Rikka Brandon- Partner

 

Rikka Brandon’s success as a recruiter comes from her ability to see the recruiting challenge through the eyes of her clients. Whether that client is an HR manager with 50 open reqs on their desk, a sales manager who needs a rockstar to increase market share and drive revenue, or a general manager who needs every penny on the P&L to be a good investment—Rikka understands. A large part of her success has come from the fact that Rikka has been in each of these positions. She started her career in an executive training program at a retail store. This program was highly influential in developing Rikka’s style of business. She learned that making sure the bathrooms are clean and customers are greeted promptly is just as important as making the big sale. When Rikka was promoted to Human Resources Manager of a new store, she got her first taste of recruiting and was hooked. After aggressively recruiting to fill 250 positions in under 4 months, she knew she had found her calling. From that time on, Rikka has never left the world of recruiting.

She began working at a 3rd party recruiting firm as a sourcer. Due to her tenacity and almost immediate success, she was promoted to Client Manager and given the opportunity to work exclusively on recruiting for Pella Windows and Doors across the US and Canada. This opportunity was the catalyst for her decision to recruit exclusively in the building industry. In 2003 she founded a national recruiting firm for the building industry that achieved dramatic successes in its first 4 years of business. Revenues jumped 875% from 2004 to 2005 alone. As anyone who has experienced such rapid growth can relate to, the challenge of providing exceptional customer experiences became more difficult. So, in response to the needs of a dramatically changing market, she changed her business model to what it is today. Instead of 12 recruiters with less than 2 years of experience, Building Gurus consists only of proven performers in the building industry. This dramatic change in business structure has positioned them to not only survive the downturn, but to thrive and provide exceptional service to their clients and candidates. 

Rikka’s vision and business acumen have made her one of the most influential and respected recruiters in what is primarily a male-dominated industry. Her leadership and determination have enabled Building Gurus to leverage market opportunities in good economies and bad. Their impressive client base boasts dozens of Fortune 500 companies and includes Pella Windows, Armstrong World Industries, Boise Cascade, and more. They work with clients spanning nearly all 50 states and Canada. Working with tenacity and a willingness to learn what is most important to her clients, Rikka has conducted over ten thousand interviews in search of the right people for her clients. These hires have contributed billions of dollars to the bottom line of the client companies. In the more than 200 placements Rikka has made, she can claim a replacement rate of less than 1%, which has led to a large percentage of their clients becoming repeat customers.

Rikka graduated from Mayville State University in 2000 with a BS degree in Business Administration and emphases in management, marketing/merchandising, and project management. She has completed coursework toward an MA in human resources and industrial relations at Carlson School of Management in Minneapolis.

Rikka is an advocate, a mentor, a teacher. She believes strongly in giving back to her community. Her enthusiasm and philosophy are infectious! Some of the groups that have benefited from Rikka’s involvement are: serving on the board of the Women’s Business Exchange, an organization whose mission is to connect women in the Fargo-Moorhead area who want to take their business or careers to the next level; serving as a career mentor for “Girls Going Places”; teaching and coaching for Entrepreneurship for Single Parents and Minorities through the Self Sufficiency Center; speaking on entrepreneurship and management at Mayville State University; and helping as an interview coach to area high school and college students. Rikka is a member of the Women’s Council of the National Association of Home Builders, joining other women in the field in support and sharing successes; the Society of Human Resources Management, F-M Human Resources Association, National Association of Home Builders, F-M HBA, ND HBA, and the National Sales and Marketing Council of the NAHB. She founded the Mayville State Twin cities Alumni Chapter. She is a sponsor of F-M Humane Society, The ASPCA, Christian Children’s Fund, and MN Public Radio.  To speak with Rikka, please e-mail rikka@buildinggurus.com or visit www.buildinggurus.com