SI Review: January/February 2014

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Editor’s Letter: The Forum Effect

I call it the Forum effect. As the editorial team gears up for the 23rd Executive Forum in San Diego, we have started talking about standing out. And it’s not because we have a sudden urge to prove that we are unique. It’s the theme of the 2014 Executive Forum: Differentiate or Dissolve.

There has been so much said on the war for talent. And to compete effectively, staffing firms have to be “different” or they get lost in the crowd. Peter Sheahan addresses how staffing firms can get ahead of the game in an interview with me. He has some interesting thoughts on the talent revolution — a must-read for folks in the industry trying to evolve their staffing businesses.

Speaking of evolution: online staffing platforms have created a new paradigm in the war for talent. Affiliate Analyst Andrew Karpie talks about how some staffing firms are early responders, forming alliances with online staffing firms. It’s not too late to jump on this bandwagon. However, online staffing is not the only opportunity out there. Greg Palmer reports on how the healthcare IT segment is poised for more growth, requiring the need for highly specialized staffing professionals. The challenge will continue to be where to focus time and resources.

Further, Managing Editor Craig Johnson talks about how to compensate one valuable resource: your sales folks. Conventional wisdom is that staffing is all about sales and if you incentivize your sales staff right, you are in business. Maybe now is the time to take a look at revamping your compensation plan. Some great tips on how to proceed.

We set the stage for the New Year in this issue, sharing much data, information and analysis. We urge all of our readers to reach out to us any time with ideas and suggestions. My colleagues and I will be in San Diego and would love the opportunity to discuss your ideas personally. I wish you much success in the year ahead.

Twitter: @subadhra_cws