Beginning a new job is exciting. So it was for me this week. I began work for a new client, a small but established professional services company. My sponsor and I have been talking about this project for three years, and now we are on. The client employs about 20 people. They are dealing with the same issues and stresses faced by most small businesses today. The competitive landscape is changing, along with technology, and the needs of their customers. I have been hired to help this company build and manage an internal recruiting and selection function. In the past, whenever they needed to hire someone their recourse was to use external recruiters, at great expense. The client understands that their recruiting and selection function is not working. It is not supporting the needs of the business. There have been too many misfires.
When starting a new project, as with any job, it is a good idea to get to know who you will be working with, how they view the business and the capabilities of the organization. It is just basic onboarding. It is important to build relationships with key team members. It is important to understand the decision process so recommendations are well-received, without distraction from protocols one doesn’t understand. It is important to know the technical capabilities and limitations so that recommendations will have validity.
This first week was about cultural immersion and learning their management style. I was encouraged to attend the Monday morning staff meetings where the team updates current projects. Later in the day, I discussed my assignment with the Executive Steering Committee to ensure that we are in agreement on goals and deliverables. The client currently lacks a Director of Business Development. Filling that position is my first milestone.
During the remainder of the week, I spent time with the individuals on the team. My client wants to ensure that the team understands my objectives to be clear that their jobs are not at risk. I want to understand the culture so as to learn how things are done in this company. I also want to learn their capabilities around social media in support of their recruiting efforts.
Everyone was very friendly and helpful; however, some were more guarded than others. They want the company to be successful and to share in that success. Some of the employees have been with the company for over ten years, with a few over 20, and one over 30-years tenure. Then there is the other half of the team who have been with the company three years or less. A few of the employees have only six months’ time on the job. The culture is changing, but full alignment still needs to be achieved. There is some concern that the company is falling behind technologically and that they could be more efficient. Since they work on a project basis, there are issues around communicating updates. The reporting structure is another opportunity which is understood by the client.
I thought this would be a fun and exciting project when I accepted the contract, and so far that seems to be the case. By the end of the week, I had talked with all but four team members and had completed the communication plan to begin the search for the Director of Business Development. I have a better understanding of the client company and how it works. Getting off to a good start on any new job or assignment certainly improves the likelihood of a successful engagement. Based on my assessment of this week’s work, this project is right on track.
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Jim Weber, President
Author of: Fighting Alligators: Job Search Strategy For The New Normal
New Century Dynamics Executive Search