Career Coaching – Page 5 – New Century Dynamics Executive Search

March 26, 2017

THE RECRUITER WON’T RETURN MY CALL! WHY NOT?

Last week I posted on the talk I gave to the Business Executives Networking Group (BENG) on “Working With Executive Recruiters." Most of the discussion following the presentation was on the question of overcoming age discrimination. This is the primary concern for Baby-Boomer job seekers. Although the issue of age discrimination created the most discussion, it wasn’t the only question we discussed. The other questions were:

Why don’t executive recruiters call me back?
Why is it so difficult getting through to a recruiter?
After all these years, why are educational credentials still an issue?
How much information should I include in my LinkedIn profile?
How does one find an executive recruiter that specializes in my professional niche?

The first question is interesting on many levels, as it has both social and technological components. [Tweet “For Baby-Boomers, a call not returned is a major breach of etiquette. We were trained to be responsive to phone calls and to ensure a prompt reply.”] It was good etiquette and good business. It was viewed as a reflection of the brand. That discipline is part of our DNA. Of course, that was before email, smart phones, voice mail, caller ID, and SMS. When we began our careers, we had Secretaries and Administrative Assistants to answer our phones and take messages; today, not so much. I remember the angst created by the introduction of new digital phone systems that automated much of the receptionist function. The loss of a personal touch was considered abhorrent by many. The world has changed. We have more ways to communicate, and fewer human resources to help us. Technology has made us more capable so we are expected to be self-sufficient. Technology has changed the communications-etiquette-paradigm.

The issue isn’t exclusive to the Recruiting profession. I hear the same complaint from my colleagues regarding prospecting calls for new business. It is very difficult getting through to a decision-maker, hiring manager, or Executive Recruiter. Everyone is pressed for time and must prioritize their activities. Telephones are used differently today. Most people I know don’t even answer their phone if they don’t recognize the caller. They let the call go into voice mail to be addressed at a later time. If you are an unknown caller trying to sell your product, I will probably delete your message as if you never called. I gave up making cold calls years ago, to focus on networking and the use of referrals, (warm calls) to prospect for new business. It is much more effective.

I receive calls every day from job seekers who need help and want to build a relationship. Some are referrals from friends and associates. I welcome these calls and make time to schedule a phone conversation. That is good business etiquette! It affirms and strengthens my relationships. I invite these people to connect with me on LinkedIn and to join my mailing list. I use an auto-responder on my email to make the same offer to people sending unsolicited resumes. I use my website to advise prospective candidates about current search assignments and instruct them on building a relationship. These digital tools help me to be more efficient and therefore, effective. If you are a viable candidate for one of my assignments, I will respond to you immediately. If not, I realize that you might be a fit for a future search. I cannot talk with every prospective candidate as I am focused on the immediate needs of my clients.

To be most productive, I am a heavy user of email. I do much of my marketing and manage my search assignments via email. My initial contact with a prospective candidate is via email. I present the basics of my search and invite the prospect to respond back if they are interested or to advise potential candidates on their network if they aren’t. Only after we have established a level of interest via email correspondence do I schedule a phone conversation. Even then, that first conversation is limited to 15 or 20 minutes. It is about productivity. If the candidate is viable and interested then we will schedule a more in-depth telephone conversation, followed by a face to face meeting.

This is life in the New Normal. It isn’t personal, it is just business.

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Your feedback helps me continue to publish articles that you want to read. Your input is important to me so; please leave a comment.

Jim Weber, President

New Century Dynamics Executive Search

JimWeber@NewCenturyDynamics.com

Author of: Fighting Alligators: Job Search Strategy For The New Normal

Current Assignments

1. COO- Atlanta-based Casual Dining Restaurant Company – New

2. Director of Business Dev, Atlanta-based B2B Professional Services Company: Complete
3. Payroll-Benefits Manager, Atlanta-based Retail Company: Complete
4. Senior Accounting Manager – Atlanta-based Manufacturer. In-Process
5. Controller – Atlanta-based Restaurant Company: New

March 18, 2017

A Conversation With The Business Executives Networking Group

Tuesday, I presented to the monthly meeting of the Business Executives Networking Group (BENG). The topic was “working with executive recruiters.” My presentation style is to facilitate a discussion, not a lecture, so I used the following PowerPoint Presentation to frame the conversation.

WORKING WITH EXECUTIVE RECRUITERS

Be competitive; assume that the recruiter has plenty of viable candidates.
Present a resume that includes your complete work history; it is relevant and important.
When you are scheduled to talk with the recruiter, be prepared.
Make it easy for me to find you and don't make me chase you down when I need you.
Check in from time to time to reaffirm your interest and receive updates.

To help jump-start the dialog, I asked each of the folks to offer an issue, pet peeve, question, or comment regarding executive recruiters. I worked this task into the personal introduction period when each participant is given thirty seconds to deliver their elevator speech. It is also a useful tactic to focus my delivery, and help increase audience participation. The issues were largely anticipated, as I’ve heard most of them before. They included:

Why don’t executive recruiters call you back?
Why is it so difficult getting through to a recruiter?
After all these years, why are educational credentials still an issue?
How much information should I include in my LinkedIn profile?
How does one find an executive recruiter that specializes in my professional niche?

These questions were quickly answered; however, based on overall discussion time, their most pressing issue was overcoming age discrimination.

Regarding age discrimination, my recommendation is to take a perceived negative (which really isn’t a negative) and make it a positive. In other words, job seekers should understand that most Fortune 500 companies have a recruiting and selection model that favors young professionals. These companies prefer to hire people they can train, develop, and indoctrinate into their culture for a long-term career. This orientation works against baby boomers at the end of their careers. I recommend that Baby Boomers internalize this fact and look for employment where their skills and experience is valued. They should look for mid-caps, emerging brands, and Private Equity portfolio companies which offer the most opportunities. Our experience is our strength, we should lead with this.

My second point is to present yourself as a specialist as employers are looking for people to solve particular problems during their tenure. Even if you have what appears a generalist background, you will find that you have specialized skills that have shaped your career.

Presenting yourself as a specialist aligns well for the Digital Age. Job tenures are decreasing as people are hired to work on specific projects and then transition out of the company. This is particularly true of private equity groups.

We also discussed the value of resumes presenting only the last ten or twelve years of employment. Whereas that might be a useful strategy when talking to an in-house recruiter, it is just irritating to executive recruiters. We are interested in your total package. We want to know where you came from, the foundation for your career. It is important to understand where someone received their initial training and development. It is a predictor of your habits supporting continued success. Eventually, I will get your entire work history, so why not save us both some time?

As most of the folks in the room were Baby Boomers with established careers, one would expect they had developed relationships with a few recruiters. I have my doubts, however, as they seem not to understand the differences between recruiters and how they work. That might be an interesting topic for another blog post.

My presentation was well received and generated a lot of discussions. I am grateful for the help I received from Kerri, another recruiter, Beverly, an employment professional, and Julie who hosted the meeting. I could write a book about working with executive recruiters based on our dialog. Next month I will make the same presentation to the Financial Executives Networking Group, (FENG).

Your feedback helps me continue to publish articles that you want to read. Your input is important to me so; please leave a comment.

Jim Weber, President

New Century Dynamics Executive Search

JimWeber@NewCenturyDynamics.com

Author of: Fighting Alligators: Job Search Strategy For The New Normal

Current Assignments

1. COO- Atlanta-based Casual Dining Restaurant Company – New

2. Director of Business Dev, Atlanta-based B2B Professional Services Company: Complete
3. Payroll-Benefits Manager, Atlanta-based Retail Company: Complete
4. Senior Accounting Manager – Atlanta-based Manufacturer. In Process
5. Controller – Atlanta-based Restaurant Company: New

March 18, 2017

Free: Executive Resume Cheat Sheet

SEND ME THE FREE EXECUTIVE RESUME CHEAT SHEET!

I see a lot of resumes, believe me! It is a fundamental part of my job. Most of the resumes I see are dreadful. They are working against the job seeker, forcing them into a prolonged period of unemployment. Unfortunately, most job seekers don’t appreciate that their poorly written resume is hurting them.

If you are unemployed, you can only think of getting another job to protect your financial well-being. That is understandable. You might not know that your resume is working against you. That it costs you time and money, you cannot afford. It is hurting your career and your financial goals. Do you want to get back to work, or suffer a prolonged period of unemployment? The solution is in your hands.

From time to time I help my candidates craft an effective resume for a fee. My most successful candidates understand the need for an effective resume and are willing to pay a reasonable price for my help. No, resume writing is not my primary line of business, but I am happy to help when I can.

I understand that conserving cash is a priority for most unemployed people. I get it!

So, what if you knew the secrets to crafting a killer resume; one that would shorten your job search. A resume that will help you get the job you want. Wouldn’t you want to know that secret? Wouldn’t you want to shorten your time between jobs? I certainly would!

Fortunately for you, I have been presented with a fantastic resource which I can make available to you, compliments of my friends at CareerTuner. I have been authorized to share the secrets of the best resume writers, at no charge to you. That’s right. I am allowed to help you craft a killer resume at no cost to you. I have been granted the right to send you The Executive Resume Cheat Sheet, free. I wholeheartedly endorse this fantastic tool! It will ensure that you have a professional resume which will help you land that ideal job in the shortest time possible.

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March 11, 2017

Three Ways to Win New Clients You Might Not Have Thought Of

"Article from Gemma Humphries"

Being a successful freelancer means achieving the delicate balance between pitching for the clients you know you can achieve and pitching for the clients you really want. The fact is that we are all working to earn a living. We need to pay our mortgages, put food on the table, get our kids through college. Money makes the world go round, and your world won't go around without it! Unfortunately that often means taking on the bread and butter jobs we'd rather not do more often than we'd like, and leaving the convoluted pitches process for highly sought after jobs we'd really like to do to those that are younger and have more time and less responsibilities. But it doesn't have to be this way. Here are three overlooked ways to pitch for the business that you really want and actually succeed:

Spend Time Maintaining Relationships

Most small businesses and freelancers understand the importance of generating solid leads, but so often once those leads have been generated they forget to maintain those new relationships and cultivate a culture of mutual understanding and respect. Although it won’t directly add to your revenue, it is important to take a couple of hours out of your week and spend it talking to your customers: existing ones, potential ones, ones that you have been working with for years and those that are newly acquired. Follow up on every business opportunity you are offered and make sure that you are maintaining a good reputation within your community. This might not immediately lead to an uptake in your services (remember that 73% of newly generated business to business sales leads are not ready to purchase) but all of these things are important to building your business identity and ensuring that, if and when they need the services that you provide, the right people will know where to find you.

Believe in Yourself

It’s so easy to criticize yourself and make excuses for why you won’t get a job, or why it’s not worth pitching to that new client. Often in business, we can be our own worst enemies and the more we listen to our inner critic, the less proactive we are in reaching out, networking, and reaching for those goals that might seem unobtainable right now. This is particularly true as our responsibilities grow and we juggle running our businesses with the needs of our family. It may sound a little trite, and like something out of a Disney movie, but believing in yourself is one of the very best things you can do to boost your business success. Confidence comes from many different things, but if you are lacking confidence in yourself or in your brand then why not have a makeover? A new website, new business cards, updated email signature, even a haircut, can all help to increase your confidence in your brand and enable you to sell it to others in a much more positive way.

Leave The Comfort of Your PC

We live in a modern internet age that makes it much easier to arrange all the marketing for your business from behind your computer screen whilst you sit in your jammies. Whilst engaging in online social networking, utilizing social media and having a great website certainly will help you to generate leads for your business, nothing beats leaving the comfort of your PC and going out and meeting people. Show people who you are and what you do: being visible is the very best way of ensuring that you will be remembered by potential clients, and you can impress upon people the wide range of services you can provide for them much more comprehensively in the flesh than you ever could over the internet. Understand your business niche and know who your target market is, then get out of the house and go and target them! You could do this by attending national conferences, professional events for individuals in the same market as you, or even by going out and talking to local small businesses. The key is to put yourself out there and ensure that as many people as possible know who you are.

Your feedback helps me continue to publish articles that you want to read. Your input is important to me so; please leave a comment.

Jim Weber, President

New Century Dynamics Executive Search

JimWeber@NewCenturyDynamics.com

Author of: Fighting Alligators: Job Search Strategy For The New Normal

Current Assignments

1. COO- Atlanta-based Casual Dining Restaurant Company – New
2. Director of Business Dev, Atlanta-based B2B Professional Services Company: Complete
3. Payroll-Benefits Manager, Atlanta-based Retail Company: Complete
4. Senior Accounting Manager – Atlanta-based Manufacturer. In Process
5. Controller – Atlanta-based Restaurant Company: New

March 6, 2017

Tips on Job Change To Different Industry

I talked with two very accomplished job seekers this week. Both have MBA’s from prestigious Universities and twenty-five-plus years with Blue-chip companies. Both are accomplished in their fields, having held senior level positions. Both lost their job due to a company-wide reorganization. However, the similarities end there. After a short hiatus, one found a new situation in a smaller, entrepreneurial company. The other is approaching two years in job search. The difference in their results is instructive.

In my last post, I wrote about the hiring criteria for senior managers in a tightening labor market. I wrote that employers looking to fill senior-level roles expect the new hire to have a very short learning curve. They are expected to make an immediate contribution. Adapting to the employer's culture should be the majority of their learning curve, a reasonable expectation.

Keys For A Successful Transition

1. Lead with your Leadership skills
2. Be the Specialist
3. Optimize your Network

Much of my work recently has been placing CFOs with Private Equity Groups' (PEG) portfolio companies. In case you have been disconnected from all economic news for the last decade, PEGs have been reshaping the economy, creating a lot of opportunities. These companies have a defined timetable to divestiture. Their time horizon is relatively short. During their holding periods, they maintain a focus on strategic initiatives to maximize terminal value. They need senior level managers who can help them achieve their goals within the holding period. They seek specialists.

The lack of industry-specific experience is another obstacle facing Baby-boomers in transition. There are many factors in play in this situation; however, this bias is not absolute. To be sure, a transition into some industries is difficult. Job functions like CEO, COO, and senior level marketing positions may require significant industry experience. Hiring a senior manage without relevant industry experience is usually unwise, but not always. Typically, there is somewhat more flexibility regarding specific industry experience for other job functions.

If you want to change industries, focus on your leadership skills. Senior-level jobs are about directing and managing teams, leadership. As a serious job seeker, you will research new industry segments to become familiar with revenue models, customers, and operational
challenges. That work will help nullify a lack of industry experience. However, in competition for any job, you must sell your strengths. As a senior executive, leadership should be your greatest strength. As a candidate for a senior position, focus on accomplishments which required effective leadership, then translate those situations to the needs of the employer.

As an effective leader, you will have developed “street cred,” specialized skills. You did not get to this point without becoming proficient in a particular discipline or activity. In the New Normal, employers are looking for people with specialized skills. For example, some people are great at turnarounds, whereas others may be adept at penetrating new markets. Some executives are good at building new companies where others are skilled at protecting mature brands. If you look back on your career, you will find common threads for your success. Do you have particular strength in re-engineering, business development, or maybe, systems implementation? If so, these are your specialties. Your next step is to build a resume that highlights these skills so as to match the job. Skill sets that are transferrable to other industry segments are highly desirable.

Referring to the two Executives mentioned at the beginning of this article: the difference in their results is due to the quality of their networks. More to the point, the successful job seeker (a CFO type) has a contact that is well-networked into the community. His contact made an introduction to a CEO who needed a CFO. The referral source was highly credible, which led to a positive hiring decision. The other candidate’s networking efforts have not been as successful.

Since most job seekers find employment through networking, managing your network is vital. However, the size of your network is not as important as are high-quality, highly-motivated contacts working on your behalf. They must understand your search strategy to best present your capabilities. Actively manage your network to ensure its effectiveness. Make sure they know how to help you.

Your feedback helps me continue to publish articles that you want to read. Your input is important to me so; please leave a comment.

Jim Weber, President

New Century Dynamics Executive Search

JimWeber@NewCenturyDynamics.com

Author of: Fighting Alligators: Job Search Strategy For The New Normal

Current Assignments

1. COO- Atlanta-based Casual Dining Restaurant Company – New
2. Director of Business Dev, Atlanta-based B2B Professional Services Company: Complete
3. Payroll-Benefits Manager, Atlanta-based Retail Company: Offer extended.
4. Senior Accounting Manager – Atlanta-based Manufacturer. In Process
5. Controller – Atlanta-based Restaurant Company: New

February 22, 2017

You Can’t Always Get What You Want

This past year, I experienced three rather unique, but similar search assignments. I found them to be interesting if not a little odd. The employers were established and profitable, but not necessarily on anyone’s radar screen as a highly desirable employer.

The searches in question were for a Controller, a Director of Business Development, and for a Payroll Benefits Manager, otherwise known as a Human Capital Manager. In each case, the client advised me that these would be difficult searches. They believed this to be true as they called me after they had failed to recruit these positions with internal resources. One client told me that he doubted that his ideal candidate even existed. As I came to learn, the difficulty of these assignments was due to the experience and attributes required by these. In other words, the candidate requirements were more rigid than I thought necessary. These employers were looking for people to be immediately productive. I get it! This expectation has become commonplace even if less realistic in a low unemployment environment. Unfortunately, the compensation packages offered were average for the market, but not so attractive to entice one to leave their current employer.

As a practice, I begin my assignments by helping my client develop a Position Spec. This document combines the Job Description, desired candidate profile, skill-set required, and public relations. This document helps me sell the opportunity to prospective candidates. It is a useful tool to gain close alignment with the client and better understand their needs. The process of developing the Position Spec serves to validate the importance of each profile attribute and to assign a metric to its priority. It prepares the client's expectation as to the caliber of candidate available for consideration. With this process completed, I can qualify more candidates for my client's consideration. Seldom do I find a candidate that is a perfect match to the search criteria. Intangible factors around personality and chemistry usually hold sway.

As measured by the Department of Labor's U-3 metric the employment situation has improved, and most professionals, by now, have found work. In fact, the current unemployment rate for Professionals is about half the total unemployment rate. The current labor market for Professionals is composed of people who lost their jobs due to mergers and acquisitions, or reorganization; and employed folks looking to improve their situation. Most job seekers will find employment after an average amount of time. Baby-Boomers are still struggling, however. The market has shifted so that employers don't have the leverage they had a few years ago. One would expect that, given a tightened labor market, employers would become somewhat more flexible in their hiring standards. In the current job market, management should expect to make hiring decisions that will get them to within 80% or 90% of their requirements. This should be acceptable, so long as the candidate can close the gap through training and experience.

In the end, I was successful in two out of three of these assignments. One search was not that difficult as I found plenty a viable candidates, completing the search within my norm. The second search took twice the normal duration to complete. In the third case, the client who did not think his ideal candidate existed, changed his mind and promoted from within. They were not impossible searches, just a little out of the norm.

At this time, to get closer to a 100% match to expectations the employer must be prepared for a

longer search; to pay more to attract viable candidates, or to bridge the gap through training.

What does this mean for candidates? I will discuss that issue in the next post.

“You can't always get what you want. But if you try sometimes well you just might find,

You get what you need.” Rolling Stones

Your feedback helps me continue to publish articles that you want to read. Your input is important to me so; please leave a comment.

Jim Weber, President

New Century Dynamics Executive Search

JimWeber@NewCenturyDynamics.com

Author of: Fighting Alligators: Job Search Strategy For The New Normal

Current Assignments

1. COO – Atlanta-based Casual Dining Company – New
2. Director of Business Dev, Atlanta-based B2B Professional Services Company: Complete
3. Payroll-Benefits Manager, Atlanta-based Retail Company: Offer extended.
4. Senior Accounting Manager – Atlanta-based Manufacturer. In Process
5. Controller – Atlanta-based Restaurant Company: New

Text To Join Our Mailing List:

Send the following text message: NEWCENTURY

To: 22828

February 12, 2017

Working With Executive Recruiters: Conclusion

It is rare for me to work with candidates who lack experience working with recruiters. After 18 years in the executive search business, most of my work is with senior executives who know the drill. However, from time to time I am asked to perform a lower level search to help a client. In those cases, I often work with candidates who lack experience working with an Executive Recruiter. The vast majority of these folks are interested in learning how the process works and how to work most effectively with me. Instinctively, they know that I am there to broker the transaction and to help them to the extent that I can. There are times when the candidate is unable or unwilling to work within the system. Invariably, those candidates fail to land the job. In fact, they tarnish their reputations with the client and with me.

Without a doubt, the most egregious example of a candidate's bad behavior is going around the recruiter, contacting the client directly, an end run so to speak. In my Executive Search career, I have had three candidates try to bypass me to ingratiate himself into the mix. In every case, it ended poorly for the candidate. My first incident was working on a search for a Corporate Director of Taxation. One of my candidates was not forthcoming with important background information, so I put him on hold. I advised him that I could not move him forward in the process until he provided the required information. This candidate became incensed and actually told me that he would be contacting the client directly. So, with that information, I gave my client a heads-up. Predictably the candidate embarrassed himself and was eliminated from consideration. Actually, the situation further enhanced my relationship with the client as they appreciated my judgment and communication. The second situation was somewhat similar, except for the fact that the candidate did not come close to fitting the client's profile. Again, the results were predictable.

The most recent situation was a little different, but the results were the same. This candidate was qualified to do the job and was in the queue. We had several steps yet to complete before I could present him to the client. I needed to do an in-depth phone interview to understand fully his background and capabilities to be followed by a face to face meeting. Unfortunately, the process was not moving along fast enough to suit this guy. He thought I was deliberately blocking him. So, this candidate executes his end run contacting multiple employees, via phone and email including the hiring manager. I knew that he had a contact inside the company, but it was not a strong enough connection to really help him. His behavior was viewed as unprofessional and unwarranted. He disqualified himself as the client decided that he was a poor cultural fit. If he had worked with me, the outcome might have been different. He clearly did not appreciate the strength of my relationship with the client.

In each case, the candidate failed to understand or appreciate my bond with the client. When a client hires a recruiter, they do so with great care. The recruiting and selection process is critical to the client and full of risk. There is a significant level of trust between the client and the recruiter. There must be! The stakes are too great. The client looks to the recruiter to manage the process in an effective and efficient manner that reflects well on the client's brand. In support of this goal, before I begin a search I get clear direction from the client as to the job requirements, the experience required, and the skill sets they want to see in a candidate. We also become aligned as to the client's culture. I design my searches to ensure that the candidate can do the job, will do the job, and will be a harmonious fit with the client's culture. It is not in my best interest to eliminate a candidate that meets all of the client's criteria. Likewise, it is not in my best interest to move an unqualified candidate forward. My work reflects on my credibility and on-going relationship with the client.

If a recruiter contacts you with an opportunity which you decide to pursue, your responsibility is to work within the parameters established by the recruiter. You may or may not like the recruiter, but the recruiter is driving the bus. Your job is to be a good passenger and enable him to get to the required destination. One must understand that circumventing the recruiter is a high-risk proposition that seldom ends well for the candidate.

Key Points to Consider:

1. Nurture relationships with recruiters.

2. Work with, and through your recruiter.

3. Understand the relationship between the recruiter and hiring manager.

Your feedback helps me continue to publish articles that you want to read. Your input is important to me so; please leave a comment.

Jim Weber, President

JimWeber@NewCenturyDynamics.com

New Century Dynamics Executive Search

Author of: Fighting Alligators: Job Search Strategy For The New Normal

Current Assignments

1. Strategic Partner – Atlanta-based B2B Professional Services Company – Complete
2. Director of Business Dev, Atlanta-based B2B Professional Services Company: Complete
3. Payroll-Benefits Manager, Atlanta-based Retail Company: In Process
4. Senior Accounting Manager – Atlanta-based Manufacturer. In Process
5. Controller – Atlanta-based Restaurant Company: New

Text To Join Our Mailing List:

Send the following text message: NEWCENTURY

To: 22828

February 9, 2017

New Century Dynamics Executive Search announces new assignment: Controller for a Southeastern-based Casual Dining Brand.

January 8, 2017: New Century Dynamics Executive Search announces new assignment: Controller for a Southeastern-based Casual Dining Brand.

$100M Atlanta based company is seeking to hire a CONTROLLER to oversee accounting and finance functions. This is an exciting challenge for a well-rounded, hands-on leader.

Responsibilities:

· Period-end closing and preparation of necessary financial statements

· Hands-on management of general ledger including journal entries, accruals, AP/AR oversight and reconciliation of cash and other accounts

· Analysis, research and recommendations for budget variances

· Financial schedules for taxes and year end external audit

· Establish and improve internal controls

· Vendor relationships including review and negotiation of contracts

Requirements:

· Bachelor’s degree in accounting

· 5+ years of accounting experience

· Supervisory experience

· Excellent interpersonal and communication skills

· Excellent proficiency with Excel

$100k – $130k. Bonus in the 20-30% range

Jim Weber, President
New Century Dynamics Executive Search
Author of: Fighting Alligators: Job Search Strategy For The New Normal

Current Assignments

Text To Join Our Mailing List:

Send the following text message: NEWCENTURY

To: 22828

January 21, 2017

Working With Executive Recruiters: Be Prepared For Every Conversation!

Your ability to express yourself in an effective manner is critical to landing a job. In this post, I focus on your communication skills with the Executive Recruiter. [Tweet “As you now understand, the recruiter is the gate-keeper.”] You must do an effective job selling her before you will have an opportunity to sell the hiring manager. So let’s discuss the critical touch points and your responsibility during each.

My preference is to make my initial contact via email. It is more productive for me to do so and eliminates the embarrassment of catching someone off guard. In that email I will indicate the basic parameter for the search, I am working and ask the recipient for their interest or referrals. If there is interest, we will schedule a preliminary phone conversation. The preliminary call is my first opportunity to take the measure of the candidate. I want to assess the individual’s ability to communicate their interest, enthusiasm, motivation, and personality. This will be a short conversation so it requires that the candidate (not really a candidate yet) get to the point and resolve the most pertinent and immediate questions. Vague, non-committal responses will eliminate the person from further conversation. If we decide to move to the next step, I will provide more information so the candidate can begin his due-diligence on the opportunity. If he is still interested after his due diligence, we will agree to a more in-depth phone call. At this time, I will become immersed in their background, strengths, and skill-set. This is usually a 60-minute conversation.

As I discussed in the my last post, I want to understand my candidate’s complete work history. I like to listen to them tell the story of their career and then ask questions that focus on specific accomplishments that dovetail with my client’s needs. The savvy candidates have given a lot of thought to their career and know how to present their history in an interesting way. This is my second opportunity to evaluate their communication skills for context and language. If an executive has difficulty telling their career story, they will likely have difficulty selling their thoughts and ideas on improving the client’s business. I expect the candidate to talk in complete sentences and to use the appropriate grammar. Communication Skills matter! The questions I ask about specific accomplishments are meant to reveal the candidate’s approach to problem solving and project management. Questions about job changes reveal how the candidates are thinking about career management.

I usually allow time, so the candidate to ask a few questions. Often, I do not have the answer if the question is related to broader corporate strategy, but can be helpful with questions related to the specifics of the job. The questions asked by the candidate and the timing of those questions is also revealing.

Phone conversations have their limitations. However, the best candidates understand those limitations and overcome them. I have found that some otherwise solid candidates do not perform well on the phone whereas some weaker candidates have a very good telephone presence. Each of these types is outside the norm so generally speaking, good telephone skills follow the better candidates.

Key Points to Remember:

1. Understand your recruiter’s validation process.

2. Prepare for each contact point.

3. Ensure that your telephone skills are sharp.

Your feedback helps me continue to publish articles that you want to read. Your input is important to me so; please leave a comment.

Jim Weber, President
New Century Dynamics Executive Search
Author of: Fighting Alligators: Job Search Strategy For The New Normal

Current Assignments

1. Strategic Partner – Atlanta-based B2B Professional Services Company – Complete
2. Director of Business Dev, Atlanta-based B2B Professional Services Company: New
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January 7, 2017

Working With Executive Recruiters: Your Top Five Priorities!

HAPPY NEW YEAR! With the 2016 Holiday Season completed, most of us are back at work; earning a living or looking for a new job. But, something is different this year. There seems to be a greater sense of optimism than I have heard in a long time. Polling data on consumer confidence supports this newfound optimism. I watched the Dow Jones Industrial Average come within .07 of 20,000 before closing out the first week of 2017 at 19,964. The anemic economy may have received a massive dose of adrenaline.

Traditionally, the first quarter is prime-time for recruiting new employees. During this time, one can expect an up-tick in calls from Executive Recruiters. Whether you are looking for a new job, or not, you must actively manage your career. Working with Executive Recruiters is an important aspect to effective career management. If you are serious about managing your career, you will nurture relationships with a few Headhunters. So, this is a good time to share my thoughts about working with Executive Recruiters.

My overarching point is to be a serious candidate. When presented with an opportunity, after the appropriate due diligence on your part, make a commitment to pursue the job or not. Let the recruiter know your decision as soon as possible! Don't underestimate the importance of this initial step. If you have not worked with this recruiter before, it is an opportunity to make a new connection which could play a vital role in your career. If this situation is not right for you, explain why and describe situations that would be a better fit. Be a resource by offering names of other potential candidates.

Having established the overarching framework to build a solid relationship with a recruiter, these five points will set you apart from the rest of the field!

1. Be competitive; assume that the recruiter has plenty of viable candidates.

2. Present a resume that includes your complete work history; it is relevant and important.

3. When you are scheduled to talk with the recruiter, be prepared.

4. Make it easy for me to find you and don't make me chase you down when I need you.

5. Check in from time to time to reaffirm your interest and receive updates.

In a recent search, I generated almost 200 candidates. In fact, this has been a fairly consistent response rate for the past few years. If you are serious about the job in question, you must be a competitor! Ensure that you stand out from the crowd by your enthusiasm and professionalism! Understand that no matter how strong your background, there are many another viable candidate in the queue.

Point number two might be contrary to counsel you have received. Job seekers want to get their foot in the door with the hiring manager. Age discrimination is a real issue. I get it. However, this is not an appropriate strategy when working with third party recruiters. It looks deceptive. News-flash! Most

of my clients are not hung up on age. They are looking for experience and competence. So, be sure to have a resume that provides your complete work history. One way or another I will get that information from you, so save us both a lot of time and effort.

As to point number three; help me help you. When we agree on a time to talk, be prepared to talk. Find a quiet place where you won't be distracted. Make sure you are on a landline or have a very reliable cell phone connection. Have your resume in front of you so that we can discuss your credentials.

Point number four should be obvious. Be accessible to the recruiter! Many of my candidates are employed so taking my phone call or answering emails during working hours is difficult. Responding to text messages is a lot easier. The point is to be accessible to your recruiter and help her understand how best to reach you and the constraints you are working under.

Finally, check in with the recruiter from time to time to reinforce your interest, to get a status update, and to determine if any additional information is required. A regular check-in is very useful.

If you follow these guidelines, you will be viewed as a savvy candidate. Understand the needs of your recruiter to help him help you! You might not get the job in question, but you will certainly make a favorable impression. Favorable impressions lead to future opportunities!

Key Points to Consider:

1. Be competitive; assume that the recruiter has plenty of viable candidates.

2. Present a resume that includes your complete work history; it is relevant and important.

3. When you are scheduled to talk with the recruiter, be prepared.

4. Make it easy for me to find you and don't make me chase you down when I need you.

5. Check in from time to time to reaffirm your interest and receive updates.

Your feedback helps me continue to publish articles that you want to read. Your input is important to me so; please leave a comment.

Jim Weber, President
New Century Dynamics Executive Search
Author of: Fighting Alligators: Job Search Strategy For The New Normal

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