Below is a selection of blog posts I’ve written for various clients, strategically crafted to enhance SEO performance, provide valuable, audience-focused content, and drive traffic to lead-generating resources. Each piece is designed to engage readers while seamlessly incorporating targeted keywords to boost search rankings and attract high-quality leads.

Blog posts written for ExactSource, an Engineering Recruitment Firm in Atlanta, Georgia:

6 Tips To Improve Your Engineering Resume

I am not an advocate of stereotyping, but I think most people would agree that engineers do not have much of a marketing mentality. Why would they? They’re engineers. They have an engineering mentality, and I like to keep that fact at the top of my mind when I find myself driving on a bridge that is hundreds of feet above a freezing cold body of water.  The point – and I do have one – is that Engineers only need to think like Engineers when they’re doing their job. However, when you’re trying to get a job, no matter the profession, you have to be able to sell yourself – especially on your resume.

A good engineering resume is not going to be your first-class ticket to that big office you’ve been dreaming of, but it is going to land you an interview. If you even want a shot at having those three secretaries (doesn’t this fake job sounds awesome?), you have to play your cards right on your resume just to land on the company’s radar. As engineering recruiters, we have seen a lot of engineering resumes. A lot. So many, in fact, I would dare to call us engineering resume experts. We recommend that you listen very carefully to our advice when creating or modifying your engineering resume, and you’ll have your own office masseuse in no time.   

1. Engineer your Resume

See what I did there? Clever, I know. As an engineer, you probably know a thing or two about design. A clean, symmetrical format is key on a resume. It is crucial that your engineering resume is marketable enough to capture the attention of the reader, and it has about 40 seconds to do so. While you want to exhibit all your skills and experience as an engineer, it’s important to remember that this is a resume, not a biography. Too much information may confuse or overwelm the reader. You want to make navigating your resume as easy and natural as possible for prospective employees.

2. Be Exact

We’re not just saying this because we love the word. Exactness is imperative in the field of engineering, so it should be no surprise that your engineering resume should follow suit. Listen very carefully when I say this - DO NOT, under any circumstances, make an error on your resume. Proofread it 10 times, send it to the Editor-in-Chief of the New York Times, and then proofread it twice more if you have to. As an engineer, you are supposed to be precise. If you tell me on your resume that you are very detail-oriented, but the word “oriented” is spelled wrong, I will probably use your resume as a floor buffer while house-training my dog. 

3. Know thy Audience

Not only is this the number one golden rule of marketing, it is the most important thing to keep in mind when creating your resume. Your action words should match the action words of the job description. Any experience you have that relates to the job you’re applying for should be brought to the forefront of your resume. If you choose to include an objective, I cannot stress enough how crucial it is that your objective matches the specifics of the position. My advice would be to ditch the objective altogether, and go with a qualifications summary instead. This is a great way to catch the reader’s attention right off the bat with a few sentences that highlight your most marketable credentials.

4. Talk Accomplishments

So you controlled a Mars Rover at your previous job as an aerospace engineer. That’s really great and all, but so did 20 other aerospace engineers applying for this same position. What did you actually accomplish? Tell the hiring manager what you did that makes you a better candidate than the rest of those feebleminded aerospace engineers (what a great oxymoron). Hiring managers want to see results. Show them that you are not just a doer; you’re also an achiever.

5. Use Bullet Points

I can’t tell you how much hiring managers and recruiters love bullet points. When you have a stack of 100 resumes sitting on your desk, the last thing you want to do is sort through paragraphs of information. In fact, if you happen to catch a hirer on an exceptionally stressful day, and your resume looks like one giant run-on sentence, I have a feeling you’d be lucky if they even take the time to read your name. You want your resume to be very scan-friendly, and the best way to do this is by using bullet points. Each bullet point should start with an action word. Like I said before, these words should correlate with the words on the job description, but if you still need some inspiration, check out Job Mob’s 500 positive resume action verbs.

6. Add a Project List

Unless you are brand new to the field of engineering, you likely have a number of key projects you will want to showcase on your resume. These projects should be listed by employer or client - along with a short description of what you did (and don’t forget to include the outcomes). If you have room, go ahead and add this list to your resume. However, if your projects are overflowing onto an unnecessary second or third page, it’s best to create a project list sheet that is separate from your resume. 

The largest problem with engineering resumes is knowing what information is important enough to include, and what should be omitted. Too many details and you could be turning hiring managers away from reading it in the first place -- not enough details and you may be selling yourself short. ExactSource actually came about because of this very issue. To give you a quick recap – our managing partners realized that resumes rarely capture all of a candidate’s discipline expertise, and they decided to find a solution: ExactProfiles. (Click here for the full story on how ExactSource got started). 

Our ExactProfiles are changing the way engineering firms are finding top talent. Hiring managers can rate a customized profile that represents their ideal candidate, and applicants applying for the position fill out the same profile – self rating their education, certifications, discipline, skills, and expertise. Our proprietary software then processes the data using defined algorithms to calculate an applicant's compatibility score. I know what you’re thinking – finally a hiring process that makes sense! If you’re interested in learning more about our ExactProfiles, click here. We have them in over 114 areas of expertise. Request to see any ExactProfile.

Fill out an ExactProfile Today!

One last thing before we go our separate ways. We recently launched a Professional Engineers Network group on LinkedIn for any and all Professionals in the engineering field to come together in one place to collaborate and discuss industry-related topics, issues and ideas. Our goal is to help develop the careers of individuals, while working towards progressing the entire engineering profession as a whole. We welcome you to join today!

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10 Reasons Companies Should Use A RPO

Some people wonder why they should hire someone to do something when they can do it themselves. Why go to a restaurant when you can cook your own meal? Why hire a lawyer when you’ve seen every episode of Law and Order?  Why go to the doctor when WebMD is right at your fingertips? We do these things because although we have already diagnosed ourselves with Smallpox, we may need a second opinion. 

Many people dedicate their lives to their practice, and that’s why we call them experts. At ExactSource, we are experts in Recruitment Process Outsourcing. Not only do we have over 20 years of experience in recruitment outsourcing, we have the process down to a science. So you may wonder, why hire a RPO when you can just post a job on the Internet? We’ll give you 10 reasons.

1. RPO firms already have hundreds of candidates in their database to choose from.

Many of these candidates may have never heard of your company and there’s a good chance they will never see your online job posting. Recruiters have built relationships with these passive and active job seekers and one of them may be the candidate you’ve been looking for. Without the connections of a RPO, you may be missing out on untapped talent. 

2. Recruiting the right people takes time and effort. 

You are already using all your time and effort on your own job, leaving you few options for taking on another one. You can either clone yourself to get both jobs done, or you can hire a RPO. Since it’s not the year 2042, we suggest the latter.

3. Trying to do your own hiring also gives you less time to focus on your existing employees.

Developing and maintaining your existing workers is just as important as finding new ones.

4. Like we said before, WE KNOW WHAT WE’RE DOING! 

Recruiters have years and years of experience in interviewing and screening candidates. A good RPO (such as our self) will even have their own assessment that they use to screen candidates.

5. Just as we have experience finding the right candidates, many RPO firms also specialize in recruiting for certain industries. 

A RPO with industry expertise will better understand your business and the role of the position you’re trying to fill. When you tell them what you’re looking for they will actually understand, because there’s a good chance they have filled that position before.

6. You have nothing to lose. 

Most RPO firms will guarantee to fill your open position (we do, and we provide a 6 month guarantee).

7. You will actually be saving money. 

It costs your business money to have a position go unfilled and even more if you make a bad hire. Hiring a RPO is a satisfaction guaranteed investment. Between the time and resources you’re saving by outsourcing your recruiting needs AND a guaranteed good hire, you can’t lose.

8. A RPO goes beyond simply bringing you qualified candidates. 

They become your partner through the entire hiring process. They can advise you on market trends, salaries, and even give you effective management solutions to improve employee performance. Talk about getting the bang for your buck!

9. Maintain confidentiality. 

Many RPO's do not reveal company names when posting positions on the Internet. Hiring through a RPO will keep your information safe and your competitors in the dark.

10. Not only do we have the experience and expertise to deliver what you need, but also we are passionate about what we do. 

There’s no greater feeling than finally finding that purple squirrel our client has been waiting for. Recruiting is not a 9-5 job. It is something we fully dedicate ourselves to, and that’s why we love what we do here at ExactSource. 

Still want to post your job openings on the Internet? We didn’t think so.

Now that we have convinced you that RPO is the way to go (it rhymes so you know it’s true), how do you determine which RPO is the best for you? The experts at ExactSource have come up with the top 5 things to consider when hiring an RPO to help you out. (We told you we had your back!)

Download Our Top 5 Things to Consider in an RPO!

What kind of experiences have you had with RPO firms in the past? Do you have any reasons you would NOT recommend hiring a RPO? Let us know in the comments below!

As always, please join us in the cyber social scene by liking us on Facebook, following us on Twitter, and linking up with us on LinkedIn! 

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What College Football Can Teach You About Successful Business

College football season is upon us, and you know what that means – beer consumption and trash talking are at an all time high. Living in the south, college football usually consumes the majority of conversations from Thursday through Tuesday. You have about one day where you’re not discussing last Saturday’s upsets or predictions for the upcoming weekend. On Wednesday you’re free to go back to complaining about work and the weather, but come Thursday it all starts up again – and frankly, I like it that way.

All this college football talk has got me thinking about college football programs and what it takes for them to be successful. If you think about it, these programs are a lot like companies. The head coach acts as the CEO and the players are their workforces. In fact, your business could learn a lot about success from many of these winning football programs.

There are so many different elements that contribute to a successful college football program. If you look at the top ranked teams, you will see a lot of similarities in the way they operate. It is no coincidence that these same teams occupy the nation’s top 10 spots every season. Clearly, these flourishing programs know what they’re doing. And if they are going to consume most of our free time between Labor Day and New Years, we might as well use them to our advantage.

Smart Recruiting

The root of a successful football program lies within the recruiting. Recruiting new players is not only the same idea as recruiting and hiring new employees, but it is a lot like a company signing on new clients. Just as hiring managers don’t have time to go visit with every candidate, coaches are also limited with time and NCAA restrictions. Coaches can’t do all of the recruiting alone, which is why they hire football recruiters to help scope out the best players all over the country. Smart companies have the same idea. By hiring industry-expert recruiters to explore the candidate pools and find them top talent, businesses are gaining better employees and saving time and money in the process.

Another way savvy recruiters and coaches are saving time is by using videoconferencing applications such as Skype and Facetime, which allow them to have face-to-face conversations with the best athletes across the nation without leaving the office. Companies would be smart to use the same method. By utilizing the latest technology, CEOs could put in face time with top contenders without getting up from their desk. Many players say that face time with the head coach makes a huge difference in their decision. The same difference could be made from a CEO putting in a few minutes on Skype with the highly sought-after candidates they’re hoping to bring on board.

A Welcoming Environment and Stand Out Culture

One way coaches sell their football program to recruits is by inviting them for visits of their campus and facilities and winning them over with a good environment and stand out culture. The best football programs spend millions of dollars to keep their facilities top notch and up-to-date. By maintaining a good work environment for employees, you are providing an inviting atmosphere that people will want to join. Also, by providing the most advanced equipment (for football) or technology (for businesses), it shows how much emphasis you put on training your workforce and getting the most out of them.

The same thing goes for culture and traditions. When the top recruits have all the best football facilities to choose from, it can come down to selling them on a good team atmosphere. Since coaches can’t pay recruits to come play for them, they have to find other ways to motivate. Take a lesson from these football programs and save your bank account the hit – find ways that your company can stand out from your competition and use these factors to bring on and retain the best employees.  

A Solid Reputation

Like I said before, recruiting football players is also very similar to signing on new clients. Coaches have to sell not only their football program, but also a future for these prospects. They have to persuade players that their plan and their vision is the best path to success. Different coaches use different tactics to sell their team, but the finest coaches know which approaches work best with each particular recruit. The same goes for signing on clients – it’s all in the pitch. Coaches must know their recruits just as salesmen must know their customers and then tailor their message accordingly.

The top football teams tend to play their best card: a winning reputation. A company’s brand could be the sole factor that wins or loses them clients. Is a consumer going to choose to do business with an organization that they’ve never heard of? Let’s just say it’s about as likely as a NFL hopeful signing with a team that has never been in the AP top 25. However, will a company with a well-respected reputation and recognized brand sign on more clients? Absolutely. Do you have to be a huge multi-billion dollar company like Apple or Microsoft to maintain a recognizable brand? Absolutely not. With easily accessible tools like social media, getting the word out about your business is a much simpler and more cost-effective task these days. Figure out which branding strategies are best for your company, because a solid reputation and familiar name can take a business (and football team) very far.

Great Leadership

Last, but most certainly not least, is great leadership -- one of the most important aspects of a winning team and a successful business. There’s a reason coaches like Mack Brown and Les Miles have such high salaries. They’re not only great coaches, but also great leaders. Their superior leadership lends long-term stability to their football programs as they consistently produce winning results. However, winning is not the only factor that determines great leadership.

So what really makes a great leader? For one, a great leader is respected. People will listen when he talks and never question his reasoning or authority. A great leader also motivates. A good coach will implement the meaning of hard work and devotion, and will be able to get the most out of his players on the football field and off. A great leader sets a good example and high standards for each and every person they influence. They can will others to do better and be better. Communication is also a huge aspect of great leadership. The most effective leaders are masters of the classic elements of rhetoric – logos, pathos, and ethos. They must possess a knack for simplicity – distilling a complex message and making it accessible to anyone.

Finally, great leaders make a difference. They impact the people and the organization they preside over. If a football player trained and played under a great leader, he will leave the program as a greater athelete than when he arrived. Just like a great coach can make all the difference in a football program, a great CEO can do the same for his company. When a great leader's job is done, nothing he touched will ever be the same.

Who knew college football could help contribute to the success of your business? I guess when you're watching football this weekend you will have to log overtime hours -- it counts as homework now, right? Do you have any other insights on how college football can teach us about successful business practices? Let us know in the comments below (or at least tell us your score predictions for Saturday)! 

And please follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn for more thought leadership (and if you want -- college football talk) from ExactSource!

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4 Things Your Business Can Do To Help Improve The Economy

If you have been tuning into the Presidential debates lately, you may be aware that there is a slight difference of opinion on what the government should be doing to improve our economy. At ExactSource, we're not keen on the idea of idly standing by.

While this upcoming election is focused on economy...economy...did we mention economy...we thought about some ways that private industry can grow their business, save some money and in turn, help to strengthen the American economy at the same time. 

1. Make do with less

Small businesses are a key factor in boosting the economy and that’s why it’s critical to keep them afloat. Small businesses not only provide jobs for over half of the nation’s workforce, but they also create more than 50% of the nonfarm private gross domestic product. So in an economic downturn such as this, it is important that small businesses find better, faster, and cheaper ways of doing things.

If all companies would utilize today’s technology, they could cut a lot of unnecessary spending. Instead of flying clients in, arrange videoconference meetings. Market your business using free social media platforms. Automate your processes such as invoicing, receiving, purchasing, and inventory control and trim unnecessary overhead. If businesses would reduce certain fixed costs, they could use that money to pump back into the American economy and hire more workers. After all, if our employees – the American consumers – have more money to spend, small businesses like yours will continue to succeed.

2. Outsource your hiring needs

Here’s a riddle for you: If our nation’s unemployment rate is at 8.1%, why are there 3.8 million jobs in the U.S. that remain unfilled? The answer: many companies have a broken hiring process. An inforgraphic found on Mashable Business reveals that 52% of hirers decided not to hire anyone at all because they couldn’t find the right fit. Not only is this a missed opportunity for any of the 13 million unemployed, but it also costs your business money to have a position go unfilled.

The problem doesn’t end there. 43% of employers reported that vacant job positions at their company haven’t been filled in the anticipated timeframe, and more than 70% of people surveyed reported that more than 3 people at their company are involved in any given hiring decision. If companies are focusing all their time and energy trying to fill positions, that means they are not focusing their time and energy on doing their own jobs. There’s a simple solution to this problem - outsource your hiring needs. Recruiters have the experience and time it takes to find the right candidates. Not only will you save time and money on the hiring process, but you will also have better candidates to choose from and a guaranteed filled position.

3. Hire Veterans & Unemployed

According to a recent Bloomberg article, over 30% of our country's veterans are unemployed - and this number is on the rise. In most cases, these are potential employees with a calibrated skill-set, discipline and loyalty gained from service. Many unemployed jobseekers out there have the right qualifications and experience, but are getting the short end of the stick because they’re currently out of work. Besides boosting the employment rate, there are also tax benefits under the HIRE Act available to employers who hire certain previously unemployed workers. Finally, you may see a better work ethic from a recently unemployed worker. 

4. Allow employees to telecommute

Working from home brings tremendous benefits not only to the economy but to your business, the telecommuter, and the environment as well. By allowing employees the option of working from home, you can certainly expect them to do more with fewer resources. You can also save money on office costs by reducing the amount of office space required. The teleworker is able to increase productivity by eliminating the time spent on commuting to and from work and the interruptions often taking place in busy offices. Another infographic on Mashable Business found that working from home increases productivity an average of 10-20%. Not to mention the oil we could save. If half the American workforce telecommuted just 50% of the time, we would save one-third of America’s yearly Persian Gulf oil imports. 

Obviously we have a long way to go to get our economy back on top, but if every business put forth a little effort, we'd certainly be taking steps in the right direction. The initiatives listed above not only benefit our economy, but they are advantageous to your business as well. You could be helping everyone while helping yourself at the same time. Don't you just love when everyone wins?

Do you have any other suggestions on what businesses can do to help improve our economy? Share your ideas with us in the comments below!

If you're interested in learning more about outsourcing your hiring needs, check out our free whitepapers on Recruitment Process Outsourcing:

[Download our Free White Paper!]

And please follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn for more thought leadership from ExactSource! (Don't worry, we're not the type to excessively tweet our political opinions)

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3 Ways Of Screening Candidates Beyond The Traditional Resume

So-and-so attended the University of wherever and his GPA was a 3-point-whatever. His past three jobs were this, that, and the other. He is proficient in Microsoft Office and some other thing we all learned in Kindergarten. He is a volunteer at the Humane Society. If you are an HR manager, I have just described 75% of the resumes you probably didn’t read today.

What can an 8.5” x 11” piece of paper really tell you about a person? Let me rephrase that. What can an 8.5” x 11” piece of paper really tell you about a person? It is impossible to get a real idea of who someone is by reading a list of his or her accomplishments and past job descriptions. If you covered up the names, you probably wouldn’t be able to pick your best friend’s resume out of a pile.

On the other hand, you can find out just about anything you would ever need to know about a person by just going online. Why would a hiring manager base a decision on a piece of paper the candidate probably didn’t even write themselves, when they can just do a little cyber stalking of their own?

That being said, maybe it is time to say goodbye to the old school bullet point resume and get acquainted with the digital resume of the future. By using dynamic job applications to screen candidates, hiring managers save a lot of valuable time and energy throughout the hiring process. By truly getting a feel for a person’s online personal brand, you will have a much better idea of what you’re getting before calling them in for an interview. 

So, what are these contemporary methods of recruiting top talent? We’ll give you a few ideas.

1. Check out their web presence. 

Looking through someone’s twitter feeds or tumblr page is like getting a glimpse into their world. How do they carry themselves on the Internet? You can gain a much better sense of a candidate’s personality by skimming through their social media pages than in a formal interview. The applicant claims to have excellent communication skills on their resume? You will know within seconds if that’s true by simply reading one blog post. You can also get a feel for their work ethic. If it’s clear that a person spends time marketing him or herself online, it’s fair to assume he or she would use the same efforts in representing your company. A good way to save time in looking up each candidate is by asking for links to their personal sites in the job application.

2. Ask applicants to record a short video introduction. 

You can provide a time limit so you don’t have to spend hours watching what appears to resemble an E True Hollywood story. Have the candidates introduce themselves and explain why they would be a good fit for the job. This is another great way to evaluate a person’s communication skills. Are they well spoken? Are they engaging when they talk? Is this the type of person I would want to work with? These are questions that could not be answered by merely reading a generic cover letter.

3. Set up project-based interviews. 

By giving a potential employee a job related project, you can gauge exactly what kind of work they could do for your company. Why spend time asking candidates about their greatest strengths when they can just show you? Instead of taking someone’s word for it, have him or her prove it to you. They charmed you in the interview -- so what? How well do they work with your colleagues? You wouldn’t buy a new car without taking it for a test drive, would you? Companies onboard with the project-based interviews spend a lot less time and money hiring the wrong people.

Did we mention all the trees we would be saving? Green is one of our favorite colors, after all. 

Do you think the resume is becoming obsolete? Does your company have new and improved ways of screening candidates? Please share your wisdom in the comments below!

While you're at it, check out the ExactProfile -- ExactSource's proprietary talent assessment methodology we've created to hire the right candidates faster.

And as always, please join us on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook for more thought leadership from ExactSource (we promise not to cyber stalk you)!

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What Motivates Employees More Than Money?

What motivates employees to do their best work? Is it money? A company car? A paid vacation to Jamaica? Sure, these things are good motivators – who wouldn’t work a little harder in order to hang out with some Rastafarians on the beach for a few days. But just like any lonesome millionaire will tell you, money can’t always buy people’s happiness.

So besides bribing them, how else can you improve company morale? We’ve compiled a list of 9 non-monetary methods to motivate your workforce:

1. Never underestimate the power of a high-five.

If someone does a good job, let him or her know. If an employee deserves praise, praise them. This costs you nothing but 2 seconds of your time. It’s amazing how far a simple pat on the back or a “nicely done” from a superior can go. Giving your stamp of approval will validate their hard work and encourage them to do their best every single time.  Did I mention high-fives? Save your high-fives to reward the greatest accomplishments. I think we can all agree that nothing beats a good old-fashioned high-five. 

2. Ask for input.

No one likes being told what to do or how to think. Instead, ask your employees for their opinion. Make them feel like it matters – whether it does or not. Here’s a little tip: If you want your employees to do something a certain way, just make them feel like they came up with the idea themselves. Instead of making a demand – “Do this my way!” – ask them – “What do you think about doing it this way?” A little wording adjustment and everybody wins.

3. Don’t point fingers. 

Nothing is more discouraging than being called out for making a mistake. Instead of placing blame and criticizing your employees, have a conversation with them. Talk them through the problem and help them figure out what could have been done differently. Not only will this allow them to learn from their mistakes and do better next time, but taking this approach will also save your name from being carved and slandered in every cubicle in the office.

4. Be creative with job titles.

If someone is proud of their job title, they will wear it like a badge of honor. They will monogram it onto their beach towels and name their kids after it if they like it enough. The truth is, any job title below executive level is only really important to the person it belongs to. So why not get creative? Have your staff help you come up with ideas. A good job title can give individuals a sense of empowerment and pride in the workplace. If an employee feels good about who they are and what they do, success from them is inevitable.

5. Establish a good work environment.

You’d be surprised how motivating a little décor and a well-stocked fridge can be. In fact, according to a recent industry study, surveyed employees said that working conditions were the second most important motivating factor for them. Is your office the type of place your employees would be proud of or the type of place that nobody brings their kids on bring your kid to work day? If your office is a place your staff is embarrassed to even show their children, you need to make some adjustments. A good working environment is a happy working environment. Spend a little time making the place look nice, put some food in the fridge, and don’t be stingy with the air conditioning!

6. Award leadership roles. 

One way to reward good performance is by handing out leadership opportunities. Whether it is a temporary or a permanent position, a leadership role will inspire your employees to work hard and aim high. Have an excelling worker lead this week’s team meeting or host a training session for the new employees. If someone has recently attended an outside seminar or workshop, have them lead a brief overview – this will not only give your staff an insight into something new, but it will also encourage others to broaden their education outside the workplace as well.

We also want to share some of the morale boosting activities we do here for our team at ExactSource:

7. Take your troops to lunch.

At ExactSource, our kind and generous leaders like to take us out for a free lunch (free for us, not from them) every once in a while. This is a great way to bring everyone together outside the office and get to know each other on a more personal level. It’s also exciting to get a free meal. There’s just something about knowing you don’t have to pay that makes the food taste that much better. Free food will get your very far with people – this is a guarantee. 

8. Plan something fun.

As much fun as it is working 8 hours a day, sometimes your employees need to blow off some steam.  Whether you all cut out early for a company happy hour or take a field trip to Six Flags (you know the senior partners would love that), plan something fun to do with your employees every once in a while.  Holiday parties are great, but don’t wait until December to treat your team to a good time. At ExactSource, we like to circulate the fun all year round – from bowling nights all the way to Vegas trips (don’t you wish you worked here?).

9. Organize some friendly competition.

It’s amazing what kind of results you’ll see when there’s a competition involved. Hold a weekly or monthly contest with a small (but worthy) prize for the winner. Keep track of the results and winners somewhere in the office where everyone can see. This is a great way to recognize those who work hard, and motivate others to work harder. You might see a surprising change in the work ethic of your more competitive employees. At our office, we hold a weekly contest for the most candidate placements. Everyone presents his or her candidates on a wanted poster, and the winner is announced every Thursday at our team meeting and awarded a $100 Amex gift card. The winner not only gets the bragging rights of being the best, but also a little extra spending money in their pocket.  

Speaking of working for awesome companies, we are so excited to annouce that ExactSource has been nominated for Atlanta Business Journal's 2012 Best Places to Work! We are so proud and thankful to work for such a great organization that cares so much about its employees.

Does your company do anything special to motivate the employees? Share with us in the comments below!

Now if we could just motivate you guys to follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook, and link up with us on LinkedIn, we'd be all set. Maybe a trip to Vegas would help?