19Jun

Curate: #2 Best Place to Work by BBJ

Curate Partners’ attended the Boston Business Journal‘s 2019 Best Places to Work event on Wednesday night at the Head of the Concourse at the World Trade Center in Boston’s Seaport District as an honoree eager to discover their ranking in the Extra Small Companies category.

The honoree companies and their final rankings were determined by Quantum Workplace, which conducted an online survey of the employees for each company asking them to rate their respective work environment, work-life balance, job satisfaction, advancement opportunities, management, compensation and benefits.

Curate Partners was honored to accept the award for 2nd place in the Extra Small Company category for Boston’s Best Place to Work!

“The most impressive thing about this award is that it is of course voted on by employees, so this is truly a reflection of the feelings and emotions that you all have coming here to work each and every day. ” says Dan Foley, Founder and CEO. “On behalf of the Founders, we can’t thank you enough for acknowledging your belief in this company.  I think we all realize that this is a very special place, and we want to only get better as we age.”

01May

Meet the Interns

Curate’s Purple Squirrel Internship Program was designed to attract undergraduate student’s who demonstrate a passion for relationship development, a thirst for learning and a desire to expose themselves to real-time project work surrounding digital and tech innovation.

After a comprehensive screening process with Talent Acquisition and our Executive team we narrowed it down to three bright and promising individuals. That being said, we are thrilled to introduce our Summer 2019 Interns; Christina, Keegan and Connor! These interns will be working along side our team of experts to learn the ins and outs of our daily operations as a leading provider in digital transformation talent solutions.

Christina, Keegan and Connor come to us with dynamic backgrounds and an eagerness to embody our Cur8 Values all while embracing the meaning of a Purple Squirrel.

Christina Natola, Recruiting Consultant

Christina is a Southern New Hampshire University student going into her senior year as a Business Marketing major. She has played Women’s Lacrosse for 8 year, 3 of which have been at SNHU.

Keegan MacEwen, Recruiting Consultant

Keegan is a University of Maine student going into his senior year studying Management and Entrepreneurship. He is an avid baseball and basketball player and even has some recruiting experience under his belt!

23Apr

Curate Cares Serves Up a Tasty Dinner for Rosie’s Place Guests

For the second year, the Curate Cares team whipped up a hearty meal for the incredible women of Rosie’s Place in South Boston. Each year we’ve experienced an amazing partnership with the staff at Rosie’s Place, they are guiding, charismatic, humble and very efficient! Team members are assigned multiple different responsibilities throughout the night to ensure the women of Rosie’s Place receive a warm, welcoming meal to enjoy. From spooning out hot soup and sautéing veggies to plating and dishwashing, our crew served over 60 thankful guests. ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.

Curate Partners is proud to continuously partner with non-profit organizations in our neighborhood as part of our Curate Cares program to become more and more involved in bettering our community. Employees are encouraged to pick charitable causes that are near and dear to them and Curate will participate and support them throughout their efforts.

01Aug

Digital Transformation Salary Guide

Digital Transformation involves a lot of moving parts including various roles and responsibilities. Curate Partners specializes in fostering a digital workforce to support our client’s bottom line in their digital and technology goals. We have compiled a list of the most in demand digital/tech jobs surrounding digital transformation and included the average salary based on years of experience. This guide is meant to help you benchmark your compensation levels to make the best hiring decisions. Check it out:

26Jun

Tips for Finding the Right Talent – aka Purple Squirrels!

Find your purple squirrel

Every business needs great people to successfully develop and evolve. Great talent = Growth. This means that finding the workforce that will outperform in their roles and exceed expectations will ultimately contribute to your company’s bottom line. We call these individuals “purple squirrels”; they are valuable game changers who are the perfect fit for a company’s culture and the job’s requirements.

There are many elements to consider in finding your very own purple squirrel, here are a few tips to help you get started:

Cultivate an environment that’s attractive and engaging.

You want to build a brand that brings talent to you, so define what your core values are as a business and communicate this to candidates and current employees. For example, at Curate Partners, our #1 core value, proudly printed on our office wall, is people first. This means we put our employees, candidates and stakeholder’s best interests first and deliver our word daily through industry leading benefits, mentorship & training programs, office perks, employee appreciation/milestone gifts, and much more.

Our Senior Talent Acquisition Manager, Karen Watson, shares a major factor in a candidate’s decision making process, “I talk to candidates everyday about their job search. I hear first-hand the things that are most important to them. They want to know they are going to have a seat at the table- they want to know that the company and their manager is truly invested in their individual success and that they will have the support and access for them to be successful. In the end- they want to feel valued and heard and to be put into a position for growth and success.”

Become accessible to the online world.

Publish a job title and description that is accurate, understandable and SEO-friendly. If you want to generate organic applicants, your job opening should be easily searchable to attract the right candidates. Make sure the job title is clear and concise, avoid using acronyms or untraditional words such as genius, wizard, rockstar, etc. Also, the job description should speak to the values you would like to see in a candidate, so using relevant keywords that pertain to the qualities you are looking for will make it easier for a the perfect candidates to find your job online

Foster an experience that is attractive.

Deliver a desirable experience for each candidate. “90% of candidates say that a company’s candidate experience could change their mind about accepting a role” – pathmotion.com. A bad hiring experience may cause the right applicant to turn down the job (and we don’t want that). Candidates that experience a positive hiring process are set up for a successful future. They begin their journey at your company feeling respected and valued, which ultimately leads to success for your organization.

Karen has also seen, first-hand, the effects a negative experience can have on a candidate and it was a big part of the reason she took interest in Talent Acquisition. “This is what drew me to talent acquisition 10 years ago. I wanted to make what is often a painful and daunting experience, easier, insightful and less intimidating for job seekers.”

With the right approach and a clear vision of who you want on your team, you are more likely to nail down a Purple Squirrel, one who is exactly the right fit for your culture and the job requirements. Although they are rare and hard to find, it is worth the wait.

12Jun

Top 2018 Summer & Fall Digital/Tech Events to Attend

Gear up for a successful second half of 2018!

Conferences are the best way to stay ahead of the ever-changing digital market, expand your knowledge and even build out your network! Therefore, we’ve compiled a list of the most reputable Digital, Tech & Marketing events in the Boston area that are sure to help you reach your business goals.

The below list will give you a brief description of each event, a link to purchase tickets/dive into the details and even calendar dates so you can fit it into your schedule. So if you are looking to learn from the best of the best in tech innovation and digital marketing, we highly recommend checking these out!

August 15-16

Digital Summit Boston | Boston, MA

At the Digital Summit you’ll discover leading-edge digital media and marketing content, mixed alongside top-flight networking with internet execs, online marketers, entrepreneurs and digital strategists. Join thousands of digital marketers and executives to further your knowledge, insight and connections in the world of digital marketing.

September 4-7

Inbound | Boston, MA

INBOUND, hosted by HubSpot, is an annual event that inspires and educates hundreds of thousands of people so that they—and their businesses—can grow better. They bring together speakers who are passionate not just about improving the bottom line, but also about building a brighter, kinder, and more inclusive future. INBOUND brings together a community of industry professionals that come together to learn, get inspired, and grow better together.

September 11

Personalization Summit | Boston, MA

The Summit offers world-class keynote speakers, engaging breakout sessions, and relationship building & networking opportunities. This event brings together 300+ marketing, e-commerce, customer experience, and product management professionals from leading companies across industries to share their knowledge and develop actionable plans to bring their personalization initiatives to the next level.

September 16-18

UX Strat | Providence, RI

UX STRAT brings together experienced design leaders, strategists, researchers, and senior professionals to discuss the latest trends in strategic UX, CX, Product, Service Design. This conference focuses on the intersection of business strategy, user experience, customer experience, product design, and service design.

September 17-19

The Email Design Conference | Boston, MA

Elevate your email strategy, process, design, and development. Join leading experts in Boston and learn the latest in email marketing. With sessions on everything from data-driven design to advanced personalization, improved workflows, and more, you’ll leave with dozens of ideas to improve the performance of your email campaigns.

September 19-21

Web Development & UX Conference by Northeast PHP | Providence, RI

The event is a community conference intended for networking and collaboration in the developer community. In-depth talks on web technology, user experience, and IT management help PHP developers broaden their skill sets. This is your go-to event if you are looking to learn and share information about the latest trends and technologies!

September 20-21

Agents of Change Summit | Portland, ME

The Agents of Change conference serves business owners, marketers, and entrepreneurs to help them reach more of their ideal customers through search, social, and mobile marketing. They do this by connecting some of the world’s best digital marketing experts with the people looking to grow their business online.

October 1-3

MarTech Conference | Boston, MA

MarTech is a conference that creates an inspiring, cross-pollinating environment that surpasses the traditional boundaries between marketing and technology, and encourages creative collaboration across an organization. This event is for the growing community of senior-level hybrid professionals who are both marketing and tech-savvy: marketing technologists, creative technologists, growth hackers, data scientists, and digital strategists.

19Jun

Finding Purple Squirrels and Clinching the Hire

Top level professionals with the training, experience, soft skills, and leadership qualities.

High-level mazes are a challenge – there are multiple paths that move forward toward the end goal, but only one leads all the way – the rest eventually hit the wall and require a 180* turn.

Finding Purple Squirrels – those top level professionals with the training, experience, soft skills, and leadership qualities that you are seeking can be like solving those mazes. While multiple candidates appear to “fit the bill,” the number who actually do is often limited. And too many 180* turns, is neither time nor cost-effective, in addition to the stress level it can create.

So how do you not only discover the “Purple Squirrel” that will match your position, but also clinch the hire? Following these principles will help you choose the right path through the maze.

Lay the Grid Work

Nail down exactly what you need. If you don’t have an accurate job description and focused picture of your ideal candidate, how will you recognize a match?
Stay on top of industry trends, market insights, what top candidates prioritize, etc. Knowledge of the playing field is essential to winning the game.

Social Media

Establish your company brand – join conversations in your industry and tailor your posts to invite interactions with the top-level talent.
Network – Dig into LinkedIn and these other top sites for professionals – discover passive top talent who meet your criteria.

Set a High Standard

Maybe you can’t have 100%, but don’t “settle.” Talent isn’t top level without the following skills and attributes:

  • Communication – verbal, nonverbal, written, listening
  • Research and problem-solving
  • Project Management
  • Interpersonal Skills
  • Emotional Intelligence
  • Process Management
  • Adaptability and Resilience
  • Leadership
  • Customer Relations

 

Connect

Connect with a boutique recruiting firm that specializes in your industry. Partnering with a recruiter who not only is experienced as a recruiter, but has a solid base of experience in your industry ensures a time and cost-effective connection with the right talent for your position.

Regardless of your industry, data plays a pivotal role in shaping it. Curate Partners is a specialist, boutique technology consulting organization that helps our clients transform their results by bridging the talent gap in Big Data, Digital, Cloud, and Development. We have a unique operating model that focuses on innovative recruiting methodologies, in the hottest technologies, and a desire to work with only the top 20% of the talent, “The Purple Squirrels”. All while giving back to the communities in which we live. Contact us today and connect with the talent you need.

05May

Going Mobile – It’s Not an Option

The fact is, mobile devices are the way of the consumer, and if your business doesn’t have an app, you are probably losing customers. It’s how we communicate. Mobile apps are one of the hottest ways to engage customers, increase sales, and build loyalty.

Creating an app is only the beginning – eye-catching icon, user-friendliness, easy access, and regular updates are all part of winning the mobile market. So, take the mobile app plunge, but be sure to follow these tips.

1. First things first: establish your business objectives and your target audience.

 

2. Design your app to be compatible with multiple mobile platforms.

 

3. Create a user-friendly app

  • Reduce your bandwidth and ensure that app performance is fast – very fast – and responsive.
  • Allow for an immediate response to all interactions.
  • Create easy user navigation, as well as an engaging experience.
  • Utilize social media logins.

4. Pay attention to App Store Optimization (ASO):

  • Keywords are crucial – search Google and utilize the Google Adwords Keyword tools for the best terms and phrases connected to your app.
  • Complete every field when submitting your application to the app stores.
  • Choose your categories wisely.
  • Endorse your application via Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.

 

5. Security. Security:

  • Establish a strong security wall for collected data.
  • Ensure your privacy policy, legal terms, etc. meet the Google Play and App Store guidelines.
  • Follow user interface (UI) guidelines.

 

6. Launch your app:

  • Create an app landing page, including video demonstrations and photos.
  • Take advantage of free channels, of course, but don’t skip paid media to boost app awareness and solicit feedback from interested users.
  • Allow for user feedback, and use it to make adjustments.

 

7. Stay ahead of the game:

  • Continue to focus on your quality assurance – take care of bugs and glitches promptly.
  • Encourage reviews by offering rewards.
  • Build customer loyalty with special offers.
  • Encourage feedback and make it easy
  • Incentivize real social sharing.
  • Keep all information, offers, etc. up-to-date.
  • Utilize Location-Based Services(LBS).

 

Looking for the right talent for developing your mobile face? In search of a top-level Digital Project Manager or a Developer-Mobile/Web? You’ve landed in the right place.

Data is shaping every part of your business and Curate Partners helps our customers leverage, optimize and transform it. We are a boutique technology consulting organization that helps our clients transform their results by bridging the talent gap in Big Data, Digital, Cloud, and Development. Our unique operating model focuses on top 20% of the talent, innovative recruiting methodologies, in the hottest technologies. Contact us today.