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Read where Aureus Group has made the news in our industry and in our
community.
Bull Markets, Bear Markets Fail to Impact Midlands Business Journal's
40/40 Event
Midlands Business Journal, November 9, 2007
The bulls charge, the bears snarl, but one things remains little changed
by time. That is the interest in the Midland's Business Journal's annual
event honoring 40 entrepreneurs, executives and professional men and women
under the age of 40. More than 130 nominations were submitted for the 2007
event from Greater Omaha, Sarpy County and Council Bluffs. Chris Carlson of
Aureus Group was named to the esteemed list. As regional manager, Carlson
has built the firm's Omaha market share and expanded its territory through
the Midwest. Carlson has consistently exceeded revenue growth objectives,
increasing her team's bottom line by 41 percent in the last year. Since
starting at Aureus as a business developer in 1994, Carlson has grown the
firm's service from four to 37 employees serving hundreds of clients. She
evolved the accounting division, expanding its niche to include information
systems and executive disciplines, and increased the executive search team
168 percent. People development has been a key part of Carlson's work. She
surrounds herself with smart people and empowers them to think for
themselves.
Companies Explore Solutions to Short Supply of Tech Workers
Midlands Business Journal, October 12, 2007
A recent nationwide survey of 1,400 CIOs at companies with 100 or more
employees showed that many believe their technical support teams are too
small to do the job optimally. Solutions to a shortage of technical people
include relying on contracted employees provided by staffing agencies on a
limited time basis, outsourcing various IT functions, revving up recruiting
and offering better salaries and benefits. "When the 2010 worker shortage
hits, it will eclipse the shortage we experienced in the late 1990s", said
Chris Carlson, regional manager of Aureus Group, a division of C&A
Industries. The shortage will be created by the retirement of baby boomers
whose number will greatly exceed that of young people replacing them in the
workforce. "In the late 1990s, technology lead the workforce revolution,"
Carlson said. Sizable starting salaries, big bonuses, ruthless competition
and unusual perks like taking your pets to work were fairly common, she
said. "Companies need to prepare for the coming shortage, especially the
decreased supply of knowledge workers with specialized skills," she said.
The highest in demand skill sets are Java and .NET, Carlson said. "Database
administrators and business analysts are also high in demand," she said.
"The IT/IS professionals who have strong written and verbal communication
skills are hired and promoted quickly. Because of the talent war, companies
are becoming increasing flexible in offering flex time, virtual work force
options and casual dress codes."
Diverse Workplaces Being Sought by Nebraska Employers
Midlands Business Journal, July 27, 2007
Employers in Nebraska are working increasingly to create a diverse
workplace. Educating staff on how to work effectively in a diverse
environment may prevent discrimination and promote inclusiveness said Nuria
Archer, sales manager with AG in Omaha. Diversity is defined as the relative
uniqueness of each individual in the population, Archer said. Staff
retention, productivity and creativity have been found to increase in
organizations with a diverse workforce in which the individual differences
of employees are respected, she said. "Diversity in the workplace can also
enhance relationships with current and prospective customers, employee
recruitment, and the company's image in the community," Archer said.
Companies can identify diverse recruits by promoting themselves in the
community as a company that is actively seeking to recruit diverse
candidates. That can be done by participating in career fairs, conveying the
issue in recruitment marketing pieces, and communicating an intent to
recruit a diverse workforce. Increasing diversity in a company also means
that employees must be skilled at managing a multicultural work environment,
so some training may be required, Archer said.
Accounting Degree Is Highly Prized In Today's Job Market
Midlands Business Journal, July 13, 2007
Supply and demand may be in perfect sync in a few years, with the number
of college graduates with degrees in accounting matching the job market's
demand for their skills. Currently, however, companies looking for
accountants are competing for a short supply of candidates. It's a
candidate-driven market, especially for those job seekers who are degreed,
have at least two years of experience and have excellent communications
skills, said Chris Carlson, regional manager of Aureus Group. Most positions
are in one of three categories: business analyst, tax, and audit or cost
accounting. "Companies are looking for someone who will be a well-rounded
asset to the firm," Carlson said. Routinely, Aureus Group must recruit from
outside the Omaha area to fill local positions, Carlson said. "At any given
time, we are relocating a handful of people," she said. "We have better luck
getting people back to this area if they have roots here." It is not
uncommon for people to take a job elsewhere after graduating from college
and then to return to this area when they marry and have children, she said.
Youthful candidates for accounting positions tend to expect different things
from a job than their parents or grandparents did, Carlson added. "They want
a balanced life, flexibility and a clearly defined career path," she said.
"Intangible things matter, and companies get back what they give in this
respect."
IT Specialists Place High on Job Market's 'Most Wanted' List
Midlands Business Journal, June 29, 2007
Trends in the eastern Nebraska job market include a persistent shortage
of qualified candidates for specialized IT positions and a rush to fill an
increasingly broad range of call center jobs, some of which require higher
levels of skills and pay higher wages than ever before. Companies are
becoming more competitive in the salaries, benefits, and environment they
offer to attract qualified employees, said Chris Carlson. regional manager
of Aureus Group, which fills staffing needs through its three divisions,
finance and accounting, IT and information systems, and executive search.
Shortages of qualified candidates and the desire to retain employees who
have many opportunities may be causing some firms to reverse the trend of
the past decade and rebuild mentoring and succession planning programs, she
said. "They are finding that turnover costs a lot of money, Carlson said.
Several new formulas have been developed to help companies calculate the
cost of turnover, she said These formulas argue strongly the case for
creating incentives and making accommodations to retain good people.
Businesses still resist investing in internal training programs, she said.
"No one wants to train people," she said. "They put forth some valid
business reasons why this isn't happening. They say they don't have the time
to do it, but I believe that, increasingly, they don't have the time not to
do it." Candidates with excellent soft skills are highly prized at all
levels of employment. Carlson said. "More clients are flexible with tangible
skills and education but want the soft skills," she said. "The virtual
workplace is hard to implement in a team culture so may firms favor
candidates with strong interpersonal skills and are willing to reward them,
Carlson said. "I believe leadership is the key, and that means putting
others first and putting your resources back into people," she said.
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