Keep in mind if you work there, however, that in 1997 there were lots of other first generation companies about, see Friendster, Pets.com, Dr. Koop.com, that now are nowhere to be found.  Get cash compensation too, don’t give it all up for options!

Groupon is one of the fastest growing internet companies of all time, and has quadrupled the size of its staff in the past year alone.  That being said, have seen numerous articles like this one including one in the new york times detailing complaints among participating merchants and wait staffs at bars and restaurants that offer groupon deals.

Groupon remains one of the “it” companies that our candidates tell us they want to work for, and the company is by all accounts well run and treats its employees well.  These articles demonstrate that even the best run companies have challenges in the marketplace.

  Charlie Sheen’s meltdown is no different in many ways.  He was a top producing employee, a driver of a significant chunk of revenue, and a face of his organization.  Over time, however, he began to lose focus, create negative press for his company, and then at the worst possible time, he became even more demanding.

   His employer treated him no differently than most America companies handle their own high maintenance employees:  they show them the door.  Whatever your role, remember that to some degree you are expendable.  In most cases, the company was successful before you, other people have thrived in a similar role, and there are often younger, cheaper people waiting to take your place.

   If you look in the mirror and see Charlie Sheen staring back at you, it isn’t too late to salvage your position.  The first thing you need to do is talk to your boss and let them know you appreciate your job and admit that you may have been a bit difficult to deal with in recent weeks(years).  Secondly, offer to do something selfless for the team or the organization.  Mentor a new employee, speak to the group about new technologies, give up your prime parking space for a week.

   If Charlie Sheen walked into Chuck Lorre, the executive producer of Two and A Half Men’s office and apologized as Alec Baldwin recently suggested, he might turn things around.  If he admitted the error of his ways, there is a chance he could salvage his job and the job of the other actors on the show.  Similarly, if you are a corporate prima donna, it might not be too late for you either!

Here are some of the things we are looking for:

Director of Marketing, KC, CPG/Retail background, great company, new CEO, 100k base plus bonus, relo available

Director of Sales, Houston:  If you are looking for an independent role, where you will build and manage your own team without micro management, this might be it.  100-150k base, 30-50k bonus, not capped

Sr. Product Marketing Manager, Bay Area, TERRIFIC growing, profitable company in the consumer internet space. 130k base plus bonus

International Media Company, Miami seeks Director of Marketing, 100-110k base, must have online marketing experience in local search

Sales, Chicago, several clients

CFO, online information company , DC, terrific environment

What do we see in the recruiting business?  A very healthy uptick in the number of companies looking to hire basis of fourth quarter search activity.  Most companies that could cut headcount did so in the first 2/3 of this year, and now they need to position themselves for growth in 2010.

What positions/markets are seeing the most activity?

1) sales, account executives, account management

2) SEO/SEM, online marketing professionals

In terms of industry, healthcare and mobile/online media seemed poised for continued growth in 2010.

If you are looking to hire or to find a new position, please feel free to contact us today!

recruiting

hiring trends 2010

interactive advertising

healthcare

media

While the ten of us are but a small reflection of the greater economy, this does bode well for sentiment that hiring will increase in the new year

On a different matter, have had 2 dramatically different experiences with two separate client companies in the past few months.  Client “A”  wound up hiring an individual several months after we submitted him, forgetting that he came from us.  We found out several months later, and the client couldn’t have been nicer.  They apologized, and paid our invoice immediately.  A class act, and a company I feel even better sending in candidates too, knowing that if they treat us this ethically, that I would feel comfortable sending a candidate in.

Client “B” on the other hand, contracted us for several searches, each of which we filled with candidates they were excited about.  After we invoiced them, they tried to claim that EVERY ONE of the candidates was a referral of theirs and not submitted by us, even though we had documentation.  They proceeded to make collection difficult and gave us headaches we had never experienced in fifteen years in the business.

It just shows that it is people who run companies.  Both are privately held, same size, and ultimately the people at company A live by the golden rule, while the people at company B do not.

It is my belief that company A will prosper and thrive while company B will continue to be plagued by high turnover rates.

If we all treat people the way we would want to be treated, business would be more pleasurable for all of us!