In just over a decade, Craig Chrest has grown The Top Gun Executive Group into an industry leader in executive recruiting. Widely recognized for his proactive approach and proven marketing methods, Mr. Chrest brings more than 25 years of corporate experience to his role as Principal Executive at The Top Gun Executive Group. Although his clients are familiar with his commitment to producing exceptional results, they may not know that their career coach also volunteers as a youth sports coach and enjoyed a successful college football career.

Mr. Chrest completed his undergraduate education at the University of Wisconsin - La Crosse, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Mass Communications. As a dedicated student-athlete, he split his time between studying and playing for the NAIA Division I Eagles football team, receiving All-Conference and All-American selections as well as an invitation to the 1981 Senior Bowl. Eventually, Craig Chrest pursued a career in the corporate world and advanced quickly to senior roles in sales and marketing. Always dedicated to honing his skills, he completed a short course Master of Business Administration program sponsored by the University of Dallas and received further training in some of the most well-respected selling processes in the industry.

In 1999, Craig Chrest founded The Top Gun Executive Group, drawing on his deep knowledge of sales and communications to establish a successful search service as well as his one-on-one Executive Talent Program. In addition to gaining designation as a Top Echelon Network Preferred Firm, The Top Gun Executive Group has expanded its offerings to include business recruiting, and the firm continues to thrive in the industry. Craig Chrest maintains membership in NAPS, Inc. (the National Association of Personnel Services), and holds the Certified Personnel Consultant credential.

Outside of the office, Mr. Chrest remains active in athletics and volunteers his time as a youth coach for football, soccer, baseball, and basketball.

In an increasingly competitive business environment, job seekers are discovering the need to move beyond traditional employment search methods to more dynamic and active techniques. Traditionally, people seeking employment do so by locating open positions listed in want ads or online job boards. Once they have located a suitable position, job seekers submit a resume and await a call for an interview. This type of job search is a passive one, because once the job seeker has submitted the resume, he or she sits back and lets the employer decide whether to initiate contact.

As a highly successful executive placement firm, The Top Gun Executive Group knows what it takes to secure top-level positions. The passive employment searches described above frequently yield poor results for executives seeking a job. In contrast, The Top Gun Executive Group recommends more active, less traditional forms of employment searches that put well-matched candidates in front of the companies that need their services.

1.    Network: This time-tested strategy often provides access to the “hidden” job market of positions that exist beyond those advertised on job boards and in want ads. Talking to everyone you know about your skills and abilities while asking them about their companies’ needs often serves as the perfect matchmaking method to link candidates and positions.

2.    Research: Many companies use social networking sites like Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. When researching a company, go beyond its ads on job boards and look at what it says in social networks. You may discover unadvertised positions for which you are the ideal candidate.

3.    Volunteer: Unpaid positions, such as volunteer jobs, board memberships, or internships, represent an opportunity to demonstrate your abilities to potential employers. The positions also serve as a means of extending your business network.

4.    Retain a placement firm: Executive placement firms such as The Top Gun Executive Group utilize active strategies to get your information in front of employers. With a 70 percent placement rate, The Top Gun Executive Group makes successful executive-employer matches on a regular basis. To learn more, visit www.topgunexecutivegroup.net.

Hello and welcome to our blog!