Blue Signal Gives Back 2021

by

Blue Signal recently wrapped up our 4th annual philanthropy initiative, Blue Signal Gives Back. Each year Blue Signal strives to give back to meaningful organizations through a philanthropic donation. Aligning our shared passion for philanthropy with healthy competition, Blue Signal Gives Back has proven to be an employee favorite initiative. In 2018, Blue Signal donated $1,632.50 to the American Parkinson Disease Association. In 2019, $2,052.50 was donated to the Smiths-Kingsmore Syndrome Foundation. Last year, Smiths-Kingsmore Syndrome Foundation won for the second year in a row, receiving $3,986.50. At our 2022 Virtual State of the Signal presentation, Jordan Lawhead was crowned the winner of the 2021 Blue Signal Gives Back initiative, representing the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. As a result of Jordan’s efforts, $2,105.00 will be donated to the organization on his behalf.  

Blue Signal Gives Back: Philanthropy with a Splash of Competition 

Each year, Blue Signal makes a donation to a nonprofit charitable organization on behalf of the winner of a metrics-based, company-wide contest. This year, the contest ran from November 29th to December 25th, 2021. The teams consisted of two recruiters or a recruiter paired with a non-recruiter (employees from Operations, People & Culture, Marketing, or Finance) — with some solo team exceptions. Each recruiter or team picked a nonprofit charitable organization that was important to them to represent. Some of the organizations included Veteran One, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Friends for Life, and BeLoved Atlanta. 

Recruiters could earn money for their organization by hitting metrics that were assigned a dollar amount, such as candidate send outs and placements. Non-recruiters were able to earn money by answering trivia questions asked in our weekly company meeting. This year, the trivia questions were focused on Blue Signalers’ holiday traditions and memories. Questions included, “Which Blue Signaler would have ‘Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays’ by NSYNC playing in the background as they’re walking down the street, feeling great?” and “Which Blue Signaler thinks the best way to spend a Saturday in December is making a charcuterie board with their family, walking their puppy, and listening to Justin Bieber’s Christmas album?” While these questions primarily served as an opportunity to win points, they also allowed us to learn more about our virtual coworkers! 

At the end of each week, our General Counsel Jessica Walsh sent updates on the Blue Signal Gives Back contest standings. The competition was neck-and-neck, as we had ties for first, second, or third place nearly every week. At the end of the competition, the team with the most points won – and Blue Signal matched the monetary amount to make a philanthropic donation in the winning team’s name! This year, Jordan Lawhead dethroned 3x Blue Signal Gives Back winner Ryan Walsh, earning $2,105.00 for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.  

Photo of a bar graph depicting the Blue Signal Gives Back contest standings of every team in the contest

2021’s Winning Organization – Cystic Fibrosis Foundation 

Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is a genetic disorder that affects the lungs, pancreas, and other organs. The disease causes long-lasting lung infections and limits the ability to breathe over time. According to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Cystic Fibrosis affects more than 30,000 children and adults in the US. 

The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation was founded in 1955 by a group of parents who aimed to advance their understanding of the disease, create new treatments and specialized care for their children, and find a cure. Dedicated to research, the Foundation has made groundbreaking discoveries including identifying the gene and protein responsible for CF, and discovered more than a dozen new treatments for the disease. Today, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation funds research with the goal of finding new therapies and treatments for CF patients.  

Group of people dressed in purple standing together in front of a sign reading Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, the recipient of this year's Blue Signal Gives Back donation

Jordan Lawhead chose to represent the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation for this year’s Blue Signal Gives Back initiative because it is very near and dear to his family’s hearts - Jordan’s niece Marina was born with Cystic Fibrosis and battles the disease daily. Jordan and his family have supported the Foundation in the past by participating in CF walks, fundraisers, and events. Blue Signal is honored to donate to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation on behalf of Jordan and hopes our donation contributes to their overall mission to increase awareness and find a cure for CF. 

2021: A Year for Growth

by

Kicking off the new year, Blue Signal would like to use this time to celebrate what we accomplished in 2021. We had set pretty hefty goals for ourselves following the Coronavirus Crash of 2020, and weren’t sure how achievable they may be with all of the uncertainty surrounding the professional landscape. Despite these fears and variables, we charged on — setting goals for placements, revenue, hiring, expanding, and growing as an organization. Every accomplishment we were able to achieve was a series of small steps toward growth. Let’s take the time to reflect and examine them.  

 

Growth in Placements  

In August of 2020, Blue Signal achieved 1,000 all-time placements. This was a huge accomplishment, especially given the circumstances of that year! However, closing out 2021 with over 1,500 placements marks the fastest growth period in Blue Signal history.  

2021 A Year for Growth Blog Graphic

To us, those 1,500 placements translate to 1,500 changed lives; 1,500 stronger teams; 1,500 career moves; and so much more. These relationships that we cultivate are what make us successful, and result in a lasting impact. When we make placements, it’s not just to get a number on the board — it’s to ensure the best matches possible for clients and candidates. These incredible placements are what set us apart, and that’s clear in the feedback we receive.   

Getting people opportunities for growth is why we do what we do. Our core values of excellence, transparency, integrity, commitment, and respect all align with our placement guarantees and each of our recruiting practices. Helping others is in our DNA, and it’s so rewarding to see it come to fruition — especially at an accelerated pace like it was in 2021! 

 

Initiatives and New Offerings 

In the spirit of growth and giving back, Blue Signal also took 2021 as an opportunity to update and expand our hiring practices and offerings. We took a look at the market and saw a need in more niche, specialized fields like lighting, emerging technology, and the internet of everything. With needs in these rapidly-growing fields, we’re staying ahead of the tech to best support clients in those industries.  

Additionally, we’ve dialed into our existing candidate pool and are actively working to promote the very things that set candidates apart – their unique backgrounds. It's our commitment to finding candidates the job of their dreams. For those with military backgrounds, that means translating their military experience to the civilian world and supporting them through the hiring process. Our veteran recruiting practice will work to assess applicants’ military backgrounds and goals to better align them with a fulfilling role in the civilian world. 

Furthermore, candidates asked and we listened when it comes to applicant resources. We began planning the new Resume and Career Services, powered by Blue Signal, which is set to launch in early 2022. This subscription-based service will offer members self-directed coursework to gain the tools needed to empower job seekers on their career projection, job moves, and more.  

2021 A Year for Growth Blog Graphic 2

Although not an entirely new concept, we did update and solidify our diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) goals and practices throughout the company. As recruiters, it has always been our duty to advance and promote workplace DEI. Blue Signal has championed this effort internally by educating and certifying 100% of our recruiters on the subject. Externally, we are educating hiring managers and ensuring the hiring experience is free of discrimination and bias. As we advance into 2022 with these missions in mind, we’re hoping to better the hiring landscape for organizations across the board.  

 

Awards and Recognition 

Perhaps one of our fondest accomplishments in 2021 were the awards we were recognized with. In 2021, we were named as one of the Best and Brightest Companies to Work For in the Nation. Industry Wired dubbed us one of the 10 Best Companies to Work for in 2021. We ranked as number 1750 on the Inc 5000 list and were listed as a Best Workplaces Honoree for Inc Magazine. In our headquarter state of Arizona, we were named among the Top Companies to Work for in Arizona, as well as Ranking Arizona’s #2 Executive Search and #4 Technical Placement Firm. We were also named as a Top Recruiter for Best of Tempe, and won the Copper Award for Healthy Arizona Worksites.  

2021 A Year for Growth Blog Graphic 3

As a result of the hardships of 2020, Blue Signal realized its full potential. Despite being a company of under 50 employees, we’ve accomplished so much following what had been the hardest year yet. The recognition we’ve received from these awards humbles us in our mission, but also gives us reassurance that we’re on the right path when it comes to transforming the recruiting industry for the better.  

 

Company Growth 

Overall, this small but mighty team prospered. Blue Signal grew its internal workforce by 25% in 2021. With that, we now have professionals positioned in 13 states across the US – providing better coverage nationally. 2021 marked 3-year revenue growth of 261% – and counting! With more support internally, we were able to get back to doing what we do best – helping others. We are looking forward to the growth that 2022 is sure to bring, and what that will mean in terms of results for candidates and clients alike.  

 

Looking Ahead  

When defining goals and examining what growth will mean for the company in 2022, we’ve set the bar high. Internally, we are looking to hire 25 more recruiters by year-end, meaning a 50% increase in our workforce. We are positioning ourselves for the anticipated growth in professional services, manufacturing, healthcare, and transportation and warehousing industries. Leveraging our tried-and-true resources, we are expecting even more success this year.  

It’s a very exciting time for us here at Blue Signal. The last year taught us that no matter the conditions, staying true to our core values and mission will lead to success. We look forward to continuing our partnership with each one of our clients and candidates, and hope to help them all on their own growth paths in 2022. Thank you to all who helped contribute to an incredible 2021 – here's to what lies ahead!  

Blue Signal Women of the Workplace 2021 Year in Review

by

Blue Signal’s own female empowerment initiative, BSS Women of the Workplace, has just concluded its best year yet! Founded in 2019, BSS WOW has not only impacted those within the organization, but also the greater community as a whole. With the mission of “promoting the education, connection, and empowerment of women (and those who support women) and their contributions to the broader goals of Blue Signal and beyond,” we’ve supported our goals through several purposeful actions. Despite being geographically dispersed, BSS WOW was able to meet virtually to discuss important topics, bond as a team, and participate in philanthropy. 

 

BSS WOW Learning Opportunities  

This year, we did an activity on gendered language in the workforce where we examined the unintentional yet inherent biases that many work-related terms hold. By examining these terms and their biases, we as a team were able to better understand equity and how we can combat gendered bias in our communication with clients, candidates, internally with colleagues, and externally as a whole. As a group, BSS WOW completed a LinkedIn Learning Course and certified 100% of our members on Women Helping Women Succeed in the Workplace.  

Additionally, we reviewed several articles surrounding similar topics. In one meeting, the group read “She Wants to Kill the Girl Boss.” The article sparked thoughtful conversations surrounding confirmation bias, intersectionality, discrimination, and privilege and how that all plays into labels. In another meeting, we reviewed a summary of the popular Sheryl Sandberg book, Lean In. We discussed gender inequality, factors that can help or hinder women’s careers, and how we can all help women to achieve their goals. Another hot topic surrounded the child-care crisis resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. This Washington Post article predicted that COVID-19 would dramatically set women back, given that many mothers had to choose between motherly duties and their careers.  

Finally, at our end-of-the-year holiday party, we discussed women who we admire. Many notable professionals were named, including Brittney Packnett Cunningham, Abby Wambach, Sara Blakely, and Rachel Hollis. Each of these articles and discussions facilitated actionable insights into bettering ourselves as people and as professionals.  

 

BSS WOW Team Building  

In creating a safe space to discuss such topics, it’s important to make it fun — it’s simply good strategy! We found so much joy in conducting alternate activities that they’ve become a staple in every meeting. We bonded over things like Secret Santa; the Rose, Bud, and Thorn activity; and more. Our members shared feedback on Blue Signal’s Women of the Workplace, stating that they “truly enjoy the bonding exercises. It can feel extremely isolated when working remote - so it's helpful to have the connection with others on a deeper level.” Others said they “always leave the conversations feeling refreshed with a new perspective and feeling closer to the team!” By becoming exactly what our company needed, either through connection or just as a good mental reset, this group has become its own community.  

BSS WOW Testimonial

Blue Signal Gives Back – BSS WOW Edition  

Giving back has been a cornerstone to Blue Signal’s company culture since our inception. It’s no wonder that BSS WOW would want to participate, but with their own unique spin. Since 2020, BSS WOW has been supporting Live and Learn AZ. Live and Learn is a local non-profit that seeks to empower women in the Phoenix area to break the cycle of generational poverty. This year we continued our resume writing support and interview coaching collaboration, effectively helping 18 women with their resumes. Of those 18, six were hired into new roles.  

One Live and Learn client was very discouraged about applying for jobs and wasn’t sure when she would be able to find employment to support her family. She was referred to the BSS WOW resume writing service, where she learned to tailor her resume to the job she would be applying for. After speaking with BSS WOW, she found renewed energy and confidence in the job search, and she was able to nail a job in healthcare. Stories like these are what inspire us to work to support those in our community. This year, with our newly developed career service, we were able to also refer these Live and Learn clients to Resume and Career Services, powered by Blue Signal. With this, we hope to get even more women educated, empowered, and employed.  

But we didn’t stop there. BSS Women of the Workplace also donated four laptops to the cause. We donated three full Thanksgiving meals for Live and Learn’s Give Thanks food drive. We went live with Live and Learn on Instagram to help them generate donations for Giving Tuesday. Their movement to #EmpowerWomen and #BreakTheCycle resulted in $5,160 in overall donations! For Christmas, BSS WOW also sponsored three families from Live and Learn. The entire Blue Signal organization stepped up to help create an incredible holiday for these women and their families.  

BSS WOW Adopt a Family

Reflecting on 2021 and The Year Ahead 

2021 brought with it so many new opportunities for growth. Blue Signal’s Women of the Workplace has been humbled by this experience, and we are all excited for what’s next. We plan on continuing our virtual meetings, planning more exciting activities, and finding new ways to give back to our communities. For 2022, we want to focus on topics such as mental health, financial literacy, and equity. We will continue to learn more about women in leadership, and hope to make our own mark on that space.  

If this purpose and these projects speak to you, contact us to see how you can get involved. Whether that means joining in on the fun yourself by applying to work with us, or by educating us on your own current organization and how we can partner, don’t hesitate to reach out. 

 

Resources 

Here are several resources BSS WOW discussed and collected throughout the year. Please leverage these to explore on your own the topics we covered.  

Blue Signal Recognized Among 2021’s Top 30 Recruiting Agencies

by

Blue Signal Search has been recognized among the Top 30 Recruiting Agencies of 2021 by DesignRush. 

DesignRush is a B2B marketplace that connects brands with professional full-service recruiting agencies, web design companies, digital marketing firms, and top technology companies. Their platform lists over 9,300 agencies from over 50 different countries and is consulted by thousands of decision-makers looking for project support - such as hiring. 

“It’s genuinely an honor for our agency to be acknowledged among so many innovative companies in recruiting. This is especially notable since we are in such a competitive and turbulent job market, it’s a difficult yet busy time for recruiters all across the board,” said Matt Walsh, CEO of Blue Signal Search. 

Recruiting agencies in all industry verticals are experiencing the long-term effects of the now candidate-driven market. There are an estimated 7 million open jobs listed online today, highlighting the abundance of opportunities yet lack of qualified talent to fill those roles. Blue Signal knows what it takes for client companies to win the war for talent, making us an ideal partner in the hiring process.  

Blue Signal Recognized Among 2021's Top 30 Recruiting Agencies Accreditation

More about DesignRush 

Since 2017, DesignRush has helped advise brands faced with all the difficulties of finding the right professional partnership for their next digital project. They help brands choose the right agency that is able to adapt to their brand, understand their goals, and effectively work with them as a team. DesignRush brings value to their clients by matching them with agencies they can trust. Their process is proven to provide a strong return on investment in the form of long-term business growth. 

 

More about Blue Signal Search 

Since 2012, Blue Signal has grown into a multimillion-dollar executive placement firm, backed by remote employees nationwide. Blue Signal has established itself as the premier executive search firm within wireless/telecom, information technology, IoT, finance & accounting, emerging technology, cloud & managed services, manufacturing & industrial, lighting, logistics & supply chain, food & agriculture, human resources, medical & healthcare, and related industry niches. 

At Blue Signal, we believe that hiring the right people is the best way to transform business. Our targeted, specialized searches deliver highly qualified professionals to meet every hiring need. Paired with our 12-month placement guarantees and our incredible retention success rates, we stand apart from other recruiting agencies. When creating strategies and setting goals for hiring and recruiting in the 2020’s, Blue Signal is your partner in the process. Contact us today to let us know how we can help. 

Blue Signal Named Among Best and Brightest Companies to Work For in the Nation, Fall 2021

by

The National Association for Business Resources has released their fall 2021 Best and Brightest Companies to Work For in the Nation.

The 2021 Fall National winning companies were assessed by an independent research firm which reviewed a number of key measures relative to other nationally recognized winners. This year’s fall Best and Brightest National nominees honored 167 winning organizations from across the country out of 1,500 nominations. Blue Signal is honored to be ranked among these incredible companies!

The Best and Brightest Companies to Work For in the Nation Winners will be honored during the virtual Illuminate Business Summit week in January 2022. During the Illuminate Business Summit, the 101 highest scoring national winning companies and the Elite awards will be awarded to the highest winning companies demonstrating exceptional innovative human resource practices and setting high standards for all businesses.

Best and Brightest Companies Winners Logo

The Elite categories include: Compensation, Benefits, and Employee Solutions; Employee Enrichment, Engagement, and Retention; Employee Education and Development; Recruitment, Selection, and Orientation; Employee Achievement and Recognition; Communication and Shared Vision; Diversity and Inclusion; Work-Life Balance; Community Initiatives; Strategic Company Performance, and the Best of the Best: Small Business, Medium Business, and Large Business. With over 20 years of experience conducting the Best and Brightest competitions, the National Association for Business Resources (NABR) has identified numerous best Human Resource practices and provided benchmarking for companies that continue to be leaders in employment standards.

“The Best and Brightest is a powerful community of elite leaders who share ideas and practices and have proven they are employers of choice. Best and Brightest winning companies have also been a voice for important actions in creating a sustainable culture that works, ensuring the wellbeing of their employees come first,” said Jennifer Kluge, President and CEO, Best and Brightest Programs.

All 2021 companies that will be selected to be recognized nationally as a Best and Brightest Company to Work For® will be featured in the online edition of Corp! Magazine. Be sure to keep your eyes peeled for Blue Signal’s mention!

 

About the Best and Brightest Programs

The Best and Brightest Companies to Work For® competition identifies and honors organizations that display a commitment to excellence in operations and employee enrichment that lead to increased productivity and financial performance. This competition scores potential winners based on regional data of company performance and a set standard across the nation. This national program celebrates those companies that are making better business, creating richer lives, and building a stronger community as a whole. There are numerous regional celebrations throughout the country such as Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Grand Rapids, Houston, Milwaukee, San Diego, and San Francisco. Nominations are now being accepted for all programs. Visit thebestandbrightest.com to nominate your organization.

 

About Blue Signal Search

Blue Signal was founded in Chicago in 2012, and since then, has grown into a multimillion-dollar executive placement firm with an office in Phoenix and remote employees nationwide. Blue Signal has established itself as the premier executive search firm within wireless/telecom, information technology, IoT, finance & accounting, emerging technology, cloud & managed services, manufacturing & industrial, lighting, logistics & supply chain, food & agriculture, human resources, medical & healthcare, and related industry niches.

At Blue Signal, we believe that hiring the right people is the best way to transform business, and that principle holds true for our own company as well. We employ some of the best talent acquisition professionals in the nation, and continuously work to keep them educated on best practices when it comes to diversity and inclusion in recruiting. By arming our employees with the top tools for the job, we’ve created a culture of excellence that’s second to none.

If you’d like to join our team and learn how you can make a difference within the recruiting world yourself, contact us today.

Key Recruiting Strategies for the 2020’s: 5 Takeaways from NAPS

by

Blue Signal recently attended the NAPS conference to gain insight on new recruiting strategies, learn tips from the most tenured in the industry, and connect with fellow recruiting professionals. The NAPS (National Association of Personnel Services) 2021 Conference is “the premier education opportunity representing the search, recruiting & staffing industry.” The conference was held September 26-28th at the Green Valley Ranch Resort, outside of Las Vegas, Nevada, with over 300 attendees from the recruiting and staffing industry.

The mission of the NAPS conference is for attendees to learn best practices, recruiting strategies, and understand how to improve their business through case studies, while expanding their professional network. Overall, the NAPS conference provided a wealth of knowledge to those in the recruiting industry. Here were some of our Blue Signalers’ favorite takeaways.

Key Recruiting Strategies - Group Photo

Matt Walsh – Counteroffers/Ghosting, New Tech, Working and Hiring Virtually: How to Recruit and Thrive during the NEW Roaring 20’s

Matt Walsh is the CEO and Founder of Blue Signal, a nationwide executive search firm. Matt founded Blue Signal in 2012 after noticing pain points in the recruiting industry, and has since grown the company to a multimillion-dollar search firm with over 40 employees across the country. With over a decade of recruiting experience, Matt’s expertise spans across various industries, from telecommunications to wireless, IoT, and more. As an awarded Pinnacle Society member, he is a highly sought after and well-respected leader in the industry.

Matt’s session explored ways to stay at the forefront of recruiter’s changing virtual landscape and how to get one step ahead of your competition. In the session, Matt dove into best tactics and recruiting strategies to build stronger relationships, win more business, and make more placements. As a result, attendees learned techniques to handle many new challenges facing recruiters today – including ghosting, counteroffers, and emerging technology.

Blue Signal’s Takeaway: Thriving in the new “Roaring 20’s” is going to take deliberate effort from recruiters and clients alike. Blue Signal’s recruiters are constantly learning new technologies, counteroffer techniques, and recruiting strategies to best support our clients in navigating these challenges. As the digital landscape of recruiting continues to evolve, Blue Signal strives to address these changes through direct partnership with our clients.

Key Recruiting Strategies - Matt Speaking

Rudy Ruettiger – Keynote Speaker

Rudy Ruettiger is an Emmy Award-winning motivational keynote speaker, producer, and author with over 25 years of experience speaking to corporations, universities, sports teams, and at special events. Rudy is best known for his underdog-to-hero performance in the 1975 Notre Dame football game against Georgia Tech. Despite being 5’6”, Rudy sacked Georgia Tech quarterback Rudy Allen in the last 27 seconds of the game – becoming the first Fighting Irish player to do so. His story of hard work, fierce dedication, and self-motivation inspired many. Today Rudy uses his platform to share his experiences of adversity and triumph, while encouraging others to “Never Quit.”

Blue Signal’s Takeaway: Once a one-man-shop, Blue Signal has its own underdog-to-hero story. Through hard work and perseverance, our CEO & Founder Matt Walsh grew Blue Signal into a nationwide recruiting firm with over 40 employees. Fierce dedication and self-motivation are in the blood of every recruiter at Blue Signal, especially when facing rejection comes with the job. Thus, Rudy’s mantra of “Never Quit” resonated with many Blue Signalers. As we continue to fight the war for talent, Blue Signal is dedicated to finding top talent through diligence, perseverance, and innovative recruiting strategies.

Barb Bruno – High-Tech High Touch Recruiting

Barbara Bruno is a recognized expert in the staffing and recruiting space, with over 30 years of experience. As an expert trainer, Barb has developed over 15 LinkedIn recruiting courses taken by millions around the world. She is currently the CEO of Good As Gold Training, a web-based training service for recruiting and staffing professionals, and the President of H & R Search.

In a world dominated by technology, it’s crucial that recruiting and staffing professionals use it for beneficial touchpoints with candidates. Barb’s session discussed how to implement changes to “combine high-tech with a high-touch approach to business.” Topics addressed in the session included how communication has changed, why we need to stop writing skill-based job descriptions, why we need to interview to eliminate emotion or bias, and how to place candidates who become engaged and retained.

Blue Signal’s Takeaway: Our team loved the way Barb took recruiting back to the basics to exemplify what we all work for – changing lives. Barb described recruiting as being “all about relationships,” and we couldn’t agree more. As a relationship-based recruiting firm, Blue Signal focuses on recruiting strategies that build long-term partnerships with both our clients and candidates. As a result, our recruiters are able to thoroughly understand the needs of our clients’ businesses and fill their talent gaps, while working with candidates throughout their professional career. We plan on continuing to strengthen our relationship-based recruiting strategies in the 2020’s and building powerful partnerships along the way.

Jeremy Sisemore - A Fresh and Unique Approach to Metrics That Really Matter

Jeremy Sisemore is a prominent IT recruiter with over 18 years in the industry. In 2006, he founded ASAP Talent Services, a firm offering direct-placement, executive-retained, and contract staffing. Throughout his career, Jeremy has over $12M in personal production (billings) and has placed SAP talent at all levels up to CIO with over 75 Fortune 500 clients throughout North America. Today, Jeremy serves as a Billing Manager for ASAP Talent Services.

In A Fresh and Unique Approach to Metrics That Really Matter, Jeremy covered how he measures his team, predicts success and failure, prevents slow periods, and limits the valleys in his business. Jeremy discussed the metrics used in the 90’s and 2000’s for search firms, and how those metrics have evolved for the 2020’s.

Blue Signal’s Takeaway: A key takeaway our team took from Jeremy’s session was one of his recruiting strategies, called the “5 Alive and 10 In Process.” This is how Jeremy’s team keeps track of their pipeline. At any point, his recruiters should have five “Alive” candidates actively interviewing with a client, and ten candidates somewhere “In Process” – that could be submitted, in scheduling, at the offer stage, etc. While traditional recruiting metrics focus on submittals, send outs, and placements, we find this process a more beneficial way to measure the pipeline. Finding metrics that really matter will improve our recruiting strategies and strengthen our recruiters’ processes – which will ultimately help us make more placements.

Jordan Rayboy – Mental Health – The Struggle is Real

Jordan Rayboy is a NAPS conference veteran, giving numerous presentations over the years. He is the founder of Rayboy Insider Search and a member of the Pinnacle Society. Jordan has over 20 years of recruiting experience, and he specializes in the storage, data management, and cybersecurity marketplace.

Stress caused by the pandemic has taken a major toll on the recruiting industry, and on us as recruiting professionals. In The Struggle is Real, Jordan shared the challenges he’s faced in the last year and a half, and what helped him in addressing his mental health.

Blue Signal’s Takeaway: The pandemic has affected each of our lives in unique, but unifying, ways. It’s caused us to pivot recruiting strategies, take on new challenges, and of course, face unprecedented times. A major takeaway from Jordan’s session was how imperative mental health is to our success – as a business, as recruiters, and as individuals. In such a stress-inducing industry, prioritizing mental health is crucial. Blue Signal strives to prioritize mental health and wellness by providing resources to our employees, clients, and candidates.

"Jordan’s [session] brought me back to the real reason that I love working in recruiting – to change lives and further a company that truly cares about its employees, candidates, and clients alike."

— Jessica Walsh, Blue Signal’s General Counsel

From metrics to mental health, the information we learned at NAPS was invaluable. The sessions gave us some key recruiting strategies to stay ahead of the curve when it comes to trends and technology in the 2020’s. Between the knowledge gained and the relationships made, NAPS was an unforgettable event for those in the recruiting and staffing industry. For many Blue Signalers, the event reignited their original passion for what they do. We look forward to implementing these recruiting strategies into our practice, and can’t wait to see you all at NAPS 2022!

Key Recruiting Strategies - Group Cheers

Blue Signal Recognized as Best of Tempe 2021

by

Blue Signal was recently recognized as the Best of Tempe Award Top Recruiter for 2021.

The Tempe Award Program identifies local companies that have achieved excellence in their field and work to give back to their communities. Top contenders are chosen based on their service to their local community, the use of best practices, resourceful market differentiation, long-term value, and the image they portray of small businesses within the locally owned economy. Based on information gathered by the Tempe Award Program and other 3rd parties, Blue Signal Search was selected as the 2021 winner in the Recruiter category for the third consecutive year (2019, 2020, & 2021). As a three-time recipient of this award, Blue Signal has qualified for the 2021 Tempe Business Hall of Fame.

Best of Tempe Physical Award

Best of Tempe Award Top Recruiter 2021

Blue Signal is honored to receive this recognition. We are privileged to be part of a great community with such a thriving local-business marketplace. Blue Signal takes pride in knowing our success directly benefits our local economy, and we are honored to be listed amongst such notable companies. While Blue Signal’s work extends across the globe, we are lucky to call Arizona our HQ home!

Blue Signal’s success would not have been possible without the support of other local businesses, our loyal clients, our exceptionally talented candidates, and our skilled internal employees. This award as Best of Tempe showcases the excellence of our industry overall, and the exponential growth it has seen over the past several years, as the war for talent continues to be a challenge throughout all professions.

With such a great need, comes even greater competition. At Blue Signal Search, we work to benefit every single person in the process. We ensure candidate satisfaction by helping them take the next big step toward their career goals. This includes our 12-point interview process that prequalifies candidates for the role before sending them into a client-facing interview. As for clients, we work to assist them in finding the next key addition to their team. We act as partners to clients by supplementing future ventures with the talent needed to support those big ideas. After all, the best resource any company has is its employees.

More about the Tempe Award Program

The Tempe Award Program is an annual awards program honoring the achievements and accomplishments of local businesses throughout the Tempe, Arizona area. Recognition is given to those companies that have shown the ability to use their best practices and implemented programs to generate competitive advantages and long-term value.

The Tempe Award Program was established to recognize the best of local businesses in the community. Their organization works exclusively with local business owners, trade groups, professional associations and other business advertising and marketing groups. Their mission is to recognize the small business community's contributions to the U.S. economy.

 

More about Blue Signal Search

Blue Signal was founded in Chicago in 2012, and since then, has grown into a multimillion-dollar executive placement firm with an office in Phoenix and remote employees nationwide. Blue Signal has established itself as the premier executive search firm within wireless/telecom, information technology, IoT, finance & accounting, emerging technology, cloud & managed services, manufacturing & industrial, lighting, logistics & supply chain, food & agriculture, human resources, medical & healthcare, and related industry niches.

At Blue Signal, we believe that hiring the right people is the best way to transform business. Our targeted, specialized searches deliver highly qualified professionals to meet every hiring need. Our team has over 220 years of combined experience in finding the right people for each unique company culture and industry niche.

Our team works with both candidates and hiring managers to find the right fit. Contact us today to let us know how we can help.

Blue Signal Ranks No. 1750 on the 2021 Inc. 5000

by

Blue Signal Ranks No. 1750 on the 2021 Inc. 5000,

With Three-Year Revenue Growth of 261 Percent

Inc. Magazine Reveals Annual List of

America’s Fastest-Growing Private Companies—the Inc. 5000

 

Inc. magazine today revealed that Blue Signal Search is No. 1750 on its annual Inc. 5000 list, the most prestigious ranking of the nation’s fastest-growing private companies. The list represents a unique look at the most successful companies within the American economy’s most dynamic segment—its independent small businesses. Intuit, Zappos, Under Armour, Microsoft, Patagonia, and many other well-known names gained their first national exposure as honorees on the Inc. 5000. Blue Signal stands out as one of only 117 Arizona companies that made the list this year.

"We are proud and humbled to be on the Inc. 5000 list alongside many of our partners and clients," says Blue Signal CEO, Matt Walsh. "This recognition is a testament to our clients, candidates, and team. We are thankful for the opportunities to help build and grow many Inc. 5000 clients and appreciate the opportunity to be among them."

Not only have the companies on the 2021 Inc. 5000 been very competitive within their markets, but this year’s list also proved especially resilient and flexible given 2020’s unprecedented challenges. Among the 5,000, the average median three-year growth rate soared to 543 percent, and median revenue reached $11.1 million. Together, those companies added more than 610,000 jobs over the past three years.

Complete results of the Inc. 5000, including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, region, and other criteria, can be found at www.inc.com/inc5000. The top 500 companies are featured in the September issue of Inc., which will be available on newsstands on August 20.

“The 2021 Inc. 5000 list feels like one of the most important rosters of companies ever compiled,” says Scott Omelianuk, editor-in-chief of Inc. “Building one of the fastest-growing companies in America in any year is a remarkable achievement. Building one in the crisis we’ve lived through is just plain amazing. This kind of accomplishment comes with hard work, smart pivots, great leadership, and the help of a whole lot of people.”

 

More about Blue Signal

Having successfully completed over 1,400 search projects, it’s no surprise that Blue Signal has the experience, relationships, and tools to achieve this massive growth. Our deep industry knowledge – from 245 combined years of recruiting experience – and streamlined processes help clients to secure high caliber talent within tight timeframes. As a top executive search firm, we have been a driving force in our clients’ professional successes. At Blue Signal, we immerse ourselves in our client’s businesses and our candidate’s careers to fully understand top priorities and the best direction of both parties. Our reputation is built on our ability to consistently incorporate these priorities into all of our searches to make long term, impactful connections.

Blue Signal’s success has gained the attention within the industry for our client services and candidate processes. We are proud to have won awards such as Inc. Magazine’s Best Workplaces 2021, #2 Executive Search Firm in Arizona for 3 consecutive years, #4 Technical Placement Firm 2021, Largest Direct Hire-Permanent Placement Firms for the Phoenix Business Journal 2021, Forbes America’s Best Temporary Staffing Firm 2020, the Best of Arizona Business 2019, Best Wireless & Telecom Workforce Recruitment Agency – USA 2019, Top Recruiter – Best of Tempe 2021 & 2019, and #2 Best Places to Work in Arizona. Among our leadership, Matt Walsh has joined the Pinnacle Society and was recognized as one of the 30 Most Inspiring Business Leaders in 2019.

 

More about Inc. and the Inc. 5000

Methodology

Companies on the 2021 Inc. 5000 are ranked according to percentage revenue growth from 2017 to 2020. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2017. They must be U.S.-based, privately held, for-profit, and independent—not subsidiaries or divisions of other companies—as of December 31, 2020. (Since then, some on the list may have gone public or been acquired.) The minimum revenue required for 2017 is $100,000; the minimum for 2020 is $2 million. As always, Inc. reserves the right to decline applicants for subjective reasons. Growth rates used to determine company rankings were calculated to three decimal places. There was one tie on this year’s Inc. 5000.  Companies on the Inc. 500 are featured in Inc.’s September issue. They represent the top tier of the Inc. 5000, which can be found at http://www.inc.com/inc5000.

About Inc. Media

The world’s most trusted business-media brand, Inc. offers entrepreneurs the knowledge, tools, connections, and community to build great companies. Its award-winning multiplatform content reaches more than 50 million people each month across a variety of channels including web sites, newsletters, social media, podcasts, and print. Its prestigious Inc. 5000 list, produced every year since 1982, analyzes company data to recognize the fastest-growing privately held businesses in the United States. The global recognition that comes with inclusion in the 5000 gives the founders of the best businesses an opportunity to engage with an exclusive community of their peers, and the credibility that helps them drive sales and recruit talent. The associated Inc. 5000 Vision Conference is part of a highly acclaimed portfolio of bespoke events produced by Inc. For more information, visit www.inc.com.

For more information on the Inc. 5000 Vision Conference, visit http://conference.inc.com/.

Blue Signal Named to “Top Companies to Work for In Arizona” for 2021

by

Arizona Capitol Times, Best Companies Group and BestCompaniesAZ announced today that Blue Signal has earned a spot on the 9th annual list of 2021 Top Companies to Work for in Arizona.

This highly selective list is the result of anonymous and comprehensive employee surveys measuring culture, work environment, leadership, and employee pride and satisfaction, combined with rigorous evaluations of workplace practices, policies, perks, and demographics.

“This year, 100 companies were selected based on the results of a very high favorable employee survey scores averaging 91% overall survey results and an impressive 92% overall employee engagement. This level of performance for Arizona companies is about three times the national average when compared to Gallup’s recent reporting of US engagement at about 33% favorable,” says Peter Burke, President of Best Companies Group. “These winners should be very proud of their Top Companies status for this presents a powerful opportunity to attract and retain the very best talent.”

The 100 “Top Companies" will be honored at a virtual event on August 24th and a special supplement listing the rankings will be published by Arizona Capitol Times on August 27th. For complete details visit www.TopCompaniesArizona.com.

 

About Blue Signal

Having successfully completed over 1,300 search projects, it’s no surprise that Blue Signal has the experience, relationships, and tools to help you grow your career. Our deep industry knowledge – from 245 combined years of recruiting experience – and streamlined processes help clients to secure high caliber talent within tight timeframes. As a top executive search firm, we have been a driving force in our clients’ professional successes. At Blue Signal, we immerse ourselves in our client’s businesses and our candidate’s careers to fully understand top priorities and the best direction of both parties. Our reputation is built on our ability to consistently incorporate these priorities into all of our searches to make long term, impactful connections.

Blue Signal Accolades 2021 Top Companies blog

Culture is essential at Blue Signal, as it promotes happy employees, which leads to happy clients. Blue Signal’s success has gained the attention within the industry for our client services and candidate processes. We are proud to have won awards such as Inc. Magazine’s Best Workplaces 2021, #2 Executive Search Firm in Arizona for 3 consecutive years, #4 Technical Placement Firm 2021, Forbes America’s Best Temporary Staffing Firm 2020, the Best of Arizona Business 2019, Best Wireless & Telecom Workforce Recruitment Agency – USA 2019, Top Recruiter – Best of Tempe 2019, and #2 Best Places to Work in Arizona. Among our leadership, Matt Walsh has joined the Pinnacle Society and has been recognized as one of the 30 Most Inspiring Business Leaders in 2019.

 

Top Companies Award: Arizona Capitol Times

Arizona Capitol Times is the only media organization solely devoted to public policy and politics in Arizona. Independent and nonpartisan, we are the most trusted news source covering Arizona’s governments. Their physical proximity to the seat of power and unparalleled access to sources in the Capitol mean they consistently cover legislative and state government actions quickly, accurately, and comprehensively.

 

Top Companies Award: BestCompaniesAZ

BestCompaniesAZ is a marketing agency that specializes in employer branding. With more than 30 combined years of industry experience in public relations and human resources, BestCompaniesAZ elevates award-winning organizations through digital marketing, events, communication, and award consultation services. For more information, visit BestCompaniesAZ.com.

 

Top Companies Award: Best Companies Group

Best Companies Group is dedicated to establishing Best Places to Work programs to distinguish leaders in workplace excellence. As a research firm, BCG collects data about participating companies as well as employee feedback, analyzes that data, and produces a “Best” distinction that makes each recognized organization, the selected region (or industry), and the organizing partners proud. Best Companies Group identifies and recognizes places of employment that lead the way in defining the employee experience of the 21st century.

Blue Signal Women of the Workplace, 2021 Update

by

Since the beginning, Blue Signal has worked to advocate for women - both internally within our company, and externally within our greater community. In 2019, this took a more official form with the founding of Blue Signal Women of the Workplace (BSS WOW). 

This female empowerment initiative brings together everyone in the company, with the working purpose “to promote education, connection, and empowerment for women (and those who support women) and their contributions to the broader goals of Blue Signal… and beyond!” Just like Blue Signal’s other DEI initiatives, BSS WOW has an impact that extends beyond just the internal organization. Below is an update on the projects we’ve worked on over the last year.

Blue Signal Women of the Workplace Purpose Graphic

BSS WOW Partnering with Live and Learn AZ 

Live and Learn is a local non-profit organization that was created to empower women in the Phoenix-metro area to break the cycle of generational poverty. They support the financial independence and career growth of women in our community by offering classes, workshops, and training geared toward accomplishing each individual woman’s goals. Their incredible education programs have resulted in life-changing successes, like earning degrees, landing jobs, and so much more. 

Blue Signal’s Women of the Workplace has been supporting Live and Learn in this mission since 2020, by providing resume writing tips and interview coaching. Through collaboration and a little bit of recruiter magic, Blue Signal has been able to walk these women through the resume writing process and renew their confidence to dive into the job market. In 2021, we are excited to continue this partnership and plan to provide as much value as possible to the clients of Live and Learn AZ. 

Blue Signal Women of the Workplace, Live and Learn Testimonial Graphic

BSS WOW Education and Certifications 

Despite COVID-19 changing the way we meet, Blue Signal’s Women of the Workplace has continued to come together since our company moved to a fully remote work model. We meet virtually once every other month to discuss updates on our Live and Learn philanthropic work, learn about issues surrounding women, and empower one another through discussion and shared experiences.

In our meetings, BSS WOW has discussed gendered language and its impact on how we understand and represent the workforce overall. We have examined articles, like this one from the New York Times that has stirred quite a bit of commentary surrounding gendered titles like “Female CEO” in corporate leadership. We’ve also covered difficult topics like biases, intersectionality, discrimination, and privilege. Through prioritizing these meetings, we’ve discussed everything from #GirlBoss to “fireperson,” learning along the way about inclusivity and empowerment. These topics have also led to conversations about ways we can implement better industry practices for emailing candidates, addressing clients over the phone, and writing job descriptions to advertise online. 

During a recent meeting, the entire BSS WOW group became LinkedIn certified in helping Women Succeed in the Workplace by taking this course as a team. The course was aimed toward helping women (and their male or non-binary allies) advocate for success within their careers. By learning about better practices surrounding self-confidence, executive presence, and pay equity, Blue Signal is continuing our education on how best to support our candidates on their career paths, and our clients in fostering success throughout their teams. 

Blue Signal Women of the Workplace LinkedIn Learning Course Certification Graphic

Summary

Blue Signal Women of the Workplace seeks to create an assembly that unites our workplace to further the goals of each other as individuals, and propel Blue Signal to be the best recruiting firm on the planet. We believe that connected, empowered women, and those who support them, are unstoppable. BSS WOW has served as a platform to give Blue Signal colleagues the tools and resources needed to support their growth and to build long-term relationships while reaching new heights within professional development. BSS WOW has helped us improve the way in which we support our clients, candidates, colleagues, and community. We are excited to continue in our mission to be a resource for supporting and advocating for women in any workplace.