I came to surfing later in life. I won’t confess how late, because then we get into age and numbers, and I can’t quite go there. Let’s just say that my ex would definitely refer to this as another mid-life crisis and my best girlfriends are appalled that I would pick a sport that defies makeup and hairspray at my age. But for all that, and the big waves, cold mornings and sore body parts and bruises, surfing to me has become an elixir to life I cannot do without. The more I’m out on my board, the more I see the relation between surf, life and work. For a type A tied to her mobile phone, laptop and iPad, … 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 »
I was appalled to hear from an employed candidate recently that another agency recruiter he had been speaking with, submitted his information and resume before obtaining permission from him. In addition, the recruiter set up an interview without prior discussion and the candidate was notified by the company a day prior. If this wasn’t bad enough, the candidate, who graciously accepted the interview, was then made an offer significantly LESS than his current compensation. This, by the way, is a senior level candidate earning well over six figures. For any recruiters reading this, please take heed! It is hard to believe that the same bad tactics employed by unsophisticated agencies 30 years ago, are still being practiced today. That agency … 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 »
As the job market continues to heat up, there’s lots of buzz in social media on how to access, recruit and secure ‘passive’ talent. Couldn’t help but notice the same old claims of the death of the recruiting profession and how social media would funnel interested candidates into a company’s arms through effective branding, internal recruiting, great ads, etc. so they no longer would have to pay those pesky external recruiting fees. It seems I’ve heard claims of the death of my profession before. The rise of Monster.com in the last century specifically comes to mind. BTW, I find it ironic that it’s primarily staffing agencies that advertise on sites like Monster these days. And of course now it’s Linked … Read More »
