And Jim Thornton made all the difference.

Coming from Chicago, where he was president of the consumer-product division of Apogee Enterprises, Thornton was recruited to elevate the Spanish Fork company — and he did so by doing some executive recruiting of his own.

Wanting to build a team of corporate superstars, he worked with recruiting firms to seek out potential candidates from AT&T in Seattle and Honeywell International in New York.

And when Provo Craft’s team was assembled — success ensued.

Without the help of executive recruiting, Provo Craft may not have experienced the same growth curve. Here are three “Qs” as to why executive recruiting is easy, efficient and obtains the proper results.

Quick
Hiring an executive recruiting firm provides a quick, efficient way to fulfill a company’s upper-level leadership needs. It eliminates the tedious work of posting a job opening, accepting applications and sifting through the immense stack of potential candidates.

Mark Robins, managing partner of Hire Point in Salt Lake City, has been in the executive recruiting business for nine years. He believes a crucial benefit of his services is the time element.

“This way, companies don’t have to go through a laborious process of qualifying and disqualifying candidates,” he says. “Most people have quotas and deadlines they have to consider and be responsible for, but finding people is time consuming and not necessarily their core skill.”

Once an executive recruiting firm has been contacted, the process can go much faster.

“Some companies will call and say they want three to four candidates in four days, and we can do it,” he says.

The quick nature of an executive recruiting firm isn’t because they approach just anyone off the street — they’ve got other benefits up their sleeve.

Quantity
Executive recruiting firms have large databases and networks of highly qualified individuals, so they can present a number of potential applicants in a timely matter.

“When you hire an experienced search firm, they have a database of individuals they’ve worked with in the past and a database of people they can contact,” Robins says.

The executive recruiting databases are worth the expense because of the targeted network and information firms can give.

“The biggest advantage of executive recruiting is the access to people they wouldn’t normally have access to,” says Mike Jamison, co-president of MRInetwork in Provo.

At MRI, recruiters specialize in a specific industry. When a company approaches them with an open position, the client works with a targeted recruiter and is sent applicants from a qualified network.

“[Executive recruiters] will specialize in a certain industry,” he says. “They will know the industry and the people in the industry through knowledge and network.”

With an executive recruiter’s vast knowledge, they can give four or five strong, qualified candidates to the client.

“I will send information on a few people, and then hear feedback from the client,” he says.

In addition to databases, during the cold calling process, executive recruiters work off referrals.

“We talk to people who are doing something the client is looking for and ask them for a referral,” he says.

Quantity is not always quality, but executive recruiters know how to get both.

Quality
Before contacting potential employees, executive recruiters like to know the intimate details about the job.

“Since our customers are paying a fee, we like to take the risk out as much as possible,” Robins says.

Jamison reinforces to clients that exceptional candidates are not out looking for a job, they are succeeding at their current job.

“A strong performer doesn’t need to move,” he says. “They will only move if a better opportunity presents itself.”

Robinson agrees. He likes to educate himself on the client’s needs, then search for an applicant that has expertise in the field, experience, successes and the right cultural fit for the company.

“I work with companies to find the exceptional candidate,” he says. “They aren’t unemployed but are doing a great job for another company.”

To ensure a successful interview, Jamison likes to coach both the interviewer and the applicant prior to the interview to familiarize them with the other person.

“Most applicants I work with are highly successful,” Jamison says. “I need to educate my client on selling their company to this person, because they are happy where they are.”

Bringing quality candidates to clients not only helps the client, it also helps the recruiters by building a good reputation and forming relationships around the community.

“Our reputation is built upon who we send to companies,” Jamison says. “If we don’t send the best, then we won’t get repeat business.”

With repeat business on the line, executive recruiters only send the best their network has to offer — something a company may not get from a simple job posting on a Web site.

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Two years ago, when L I M E marketing was in its infancy, they landed a meeting on short notice with a prominent recording artist. Chapman and Saunders hadn’t even made business cards yet, but Saunders was driving by a local metal company when he found the solution to their predicament.
With five metals sheets and a wine bottle engraver, they fashioned striking business cards the night before the meeting. The cards cost them $18 a piece — and it was worth every penny.

“Whenever I hand someone my business card, it makes an impression,” Chapman says. “It’s memorable, and it’s not one people are going to throw away.”

Technology has changed the way people do business, but profitable partnerships still begin with an eye-catching business card, a firm handshake and a smile. The business card is an extension of one’s professional image, and while the Rolodex might become less important, the value of an individual’s image is critical.

Here are seven tips and tricks to give your calling cards a voice.

STACK THE DECK
When people ask Brandon Scott what his business card is printed on, he tells them it’s “baby llama skin.” Scott is the president of Provo design agency MIM Creative, and for the record — no — his card is not made out of baby llama skin; it’s suede.

Every time he hands out a card, a compliment invariably follows. People don’t remember him because his card has incredible graphics or amazing color, but they do remember the guy who joked his card was made from a llama.

“It’s one of the simplest designs we have ever done, but the little difference in texture makes it stand out,” Scott says.

THE TRUMP CARD
Want to stand out? Make your card useful. For instance, an architect’s card could have a blueprint ruler on the reverse side, or a dentist’s card could display all the dazzling shades of white he can make your teeth. Printing on both sides of the card causes the recipient to flip it over, creating interaction.

“Creating a good business card is about listening — listening to your industry, your clients and your demographics,” Scott says.

ROOKIE MISTAKE
A common mistake people make is TMI.

“It’s not a catalog; you need some white space to draw attention to a few important elements,” says Bill Brady, senior partner and co-founder of design agency M2 Results.

GO PRO
Getting a professional designer involved is also suggested.

“If you’re going to pay for printing, it’s important to remember the cost is the same whether you print a good design or an unattractive design,” Brady says.

POMP AND CIRCUMSTANCE
Even the presentation of a business card can be done with a certain cachet. Brady remembers a press event with Korean journalists where he had to be briefed on the etiquette of business card exchange in Korean culture. The ceremonial act requires the giver to hold the card with two hands and offer a slight bow to the recipient as he or she hands it to them.

While the bow might not be necessary around these Western parts, respect certainly is. When receiving a business card from someone, examine the card thoughtfully rather than shoving it into the nearest pocket.

HOUSE OF CARDS
Chapman focuses on the amount of money that signing a new client brings into his business, as opposed to the cost of the card. He advises people to look for other areas where they can sacrifice in order to spend more money creating a unique card.

“E-mails are essential to business, but successful and wealthy people don’t make it big by sending out really cool e-mails. It happens through interacting with people, and the business card is a part of that process,” Chapman says.

Chapman has seen the benefits of his business card outside of the office as well. When he was looking to buy a home, he gave a Realtor his business card and the Realtor fell in love with it. Chapman later got a call from his broker, and that simple exchange turned into one of his company’s largest clients.

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Avantar’s Co-founders, Adrian Ochoa and Michael Alvarez, know what it means to be busy … and need some help.
A leader in local mobile search, the Provo company utilizes mobile devices’ GPS technology to facilitate users’ search for local stores, businesses, movie show times and more. So when exactly did they know they needed to hire?
“Our business is development intensive,” he says. “We started hiring three months before we opened this business. We wanted to find individuals with fresh minds and no preconceived notions.”

But finding the right employee to join the team was only part of the equation. Like all successful endeavors, it takes preparation and paperwork to hire your first employee. Understanding your regulatory requirements as an employer is crucial to the success of your business.
Here are seven basic steps to take when hiring your first employee.

1. Create a business plan that outlines your company’s hiring needs.
“Recruiting can be extremely complex when you consider the factors that play into the appropriate timing of when to hire. There are many opportunity costs that employers face when they do NOT hire and find they have more work than they can handle,” says Dalynn Jones, human resources consultant for Employer Solutions Group in Provo. “However, employers who cannot sustain the workload for a new employee may end up facing difficult employment decisions such as hour reductions and layoffs that hurt employee morale.”

For employers who do not currently have a long-term growth plan, a good option is to use a staffing company to help them through the short, busy workload.

2. Obtain an Employer Identification Number
Before hiring, you must get an employer identification number from the IRS. The EIN is used on tax returns and other documents. To obtain an EIN you can apply online or contact the IRS directly.

3. Obtain a workers’ compensation policy
Have in place a workers’ compensation policy before the employee actually starts working. Businesses with employees are required to carry the insurance through a commercial carrier, on a self-insured basis or through their state Workers’ Compensation Insurance program.
“Without workers’ comp, employers are not only out of compliance with the law but also run several risks to both their companies and their employees,” Jones says.

4. Set up records for withholding payroll taxes.
On or before the first date of employment, new employees need to fill out Form W-4, which is a signed withholding exemption certificate. This form then needs to be submitted to the IRS.
Every year employers must complete a Form W-2 report to the federal government that details wages paid and taxes withheld for each employee.
Take Jones’ word for it —
“Ignorance isn’t bliss when it comes to the government fining those who do not pay appropriate taxes within specified deadlines.”

5. Complete the I-9 (employee eligibility verification) form.
Within three days of hire, employers must complete an Employment Verification Form, also known as an I-9. This form allows the employer to confirm the employee’s citizenship or eligibility to work in the United States by verifying specific forms of documentation. Employers do not file the I-9 with the federal government, but they are required to keep the form on file for three years after the date of hire or one year after the date of termination.

6. Report the new employee to the state’s new hire reporting agency

Within 20 days of the hire or re-hire of any employee, The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 requires that all employers report the employees to a state directory.

7. File your taxes (FICA, FUTA and SUTA)
Now that you’re officially an employer, you have some taxes to file.
Social Security payroll taxes are collected under authority of the Federal Insurance Contributions Act, or FICA. This act mandates that an employer withhold a set percentage of an employee’s salary each pay period. FICA also requires that the employer match the employee’s amount and contribute the money to a government account known as the Social Security Trust Fund.
The Federal Unemployment Tax Act, with state unemployment systems, provides for payments of unemployment compensation to workers who have lost their jobs. Most employers pay both a federal and a state unemployment tax. Only the employer pays FUTA tax. It is not deducted from the employee’s wages.

Employers also must pay state unemployment taxes, commonly referred to as SUTA. SUTA tax rates and caps are usually different in each state but costs are always charged to employers rather than employees. Tax amounts are calculated for each employee based on the actual wages paid to the employee and the unemployment experience rate of the company. Taxes due for each employee are usually capped at a max wage amount called the cutoff amount.

When it comes to succeeding as a company, XanGo knows what it means to hit the ground running. There is not a moment to spare — as soon as a new employee walks through the door, the clock starts ticking.

“Once new employees are here, we want to make sure they understand what is expected of them, and also what they can expect from the company,” says Brett Beal, senior manager of training and organizational development.

Employee training at XanGo is not a one-time event. It is done continually throughout the employees’ career to ensure they understand how they contribute to the organization’s vision and success.

“XanGo founders have made a commitment to create a culture where people feel valued and self-empowered to contribute to the company’s success,” Beal says. “One of our founders, Aaron Garrity, often refers to XanGo as a ‘Monday morning company,’ where people wake up Monday morning and are excited about what their workday might bring.”

How do you avoid being a “Friday afternoon company”? Start off on the right foot with the right training. Here are the three Cs to give you your train to fame.

COMPANY
According to Sharron Ngatikaura of Employer Solutions Group in Provo, “Take the time to hire the ‘right people.’ When you make appropriate recruiting and hiring decisions, everything else is much easier.”

“Sometimes companies fire employees for poor work performance, when in fact the real issue is lack of training or lack of communication on what the employee’s job responsibilities and priorities are or should be,” says Erica Baxter, of Employer Solutions Group.

Train employees on the company’s history, projected future path and culture. Make sure they understand their job description and the employer’s expectations.

“Handbooks are a necessity,” Ngatikaura says. “Not only does a properly-worded handbook protect employers, it’s the perfect tool to communicate a company’s mission, vision and expectations.”
However, you don’t want a handbook that tells the employee exactly how to do their job.

“By trying to create this cookie cutter image, you lose great ideas and great employees,” says Bret Brockbank, president of Intermountain Staffing, which has Utah County offices in Provo and Pleasant Grove.

CONSISTENCY
“Develop a formal training program that includes documented training outlines, slides of information that need to be covered, a checklist of key steps/features that an employee needs to be trained on, etc.,” Baxter says.

The training program should meet the capabilities of both trainer and trainee.

“New employees who receive appropriate training will acclimate quickly and feel more confident in their abilities,” Ngatikaura says.

Make sure that each week you are meeting certain objectives. If the trainee is having a difficult time understanding something, take a step back and help them.

“Audit the training from time to time — have someone beside the trainer meet with a recently trained employee to gauge whether or not the important functions were covered in the training,” Baxter says.

COMMUNICATION
“When you’re a manager, sometimes it’s hard to hear the words ‘open communication,’” Brockbank says. “But by showing an interest in them and their development, you keep employees three to five times longer.”

Ask trainees for feedback regarding the training processes and use provided information to develop a more effective program. You can never have enough communication. It’s important to have individual meetings as well as group meetings. Some people are more apt to speak up when they have the support of their peers, while others do better one-on-one.

According to Ngatikaura, “A culture of open-door communication lets new employees know that questions and even mistakes are expected and are part of the learning process.”

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