Kurt Rakos

Kurt Rakos is a founder and partner at SkyWater Search Partners. SkyWater is a "short list" search firm placing sales, marketing IT, accounting/finance, and HR personnel. The company also has a highly specialized CPG (consumer packaged goods) practice group.
Kurt places mid- to executive-level talent for a wide range of companies -- from small emerging companies to the Fortune 500. SkyWater Search Partners was recognized as 'Best Places to Work' by the Minneapolis-St Paul Business Journal.
Over the past decade Kurt has been viewed as an industry expert, regularly quoted on recruiting issues by such publications as the Star Tribune and Minnesota Business, as well as online publications and CBS radio.
Prior to helping create and establish Skywater, Kurt co-founded Minnesota?s largest search firm, which made the "Fast 50" list of the Minneapolis - St. Paul Business Journal.
Before beginning his recruiting career, Kurt held several sales, management and executive positions at a multi-billion dollar Fortune 500 company. He holds a B.S. from St. Cloud State University. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with his wife and two children.

Human Resources Doesn’t Have to Be the Enemy

Kurt RakosJanuary 22, 2016January 22, 2016

“You need to speak to HR.” For recruiters, those words spell doom for your placement hopes. Let’s face it, if we had a choice most recruiters would prefer … Read more

Some Year-End Ideas For Your Good and Great Clients

Kurt RakosDecember 8, 2015December 7, 2015

As we approach the end of the year and thoughts turn to 2016, it’s important for we recruiters and agency owners to recognize the clients and contacts who … Read more

What Top Talent and Top Athletes Have In Common

Kurt RakosMay 21, 2015July 21, 2015

At Skywater we have a saying we use in our search assignments: “We place the best athlete. “ It’s a metaphorical approach; it doesn’t mean that our … Read more

Branding: The Way to Get the Best Talent to Take Notice

Kurt RakosMarch 26, 2015July 22, 2015

The race for talent continues unabated. There’s a trend that’s shaping up to be the key to attracting talented performers from your rivals – branding. … Read more

No Matter How Big the Data, Don’t Neglect the Human

Kurt RakosMarch 6, 2015July 23, 2015

Big data and people analytics are two of the hottest topics in recruitment this year, but for employers yet to explore the world of HR technology, the … Read more

A Message For Employers: 5 Ways A Search Professional Will Improve Your Hiring

Kurt RakosJanuary 29, 2015July 23, 2015

The first weeks of 2015 have seen a plethora of warnings to employers about the imminent scarcity of talent. All predictions suggest that companies will … Read more

7 Tips To Connect With Clients During the Holidays

Kurt RakosDecember 23, 2014July 21, 2015

This is the time of year when recruiting grinds nearly to a halt. While your rate of new assignments slows down and you focus more on last minute holiday … Read more

Skills Can Be Taught, But Attitude is Forever

Kurt RakosSeptember 2, 2014July 23, 2015

When hiring for a new position, all employers want to recruit the most talented and skilled candidates possible – preferably with a great attitude too. In … Read more

7 Easy Ways To Measure Employee Performance

Kurt RakosJune 24, 2014July 22, 2015

Productive employees are the lifeblood of every recruiting business, but how do you assess their performance levels? Do they understand your goals and … Read more

How to Tell When You Need a Sales Specialist Recruiter

Kurt RakosFebruary 21, 2014August 3, 2015

Recruiting successful sales people is one of the biggest challenges facing employers today. As the economy continues to improve, sales professionals are … Read more