and use the phone (or, ideally, in person) as a way to convey any message involving emotion or nuances over priorities.Read More

Tax breaks for employers who hire the unemployedRead More

I have been reading my 2010 goals daily since January. They include reaching specific number of placements, revenue goals, recruiter productivity, social media effectiveness, company growth activity, family vacations, home improvement projects, community involvement, etc … oh … and the bicycling goals: mountain bike racing, distant road cycling, fundraiser rides, and being competitive with the local guys. Well, things...Read More

tensions can still be high among employers and candidates because of considerable pressure to reach objectives.Read More

Below is a summary of Xtra Effort client hiring activity for the past four monthsRead More

Xtrta Effort is experiencing increasing hiring demand among its clients, including expansion positions. The predominance of companies hiring are in the following  sectors: Data security/compliance eDiscovery Human Capital Risk Management, insurance analytics Marketing and web content solutions Geographies include CA, Northeast, Texas, and Chicago; and to a lesser extent, the Southeast.  Click here for more detail from Xtra...Read More

Brian Geery of Quota Inc. shared with me his suggestions for 2010 sales planning. They are excellent. See below. Mark _____________________________________SALES PLAN ELEMENTS Top Tier Prospect DefinitionWhat are the defining characteristics of prospects that are mostly likely to buy?What are the decision maker’s profiles (buyer personas)?How are non-prospects defined (those we should not pursue)? Buy...Read More

http://www.myfoxboston.com/dpp/morning/staying-focused-on-your-goalsRead More

Would your planning be more productive if you had access to several other small technology centric companies’s 2010 expectations? Specifically, how SaaS, Cloud Computing, Web 2.0, outsourcing, and other new factors influence: 1) Required Sales to Sales Engineering ratios? 2) Inside sales to field sales? 3) The necessity of Proof-of-Concepts? Are they paid or not...Read More

If Xtra Effort’s world of helping small technology centric companies hire Sales, Sales Engineers, and Professional Service people (nationally) is a barometer to economic health – things are improving. We have seen a considerable uptick in hiring demand, including expansion slots. Recent hires and new job requirements have included: Companies that provide software or Software-as-a-Service...Read More