Ever wonder what REALLY happens at a search firm behind the scenes?

For those of you who have looked for a new role on your own before—you know—looking for the right career move is a full time job—and no, it is not simply linking up and doing a quick query to find the perfect match. Matter of fact, in my 26 years recruiting, it has never been that easy.

Clients often ask us to look in our database and see if we have someone in mind.  We call potential candidates and they ask to connect on LinkedIn instead of talking and think that should suffice.

So maybe it is time to pull back the curtain and give everyone a taste of what my firm does for 8-12 hours a day (hint: it is not database management).

Just like Rome wasn’t built in one day, neither are relationships. It takes multiple conversations to build trust and that includes in our business. We must build relationships with potential candidates while doing the same with potential clients.  Finding the right piece of the puzzle is not discovered overnight.

1. Research: Oh, not as easy as one would think.  We have a set criteria from the client on what they want in education, experience and attitude and we spend countless hours coming up with a recruiting plan to meet those expectations.  On the flip side, we make sure we have a diversified client base that can appeal to our functional population and meet the needs of those A players who want to go Fortune 500, Private Equity or small tech start up.
2. All hands-on deck: Or in our business–on the phone.  Yes, we use LI and other technology (no, I’m not giving away all our secrets) but what makes us really successful is our ability to talk to a lot of people.  As a firm, we focus on the top 10% of talent in the market and that means meeting, assessing, and listening to the needs of thousands of people every year.
   That takes a team approach and yes, it is hard work.  
3. Database: Yes, someone has to enter all that data and bottom line, only the person conducting the interview can really put in the data info on the evaluation, fit/culture/comp.  We have tried to outsource and it leads to errors so yes, we “do” the data entry, but it is not our focus.
4. Technology: Yes, we spend a great deal of money on the latest sourcing and time saving tech and just testing it can take hours.  We cannot get comfortable and as recruiters, we try out the latest “cutting edge” tools in hopes for the best, but alas, it’s back to basics and we’re usually back to the phone.
5. Marketplace Data: This is where my English literature degree pays off (yes, to liberal arts!)  In search, you must assimilate a great deal of data and do it quickly.  You take notes, you research competitors, compensation data, cost of living data, family expectations, equity out 3,4 ,5 years and that is just the basics.  If you want to know what is going on in any given market, ask a recruiter who works it—they may know more than your stockbroker.
6. Emotional Roller Coaster: That is our biggest concern and one that can make you elated at the end of the day or exhausted.  People can change their mind at any time.  Making a decision that can impact their future, their families, and their wealth for years to come is a big decision and it can be quite a roller coaster ride.  The psychology of our work is often intense.
7. The Follow Up: Like dating, follow up is key.  We have pre interview discussions, post interview and every step in the journey of someone’s big life decision. There are conversations on culture, promotability and into the details of office environment and benefit packages.   We conduct reference checks, gather referrals, and assist with a myriad of items like total reward statements, reimbursements and travel details. 
8. The moment: To stay or to go.  The negotiations. The questions. The emotional roller coast continues.  Is the candidate right for the job or not?  Do they really want the role or are they fishing for a better deal from their current employer?  The counter offers come into play.  The pros and cons. The pitfalls.
   Yes, it is our job to cover all of that and communicate it appropriately to all parties. Damn. I’m exhausted just writing about it.
9. The reward: The very best part of being a recruiter is when someone accepts the new role that you’ve been working on for weeks or months.  But the pride is short lived because there is still work to be done: signatures, NDAs, drug screens, background checks, resignation, 30-day, 90-day follow up etc.…. The REAL reward usually takes a while. It’s when our clients call thanking us and our candidates call, telling us they are happy and have already been promoted. Sometimes, like this week, candidates even send us flowers. It’s super nice. But at the end of the day, when a candidate that trusted us in representing them calls and asks us to help build their team, turning into a client, that’s more than nice. It makes all the hard work worth it. That’s what we do for a living. 

We are always happy to help you through every step of the process, from determining what your career goals are to helping you reach them. Feel free to contact us!

If you have any questions, please feel free to ask here.

How Covid-19 is shifting the way we do business moving forward

In 25 years of recruiting, this is my first attempt at this subject.

The good news is recruiting can be a one on one interaction so it meets social distancing guidelines.  Phone and video interviews are easily attainable, and more and more individuals are working from home and will have the freedom to speak more freely.

However, usually before an offer is extended, people meet in person, shake hands, meet their colleagues, etc.…but that final step is going to look different this year and we as leaders of companies—as well as individuals wishing for a change—will have to change how we interact to make a final decision.

In a matter of weeks, we have had to address a number of issues spiraling out of this “new normal” and I wanted to share what we have learned so far.

1. Expect a slower interview process.  News and guidelines are changing daily as are corporate protocols.  Processes will include multiple phone calls and video interviews so be sure you’ve got a handle on the technology.   As an example, my staff and I are using WhatsApp so we can video & message with each other easily.
2. Social Distancing—at least today—does not mean you can not meet in person.  One on one interaction six feet apart or more in an open-air environment—like a park—may be a good alternative for local meets that require actual facetime.  Obviously, cross country travel will be limited so adopting a more local and/or regional approach to recruitment will be easier these coming months.
3. Flexibility is key.  Interviews are changing constantly right now.  Onsite interviews moved to phone interviews, phone interviews moved due to crisis management, etc.…Employees who are moving their families from one city or state to another, may have extra challenges and as employers, we’ll need to be flexible on start dates, create virtual onboarding plans and more e-learning capabilities. At this point, we are all navigating in unknown territory and being flexible, positive and practicing agility thinking is important. 
4. Mitigating Stress.  We all need to remember that empathy, thankfulness and courtesy are more important than ever.   As we try and attract, recruit and retain new talent, this may be the most important reminder: Be thoughtful in your actions with others.

I’ve learned a few things over my lifetime– working through multiple recessions, terrorism, hurricanes and floods.  We are an innovative nation with many different industries and capabilities. Hopefully, as a nation and as a partner in a global economy, we will be bringing manufacturing of strategic items back to the US.  I have no doubt that the need for new goods and services will emerge from this crisis as well. Although there are already many industries being negatively impacted from this Pandemic, there will be individuals and companies that rise in the moment and flourish in the long run.   We all need to focus on doing our part, however small, for that future.

We are always happy to help you through every step of the process, from determining what your career goals are to helping you reach them. Feel free to contact us!

If you have any questions, please feel free to ask here.

How to recruit during a Pandemic

In 25 years of recruiting, this is my first attempt at this subject.

The good news is recruiting can be a one on one interaction so it meets social distancing guidelines.  Phone and video interviews are easily attainable, and more and more individuals are working from home and will have the freedom to speak more freely. 

However, usually before an offer is extended, people meet in person, shake hands, meet their colleagues, etc.…but that final step is going to look different this year and we as leaders of companies—as well as individuals wishing for a change—will have to change how we interact to make a final decision.

In a matter of weeks, we have had to address a number of issues spiraling out of this “new normal” and I wanted to share what we have learned so far.

1. Expect a slower interview process.  News and guidelines are changing daily as are corporate protocols.  Processes will include multiple phone calls and video interviews so be sure you’ve got a handle on the technology.   As an example, my staff and I are using WhatsApp so we can video & message with each other easily.
2. Social Distancing—at least today—does not mean you can not meet in person.  One on one interaction six feet apart or more in an open-air environment—like a park—may be a good alternative for local meets that require actual facetime.  Obviously, cross country travel will be limited so adopting a more local and/or regional approach to recruitment will be easier these coming months.
3. Flexibility is key.  Interviews are changing constantly right now.  Onsite interviews moved to phone interviews, phone interviews moved due to crisis management, etc.…Employees who are moving their families from one city or state to another, may have extra challenges and as employers, we’ll need to be flexible on start dates, create virtual onboarding plans and more e-learning capabilities. At this point, we are all navigating in unknown territory and being flexible, positive and practicing agility thinking is important. 
4. Mitigating Stress.  We all need to remember that empathy, thankfulness and courtesy are more important than ever.   As we try and attract, recruit and retain new talent, this may be the most important reminder: Be thoughtful in your actions with others.

I’ve learned a few things over my lifetime– working through multiple recessions, terrorism, hurricanes and floods.  We are an innovative nation with many different industries and capabilities. Hopefully, as a nation and as a partner in a global economy, we will be bringing manufacturing of strategic items back to the US.  I have no doubt that the need for new goods and services will emerge from this crisis as well. Although there are already many industries being negatively impacted from this Pandemic, there will be individuals and companies that rise in the moment and flourish in the long run.   We all need to focus on doing our part, however small, for that future.

We are always happy to help you through every step of the process, from determining what your career goals are to helping you reach them. Feel free to contact us!

If you have any questions, please feel free to ask here.

I thought my interview went well, but I didn’t get good feedback. What happened?

This month we wanted to address some common interview killers that surprisingly, still pop up as feedback too often.

Here are 7 habits of highly Ineffective Interviewing:

1. Turn your phone off.
If for some emergency reason, you have to leave it on, silence it and by all means, don’t stop and text or answer calls.

2. Dress professionally.
Although a suit is not always warranted, know the environment and your audience. Whatever you wear, needs to be pressed and put together.

3. Leave negativity in the car.
Never talk badly of your current company or leader—it never bodes well in an interview. When asked why you are looking to leave, express what you are looking for in positive terms versus appearing as if you are just trying to run from a bad situation.

4. Ignorance is not bliss.
You should research the company and individuals on the interview panel. LinkedIn is a great resource to understand basics and reading through recent press releases helps provide color around a company’s changing dynamics.

5. Don’t get too comfortable.
Often, once a rapport is established in an interview, people can get too comfortable –posture goes into slouching, cuss words come out in stories and too much personal info gets shared. Being personable is good. Getting too personal and too comfortable isn’t.

6. Don’t dominate the interview.
More times than not, candidates talk themselves out of a job. Be cognizant of keeping the conversation even– An interview should be a back and forth discussion.

7. Don’t put the cart before the horse.
Keep negotiation and detailed questions about compensation, benefits and info on vacation time for the relevant time—which isn’t in a first round of interviews. If the interviewer brings it up, you can certainly touch on it, but don’t try negotiation tactics too early.

We are always happy to help you through every step of the process, from determining what your career goals are to helping you reach them. Feel free to contact us!

Visit the Ask a Recruiter Archives to get up to date on past issues!

If you have any questions, please feel free to ask here.

The “war for talent” has officially reached a fevered pitch as unemployment sits at 4.1% in the US (according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics). That’s the lowest rate we’ve seen in well over a decade. What this means for employers is that the pool of active candidates is at historically low levels and you may find yourself duking it out with your competitors more and more often for top talent. Aside from an ability to handle the increased competition, the current marketplace calls for a different approach to candidate experience altogether. Where active candidates are simply looking for the best job available, passive candidates don’t need to make a move at all if they don’t want to. That means you’ve really got to bring something special to the table to get their interest.

Volumes have been written about creating a positive candidate experience (including at least a few written by us), so we won’t attempt to redefine the process for you. It’s also true that what works for one organization may not work as well for another. However, we have worked with diverse businesses throughout a wide array of economic climates over more than two decades, and we have certainly identified themes, which we’ve distilled for you below.

1. Give candidates as much info as you can and enough time to prepare
Candidates want to do well on their interviews just as much as you want them to. They want to know who they’ll be meeting with, their titles, etc. This means it’s up to hiring managers to provide them with an itinerary and details with as much lead time as possible. You want your candidates to walk in confidently, so that they can put their best foot forward. This means they should know everything they need to know in advance of arriving, from who to ask for at the front desk to what time they can expect to be done for the day. Don’t leave them guessing until the morning of.

2. Don’t make an onsite interview feel like a marathon
These gainfully employed passive candidates tend to have a lot going on in their lives. It’s no small ask to have them take time off work to interview with your team, so you should make sure it’s a positive experience all around. We know you want to make the most of their time and have them meet with as many stakeholders as possible, but you should try to be selective. We occasionally see interview itineraries that have candidates meeting with anywhere from ten to FIFTEEN people in one day! That’s simply too many. Not only will it be next to impossible to get consensus from a group that big, but the candidate will be exhausted and overwhelmed by the time they’ve run that gauntlet. Show candidates that you value their time by scheduling wisely.

3. Keep your messaging tight
Never forget that candidates are interviewing you as much as you are them. They are looking to the hiring process for clues about company culture, so you want your interview teams to be on the same page and to present a cohesive company image. This means letting everyone know up front what’s important to the individual candidate, so they can tailor their messaging appropriately. Make sure everyone on the interview team knows what everyone else will be asking, so your candidates don’t have to answer the same question about Excel five times. Most importantly, make sure your interviewers are prepared to answer questions about the business and to show/tell candidates what makes your company such a great place to work.

4. Offer them career development
One of the most consistent things that today’s candidates are looking for is career development. We know that, ideally, you want someone who can hit the ground running and knows how to do the job already, but you should remember that great candidates aren’t going to get excited about the chance to do a job they’ve already done. They want stretch goals, new challenges, and to be able to add meaningful bullets to their resumes. Be ready to come to the table with something that represents a new challenge, like an interesting project, a new client group, an advanced job title, or the chance to lead a team. This might mean you’ve got to be flexible on the job description to give top candidates a role tailored to their unique wants/needs or that you’re willing to invest a little time in a high-potential candidate who’s taking on a stretch role. However you approach this, the takeaway is to make sure that candidates know they’ll be challenged and developed with your business, both now and in the future.

5. Be FAST!
As a recruiter, it’s heartbreaking to watch the perfect candidate get snatched up by another company just because they got to the finish line faster, but it’s an unfortunate reality. With the talent market as tight as it is, you’re naïve to think that you’re the only company calling. Not only is it a turn-off for candidates to have to wait a week or more for feedback from an interview, it also means they could be moving through the process with your competitor during that time. If you’re excited about a candidate, have the offer letter drafted ahead of time so you can make an offer the moment you decide they’re the one. Try to be as flexible as possible to accommodate candidate schedules, rather than pushing interviews out further. Get your candidates feedback in a timely manner. Basically, BE FAST!

6. It’s about more than just the job
Another consistent theme with candidates lately is that they want a company they can be excited about. Whether it’s an innovative technology company, an organization with a meaningful mission, or a business that produces a product they know and love, candidates want to feel passionate about not only what they do, but who they do it for. This means that employers must be ready to tell candidates why what they do as a business matters. Be prepared to talk about your products and services, your mission statement, and the ways in which you push the envelope as an organization. It’s one thing to show candidates how they can make an impact in your business, but it’s another thing entirely to show them how your business makes an impact on the world.

To sum it all up, this isn’t your grandpa’s job market. Employers have to be savvy, fast, and smart to land the best talent. Show candidates you value their time, tell them what’s in it for them, offer them something to be excited about, and do so with a sense of urgency. If you follow these principals, your only challenge will be finding the talent – and hopefully, that’s where we come in! Give us a call to see if we can help you win your war for talent.

We are always happy to help you through every step of the process, from determining what your career goals are to helping you reach them. Feel free to contact us!

If you have any questions, please feel free to ask here.

Compensation can be a tricky part of the hiring process. Give too many specifics early on and you can take yourself out of the running before you get started. Don’t give enough info and you risk coming across as being less than forthcoming and secretive. Currently, there are certain parts of the country that make it illegal for hiring managers to ask you about your compensation history—which seems counter intuitive to us as recruiters—since getting the compensation right in an offer is an important piece of what we do for a living. Here are a few tips for both individuals looking to make a move, as well as the leaders interviewing:

Guidelines for Compensation Discussions:

1. Getting a raise: How much is typical?
Obviously there is no one answer for this, but after 20 years of recruiting for a variety of companies, we’ve found that a 7-12% bump is typical on base wages. That may not seem like much, but when the average internal pay increase is 3%, over time, the multiplier effect can really add up. Add an attractive annual incentive bonus or long term incentive package and that 7% can easily turn into 17-30%+ increase. Add on a lucrative benefits package and that offer can suddenly be a game changer for you and your family.

Cost of living premiums may bump up that number considerably too, making a big base increase seem attractive, but we suggest doing your homework. When you add local taxes, real estate, and childcare costs, that big increase can disappear quickly. When evaluating any offer, make sure you are factoring total compensation vs. base pay and do your research on location specific cost factors.

2. Salary Ranges/Bands:
When an employer discusses a salary range or internal comp band with a candidate (i.e. a range from 95K to 115K), typically the candidate will only remember the top number of 115K, while the employer is more often planning to make an offer at the mid-range point of 105K. That disconnect sometimes starts even before the conversation gets going.

Make sure you are transparent in your conversation about your expectations, but plan on being flexible. If you are making 100K and think your value is 125K—a 25% increase—be prepared to look at the total package being offered. An offer of 110K with a 15% bonus gets you to your goal without going outside a company’s band. Remember that, even if you know you are under market value, it is not the obligation of your next company to make up for your current employer’s pay scale. However, if you are willing to work with them and to look at the total package offered, you can certainly take a big step toward closing any gaps.

3. What to share and when:
As recruiters, we find it impossible to work with candidates who won’t share their current compensation with us—It’s just practical to do so– No reason for us to waste anyone’s time having a candidate interview for a role that is going to pay them 20K less than what they are making now OR when their expectations far exceed our client’s pay scale capabilities. However, the legal rules of engagement are changing in some parts of the country on what employers and third party recruiters like ourselves can ask so that leaves disclosing totally up to you.

(Here is a link to some of the recent suggestions on the legalities of asking about compensation: LaborSphere: Questions about Salary History – What Employers Need to Know)

We understand the bias concern, but find most clients want to offer competitive compensation for talent and feel that they can’t without knowing a starting point. By not disclosing, my personal belief is companies will start lower than necessary and the countering/negotiating stage of the offer process will drag longer than necessary, creating a stressful—potentially resentful—start to a new career. Time will tell on how these rules catch on across the country, but the bottom line is that being upfront and honest—no matter what the subject—is a good practice in today’s business environment.

We are always happy to help you through every step of the process, from determining what your career goals are to helping you reach them. Feel free to contact us!

If you have any questions, please feel free to ask here.