[vc_row gap=”20″][vc_column width=”1/4″][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][vc_single_image image=”29032″ img_size=”100×100″ css=””][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][vc_separator css=”.vc_custom_1623697841834{padding-bottom: 20px !important;}”][vc_empty_space height=”10px”][vc_column_text css=””]BY ZIAD OROW
Recruiter / Sourcer[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″ css=”.vc_custom_1585081315933{margin-right: 20px !important;margin-left: 20px !important;}”][vc_column_text css=””]About four months ago, I started a new role as a Recruiting Sourcer with Brightwing. I posted about my new position on LinkedIn and in the comments, amidst well wishes and congratulations, I was met with a bit of surprise. 

Surprise is to be expected, though. I went from 26 years in the automotive industry to the staffing industry. That’s quite a switch. 

When I have told people about my career change, they usually want to know how and why I made this switch.

So I figure it’s about time I answer these questions. Let’s get into it, shall we? 

How did I discover Brightwing? 

To tell this story, I need to go back in time about 3 years to when I first met Mike Gourley. An old coworker of mine submitted me as a candidate referral to Brightwing, and from there I was put in contact with Mike, the Senior Recruiter on Brightwing’s Engineering Team. We worked together to find a new opportunity, but we couldn’t find a perfect match at the time. 

While working with Mike, I realized he was much different than any recruiter I had met and worked with previously. It was clear that Mike didn’t want to just find me a job, he wanted to find me the right job. Whereas I always felt pressure from other recruiters to take the opportunities they presented to me, I didn’t feel this with Mike. 

We kept in contact over the years, Mike keeping me in mind for any job orders he was working on that matched my resume. Mike would also call me, asking if I had referrals or if I knew someone he was interviewing at the time. We’d always end up checking in and catching up with each other during these calls.  

And that’s how the relationship I built with Mike carried on for a couple of years. 

Why did I choose Brightwing? 

The COVID-19 Pandemic served as a time of reflection for me, as I know it was for many others too. 

During this time of reflection, I began to realize something key. I wanted to find a new opportunity that aligned with what I had discovered my true passion was: developing people. It had been fun and exciting to work on various projects over the years, but what I really enjoyed was developing and coaching the individuals on my team. This truly excited me and had me leave work each day feeling fulfilled. 

At the point of this realization, I knew Mike well enough that I felt comfortable floating an idea I had by him during one of our check-in calls. 

The idea? I wanted to become a recruiter. 

And not just any recruiter, but a Brightwing recruiter.

I could tell from my experience with Mike that the recruiters really, truly cared about their candidates at Brightwing. I wanted to be someone’s career advisor, helping them land the job of their dreams or the job that took their career to the next level. I wanted to do what I knew would make me feel fulfilled, like I was serving a bigger purpose. 

So, I floated this idea by Mike when we were chatting one day. He was hesitant, and understandably so, given the degree of career switch I was proposing. 

But I was persistent. Every few months I would ask Mike to give me a chance, just to put me in front of the Brightwing leadership team. I pitched myself, emphasizing my work ethic and how my professional background (especially in engineering) would be a value-add to the team. I told Mike all about how I wanted to follow my passion and how I could do that as a recruiter. 

Eventually, Mike did give me the opportunity I was asking for. Our relationship had been built on a mutual understanding of trust and transparency and it was this foundation that persuaded him to give me a chance. 

I went through about three different interviews with various Brightwing team members. During these interviews, I discovered what I had already come to suspect: that Mike wasn’t an anomaly. Every Brightwing team member prioritized relationships and demonstrated the importance of communication, care, and consistency in their interactions. I also found that Brightwing’s team and leadership value the same things I do: professional development, flexibility, and a “create your own destiny” mindset.  

And the rest, as they say, is history. 

How I’m Doing Now

It’s been more than 3 months since I’ve joined the Brightwing team. While not an easy transition (no career change is), there’s something to be said about the relationship I had with Mike and how that foundation made my transition so much easier. 

Recruiting is a highly collaborative job. I now work closely with Mike. We already knew a lot about each other, how the other thought and communicated, and we developed rapport, which allowed our relationship as colleagues to form rapidly. Even the initial conversations I had with other recruiters during my interviews made me feel more comfortable and settled, as if I was already fitting right in with my team. 

I’m excited to continue to combine my passion with my everyday work in aligning great companies with exceptional talents. I’m looking forward to bringing my 26 years of experience in the automotive world to the table in creating the right partnerships.

Looking for a job? Connect with me! Looking to hire? Send me a DM![/vc_column_text][vc_separator][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/4″][/vc_column][vc_column][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”75px”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1585078267198{background-image: url(https://brightwingbdev.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/yellow-rectangle-scaled.jpg?id=27545) !important;}”][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1639429065564{margin-bottom: 0px !important;border-bottom-width: 0px !important;padding-top: 10px !important;padding-bottom: 5px !important;}”]

let’s talk

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1571085449280{margin-top: 0px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;border-top-width: 0px !important;border-bottom-width: 0px !important;padding-top: 5px !important;padding-bottom: 20px !important;}”]

SEND US A MESSAGE

[/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/4″][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][wpforms id=”27272″ title=”false” description=”false”][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/4″][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_empty_space height=”55px”][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row]

[vc_row gap=”20″][vc_column width=”1/4″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″ css=”.vc_custom_1585081315933{margin-right: 20px !important;margin-left: 20px !important;}”][vc_column_text css=””]Adding new members to your business team is a daunting task. Hiring a marketing manager can feel especially tough because it may be hard to find someone who knows how to appeal to your target audience and who connects with the rest of the team. With the right tools at your disposal, however, finding the right marketing professionals does not have to be difficult. 

This article will cover how to find the right marketing hire for your company. 

Hiring a marketing manager: When are you ready?

When it comes to hiring a marketing manager in today’s market, it is important to be prepared. When you plan to hire a marketing team that will fit the needs of your business and support your objectives, especially as a startup, take these steps to ensure that you are ready:  

How Much is There to Handle?

Bringing on a full-time marketing hire is a big decision, especially for a company that has not worked with a marketing team in the past. You must take all facets of your business into account. Are you hiring a marketing professional simply to alleviate workload? Or because a marketing professional will be able to understand certain processes and issues that you don’t? 

If you feel your business is lacking marketing support, and that hiring a marketing manager would truly be a value-add, consider moving forward with your decision to look for a new hire. But you must scope the responsibilities of what a marketing professional or marketing team will be expected to do before hiring. 

Making a Recruitment Plan

Putting together a recruitment plan is the best way to prepare yourself to hire a marketing manager. Here are a couple of essential steps to help you find the right marketing hire: 

Identify Your Ideal Candidate

Before you hire a marketing manager, make sure you know exactly what you are looking for. Set clear expectations for the type of person you are hoping to add to your team. The definition of your ideal candidate will impact your budget, marketing strategy, and more. If you are looking to add someone to your marketing team for a full-time position, that will look very different than looking for temporary or part-time employees. Clearly outline the position’s requirements, keeping in mind company culture as well. Your ideal candidate will not only succeed at the job itself, but also effectively blend with the rest of your team.  

Budget Recruitment Costs

Recruiting always has a cost. If you have documentation of your previous costs-per-hire, you can work to reduce that average figure. This requires streamlining your hiring process. 

Some of the highest costs in recruitment come from advertising, branding, and background checks. Bad hires can also result in large expenses; the cost of a bad hire can be as much as a third of that employee’s salary. Working with an employment staffing agency like Brightwing is a great way to reduce recruitment costs.  

What to Look for in Marketers for Hire

Knowing what to look for in a marketing hire is pivotal to finding the right fit for your team. Here are some traits to look for:

Understanding of the Customer

One key trait of a good marketing team is an understanding of the customers your business serves. Knowledge of target demographics and audiences will help your marketing team excel. During the interview process, ask your candidates what they know about purchasing behaviors for specific audiences your business is targeting. 

Multichannel Experience

With so many ways to reach consumers in the 21st century, make sure your marketing candidates have an understanding of and experience with multiple marketing channels. Social media, email, print sheets, targeted advertisements, and other forms of media are all key to reaching your audiences. Ensure your prospective marketing candidates know how to properly allocate budget and strategically market to different target audiences across multiple platforms and channels. 

Creative and Scientific

Hire a marketer who understands that marketing is both an art and a science. A marketing professional should be creative and know how to create visually engaging campaigns. They should also understand that trends are driven by data and research. The right marketer should be both creatively and strategically motivated, creating strong marketing campaigns through proper analysis of media and trends. 

Work with a Staffing Agency

Staffing agencies work to match candidates with hiring companies and minimize the search time for both parties. Find a marketing professional for your team utilizing a staffing agency like Brightwing in order to relieve yourself of candidate-searching stress and find the best additions to your team. Additionally, agencies make it much less costly to find the right marketing hire. Cut back on initial hiring and advertising costs, and reduce the risk of turnover costs. 

Brightwing is committed to finding the best candidates for your available positions. That means matching you with marketers who are committed and intentional about their work. Professional recruiting agencies like us increase employee retention rates because of the quality of our candidates. 

For a better recruiting experience, contact us today! [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/4″][/vc_column][vc_column][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”75px”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1585078267198{background-image: url(https://brightwingbdev.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/yellow-rectangle-scaled.jpg?id=27545) !important;}”][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1639429065564{margin-bottom: 0px !important;border-bottom-width: 0px !important;padding-top: 10px !important;padding-bottom: 5px !important;}”]

let’s talk

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1571085449280{margin-top: 0px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;border-top-width: 0px !important;border-bottom-width: 0px !important;padding-top: 5px !important;padding-bottom: 20px !important;}”]

SEND US A MESSAGE

[/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/4″][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][wpforms id=”27272″ title=”false” description=”false”][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/4″][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_empty_space height=”55px”][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row]

[vc_row gap=”20″][vc_column width=”1/4″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″ css=”.vc_custom_1585081315933{margin-right: 20px !important;margin-left: 20px !important;}”][vc_column_text css=””]Finding the right human resources specialist for your workplace can feel like a daunting task. HR plays an essential role in every company’s operations, so filling those roles can be a difficult task. With the right strategy, however, it does not have to be.

This article will discuss how to hire human resources experts for your team. It will cover the different steps in the HR hiring process, what traits to look for, and why Brightwing may be right for your staffing needs. 

What is a Human Resources Specialist?

Human resources specialists focus on various aspects of personnel management for a given organization. Sometimes, they operate within larger departments, or work for a separate, outsourced HR agency.

Key responsibilities for a typical human resources specialist include:

• Recruiting & staffing: Sourcing and interviewing candidates and facilitating the overall hiring process
• Employee onboarding: Training new hires and acclimating them to the employer’s culture
• Compensation & benefits: Managing compensation structures, benefits programs, and ensuring compliance with all federal, state, and local employment regulations
• Employee relations: Addressing employee concerns and supporting a positive work environment

Why Should You Hire a Human Resources Specialist?

There are a number of reasons to hire a human resources specialist for your organization. For starters, they often possess specialized knowledge in recruitment and personnel management, which can improve the quality and retention rates of your hires.

What’s more, human resources specialists can proactively manage employee experiences, addressing conflicts as they arise and ensuring a positive work environment. This can be critical to maintaining an overall positive company culture.

Often human resources specialists are well-versed employment laws and regulations. This makes them a critical resource in maintaining compliance with labor laws, benefits administration rules, and workplace safety standards.

And if you hire a strategic human resources specialist, you can bring on someone who can help align your HR policies with broader business goals. This can include analyzing workforce and market trends, developing more competitive compensation packages, and implementing performance management systems.

How to Start Your HR Hiring Process

Identifying your ideal candidate is one of the first steps in any recruitment plan. Knowing exactly what you are looking for from a human resources specialist will make the hiring process much easier. After you understand your ideal candidate, you can get started with the first few steps in your hiring process. 

Write an Accurate Job Description

When you plan to hire human resources professionals, make sure that your ideal candidate is reflected in your job description. Clearly outline the responsibilities of the position, as well as any desired requirements and qualifications. Accurately describe your company culture and brand so that candidates know whether they might be a good fit. The more descriptive and clear you are in the job description, the better applications you will receive. 

Advertise and Recruit

After you’ve written the job description, the next step is to begin outreach. Publish your job opening and advertise it. Post on social media, attend job fairs, and even ask your employees to evaluate their personal networks for potential candidates. You could also work with a recruiting firm like Brightwing. Recruiters match clients with candidates who fit your job description and company culture.  

Analyze Resumes and Applications

Before you begin the interview process, be sure to carefully analyze the resumes and applications that you receive. You can enlist the help of other HR professionals who already work with you to help review resumes, or you can use AI programming methods to select the resumes that best match your job description. 

Once you’ve selected the resumes that best match your job descriptions, move forward to the interview process. If you decide to work with a staffing agency like Brightwing, resume matching and initial interviews will be taken care of for you.

What to Look for in a Human Resources Specialist

There are a number of reasons why you may be looking to hire a human resources specialist. Human resources personnel handle many different tasks, like supervising payroll or maintaining development programs for employees. No matter the reason you need to hire an HR professional, there are a few factors that make for an excellent new HR hire.  

Organization

When you hire human resources team members, one key attribute to consider is organizational skills. Being detail-oriented and on top of your work is an essential trait for any HR professional. There is a great deal of information to keep track of, including federal and state employment regulations, company policies, employee benefits, and more. Some HR professionals are in charge of interviewing job applicants, so having an understanding of the company’s needs when it comes to hiring is also important. 

Communication

One major element of human resources is staying in touch with the rest of a company’s employees. Good communication skills are a must. The better an HR hire is at communicating effectively, the fewer misunderstandings or conflicts will occur. For smooth company operations, everyone must be aligned with goals and expectations. Human resources plays a large part in that understanding. 

Empathy and Kindness

Conflict resolution is a common part of HR’s responsibilities and empathy, kindness, and understanding are essential for fulfilling this responsibility. Discussions surrounding workplace arguments or poor treatment, layoffs, and other issues can arise. Having empathy and a kind approach in these situations can help an HR employee do their job well. 

How to Hire the Right Human Resources Specialist

When it comes to hiring a human resources specialist, stick to your recruitment plan. During your interview process, ask leading questions that pertain to both company culture and potential situations that may arise for a human resources professional. Consider a second round of interviews if necessary. The human resources team member must fit the current needs of your company as well as the company’s future objectives. 

The BRIGHTview Process

The BRIGHTview process is the tried and true recruitment process created by Brightwing to match clients and candidates for the ideal employer/employee pairing. The process is extremely thorough and works best when employers and job seekers alike are ambitious, disciplined, and committed to reaching their full potential. 

This process allows the Brightwing team to gain a deeper understanding of their clients and candidates. Gaining deep insight leads to better matching strategies. Better matching strategies lead to reduced cycle time, higher retention rates, and higher employee productivity from day one. BRIGHTview helps the team at Brightwing offer employers a carefully selected, short list of candidates who fit the job description to a T. The goal is to make both the job search and the employee search easier and more successful. When you are looking to hire human resources team members, you can trust the BRIGHTview process to match you with your ideal candidates. 

Work with Brightwing

Human resources hiring is made easier with Brightwing. With the BRIGHTview process, you can rest easy knowing that the ideal candidates for your human resources position are being selected for you. Whether you’re in Metro Detroit, Dallas-Fort Worth, or South Florida, Brightwing is here to help you find the best candidate for the job. 

 Work with Brightwing today to find your new hires! [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/4″][/vc_column][vc_column][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”75px”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1585078267198{background-image: url(https://brightwingbdev.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/yellow-rectangle-scaled.jpg?id=27545) !important;}”][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1639429065564{margin-bottom: 0px !important;border-bottom-width: 0px !important;padding-top: 10px !important;padding-bottom: 5px !important;}”]

let’s talk

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1571085449280{margin-top: 0px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;border-top-width: 0px !important;border-bottom-width: 0px !important;padding-top: 5px !important;padding-bottom: 20px !important;}”]

SEND US A MESSAGE

[/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/4″][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][wpforms id=”27272″ title=”false” description=”false”][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/4″][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_empty_space height=”55px”][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row]

[vc_row gap=”20″][vc_column width=”1/4″][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][vc_single_image image=”27035″ img_size=”100×100″][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][vc_separator css=”.vc_custom_1623697841834{padding-bottom: 20px !important;}”][vc_empty_space height=”10px”][vc_column_text]BY JEFF GENOVICH
President[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″ css=”.vc_custom_1585081315933{margin-right: 20px !important;margin-left: 20px !important;}”][vc_column_text]Throughout my career, I’ve heard lots of opinions on how to best engage a recruiting agency. One common fallacy seems to always rear its ugly head:[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]“The more recruiting agencies we engage, the more—and better—candidates we’ll attract.”[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]On the surface, it makes sense. But it actually demonstrates shallow thinking and a lack of strategic direction.

In reality, you can’t manage 100+ recruiting agencies. You can’t even manage 50, 20, or 10. Not if you actually want to get value out of those individual relationships. Which, let’s face it, is the whole point of engaging them in the first place. 

So rather than go broad, the solution is to go deep. Identify the gaps in your recruiting process. Then strategically engage agencies who are laser-focused on filling those gaps—and see why that specialization is often worth a larger percentage. 

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1715199005018{padding-top: 40px !important;padding-bottom: 40px !important;}”]

Why companies don’t optimize their recruiting agencies’ value

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]The hard truth is that it’s far too easy to commoditize a recruiting agency. And since most pricing models don’t charge until after talent is placed, there’s no risk to have 100+ agencies “working” (so they say) on your behalf.

But those agencies are really only working for their most engaged (read: high ticket) customers. So the seemingly passive recruiting network is nothing more than an illusion.

This problem only gets worse the more vendors you engage. Once you pass 10+ agencies, you really only have time to blast out job postings, cross your fingers, and hope one or two come back with a candidate.

This leads to some serious problems:

• No shared direction or strategy, so recruiters aren’t aware of the best ways to add value
• Misaligned incentives between the party engaging the vendors (HR) and the hiring manager who’s feeling the pain of a lagging hiring process
• Squeezing margins and pitting vendors against each other leads to a commoditized, non-strategic engagement
• No clear outcomes means no clear measure of success—which means you can’t optimize your recruiting strategy

When recruiting agencies fail to perform under these conditions, the typical solution is to hire another agency. So the vicious cycle continues. 

Commoditizing your recruiting agencies exposes you to serious risk. Namely, lost revenue as high-value, mission-critical roles remain unfilled.

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1715199067548{padding-top: 40px !important;padding-bottom: 40px !important;}”]

The alternative: a true recruiting partnership

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Thankfully, there’s a better way to engage recruiting agencies: a true partnership. While this approach is slightly more costly (think 25%+ per placement) and only works with a small number of strategically chosen vendors, it’s more effective in the long run.

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1715199373819{padding-top: 40px !important;padding-bottom: 40px !important;}”]

Clear, strategic value

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Often recruiting agencies are seen as competing with your internal recruiting team. For strategic partners, however, this isn’t the case.

For example, your internal recruiting team may not be positioned to find and place highly technical, expert automotive engineers. Perhaps you especially need electrical or autonomous engineers, but your internal recruiters have no experience in that area.

In that situation, it’s a good idea to find a recruiting partner who can place those specific positions, but doesn’t step on your internal recruiters. When you clearly define value for every party, everyone can stay in their lanes and see success.

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1715199615527{padding-top: 40px !important;padding-bottom: 40px !important;}”]

Actively market the roles

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]True recruiting partners don’t just read job descriptions, run a quick search in their ATS, and move on. Instead, they’ll find out everything they can about the role and what it takes for someone to be successful in it. 

Then, armed with that information, they’ll go out and actively market and sell the role. This process also includes selling the company, manager, culture, growth opportunities, and alignment with the candidate’s values and priorities—leading to more callbacks and faster placements.

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1715199667096{padding-top: 40px !important;padding-bottom: 40px !important;}”]

Open, honest communication

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]I often tell potential clients here at Brightwing: if a recruiting partnership isn’t going to work, we’ll tell you. 

Partly because we don’t believe in lying to prospects. But also because if we’re not a good fit, it’s a waste of everyone’s time and resources. 

So when we start an engagement, we ask a ton of questions to get everyone’s expectations out into the open. We learn about their needs. And we only engage where we know we can provide value—not just short-term, but over the long haul.

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1715199709082{padding-top: 40px !important;padding-bottom: 40px !important;}”]

Slow down to speed up

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]There are no hacks to recruiting highly skilled, in-demand specialists. Especially in engineering, finance, and operations. 

For most of our recruiters, it takes years to reach the point where they can place talent fast. They spend that time: 

• Learning the industry
• Learning about specific skill sets
• Learning how to screen candidates for those skill sets
• Learning about specific candidates and their needs and wants
• Learning about open positions and finding alignment with their networks
• Building relevant talent pipelines and referral networks

In some cases, recruiters will talk to a candidate for 5+ years before finding a job for them. 

During that time, they’re proactively building the relationship and offering as much support, guidance, and value as they can. So when those candidates are looking for a new job, who do you think they call first? 

This degree of loyalty isn’t something you’ll find with an agency that charges 15%. It takes time and resources to build these relationships. But the value and ROI is well worth a higher upfront price.

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Final thoughts on building a recruiting partnership

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=””]Life’s too short not to maximize your recruiting partners’ value. And you can’t do that when you’re constantly commoditizing them. Instead, adopt a clear recruiting strategy, and only engage those professional recruitment agencies that add strategic value. 

Sure, it may cost slightly more in the short-term. But not only will you save time placing candidates, you’ll build a relationship that will continue delivering value—often in ways you don’t expect. 

At Brightwing, we’re looking to build strategic partnerships for the long haul. If you’re interested in how we can help, let’s get started today.[/vc_column_text][vc_separator][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/4″][/vc_column][vc_column][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”75px”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1585078267198{background-image: url(https://brightwingbdev.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/yellow-rectangle-scaled.jpg?id=27545) !important;}”][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1639429065564{margin-bottom: 0px !important;border-bottom-width: 0px !important;padding-top: 10px !important;padding-bottom: 5px !important;}”]

let’s talk

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1571085449280{margin-top: 0px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;border-top-width: 0px !important;border-bottom-width: 0px !important;padding-top: 5px !important;padding-bottom: 20px !important;}”]

SEND US A MESSAGE

[/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/4″][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][wpforms id=”27272″ title=”false” description=”false”][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/4″][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_empty_space height=”55px”][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row]

[vc_row gap=”20″][vc_column width=”1/4″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″ css=”.vc_custom_1585081315933{margin-right: 20px !important;margin-left: 20px !important;}”][vc_column_text css=””]The companies and candidates that have prevailed through all of these job market changes have had one secret weapon in their arsenal when it comes to hiring and finding a job: a well-developed talent network. 

Sure, any agency can post jobs and send resumés around, it takes a special talent (no pun intended) to build connections with high-quality, highly skilled candidates. When looking to partner with a recruiting firm, this should be a top priority on your list.

Let’s walk through how an employment staffing agency with an established talent network can help you place candidates faster and with greater retention rates. [/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=””]

Career Advisors to Candidates

When working with candidates, the ideal scenario is to always land a placement. In the cases where we’re unable to find a good match, Brightwing recruiters will continue to support candidates on their journey. The advantage of working with an established talent and recruiting partner is that our recruiters lean into the networks and the relationships they’ve built over time to introduce candidates to the right people that align with their goals.

With Brightwing, our talent network extends beyond candidates to employers looking to hire. We know the employers we work with just as well as we know our candidates, so our recruiters confidently share intel to prepare candidates for their interviews.   

We don’t shy away from encouraging candidates to lean into us as a resource. Resume reviews, interview preparation, and feedback have been part of our day-to-day for over 50 years. We’re happy to lend that expertise in preparing candidates for other interviews, looking over resumes, etc. We provide insights into best practices and recommendations, amongst other advice that will set candidates up for success. 

In general, recruiters also share their general job market knowledge with candidates. Whether discussing things like compensation or what and where to look for jobs, sharing expert knowledge is another advantage recruiting and staffing firms provide to candidates. [/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=””]

Talent Advisor to Clients

Partnering with an established talent partner translates into a well-connected network of candidates. As a professional recruitment agency, we’re here to aid HR and talent teams in their search – never to compete. We align processes to help identify the right talent for the job within industries we have well-developed networks in – IT, engineering, operations, accounting, and finance. 

Brightwing boasts interview-to-hire ratios that are well above the industry average, mostly due to our deep pipelines and extensive candidate network.

Our general interview-to-hire ratio is 1:1. But for each industry we work in: 

• Our Engineering ratio is 1:1
• Our Information Technology ratio is 1:1
• Our Financial Services ratio is 4:1
• And our Operations ratio is 1:1

We offer this low interview-to-hire ratio to our clients through a combination of our recruiter expertise and their deep networks. Many Brightwingers have been working with Brightwing for 14 years (nearly 10 times higher than the average tenure in this industry). In the time our recruiting team has been with Brightwing, they’ve found their niche and grown into specialists in that niche, thus garnering a large network of candidates related to that industry specifically. Partnering with any recruiting firm that specializes in a specific industry means that those recruiters know exactly what type of talent you’re looking for.

Many recruiters have long-lasting relationships with candidates in their niche industries, so they know personalities, wants, needs, goals, and qualifications that match with what an employer needs and wants. And when they don’t know a candidate who is a perfect match, they know people who will – offering a referral program that incentivizes candidates to spread the word. [/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=””]

Tap into Brightwing’s robust talent network

Working with a trusted talent partner, whether you are a candidate or a client, puts you at an advantage in the job market. When partnering with Brightwing, the impact of those benefits is amplified, better. We’ve been in business for more than 50 years, and throughout those years, our focus has always been on people and building relationships with them. 

Simply put, we’re experts in a people-centric business.

Looking to hire? Looking for a job? Contact us today! [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/4″][/vc_column][vc_column][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”75px”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1585078267198{background-image: url(https://brightwingbdev.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/yellow-rectangle-scaled.jpg?id=27545) !important;}”][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1639429065564{margin-bottom: 0px !important;border-bottom-width: 0px !important;padding-top: 10px !important;padding-bottom: 5px !important;}”]

let’s talk

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1571085449280{margin-top: 0px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;border-top-width: 0px !important;border-bottom-width: 0px !important;padding-top: 5px !important;padding-bottom: 20px !important;}”]

SEND US A MESSAGE

[/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/4″][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][wpforms id=”27272″ title=”false” description=”false”][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/4″][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_empty_space height=”55px”][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row]

[vc_row gap=”20″][vc_column width=”1/4″][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][vc_single_image image=”27035″ img_size=”100×100″][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][vc_separator css=”.vc_custom_1623697841834{padding-bottom: 20px !important;}”][vc_empty_space height=”10px”][vc_column_text]BY JEFF GENOVICH
President[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″ css=”.vc_custom_1585081315933{margin-right: 20px !important;margin-left: 20px !important;}”][vc_column_text css=””]When ChatGPT exploded onto the scene in late 2022, everyone scrambled to answer the question: How is AI affecting jobs? Is generative AI going to put my job at risk? 

Concerns surrounding automation and labor displacement are nothing new. But as artificial intelligence (AI) grows in capability and popularity, the concern is becoming more prominent and is impacting many different industries, job levels, and professional fields. 

So as we dive deeper into the impact of artificial intelligence on recruiting, let’s address the elephant in the room: how is AI affecting jobs actually? Which jobs and careers are actually at risk? And what can you, as a job seeker, do to AI-proof your future prospects? [/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1699637965720{padding-top: 40px !important;padding-bottom: 40px !important;}”]

Understanding the two branches of AI

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=””]Before we dive into the implications of how AI is affecting jobs, let’s discuss the two branches of AI and how they impact recruiting: 

• Predictive AI makes predictions or forecasts based on patterns and historical data. Think personalized shopping reocmmendations or spam filers. 
• Generative AI creaes new data that resembles the patterns found in training data—like text generation, deep fakes, etc. 

Although there’s the risk of overgeneralization, predictive AI will mostly impact low-skill work, while generative AI will impact high-skill work. This is part of the reason why generative AI caused such a stir among high-skill professionals—because it was the first window into the fact that these jobs could be at risk.

Among the purported victims of generative AI, depending on which articles you read, are lawyers, writers, artists, videographers, coders, software engineers, customer service agents, journalists, financial positions, etc. In other words—a wide swath of the economy.

However, as we will discuss below, reports of the death of the modern professional have been greatly exaggerated.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1700085644762{padding-top: 20px !important;padding-bottom: 20px !important;}”]

How AI will change expectations of high-skill professionals

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Despite the bleak claims that AI will replace high-skill professionals, your job isn’t at risk—so long as you adapt to the new reality. Rather than replace the modern professional and high-skill employees, AI-powered tools, when leveraged correctly, can help you achieve the same results as before with greater speed and efficiency. 

But that’s good news, right? It means that employees can provide the same value and work product, but in less time. Shouldn’t this open the door to shorter work weeks, more flexible scheduling, etc.? 

Well, we’ve done this song and dance before—in fact, every time there’s a major technological advancement, people start talking about the utopian upsides. AI is just the latest in the series.

The great economist John Maynard Keynes, writing nearly a century ago, anticipated that technological advancements, the workforce would become more advanced and, as a result we would all be working 15-hour weeks. Of course, we all know how that worked out—it didn’t!

The reason: Keynes underestimated the human desire to compete. Rather than work a mere 15 hours, we’d rather keep the same 40 hours and increase our output, thus making ourselves more valuable to the employer. It’s hard to imagine this tendency changing in the face of AI.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1699638070160{padding-top: 20px !important;padding-bottom: 20px !important;}”]

The shift of core competencies: from technical to strategic

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]But as AI develops, will human employees continue to be necessary? The short answer: yes, but human core competencies will need to change.  

Especially in highly tech-forward fields, AI can’t function on its own. It needs a human being to operate it. There are a number of reasons why that’s the case. 

First, data hallucinations are real. AI doesn’t have a perfect track record when it comes to generating information, and it can be difficult to pin down a typical accuracy or error rate. Knowledgeable human users will need to sift through generative AI outputs to determine which is accurate or not. Indiscriminately accepting AI outputs can lead to error and, by extension, business risk. 

Additionally, AI is limited in its capabilities by virtue of its functionality. To understand why this is the case, we need to dive a little deeper into how exactly AI works, specifically the difference between machine learning and deep learning: 

• Machine learning is based on algorithms that are trained on data. These algorithms detect patterns and learn how to make predictions and recommendations by processing preexistent data and experiences.
• Deep learning uses neural networks—based on the ways neurons interact in the human brain—to ingest data and process it through multiple iterations that learn increasingly complex features of the data. 

Considering both of these concepts at their base level, it’s clear that AI’s functionality is dependent entirely on the data fed into it. It can only anticipate scenarios it’s already been exposed to or can extrapolate from existing data. 

So while AI will likely become more than capable of designing, optimizing, and testing individual components, professionals’ key differentiator will be in how they think about systems more broadly. Traditional tasks will give way to more strategy, high-level thinking.

The specifically implications of this reality, of course, will vary across industries and fields: 

• • Engineers will be less experts in individual components, but more broadly in systems and use of AI-powered tools to achieve more complexity in design
  • Finance professionals will be able to achieve risk assessments, fraud detection, and forecasting more efficiently than before, able to focus their time on customer care and creative solution-building
  • Administrative professionals will be able to streamline customer service, process automation, schedule optimization, and more, and can focus on more personal, human-centric tasks

These, of course, are merely examples. Different industries, disciplines, and organizations will apply these principles differently. But the broad change is that humans will leverage AI to achieve more menial, rote tasks, and can focus on more complex, creative work. [/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1733956037038{padding-top: 20px !important;padding-bottom: 20px !important;}”]

How is AI affecting jobs? What can job seekers do?

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]So as a job seeker, what steps can you take to future-proof your career? Here are a few that you can start implementing now:

• Educate yourself on AI in as much detail as possible—specifically looking at how it relates to your work
• Understand your role in building and managing systems, not simply in becoming an expert in individual components 
• Don’t look for niches where AI hasn’t gone already—look for niches where AI can’t go

This may involve some minor pivoting—or major pivoting, depending on your situation. But at the end of the day, responding proactively to AI is going to be a much bigger benefit to your career than simply crossing your fingers and hoping it goes away.

If you’re unsure of what specific steps you should take or niches you should consider, it’s helpful to have someone in your corner who knows you and can be a trusted advisor for your career. Contact Brightwing to start a conversation with one of our recruiters.[/vc_column_text][vc_separator][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/4″][/vc_column][vc_column][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”75px”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1585078267198{background-image: url(https://brightwingbdev.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/yellow-rectangle-scaled.jpg?id=27545) !important;}”][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1639429065564{margin-bottom: 0px !important;border-bottom-width: 0px !important;padding-top: 10px !important;padding-bottom: 5px !important;}”]

let’s talk

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1571085449280{margin-top: 0px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;border-top-width: 0px !important;border-bottom-width: 0px !important;padding-top: 5px !important;padding-bottom: 20px !important;}”]

SEND US A MESSAGE

[/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/4″][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][wpforms id=”27272″ title=”false” description=”false”][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/4″][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_empty_space height=”55px”][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row]

[vc_row gap=”20″][vc_column width=”1/4″][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][vc_single_image image=”27035″ img_size=”100×100″][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][vc_separator css=”.vc_custom_1623697841834{padding-bottom: 20px !important;}”][vc_empty_space height=”10px”][vc_column_text]BY JEFF GENOVICH
President[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″ css=”.vc_custom_1585081315933{margin-right: 20px !important;margin-left: 20px !important;}”][vc_column_text css=””]People talk about the artificial intelligence (AI) revolution as if it’s something in the future. But the reality is that AI in recruiting is already here, and the possibilities it holds are immense.

But beyond the impact in the process and work of talent acquisition, AI will change something more fundamental: the nature of work itself. This shift will have major implications across industries and disciplines—including IT, engineering, automotive, etc.

Whether or not your particular industry or area of expertise will be enhanced by AI in recruiting, read on to see how you can’t avoid being impacted by the AI revolution. [/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1699636928026{padding-top: 40px !important;padding-bottom: 40px !important;}”]

The primary problem with AI in recruiting: we’re having the wrong conversation

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=””]If you do some Googling on the impact of AI in recruiting, you’ll come up with no shortage of titles like the following: AI is…

     …coming for [X industry]

      …eliminating jobs / putting people out of work

     …going to displace [X number] jobs

     …going to kill [X job]

While good for clickbait, these headlines are wildly misleading as to the actual impact of AI. For starters, AI isn’t something that’s “coming.” It’s already here, as professionals in IT, engineering, automotive, etc. already know:

• 33% of tech, media, and telecom employees use AI as part of their work
• 38% of companies expect more than 20% of their employees will need to be reskilled as a consequence of AI
• On the other hand, a mere 18% of companies anticipate reducing their workforces by 10+% in response to AI displacement

What’s more, according to the same McKinsey report referenced above, 78% of high AI-performing companies expect to reskill 30+% of their workforce over the next three years.

It seems, then, that according to the most recent data—which is always subject to change—the biggest change AI will bring to the industry is that of reskilling, not replacement or displacement. This is a very important reality that employers and job seekers need to keep in mind. The conversation we’re having should be about: how will the nature of work change (or stay the same) as AI becomes more ubiquitous? [/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1699637011293{padding-top: 20px !important;padding-bottom: 20px !important;}”]

But what is AI, exactly? And what are the different branches?

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Still, people are nervous about this new technology. Decades of cautionary tales from Hollywood and the news media haven’t helped. So let’s break down what AI actually is—especially the difference between predictive AI and generative AI.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1699637132590{padding-top: 20px !important;padding-bottom: 20px !important;}”]

Predictive AI

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Predictive AI, as the name implies, makes predictions or forecasts based on patterns derived from historical data. It involves using machine learning (ML) algorithms, particularly supervised learning and regression techniques, to analyze data and predict future outcomes or classify inputs into specific categories. 

Examples from everyday life include:

• Personalized shopping recommendations
• Virtual assistants
• Spam filters
• Predictive text and autocorrect

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1699637178694{padding-top: 20px !important;padding-bottom: 20px !important;}”]

Generative AI

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Generative AI is concerned with creating new data that resembles the patterns found in training data. One of the most popular methods for generative AI is the use of Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs), where two neural networks, the generator and the discriminator, compete against each other. The generator creates synthetic data, and the discriminator tries to distinguish between real and generated data. 

Through this process, GANs become proficient at generating highly realistic data, such as images, audio, and text, that closely resembles the training data. 

Examples from everyday life include:

• Text generation (like ChatGPT)
• Deepfake videos
• Virtual avatars & characters
• Music generation

Most of the time, when we’re talking about how AI is changing the future of work, we’re looking at the latter category. [/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1699637232904{padding-top: 20px !important;padding-bottom: 20px !important;}”]

AI and the future of work

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]With all that in mind, how should you consider the impact of AI on your own career development? Or, if you’re an employer, how should it change your recruiting and staffing strategy? [/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1699637264395{padding-top: 20px !important;padding-bottom: 20px !important;}”]

How employers should think about AI

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]One of the ways we like to think of it is to treat AI like a promising new hire. For our purposes, let’s use Sales as an example. No one hires one salesperson at a time—instead, you hire two. The goal is to create an environment where there’s both comradery and competition. When you hire just one rep, you put all your eggs in one basket, which is a risky proposition.

Similarly, one of the risks of AI adoption is transitioning too fast without a clear idea of where it adds value (and, conversely, where it subtracts value). 

And one of the things we’ve noticed is that AI doesn’t have to be revolutionary. In fact, many of the ways that we’ve seen AI positively influence hiring and talent acquisition are quite subtle:

• Automating manual tasks to free up team members for more strategic and creative work
• Speeding up execution and time to market for new products—without sacrificing QA
• Gathering information more efficiently to provide more holistic insights in key areas of inquiry

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1699637352203{padding-top: 20px !important;padding-bottom: 20px !important;}”]

How job seekers should think about AI

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]For talent, it’s also important to think about how AI is going to impact your career. More likely than not, you’re going to need to develop some familiarity with AI-powered tools specific to your field. For example, many systems engineers are using AI-powered modeling and simulation programs to spend less time physically testing new components, speeding up time to market and overall team productivity.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1699637387839{padding-top: 20px !important;padding-bottom: 20px !important;}”]

Final thoughts on AI in recruiting and staffing

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Here’s the bottom line: AI is here to stay. The more familiar you are with AI-powered tools, the better you’ll be positioned to succeed:

• Employers will not only improve their talent acquisition strategies, but also equip their employees to maximize performance by providing access to state-of-the-art tools, platforms, and resources
• Job seekers will position themselves as on the cutting edge of their field by demonstrating competence with innovative technologies that improve their ability to perform

At the end of the day, it’s not AI vs. not AI. It’s good use of AI vs. poor use of AI. The difference, then, is entirely up to you.

If you want support and help in integrating AI into your career growth and development, contact a member of our team today. [/vc_column_text][vc_separator][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/4″][/vc_column][vc_column][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”75px”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1585078267198{background-image: url(https://brightwingbdev.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/yellow-rectangle-scaled.jpg?id=27545) !important;}”][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1639429065564{margin-bottom: 0px !important;border-bottom-width: 0px !important;padding-top: 10px !important;padding-bottom: 5px !important;}”]

let’s talk

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1571085449280{margin-top: 0px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;border-top-width: 0px !important;border-bottom-width: 0px !important;padding-top: 5px !important;padding-bottom: 20px !important;}”]

SEND US A MESSAGE

[/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/4″][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][wpforms id=”27272″ title=”false” description=”false”][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/4″][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_empty_space height=”55px”][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row]

[vc_row gap=”20″][vc_column width=”1/4″][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][vc_single_image image=”27035″ img_size=”100×100″][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][vc_separator css=”.vc_custom_1623697841834{padding-bottom: 20px !important;}”][vc_empty_space height=”10px”][vc_column_text]BY JEFF GENOVICH
President[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″ css=”.vc_custom_1585081315933{margin-right: 20px !important;margin-left: 20px !important;}”][vc_column_text css=””]Generative AI in engineering is prompting widely varied responses. Employers have taken to a number of tactics in response, ranging from going “all-in” to ignoring it and hoping it goes away.

But here’s the reality: generative AI is here to stay. Which means that, if you want to be competitive in the future, you can’t ignore it. Rather, you need to be clear-eyed about what AI does better (and worse) than humans. Then you can adapt your talent acquisition strategies to apply the best of both worlds—human and AI—to your engineering processes.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1733956591602{padding-top: 40px !important;padding-bottom: 40px !important;}”]

The broader impact of AI in engineering

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=””]Artificial intelligence (AI) is a game changer; in fact, it already has been. But AI has been around, believe it or not, since the 1950s. Machine learning has been undergirding popular software for over a decade (e.g. Google’s search algorithm). So what’s changed in recent years to bring AI to the forefront of the conversation?

Like any phenomenon, it’s multi-faceted. But a key move was the release of ChatGPT by OpenAI. Although ChatGPT didn’t really feature any new capabilities—companies like Jasper were already offering LLM-based software—it elevated public awareness of the software, illuminating just how far it had come. 

But just as with any public phenomenon, there’s the challenge of separating the hype from reality, fact from fiction. What exactly is generative AI going to do to traditionally “safe” career roles? How is it going to change how we think about “work” in the future?

For engineers, specifically, we already have a number of examples that are already in play. Let’s look at how AI in engineering is impacting these familiar use cases. [/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1699636117188{padding-top: 20px !important;padding-bottom: 20px !important;}”]

Design optimization

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Generative AI can ingest vast quantities of design data, using the insights generated from that experience to generate multiple virtual models with different configurations. Then, that same AI can evaluate the designs based on specific criteria—like maximizing strength while minimizing weight—and select the optimal design to meet the criteria. [/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1699636127697{padding-top: 20px !important;padding-bottom: 20px !important;}”]

CAD (Computer-Aided Design) generation

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Also known as text-to-design, generative AI can take high-level specifications, requirements, and prompts provided by engineers to generate CAD models. The engineer, then, can tweak and adjust the design as needed. CAD can be a significant time saver and provide design ideas that a human engineer may not have otherwise considered. [/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1699636146669{padding-top: 20px !important;padding-bottom: 20px !important;}”]

Simulation-based design

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Pressure-testing complex systems requires extensive testing. When done in the physical world, this can be costly and time-consuming. 

AI-powered virtual modeling, on the other hand, enables engineers to simulate and analyze system behavior under a range of conditions. These conditions can help drive further design iteration that optimizes for factors like stress distribution, fluid flow, or heat dissipation. 

What’s more, AI simulations can run at a fraction of the speed of physical testing. As such, you can gather more performance data in a much shorter time frame. [/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1699636158143{padding-top: 20px !important;padding-bottom: 20px !important;}”]

Additive manufacturing (aka 3D Printing)

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Many complex geometries for 3D printed components can be difficult for humans to envision, although they’re robust in practice. Generative AI can help to optimize geometries and push them to print immediately, saving time and enabling more fine-tuned outputs. [/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1699636166358{padding-top: 20px !important;padding-bottom: 20px !important;}”]

Material discovery

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]One often overlooked benefit of generative AI is the discovery of new materials with desired properties. By predicting and modeling material behavior based on known chemical data, generative AI can discover new alloys and compositions that would take humans too long to do. [/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1699636175780{padding-top: 20px !important;padding-bottom: 20px !important;}”]

How humans can out-maneuver AI

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Now, looking at the examples above, what are some common threads we can trace among them? Here are few that jump to mind:

• AI is faster than humans. By sheer force of computing power, AI can perform tasks in less than a fraction of the time it takes a human to perform the same task. 

• AI is more comprehensive than humans. AI can accumulate a much wider range of information, building its body of knowledge faster than any human could.
• AI can perform more iterations than humans. By accounting for variables that humans don’t think about, AI can iterate faster and more extensively. 

As such, many engineering companies are rethinking the value of human talent in the future. There is already talk about engineers having to move into more editor-like roles in the future. 

However, if you jump to AI too quickly, you risk misunderstanding what it can (and can’t) do for you. If you don’t understand the risks, you’ll fall for the shallow, trendy promises and hurt your business. 

Because for all AI’s advantages and benefits, there are some things that only human beings can do. And these, above and beyond mere technical competence, are the traits you should hire for now and in the future. [/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1699636192523{padding-top: 20px !important;padding-bottom: 20px !important;}”]

Creative thinking

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]AI is limited by the scenarios and data it’s encountered before. Humans, on the other hand, can approach challenges with fresh perspectives and devise innovative solutions to technical problems. While AI can implement those solutions more efficiently, only humans have the creativity to pioneer new technologies and methods that lead to a competitive edge. In other words, humans are better at figuring out what to build and why, while AI figures out how to build it. [/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1699636199677{padding-top: 20px !important;padding-bottom: 20px !important;}”]

Systems thinking

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]For the most part, generative AI output is limited to the quality of the prompt. The AI isn’t designed to think about the system as a whole and account for unintended consequences—rather, it provides the best possible output based on the prompt it has received. 

As such, humans are uniquely positioned to provide a holistic perspective, considering interconnections, potential ripple effects, and orchestrating AI tools to account for these complexities. [/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1699636208126{padding-top: 20px !important;padding-bottom: 20px !important;}”]

Innovation

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]By virtue of their operations, AIs are always going to be two steps behind. In a highly evolving field, this is a costly lag you can’t afford. Human engineers are better equipped to adapt to change, stay ahead of the curve, and direct AI tools to bring more novel and competitive concepts to market. [/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1699636215654{padding-top: 20px !important;padding-bottom: 20px !important;}”]

Intuition

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Intuition: it’s that X factor that humans have and AI doesn’t. Developed through experience and expertise, intuition empowers human engineers to make quick decisions when data is incomplete. [/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1699636223230{padding-top: 20px !important;padding-bottom: 20px !important;}”]

Emotional intelligence

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Finally, AI can’t manage teams or people. A lack of emotional intelligence prohibits the technology from effectively orchestrating and communicating technical ideas among multidisciplinary teams. 

Human engineers are essential to maintain positive relationships and working conditions among all team members, which are both essential to efficiently driving project outcomes. [/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1733956525005{padding-top: 20px !important;padding-bottom: 20px !important;}”]

AI in engineering: how should it impact your hiring strategy? 

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=””]Technical expertise still matters, but it matters a little less than in the past. Now, human engineers will need not only a solid background in AI-capable tools, but also in other soft skills that AI just can’t reproduce.

This means that your hiring processes need to account for these changes. Often it’s difficult to identify soft skills on paper, and only slightly less difficult to do so in an interview.

To avoid the high cost of a mishire, it’s important to have an in-market expert who knows what to look for. Better yet, find a professional recruitment agency with a bench of talent that they have long-term relationships with—who they’ve already validated. 

Get started with a Brightwing representative, and we’ll help you navigate the changing tides of talent acquisition in an AI-dominated industry. [/vc_column_text][vc_separator][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/4″][/vc_column][vc_column][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”75px”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1585078267198{background-image: url(https://brightwingbdev.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/yellow-rectangle-scaled.jpg?id=27545) !important;}”][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1639429065564{margin-bottom: 0px !important;border-bottom-width: 0px !important;padding-top: 10px !important;padding-bottom: 5px !important;}”]

let’s talk

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1571085449280{margin-top: 0px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;border-top-width: 0px !important;border-bottom-width: 0px !important;padding-top: 5px !important;padding-bottom: 20px !important;}”]

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[/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/4″][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][wpforms id=”27272″ title=”false” description=”false”][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/4″][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_empty_space height=”55px”][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row]

[vc_row gap=”20″][vc_column width=”1/4″][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][vc_single_image image=”27035″ img_size=”100×100″][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][vc_separator css=”.vc_custom_1623697841834{padding-bottom: 20px !important;}”][vc_empty_space height=”10px”][vc_column_text]BY JEFF GENOVICH
President[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″ css=”.vc_custom_1585081315933{margin-right: 20px !important;margin-left: 20px !important;}”][vc_column_text]Right now, the U.S. job market is, in the words of some experts, “losing steam.” After two years of overheating, things seem to be calming down, or rebalancing, as it were.

But if you’re looking to hire high-quality, specialized talent, you can’t rest on your laurels, sit back, and wait for them to come to you. You have to be out there fighting for each and every placement. Read on to find out why. [/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1697037373893{padding-top: 40px !important;padding-bottom: 40px !important;}”]

From Great Resignation to Great “Rebalancing”

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Just two years ago, the headline news was that we were in the middle of a talent shortage. Whether you called it the Great Resignation or Great Reshuffle, the reality was the same: mass resignations and great demands from job seekers meant many companies had trouble landing and retaining quality talent.

Today, the job numbers seem to indicate the opposite trend. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, July 2023 saw a decline in job openings, and August saw a slight uptick in unemployment, although nowhere near comparable levels in 2021. These are all telltale signs of a shifting job market—no longer candidate-centric, but employer-centric.[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”28866″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center” css=”.vc_custom_1697036617205{padding-bottom: 20px !important;}”][vc_column_text]If you only read the surface-level statistics, you’d no doubt come to that conclusion. However, the numbers only tell half the story. Ignore the other half, and you risk making poor hiring & firing decisions that can put your firm at serious risk. Given that we’re experiencing the makings of an economic recession, the risk is greater than ever.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1697037334614{padding-top: 20px !important;padding-bottom: 20px !important;}”]

Ask yourself: who is getting laid off?

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]At Brightwing, we work with some of the leading engineering, IT, automotive, and financial services companies in the Detroit area (not to mention nationwide). Just in the past few months, we’ve heard of thousands of layoffs in the metro Detroit area. However, in conversations with our partners, we’re finding that companies are having more trouble filling critical roles, not less. 

To answer this question, you can’t just look at how many people were laid off. You have to ask the deeper question: who is getting laid off? 

With every executive and HR department we work with, the answer is resounding across the board. Companies aren’t laying off their top performers. In fact, they’re holding onto that critical talent with an iron fist. Instead, it’s the poor performers that are being let go. 

There’s a certain logic to this move. As companies are squeezed for resources, it makes sense to keep the people who, for lack of a better term, deliver the most bang for your buck. Not to mention that quality people are difficult to attract in the best of times, not to mention when times are more difficult. [/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”28865″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center” css=”.vc_custom_1697036673931{padding-bottom: 20px !important;}”][vc_column_text]So although the talent market is flooded with warm bodies, the number of qualified Java developers, embedded systems engineers, data scientists—these haven’t increased all of a sudden. Rather than looking in a scarce market, hiring managers are now forced to hunt down needles in haystacks—a haystack that’s become much bigger. 

Changing dynamics in specialized talent acquisition

What’s more, the way to attract top tier talent has evolved, even over the last two years. I’ll give you a case study related to the arms race of electric vehicles in automotive.[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”28864″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center”][vc_column_text]Three or four years ago, many leading companies started “e-mobility” groups. Despite unclear objectives and focus, these groups collected talented people to work on the problem of electrification. Now, the critical talent has become even rarer: the coveted EV experts that also are experts in a Tier 1 supplier’s proprietary technology.

Because the intersection of these two skill sets is exceedingly rare, these suppliers are increasingly reliant upon them just to function as a business, much less innovate and grow. Often, the fate of a supplier rests in just one person’s hands.

If one of these engineers decides to leave, often the employer will bend over backwards to retain them. With one company we’re working with, this has led to senior leadership getting involved. It’s not uncommon for companies to offer retention bonuses to this talent. I’ve personally seen an incredible amount of counteroffers for this talent.

This is not the kind of behavior you expect to see in a cooling market. It is the kind of behavior you expect to see in an ongoing shortage of qualified, experienced talent—a shortage that will continue no matter how many low performers get laid off. 

The pressure on hiring managers

When it comes to finding top tier talent, high performing companies are actually investing more in talent acquisition, not less. In the automotive industry, for instance, leadership is giving hiring managers an increased budget to make critical hires.[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”28863″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center”][vc_column_text]Hiring is an expensive decision in the best of times. But right now, companies have little tolerance for low performers on their teams. The stakes are high, and the risk of a poor hire is greater than ever.

As a result, hiring managers need to work with recruiters that they trust, and who are trusted by top talent in turn. They need to partner with people who’ve taken the time to make inroads with the candidates. This is the only way to mitigate the risk of a bad hire and make the best of increased recruitment spend. 

The way forward

The biggest mistake hiring managers can make in this time is to rest on their laurels as the market cools and rebalances. Rather, success in hiring requires approaching your talent acquisition strategy with the same sense of urgency and fire that you had in 2021, when quality talent seemed a dime a dozen. Because, in a sense, it still is.[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”28862″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center” css=”.vc_custom_1697036764748{padding-bottom: 20px !important;}”][vc_column_text]You need to find candidates that have the right combination of high technical competence plus the intangible skills that make someone successful in your organization. This isn’t rocket science—it just requires hard work, persistence, and the patience to build inroads and generate quality connections. 

Hiring managers who execute the fundamentals well will find themselves doing just fine, even if we end up in a recession or economic downturn. Those who make excuses and are unable to adapt will not. Which camp will you be in?[/vc_column_text][vc_separator][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/4″][/vc_column][vc_column][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”75px”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1585078267198{background-image: url(https://brightwingbdev.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/yellow-rectangle-scaled.jpg?id=27545) !important;}”][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1639429065564{margin-bottom: 0px !important;border-bottom-width: 0px !important;padding-top: 10px !important;padding-bottom: 5px !important;}”]

let’s talk

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