Proven Recruiting

21 questions to determine your candidate's past track record, present mindset, and future aspirations - all while uncovering whether they have what it takes to join your team.

President Trump told Walmart to “eat the tariffs” instead of blaming rising prices on his trade policy. Now, we’re seeing other retailers like Target face similar challenges. This week, Target cut its sales outlook—pointing to weaker consumer spending, tariff uncertainty, and backlash to its DEI rollback. In a free market economy, this raises a bigger question: Should retailers eat the cost of tariffs, or is it fair to pass them on to consumers? 

There seems to be a constant drip of layoffs from companies like Microsoft (6,000+), UPS (20,000), and Dell (12,000). If you’re graduating this year, it’s completely normal to feel unsure amid layoffs and hiring freezes. Some people have time to reflect or live at home while they figure things out, while others need to start working now. Getting any job, even if it’s not ideal, can give you structure, discipline, and something to build from. That might mean taking a customer service and sales role at Home Depot—seriously! Here’s the link for anyone in San Diego who might be interested: https://lnkd.in/gNkk9vDH Make the effort to meet people and put yourself in places that feel unfamiliar—whether it’s your favorite brand having a pop-up an hour away or a pickleball meetup with older people. That’s often where growth begins and new opportunities show up. We pulled together 6 practical things you can do to move forward. 

It’s a confusing time to be job searching. With tariff headlines constantly shifting, the Federal Reserve holding off on rate cuts, and layoffs in tech are still making the rounds. For many navigating the job market, it feels like you’re waiting for the dust to settle. If you’re feeling uncertain, you’re not alone you do have options. There’s real momentum in commercial construction, energy, and advanced manufacturing—especially in the Southwest. In Central Texas, Samsung is building a massive semiconductor campus, backed by $6.4 billion in federal support and expected to create thousands of jobs. Cities like Phoenix, Austin, and Dallas are becoming hubs for growth, not retreat. Healthcare, financial services, and skilled trades are also holding steady. Companies aren’t halting their plans—they’re adapting. They’re focusing on essential hires, embracing contract roles, and building lean, flexible teams that can still deliver. It’s definitely not the same as 3 years ago when there was an oversupply but there are jobs out there.  To find them, you may have to pivot to new roles, industries, and even new locations AND knock on a lot of more doors.   It won’t be easy, but it will be worth it. 

The U.S. has imposed tariffs of up to 145% on Chinese goods, aiming to bring manufacturing jobs back to the U.S. But with prices rising on both imported and American-made products, the cost of rebuilding industry is being passed down to everyday buyers. More than ever, price tags are forcing people to rethink what it means to “buy American.” For years, “Made in America” has carried weight, but as costs climb, will that loyalty survive when it matters most? 

We're all for remote-friendly work, but nothing quite compares to sharing stories and tacos with colleagues and clients face-to-face. Thank you to everyone who joined our spring happy hour; you made it an energizing and memorable evening! We certainly won't be making the mistake of waiting six more months to host our next community get-together. P.S. Apologies to anyone who didn't manage to snag a ticket (apparently we're not the only ones craving human interaction) but hang tight; we'll be hosting more regular happy hours throughout the year.

Congratulations to Proven Recruiting’s perennial award-winning San Diego Finance and Accounting Search team for their outstanding companywide leading performance in Q1! Defying the “noise;” leveraging 17 years of market-wide incumbency and deep relationships; positively impacting the lives of our candidates; connecting the best and brightest talent in the market with our extensive, progressive, and dynamic clients - it's no easy task, especially in this tumultuous labor market. This win was hard-won and no one deserves our recognition and genuine gratitude more than this bunch. Mike Chiv, Richard Miles, Emma Bruno, Summer Aviles, Adrianna Grigorian, Tom Marchand, and Mi Ly - you've all demonstrated time and time again what it means to make $hit happen. Enjoy your big win! #AccountingJobs #FinanceJobs #CPA #SanDiegoAccounting

Things that won't help you land a job (even if they feel good in the moment): - “I’m overqualified anyway” - “Recruiters keep ghosting me” - “This market is a joke” - “I won’t work for less than $X” - “No one wants to work anymore” You might be right. But the internet isn’t your diary - it’s your portfolio. Use your posts to show value, not vent frustration. You're allowed a meltdown... just maybe not on LinkedIn. ✌️Friendly advice from someone who reads way too many posts.

Tesla’s deliveries just dropped 13% - its worst quarterly decline ever. With Elon Musk’s growing political presence, it's hard not to connect the dots. More than ever, Americans seem to be voting with their wallets. For years we’ve known that younger generations demand more than fancy perks and "good value" - they want purpose and alignment. But are companies prepared to navigate a marketplace where brand identity is as political as it is practical?

The pandemic permanently ruined our social lives. Until recently, 1/10 couples met at work. The office was responsible for tens of millions of friendships, hundreds of millions of social connections. Yet today, many prioritize staying home over building their social network. So many claim to want a "village" for support - but the graphs tell a different story. Work isn't life. We're absolutely in favor of deprioritizing your job if that means spending more time with family and friends. But from the looks of these graphs, work socialization hasn't been replaced at all. People aren't spending their flex time pursuing new hobbies or grabbing lunch with friends - they're spending it alone at home. And that isn't good for work, life, or anything in between. (You can see more graphical representations of the pandemic on The New York Times - they're fascinating! https://lnkd.in/e7XQ67Yx)