There are plenty of attributes that not only make a headhunter great, but as importantly, effective. When potential and current clients ask me to define what makes me different from others in my space, I can speak to a variety of different qualifiers, including years of experience, credibility and maybe even a little notoriety.  But if there is one word that I think defines the way I approach my craft,  this would be selectivity. In a relationship business, who you select to do business with and represent can either elevate you or bury you in mediocrity.  Selectivity is at the base of every decision, from jobs that I accept to candidates I represent. In the competitive world of recruiting, the … Read More »

As a search professional, it’s all too easy to bitch about uncooperative clients, candidates who go dark, the economy and all kinds of real or imagined slights to our overly sensitive egos. So today, I’m going to pay homage to those really great candidates who make my profession a joy and are such a pleasure to work with.  I’m not talking about following my lead with blind trust and naivety, either. I’m talking about thoughtful individuals who share a common trait, decency – and decency at all levels, from manager to the C suite. Some traits of the savvy candidate include: Responsiveness Courtesy Professionalism under any circumstance Integrity Consistency I cannot speak enough about a candidate who displays all of … Read More »

Use me –please. You’ve just made the big decision to engage me on a search. It’s for a critical role in your organization. A highly specialized position with a lot of visibility company wide. You’re going to potentially pay me a very large fee and you may have already invested in a retainer to get us started. You have a sense of urgency. So why aren’t you using me to your greatest advantage to maximize the potential for a great hire? Most of the time I believe the days of recruiters sending resumes and waiting for results are over – at least at the senior levels. In my own recruiting world, I am blessed with clients who understand and appreciate … Read More »

It’s the toughest part of any marketing/sales professional’s job. Tracking down and engaging your target client. In a world full of information overload, you cast out the lure hoping for a nibble that turns into a bite. Interesting how even with email, text messaging, Twitter, Linked In, Facebook, et al., communication between individuals is even more cat and mouse than ever. We are all bombarded with promises, solicitations, inquiries and demands. No wonder more and more folks decide to turn off and tune out. The key element for success has always been establishing relationships and building trust. Very hard to do by even the most compelling email messages. People ultimately do business with people they relate to, like and trust … Read More »

I had a great conversation with my mentor, Richie Harris, the other day. I blame Richie entirely for my success and tenacity as an Executive Recruiter these past 25 years. Now retired, Richie was a Recruiting Maverick in his time. Often profane, always unique, he was a star player on the sales and marketing search front. He still speaks at industry functions occasionally and his principles still apply. During our wide ranging chat, he asked me if I remembered the three ‘must haves’ of assessing, building and maintaining any relationship. Markedly, he applies these same beliefs towards his business and personal relationships. He reiterated these three guidelines once again – I am always a student when it comes to improving … Read More »

So you still think it’s an employer’s market? Unemployment numbers notwithstanding, how long is it taking you Mr. Employer to fill that Controller role? I heard it again today, an employer who thinks the job market is ‘crap’, there are loads of ‘qualified’ people on the market and they will be ‘dying’ to take their job. Now it’s not my place to argue with paying clients (hence my blog), but seriously, are you kidding me? If that really is the case, then why are you ready to pay me a fee and full fee at that? Why is it after over three months, you still can’t find that ‘perfect’ hire yourself who would kill to come on board for your great opportunity? … Read More »

I met Danny Cahill three years ago. He was in Palm Desert running a two day boot camp for seasoned recruiters. Danny was a much appreciated shock to the system in the midst of a burgeoning recession with no end in sight. For those of you not familiar with Danny Cahill, he is the leading coaching guru in the staffing world as well as the CEO for Hobson and Associates Executive Search. Danny was all shock and awe with a whole lot of substance behind his methods. We had some mutual colleagues in the recruiting world and got acquainted over a coffee break. Can’t say I was not in a little in awe of his technique and delivery. Needless to … Read More »

They’re back! Counter offers have made a recovery along with the demand for talent.  Always a possibility, they are now a probability when a quality/qualified employees gets a new job offer. I’m not going to re-hash all the reasons not to take a counter offer. We’ve all heard/read them a thousand times throughout our careers. I’ve certainly counseled on the dangers, etc. with practically every candidate (and client) I’ve ever represented. Here I’d like to focus on why and who accepts counter offers. Quite frankly, I can usually predict who’s vulnerable to them and exactly what they’re going to do through the resignation process when the time comes. Of course it’s more likely that a candidate who is generally happy … Read More »

Change. Some of us seek it out, embrace it and require it as fuel for motivation. Others dread it like a daily dose of cod liver oil. As a change agent, much of my time at closing is guiding the candidate through the final phases of making the decision as to whether they’ll take an opportunity, or not. Though money and career advancement can be prime motivators, in many cases, no matter how rich the incentive is, a candidate falters during the offer process. Why do some people make tougher decisions easier than others? In my experience, there are a couple of critical factors driving how some individuals make/come to their decisions. Much of it has to do with years of … Read More »

As our economy heats back up (albeit slowly), the competition for talent naturally follows suit. Employees at all levels are starting to consider their options. Realizing they potentially and finally have some choices, they’re reviewing their status. After years of working in a lean work environment, making do with less and working longer hours, some sectors are expanding their payrolls and workers are recognizing that maybe the devil they know isn’t necessarily better (or safer) than the one they don’t. Along with the re-emergence of talent competition, comes the sometimes murky arena of compensation. In many sectors base pay has been stagnant and often rolled backward. Bonuses were reduced or suspended and equity became even more regulated and harder to realize than a lottery ticket. … Read More »