Kristin Kryway, USWeb/CKS, 408/986-6773 or
[email protected]
USWeb/CKS Is Becoming Recruiting Magnet In The Internet Professional Services Industry
Sees Record Number of Organic Hires During A Single Quarter
SANTA CLARA, Calif. - July 23, 1999 - USWeb/CKS (Nasdaq:USWB), the leader in strategic Internet and marketing communications services, today announced that its interdisciplinary approach to Internet professional services is attracting large numbers of new talent to the firm, breaking the company�s previous organic growth records.
In the last 90 days, USWeb/CKS grew by over 500 people � a 25% net quarterly increase � bringing to the total number of employees to over 2,900.
For the first time, organic hires outpaced people joining the company through acquisition. In a sequential quarterly comparison, organic hires grew by 13% between the first and second quarters in 1999. For every one person who joined the company through acquisition, 1.7 people were hired organically in the second quarter, bringing additional balance to the USWeb/CKS employee base.
�This level of growth allows USWeb/CKS to achieve strong momentum in the marketplace,� said Robert Shaw, CEO. �It indicates the strength and appeal of our value proposition. People who are coming to USWeb/CKS want to use their experience and insight to effect the way our clients strategically leverage the Internet. Furthermore, we�re creating a culture that puts people first � making USWeb/CKS a great place to work with exciting client engagements and an opportunity to make a difference.�
�We made a strategic decision to focus on recruiting at the outset of this year and we couldn�t be more pleased with the results,� said Linda Keala, Senior Partner, Human Resources. �Our effort has allowed us to add more depth of experience to the firm, more quickly, than any of our competitors.�
Significant recruiting and retention milestones achieved during the quarter include:
- Receiving over 15,000 resumes received during the quarter
- Growing USWeb/CKS�s Pan-European operation to over 700 people
- Realizing an 80% annualized employee retention rate
- Hiring nine new recruiters, including a person to drive national college recruiting, bringing the total number of recruiters to 19.
Approximately 80% of new hires first contact USWeb/CKS via the Internet. �We believe we have one of the lowest costs per hire in the industry because of it,� added Keala. USWeb/CKS is currently participating in a cooperative national advertising campaign with HotJobs.com during prime time television.
About USWeb/CKS
USWeb/CKS (Nasdaq: USWB) is the leading professional services firm that works with companies to define strategies and implement innovative ways to build their businesses by combining the expertise of strategy, Internet technology and marketing communications. USWeb/CKS helps clients differentiate their products and services, strengthen customer relationships, leverage human capital and improve business efficiency in the digital economy. With more than 2,900 professionals, USWeb/CKS has helped hundreds of businesses advance their marketing communications programs as well as traditional IT and Internet systems - everything from brand development and advertising to business process automation and e-commerce solutions. The Company is headquartered in Santa Clara, California. Additional information about USWeb/CKS is available by calling 408/987-3200.