#VeronicaRamirez Archives - Joseph Chris Partners

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To stay or not to stay: that is the question.

11/07/2018/in Blog, Careers /by Veronica Ramirez

It’s no secret that we are seeing a shortage of proven talent within the real estate development and construction industries in many skill sets. At a time when we need people/talent the most, professionals are seriously questioning whether to make a change because of the timing of the economy, timing in our industry and timing in their own lives.

“Is it time to make a move in my career?” These thoughts, nerves, doubts are making it more difficult today to recruit proven, successful talent for open positions due to growth or vacancy.

Many clients are forced to promote people who aren’t ready to take on more responsibility because of the talent shortage, and starting a leadership program within companies won’t grow the talent fast enough to fill the needs.

In my practice, I speak daily with and recruit Vice Presidents, Division and Regional Presidents and professionals in Corporate level roles. Professionals are asking themselves “should I stay or should I go?” for a few reasons:

Recent builder acquisitions. Executives who are open to considering opportunities or desire that next step in their career are asking themselves, “Am I going to a builder that is gobbling or one that will be gobbled?” Since company CEO’s or Corporate CFO’s cannot share this information, professionals are left to the worry about the rumors and, therefore, may choose to stay rather than risk being the last person hired when a company is “gobbled.” People do not want to be the less tenured in this case because some say the purchaser will keep most of their own team if in the same market. So be honest with interested candidates. It still may prevent someone taking a position with your company but at least you stayed true to what you know. Also know, even if it doesn’t feel like the case, builders are starting to interview all candidates in like roles within that market seriously so they can build the next best team.
The next downturn. Those of us who survived the last downturn always have our eye on the future, looking for signs that it may happen again. While economic indicators are still very strong, professionals want to ensure they’re working for a company that isn’t in danger of going under if it does happen, either because of their financial situation or land holdings. But professionals need to remember that the people working at the company they’re interviewing with likely survived the last downturn as well, and everyone in our industry made adjustments to their financial forecasting, land strategy, and processes to weather that storm should it arrive. They are making hiring decisions based on long-term, not just short-term, growth projections.
Counteroffers. When people are hard to find, companies do what they can to keep the good people they have. So companies making offers should expect counteroffers each and every time. And to prevent the professional from staying put, companies should make their first offer their best offer. The days of negotiating back and forth to save a few bucks are long gone. If you don’t demonstrate to a candidate their value to you right off the bat, you can bet their existing company will, and you’ve lost valuable time in your search to fill that role. It helps to have consultants like Joseph Chris Partners in on the formulation of offers so you can offer competitively based on market conditions and competition.

Our industry will always have mergers and acquisitions and there will be lay-offs during any economic slow down we experience. But that should not stop a strong professional from accepting a new role, proving their worth, and moving up the ladder. If the opportunity is a great one, the company has the culture people thrive in, the team is strong and collaborative, then the normal things that affect our industry should not keep a professional from taking on a new position.

Joseph Chris Partners can help you with your search for the right professional, and we can help them answer “should I stay or should I go” in your favor!

Reflections on 20 Years of Recruiting in Homebuilding

05/23/2018/in Blog /by Veronica Ramirez

Yesterday marked my 20-year anniversary of recruiting in the Homebuilding industry for Joseph Chris Partners. I always say I was taught by the best, my father, Joe Chris Ramirez.

The recruiting industry has given me so much joy these last two decades for the following reasons:

Learning from the future leaders, legends and consultants of our industry with every conversation that I have. The more calls I make the more that I learn, grow and can contribute to others.
Gaining the trust of professionals looking for advice and placement for their career path as well as those looking to hire the best talent for their company. To me, there is no greater responsibility, and I do not take that trust lightly.
Providing support to, and helping to influence the direction of, the fastest growing builders/developers in the country as well as having an impact on local builders where each hire is of immense importance. I love working with each type of client, large or small. I appreciate that I can choose companies I respect to partner with. Those in the industry trust that I will be introducing them to good companies and companies trust me to bring them good people.
Being a person of influence within my own company and watching the team at Joseph Chris Partners grow professionally and personally. Their success and “the how” they get there means so much to me. We have amazing recruiters and an outstanding administration team. I am grateful and fortunate.
Being able to carry my father’s legacy forward. There is no greater pride and honor that I could have. My mother and father came from humble means and their work ethic, will power and focus on customer service was instilled within me. I am extremely grateful that they taught me to appreciate the grind and the discipline… the journey for success and focus on “the how” to get there.

Advice that I would give other recruiters to have a lengthy career of trust, value and success:

Have the right intentions! Lead with your heart, knowledge and experience. Leave “closing the deal” as important but not in the forefront. My philosophy is “focus on activity and doing the right thing with ease and grace and money will come from the sky.”
Know your clients and potential employees for those clients well. Spend time with them, know what is their truth is. Focus on the right fit for both. Tenure in your placements is extremely important.
Be honest. Tell your clients and potential employees to those clients the truth about what they would be receiving and walking in to. During the interviewing process share the areas that they need to dive deeper into and the areas of greatness. The more honest you are the better the fit and tenure of the hire.
Have a sense of urgency. When clients call you, they are already feeling the pain. When we take on a search, we are making a commitment to our client that their need is in our daily plan.
Study your industry. As stated above, the more you know about your niche the more that you can support your clients and separate yourself from other recruiters in the industry.

I can’t believe 20 years has flown by so fast. While we’ve certainly seen innovation in our industry over that time, nothing can replace our ability to really connect with our candidates and our clients, and I’m proud of our traditions here at Joseph Chris Partners that make us one of our industry’s greats. I’ve worked very hard to get where I am, and I feel blessed every day that I found this path. Joseph Chris Partners is my life’s work, my passion. It really is true that when you work hard for something you don’t care about it’s just stress, but when you love what you do, you never really work a day in your life!

JCP EARNS BACK-TO-BACK FORBES “BEST RECRUITING FIRMS” RANKING

04/09/2018/in News /by Veronica Ramirez

I am excited to announce that for the second year in a row Joseph Chris Partners has been ranked by Forbes as one of AMERICA’S BEST RECRUITING FIRMS. Since my parents Joe and Victoria started our company back in 1977, we always strive for excellence in all areas of our business. It is, of course, an honor to make the list, along with so many respected companies, and we here at JCP appreciate all the clients we’ve consulted with to help them build their teams and the candidates who trusted us to help them take the steps in their careers.

As CEO and President, I am very proud of our team that works hard to continue the legacy my parents began over 40 years ago. People make companies great, and I am thankful every day for the people on the Joseph Chris Partners team.

Congratulations to our friends in the industry who were recognized as well.

Now, back to the phones!

Veronica Ramirez

Chron.com, 40-year-old company in Kingwood among America’s top recruiting firms of 2017

07/26/2017/in Blog, News /by Joseph Chris

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By Melanie Feuk, mfeuk@hcnonline.com

Published 3:13 pm, Thursday, July 20, 2017

http://www.chron.com/neighborhood/kingwood/news/article/40-year-old-company-in-Kingwood-among-America-s-11303285.php?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=facebook

“A few months ago, Angie Truitt, senior partner at Joseph Chris Partners in Kingwood was browsing LinkedIn when she saw Forbes had released its list of America’s top recruiting firms for 2017.

“I’m looking through the list and seeing all of these powerhouses, these huge companies,” Truitt said.

When she reached No. 37 on the list of 250 top executive recruiting firms, her interest evolved into utter excitement.

“I was like, ‘We’re on the list. We’re on the list,’ and it was super exciting because all of these massive companies were on the list, and then there we were,” Truitt said.

Veronica Ramirez, CEO and president of Joseph Chris Partners likened the recognition to winning a People’s Choice Award for recruiting firms.

Forbes’ list ranks companies based on survey results from thousands of recruiters, employees and human resource managers. Participants listed their choices of up to 10 top recruiting firms. 20,000 recommendations were collected from the survey. Firms that received the most recommendations achieved the highest rankings.

“This is a really great thing for us because that says a lot,” Ramirez said. “This is from years and years of dedicated people on the team who really focus on customer service, the quality of work that we do, always being present and taking care of our team, and doing it with integrity.”

Making it on Forbes’ list of “Best Executive Recruiting Firms” is cause enough for celebration in and of itself; however, the accomplishment’s significance was amplified because it arrived in a milestone year for the firm.

“This was a super awesome birthday present for our 40th year,” Truitt said.

Joseph Chris Partners performs executive recruiting and consulting to the real estate development and construction industries. They do consulting with clients and professionals throughout the industry both inside and outside the United States.

Ramirez’s father, Joe Ramirez, began Joseph Chris Partners in Houston in 1977.

“My dad started it out of his garage and built it up,” Ramirez said.

Ramirez grew up in Kingwood. In 1986, her father decided to bring Joseph Chris Partners closer to home and set up a location at the front of Kingwood. Eventually it moved farther into Kingwood, and is now located at Kings Harbor.

Ramirez worked for her father’s company, learning the ins-and-outs and taking on increasingly greater responsibilities. When her father decided to retire several years ago, she approached him about letting her purchase the company. Her parents decided to sell Joseph Chris Partners to Ramirez.

Over the years, Ramirez has concentrated on building a culture of employee appreciation. In 2012, she incorporated equity opportunity for reliable, longstanding team members.

Erica Lockwood, executive/equity partner at Joseph Chris Partners, believes employee retention rate is one of the company’s exceptional features.

“We have a really high average amount of year tenure, which is very unique in the recruiting and staffing industry, period,” Lockwood said. “You usually don’t find that.”

Under Ramirez, the firm has taken on new concepts to promote team-building through group activities – for example, the upcoming company 40th anniversary disco-themed party.

“We brought a lot of new ideas into the organization just to keep it fresh and really support the next generation of millennials that are coming into the company,” Ramirez said. “We try to create a culture here where you can just be yourself. It keeps good relationships within the team. We work hard, but have fun doing it.”

The firm has extended relationship-building beyond its clients and employees by taking part in community engagement and service initiatives.

“We’re going into our third year of putting on what we call, ‘Turn Kings Harbor Blue,'” Truitt said. “We office here at beautiful Kings Harbor. We are very supportive of our law enforcement community and showing appreciation for everything they do. So, a couple of years ago, Veronica had an idea to put on a community event right here in our back yard to show support for them.”

On Friday, Nov. 10, Joseph Chris Partners will host its third annual Turn Kings Harbor Blue event from 6 to 9 p.m. at Kings Harbor. The community is invited to enjoy the live music and food while appreciating local law enforcement officers.

“This year’s going to be bigger than it’s ever been,” Truitt said. “We’ve got vendor interest. It’s a very well-received and enjoyable thing for all of us to participate in.”

For Joseph Chris Partners’ 40th anniversary year, the firm has set a fundraising goal of $40,000 to go toward building a house for Habitat for Humanity.

On June 3, Joseph Chris Partners team members were actually onsite helping to construct a home for Habitat for Humanity.

“We went out there and actually got to put on the safety goggles and swing hammers and get on ladders and it was a really wonderful experience,” Truitt said.

Moving forward, Ramirez looks forward to expanding the scope of what Joseph Chris Partners has to offer. As she looks back on the last 40 years, she attributes the company’s survival to the dedicated team.

“My family’s been in this business for a long time,” Ramirez said. “Not many family businesses last multi-generations, so it’s an incentive for me to keep pushing hard and keep us together. I keep it family-oriented because these guys are more than just employees, they’re team members. We are all here for each other, and I am looking forward to hitting another 40 years.”

For more information about Joseph Chris Partners, visit www.josephchris.com.

To view Forbes’ “America’s Best Recruiting Firms 2017,”

http://visit https://www.forbes.com/sites/jeffkauflin/2017/05/03/americas-best-recruiting-firms-2017/#13a080c330f8

Our House

07/19/2017/in Blog, Careers /by Veronica Ramirez

JCP 40

I had planned an industry-specific message for my blog this week, but tragedy struck the Joseph Chris Partners family this weekend, and I wanted to share my feelings about all of it

At 5 a.m. Saturday morning, my phone rang. I knew something was wrong, but nothing prepared me for what I would hear when I answered that call: through her sobs, one of my long-time JCP team members shared with shock and sadness that she’d just lost her husband.

My heart sank for her. This employee has been with our company for over a decade. I have heard so many stories about her children’s successes, her worries, her life situations and just every-day stuff that you learn about someone working with them for as long as we’ve worked together. She gives her all every day to make sure she does what she can to make our team successful. She can’t sit still and is vigilant about getting the job done right, whatever that job might be. If you need anything, she is there for you, no matter how many other responsibilities she may be juggling at the time.

She is more than just an employee; she is my family.

And I quickly realized I wasn’t the only one who felt that way about her. After hearing the tragic news, the JCP army mobilized to help her and her own family. Within hours, we had collected money, food, and cards filled with love to deliver to her. Joseph Chris Partners’ reaction spoke volumes to me about the power of team.

When a situation like this happens in our house, we take action. We not only had an outpouring of love but we also had an outpouring of support from the team. Everyone from the most tenured in our company to the newest member of the team has rallied, volunteering to give up their vacation time so she didn’t have to worry about returning to work before she was ready, donating money and buying groceries even when they had their own financial stresses, making time for her even when time was scarce, and offering emotional support and counsel.

She is family! She is one of us! We take care of our own! It reminded me how blessed I am to have such an incredible team. We have togetherness. We are family, we have unity. We get in the trenches for one another. Humanity… Love! The old sayings that “no one messes with our family” and “no one stands alone” really does exude in our company.

I am so grateful to work with a group that is there for one another.

Just to be a little real and open with all of you, I do not have kids, but I have been blessed with an amazing family: my parents, my brother’s family, my four-legged family members, and my team mean everything to me. They are my reason each and every day that I am on a mission to perform at my best. I wake up thinking about them, and they are in my prayers each night.

Like most bosses, I may not do everything right all the time and I could be a better leader at times, but I will stand for them always like a deep-rooted tree that will not move in the worst of bad weather. Hopefully they know that they are part of a work family that will always be here for them.

I talk to people every day about their jobs. I learn about what makes them happy, what keeps them in a job or what drives them to leave. And one of the biggest influences on their happiness is whether or not they feel like they’re part of a team, whether they matter, whether the people they work with appreciate them.

And with each of those conversations, I feel more and more blessed to be working with such amazing people who care so much for each other. And I know because we have that, we can all accomplish anything, together.

That’s how it works in our house.

And I couldn’t be prouder.

Combatting Stereotypes About Older Employees In The Job Interview Process

05/08/2017/in Careers /by Veronica Ramirez

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In the past and somewhat in today’s market, employees over 50 are subject to inhibiting stereotypes that can bring about frustration in their current positions, and cause difficulty in securing new job opportunities. The myths about employees over 50 are that they are tired, resistant to change, technologically limited, and are unwilling to work under younger superiors, but in our research and experience there are strategic tactics to successfully combat these unfair assumptions.

For older workers, one goal of an interview is to challenge any stereotypes regarding age. Though unfair assumptions, the burden of disproving these stereotypes is unfortunately very real. But it can be done, and done effortlessly! Ultimately, it is how an older employee combats these myths while interviewing that will ensure an unbiased hiring process, and give them a fair shot at securing the position.

ASSUMPTIONS AND HOW TO COMBAT THEM HEAD ON

“Older workers are worn out…their best days are behind them.”

Show your energy and enthusiasm in the interview. Speak clearly and upbeat.Don’t groan when you sit down, nor complain about an ache or pain or previous injuries. While there is nothing naturally wrong with these actions, conducting yourself in this way will inherently create an undesirable persona of your temperament outside your professional capabilities; you only have a short amount of time to demonstrate -and confirm- to the hiring manager that you are able to get the job done, and well. Communicate about your healthy lifestyle, your exercise routine. Exercise, drinking plenty of water and eating healthy is essential to feeling good, energetic and fresh.

“Older workers are resistant to change.”

Communicate and give examples of your willingness to learn new things, your ability to adapt to new processes, systems, an acquisition, different leadership, or a change in business plan. Also, share the latest book that you have read and the importance of continuous learning in leadership, self-development, economics and your industry niche. If you have been with only one company in your career, communicate about their resistance to change if that is the case or your desire to learn from another company’s leadership. That promotes growth.

“Older workers cannot or do not want to, grasp modern technology.”

Emphasize your technological experience on your resume, and verbalize your proficiencies in the interview by providing examples of circumstances when you learned new computer or device skills on the fly, or utilized technology to solve a problem.

Take classes in new technology if you do not have a working knowledge of necessary programs. For instance, most organizations require employees to comprehend Microsoft Outlook for use. Be proactive for your future by enrolling in a user workshop, or purchase training books or get a tutor. Make time to do this.

Demonstrate a willingness to learn. You may not know everything about computers when you walk into your interview, but take comfort in knowing most individuals are in the same position. Larger companies have unique programs and databases that require employee training. Be confident, and let your interviewer know that you are willing and able to be trained. Your confidence creates certainty for others.

“Older workers are unwilling to be led by a younger manager or team.”

Explain why you want to work for the organization. If you have a strong personal connection to the corporation, leadership team and the industry it will help employers, see your sincere interest in working for the company. The more homework you take the time to do, the more likely you will form a connection with the company and the leaders.

Demonstrate a willingness to be a mentor to those with less experience. Share some examples if you feel it to be applicable. Companies that hire younger, cheaper employees can miss out on the invaluable knowledge, experience and mentoring capacities of a seasoned professional. Show your unique value by learning from and aiding your team.

We’re here to help.

In closing, companies today are growing so fast that managers do not have time to hand-hold. There is also a shortage of talent in the Industry and it appears that it will be that way for some time. The combination of today’s demographics and economic times have created opportunity for those over 50 to bring immense value to an organization. Using the tips provided will ensure the hiring managers are seeing that value and not allowing untrue and unfair stereotypes to get in the way.

If you’d like to talk with us about specific ways to help you advance in your career after 50, please give us a call!

Written by: Veronica Ramirez, President/CEO

Changes in Hiring Operations

02/01/2017/in Careers /by Veronica Ramirez

Changes in Hiring Operations:

We here at Joseph Chris Partners are consultants and recruiters for builders and developers working with human resource departments as well as hiring managers and corporate leaders. Through our work, we have noticed many changes to our clients’ hiring operations over the past few years.

1. RECRUITING
Medium to large builders and developers have added to their internal recruiting departments for organization, professional processes, non-confidential positions and getting the word out through social media. Human resources departments want to protect the brand and reputation of the company by making sure that every professional has a good experience in the interview process so those professionals, in turn, will share positive information about the company, improving its brand. Companies of all sizes partner with respected and industry-tenured recruiters to attract talent for hard-to-fill or confidential positions. They all recognize that a bad hire really negatively affects the synergy of their company and is very costly on many fronts.

2. THE REAL STORY
Acquisitions, organizational restructuring, and lack of communication from corporate and bonus structure revisions have all contributed to the lack of trust between employer and employee currently permeating the industry. That fear has made hiring challenging for some companies. To overcome the lack of trust, companies have turned to internal employee connections and referrals as well as third party sources like recruiters who all serve as intermediaries the candidates feel they can trust to give them the “real story” about the position, the real bonus opportunity, company culture, personality and ethics of who they report to, land positioning and financial health of the company.

3. HIRING PROCESS
To avoid making a bad hire, companies are making the hiring process more robust by increasing the number of team members involved in interviews, adding personality and aptitude testing, and including spouses and family members in the process. Hiring managers are also becoming brutally honest during conversations with final candidates to ensure there are no surprises and the potential for fall-out is minimal. Honesty in communications helps the candidates gain trust in the company, its leaders and the specific opportunity.

4. TALENT SHORTAGE
Thankfully, our industry has recovered nicely from the downturn. Yet, the recent rapid growth has created hiring challenges for builders and developers. Certain skill sets have become much harder to find, so companies are more open to relocating from other cities, hiring those who left the industry during the downturn to either work in a completely different field or start their own companies.

5. Companies today are more accepting of resumes that do not show tenure with companies from 2007 through 2014 due to the downturn and acquisition changes. They recognize that there were a lot of good people in uncontrollable situations.

6. Companies are attracted to leaders with recent pre-downturn experience because they know how to handle challenges, disruptions and the uncertain situations that are a part of the building and development business. They are looking for candidates who have pre-downturn experience, but those candidates must be open to new technologies, different processes, continuous learning, creativity and collaborating with other leaders in the division or company. Hiring managers are attracted to candidates who are open to learning from others, have intellectual bandwidth, curiosity, confidence to share their point of view, fit within the company’s culture, have a strong drive and work ethic, and willing to pay a price to earn credibility.

While some of the hiring processes have changed, the goal of companies in our space is the same: to find dedicated, skilled, creative, intelligent professionals who will add value and be great brand ambassadors. Even though technology has improved, allowing companies to access more candidate resumes than ever before, nothing replaces the ability to connect with people, learn what drives them, understand their career goals, and find them the right place to reach their potential. That’s what we do, and our 40 years of success in this industry prove that we do it very well. We are happy to support companies with their hiring strategies to ensure they are on the forefront of trends and changes, not left behind with outdated methods trying to catch up to their competition.

Written by: Veronica Ramirez, CEO