Olympic Committee and the USA Archery Board of Directors appointed former Board Chair and current Marketing Director Rod Menzer as interim CEO.

After a thorough review, which involved eleven candidate firms responding to the organization’s RFP, the Board of Directors has engaged SearchWide Global, a retained executive search firm, to conduct the search for a permanent CEO. Mark Gnatovic, Senior Vice President at SearchWide Global will be leading the search. Individuals interested in applying for the CEO position can view the full position overview and apply online at the SearchWide Global job board or directly here.

Board Member Jennifer Rottenberg, who is leading the search committee, commented:

“We are very pleased with the performance of USA Archery over the past half dozen years, including excellence at the Olympic and Paralympic levels – including a silver for the men’s Olympic team, an individual Olympic bronze for Brady Ellison, and a gold for Andre Shelby at the Paralympics in Rio – as well as sustained growth, with memberships increasing 670% from 2010 through 2016! Our goal for this process is to identify and secure the best person to lead the organization to even greater heights both domestically and internationally. Our next CEO has an exciting task in front of him or her!”

The mission of USA Archery is to enable United States athletes to achieve sustained competitive excellence in Olympic, Paralympic, World Championships and international competitions and to promote and grow the sport of Archery in the United States. Toward that end, the Board recently worked with staff to formulate a four-year strategic plan which the new CEO will be tasked with executing. The plan emphasizes competitive excellence, membership outreach and continued growth, improving the quality of our coaches and judges, marketing and promotions, event optimization and organizational health. Rottenberg added, “the Board expects the CEO to lead a staff focused on maximizing our elite athletes’ ability to achieve international excellence, continuing to grow participation in archery to as broad a population as possible, and supporting the needs of our growing membership base by providing relevant programs and optimal event experiences.”

About SearchWide Global:

SearchWide Global is a full service executive search firm, placing hundreds of executives for companies ranging in size from Fortune 500 corporations to mid-sized public and private companies and associations including non-profit. Headquartered in St. Paul, MN, USA and several regional offices, SearchWide Global is able to serve clients and candidates nationwide. Founded in 1999, they have remained focused on four core values for almost two decades: INTEGRITY, ETHICS, PASSION and RESPECT.

About USA Archery:

USA Archery is the National Governing Body for the Olympic sport of archery in the United States. USA Archery selects and trains Olympic, Paralympic, World Championship, and World Cup teams, as well as developing archery at the grassroots level across the United States. For more information, visit www.usarchery.org.

Media Contact:

Sarah Bernstein

sbernstein@usarchery.org

201.919.8050

Tips on Eating Healthy While Traveling

10.25.2017 by jsl_web_admin

We’ve all done it. Our intentions were good when we planned on eating right and exercising while preparing for an upcoming meeting, convention or business trip. However, once the receptions, buffets and dinners show up, all of your plans are tossed out of the window!

Below are a few tips on eating healthy while traveling.

Start your day off right: Eat a healthy breakfast. Eating healthy will give you the energy needed to kick start your day. While at the buffet, look for oatmeal, fruit and protein (eggs and lean meat). Most coffee shops also offer oatmeal. Skip the baked goods such as muffins and pastries!

Pack your snacks: Try this mixture to stave away cravings during the day. This snack packs easily in your bag and is high in protein:

1 Tablespoon each (6.5 grams protein):

Almonds
Pistachio nuts
Sunflower seeds,
Walnuts
Raisins
Chocolate chips

Other travel friendly non-perishable foods include: Almond butter packs, snack sized hummus & pretzels and snack sized tuna & cracker kits,.

Protein with every meal: According to Healthline.com, protein aids in reducing cravings and helps to maintain a healthy weight. See the link for more benefits that are backed by science.

Simply eat real food: While making food choices while traveling, try and stay away from refined foods such as chips, muffins, cakes, cookies and crackers. Opt for whole foods like salads, vegetable based dishes, baked potatoes, meat and fish. Choose foods that are not heavily processed.

According to Healthline, refined carbs may contribute to diabetes, heart disease, and other health issues.

Monitor those drinks: Sugary drinks can pack on calories throughout the day. Try unsweetened tea, seltzer water with lime and when it comes to alcohol, many cocktails can pack up to 500 calories. Try a light beer or lower calorie low sugar drink such as vodka with club soda.

Move your body: Set a goal to exercise daily. Go for a walk, hit the gym or take time out to meditate and recharge your mind and body. As little as 20 minutes can provide the needed energy boost and keep you charged. (Popsugar: 2 Important Reasons to Move 20 Minutes a Day)

Remember while traveling, eating properly does not mean you have to sacrifice taste or nutrition. With the right planning and mindset, you can enjoy your trip without packing on the pounds.

kellie_henderson About the Author:

Kellie Henderson works in all sectors of the hospitality, travel and tourism industry at SearchWide Global, a full service executive recruitment firm primarily for companies in the travel, tourism, hospitality, convention, trade association, venue management and experiential marketing industries. She is an expert at recognizing clients’ needs and identifying best-in-class talent. She is also the leader of SearchWide Global’s industrywide diversity initiative and is very involved in several industry organizations.

Six Ways to Land The Interview You Want

9.20.2017 by jsl_web_admin

Have you ever wondered why you didn’t get a follow-up e-mail or call for an in-person interview? At some point, you should dig deeper and really understand why you aren’t getting called back. This article provides six steps that are critical to your job hunt. These steps are often overlooked when candidates move too quickly to reach the interview stage. Like anything worth working for, you need to put in the ground work to be successful. If you are having trouble getting an interview, seek no more. Here are six ways to land an interview:

Build a strong personal network. Put in the effort to develop a personal network. Be proactive and attend in-person networking events. Do not rely entirely on the internet and simple one-click submissions, like Monster and Indeed. It is important to establish meaningful relationships with decision makers, and a great way to do this is through professional networking events, such as industry meetings and mixers, university recruitment programs, and career fairs. Your chances of being hired will increase significantly if you establish and leverage internal contacts within your target company.

Polish up your LinkedIn profile. Now that you have developed your physical, in-person network, you can shift your focus to online networks: LinkedIn and other professional networking websites. Start making the right connections online. In other words, advertise yourself to your target company, including talent acquisition, hiring managers, and other key stakeholders.

You may be perfect for a position, but if you are not in close contact with the hiring manager (think first or second degree within a professional social network), you might be out of the equation entirely. LinkedIn can give you a leg up on the competition. Secondly, as you develop your LinkedIn profile, ignore the phrase “don’t judge a book by its cover”. Recruiters and hiring managers want to see polished candidates, and that starts with your profile on LinkedIn; think about adding a professional photograph. Your accomplishments may be great, but if you do not present yourself well, you may be passed over for another candidate.

Research the company. Research the company and your target position. Hiring managers need to know that you can handle the role; and more importantly, that you have the relevant skills to succeed. Researching the company and position will show effort, and help you adapt your skills to meet the specific needs of the company. Familiarity with the company’s goals and values will be very effective during networking conversations and prescreening interviews. Researching the position is also critical to developing a great resume and cover letter.

Develop a winning resume and cover letter. Polish up a winning resume and cover letter. Read your resume and ask yourself: “What unique skills do I possess that will enable me to add value to the role?”. In today’s job market, many applicants offer similar skills – make your resume and cover letter stand out by using action words followed by strong, goal oriented statements. In your cover letter, be sure to explain how you have impacted your previous company positively. Include performance achievements, awards, and clear quantitative data that illustrates your success. Lastly, explain why you are the best candidate for the job, and how you can contribute to the goals of your target company.

Follow-up. If you have contact information of a recruiter, employee, or other relevant network contact, it is helpful to send a follow-up email after submitting your application. Although you may think this is coming off as pushy, reaching out may put you at the top of the list. Note, one follow-up message is generally sufficient, as you do not want to seem overly eager. Also, if you are told you are not continuing to the interview phase, be sure to ask for feedback on your submission in order to improve for your next opportunity.

Develop a clear career pathway. Develop a career pathway toward your target position. Be selective about the interviews and positions that you accept. Structure your career moves to show growth and continuous professional development toward a clear goal. Keep in mind, as Thomas Jefferson said, “I’m a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work, the more luck I have!”

Overall, remember to never give up. Wishing you the best of luck in your search!

Sales Skills Podcast with Mike Gamble

8.25.2017 by jsl_web_admin

Our President & CEO, Mike Gamble had the pleasure of being a guest on the new podcast with host, Christine Shimasaki. Christine “Shimo” Shimasaki, CDME, CMP of 2Synergize, Inc. has provided leadership and guidance to destination organizations since 2009.

The podcast, ShimoCast is dedicated to destination organization and convention and visitors bureau professionals looking to make quantum leaps in the meetings and events space. This is where you’ll gain planner perspectives, insights from industry experts, and discover how some of the most successful CVB’s continuously improve upon their strategies and tactics.

In this episode, she sits down with Mike Gamble to talk about his perspective on the most important skills in a sales professional today. Listen directly on 2Synergize, iTunes, Google Play, or Stitcher.

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SearchWide Global and Strategic Solution Partners Offers a New Service for Hotels

8.21.2017 by jsl_web_admin

SearchWide Global, an executive recruiting firm, and Strategic Solution Partners, a taskforce solutions, hotel consulting, and revenue management company, are proud to announce their strategic alliance. The two companies will come together for a new approach to successful placement.

Together, SearchWide Global and Strategic Solution Partners will find exceptional talent quickly for clients in the hotel and resort sector. While both companies will continue to focus on their core businesses, together, they will now be able to offer clients a temporary to permanent option for key positions.

This relationship will broaden the reach of both parties’ network and fill a void within the industry today. By creating a temporary to permanent option for our clients, offering innovative solutions for their immediate personnel requirements. Between the two organizations, clients can benefit from interim support, temporary to permanent (low-risk), and full service permanent search and recruitment.

“It seems natural for us to come together and offer this hybrid model to clients. While this is not a new concept for many other industries, it certainly is for travel/tourism and hospitality, especially for Manager and Director level roles.” Stated Mike Gamble, President/CEO for SearchWide Global. “We are excited to partner with SSP. Bill and I have been industry colleagues for over 30 years and our mutual company values align very well.”

“SearchWide Global possesses the same commitment to quality, ethics, value and customer service as we do. Business is done on a transactional basis but built on results. Mike and his team have a proven track record. We believe that our mutual ability to innovate and adapt to changing market conditions makes the introduction of our partnership, and this product, the right solution, at the right time, for the right reasons for our customers” added Bill Scanlon, President and Founder of Strategic Solution Partners.

Clients love how they can come into this process with an immediate solution and plan for a successful permanent placement for their property. It allows them to keep running their business while providing them a low-risk, high-reward option.

SearchWide Global is the leader in executive search and recruitment for public and private organizations in the convention, hospitality, tourism, lodging and event industries for almost two decades. Their knowledge and experience help enable full understanding of their client’s business, competitive set and individual dynamics related to their business. With offices across the country, SearchWide Global remains connected at all levels while valuing their client and candidate relationships which in turn enables building a solid bench for future success.

Strategic Solution Partners is a Hospitality Consulting firm comprised of top tier industry executives who are focused on providing our ownership and management business partners with long term revenue enhancing solutions in both domestic and international capacities. Their services are tailored to their client’s specific needs and range from strategic planning and organizational alignment at a high level to interim support for sales, revenue, and operations at a specific property level.

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KARA RYAN | SOCIAL MEDIA & DEVELOPMENT MANAGER

SEARCHWIDE

320 Myrtle Street West – Stillwater, MN 55082

P: (651) 275-1370 F: (651) 275-1367

info@searchwideglobal.com

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What Every Company Should Be Doing to Keep Their Employees Happy

7.20.2017 by jsl_web_admin

According to Glassdoor, top companies like Twitter, Edelman, Google and Facebook were named the top places to work based on company culture and values.

Twitter offers core values that drive the company to always be better. Meetings on the roof, teamwork, a friendly atmosphere, and an open dialogue with the executives is what employees like most about working there.

1. Physical space does matter:

Whether you work in a corporate office or remotely, physical space does matter.

The feeling of psychological privacy that comes with individual offices can enhance job performance. Open office layouts (cube farms) tend to have high noise levels. Studies have shown that even a small amount of background noise increases mental workload, which further contributes to employee stress and lowered productivity. Offering spaces where people can close the door and put their heads down to work without noise is what employees are looking for.

Physical enhancements such as:

Natural light – creativity depends on natural light. Integrating sunlight into office design, and making sure it shines on all employees is vital to creating the environments where creative ideas grow.

Plants – plants have been proven to lower workplace stress and increase productivity. Add them through the office space for all employees to see.

2. Work atmosphere and healthy well-being

Employers are now using decor to entice top talent, and as the lines between work and home are becoming blurred, many workplaces now feature treadmill desks, standing desks and lounge areas. Companies are even offering more opportunities for play. Dropbox has a music studio at its headquarters in San Francisco (take a peek at their headquarters here). YouTube’s office in San Bruno, California, has an indoor slide and putting green (see video tour below).

Healthier employees are happier and more productive, and companies with the best benefits packages recognize this.

At Salesforce, a cloud-computing company in San Francisco, employees receive a monthly reimbursement of $100 for nutrition counseling, yoga classes or massages. At the organic food producer Clif Bar & Company, employees receive 2 1/2 hours of paid workout time each week. Finding the space to work out is even easier for Clif Bar’s staff, since the company headquarters in Emeryville, California, has a dance studio, gym and rock-climbing wall (see video tour below).

Small and midsize companies have started to give their staff Fitbits and Apple Watches (SearchWide Global does!) or started programs to encourage their employees to become more active.

3. Perks vs. culture:

Top companies like Facebook, Google and LinkedIn offer an array of perks including on-site gym’s, car washes, free laundry, rock climbing walls, running trails and afternoon yoga (see Facebook’s video tour below). Other perks including flexible time off, competitive retirement and medical benefits can attract top talent. The employee perks are there to take the daily stress off employee’s lives so they can concentrate on doing their job. Glass Door did a recent blog on unique company perks in 2017 by some top companies. Here they are.

However, the company culture is what employees are most happy with. Having things does not define the organizational culture. Supportive management, good ideas, work that is appreciated and a company that makes decisions based on good principles is what defines the culture and what’s appreciated by staff.

Glass Door did a recent blog on unique company perks in 2017 by some top companies, we hope they are setting the stage for some of the smaller companies out there that might be looking for perks to include for their employees.

“Being able to be truly happy at work is one of the keys to being happy in life”, says Heidi Golledge, the CEO and co-founder of CareerBliss.

What are some factors that make you happy at work?

Author: jsl_web_admin