Recently, I gave my family as a Christmas gift a copy of my childhood journal kept from the time I was a wee lad.

I reread, and reread and as I prepared this gift it occurred to me that I have seen so many blessings this past year.

2008 will be the year I remember where I turned a corner professionally. I had all the mortar and bricks to build something great, but 2008 was where crucial life decisions, professional turning points, and a foray into and a return to staffing where my heart and soul is, was welcome.

I soon learned that I had a tremendous opportunity to practice both HR and Staffing. I was honored to join a team that put family first, that saw work as a means to get somewhere and not a bog to slip and fall in.

This is SPI. What a December to Remember. We made a placement, had a tremendous bit of luck and a push at the end of the year. Now I am joining our recruiters in the sales effort, pounding the pavement to bring in new business.

There is something about being a HR Professional and an entrepreneur, there is great pride to my business and my work. Making matches, connecting professionals to something better, working magic as a Sourcer(er) it just gets better and better and better each day.

I have found and rekindled my staffing talent. I am surrounded by the most incredible recruiters imagineable. Today, marked one of the most significant and wonderful memories of my time at SPI. My management team brought me in, sat me down and said good job. It meant the world to hear those words and then gave a Christmas bonus to me and my family.

There are few times in business where you take a look at yourself in the mirror and say "What Next". What is coming in the next few months. The business climate is tough. The road never looked more windy, but the other side of the mountain is a Lush River, a valley of incredible opportunity, and a harvest of miracles waiting in 2009.

I don't think I have ever had pause to write and say WOW as much as I have now in my career.

SPI is to me the most wonderful business model. It is a small partnership, boutique and of the highest professional caliber. Our HR/Recruiting Staff is made up of some power players in this Silicon Valley.

I am looking forward to knocking on the door of our competitors this year and being a force to be reckoned with in our industry. It gets me excited to see what is coming.

Combine the forward momentum of a positive team environment, with managers who care, and a committed staff of hard working, dedicated and disciplined professionals and there is no telling what will happen!

Combine this with a season where I am a Dale Carnegie coach, and where I am a living breathing example of the principles to others.

All of these things portend a greater professional, a better me. 2009 can be the year I finally arrive.

The image I have in my mind 3 months from now is multiple fills. Jumping out of the gate in January, I intend and am looking forward to bringing in new business, making fill after fill after fill. We will have to work harder at what we get. There will be moments of struggle and fatigue. But in 3 months I can see myself and my family happy and content, with life moving forward and opportunity abounding.

My whole career has prepared me for this moment. The New Year of 2009, even though down promises to be interesting and blessed.

Companies will have hard reqs to fill. There is no question. Who will answer the call? Who will make the placements? Those who have the vision and drive and tenacity to weather the storm, and be in place when the Baby Boomers start to retire. We are on the threshold of some incredible opportunities. The market has amazing candidates to deliver.

In a down economy it can be a great time to network and position your chess pieces to make a strike. And then Strike while the iron is hot, get your candidate to the hiring manager first. Be the deliverer of a candidate and help their career take a turn for the better.

These are the reasons I love recruiting. These are the reasons I went into HR. Something about 2009 says to me, it is time to light a fire and watch the sparks kindle a winning season of maximum opportunity.

Bring in the NEW YEAR. Bring in the $$$. Bring in the opportunity. Bring in the chance of a lifetime to secure the future for your family.

Recruiting and Staffing are wonderful places to be this New Year. And it is a wonderful time to be in the driver's seat securing your own future and the future of others.

I love recruiting. Opening doors never seemed to be more fun.