Recently I heard that a smartphone had become the most important fashion accessory. I don’t doubt it. It is a powerful tool, especially if one is properly connected. I have apps on my iPhone to fetch my email from each of my various accounts. Messages left on my desk phone are relayed to my cell phone via text. All of my data is backed up on the cloud and accessible via my iPhone. My iPhone includes apps for LinkedIn, Google+, Twitter, and Facebook, among others. My office is wherever I am, whenever. As a result, my clients know that I am at their service 24/7. I hardly think that I am unique among recruiters, so I am certain we are all working pretty much the same way.

In last week’s post, I wrote about being prepared to talk with your recruiter. Now it’s time to talk about accessibility.  Just as I am accessible to my clients, my candidates must be equally available to me. When someone indicates interest in one of my searches I put their contact information into my database, tied to that search. I invite them to connect with me on LinkedIn and to opt into my mailing list. Accepting those invitations helps me stay connected to those folks, during and after the completion of the assignment. In an earlier post I stated that I prefer to make contact to a candidate’s personal email account; one they use regularly. Using a candidate’s work email address introduces a risk component that the candidate should avoid. Most companies don’t like their employees looking for another job while employed.  Using their company’s email account is like waving a big, red flag. Text messaging is becoming more important.   People who are gainfully employed can acknowledge and respond to a text message when they cannot respond via email or by telephone. It is especially useful for getting answers to questions where a yes or no answer is required.

So, what should you do to be most accessible to your recruiter? To begin with, ensure that your resume contains the appropriate contact information. Your home address is not important anymore. It is unlikely that you will be contacted via the U.S. Postal Service. Your cell phone number and your personal email address are critical. Secondly, be sure to put the recruiter’s information into your smartphone so that you will recognize that he is trying to contact you. You don’t want important email going into your spam filter, do you? My contact information is widely published and available on all of my emails. In fact, you should have a detailed signature block in your emails too. That tip makes it that much easier to respond to you, especially by phone or text. Finally, my best candidates keep me apprised as to their upcoming schedule so I will know if they are traveling or on vacation.

Life moves quickly. Technology has us connected like never before. We live in a real-time world, or very close to it. Business moves quicker than ever with the expectation for immediate results. “Time is of the essence” has taken on an entirely new dimension. We have tools like voicemail, email, text messaging, and LinkedIn among others. To be competitive one must be competent and technically savvy.

To ensure that I am in the best position to help you land that next job, make sure that I can easily reach you when I need you. Use technology to your advantage. Ensure that all of your contact information is on your resume and in the signature block of your emails. Keep me abreast of your calendar, especially your travel plans. Make sure that my contact information is in your contact list as well.

Help me help you!
1. Include your full contact information in all correspondence.
2. Make your communications smart phone friendly.
3. Use the full capabilities of your technology.

Thank you for visiting my blog.  I hope you enjoyed my point of view and would like to receive regular posts directly to your email inbox. Toward this end, put your contact information on my mailing list.  

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
3. Payroll-Benefits Manager, Atlanta-based Retail Company.
4. Senior Accounting Manager – Atlanta-based Manufacturer.
5. Controller – Orlando, FL-based Restaurant Company: 

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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. 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 gauge 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 gauge 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.

Thank you for visiting my blog.  I hope you enjoyed my point of view and would like to receive regular posts directly to your email inbox. Toward this end, put your contact information on my mailing list.  

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
3. Payroll-Benefits Manager, Atlanta-based Retail Company.
4. Senior Accounting Manager – Atlanta-based Manufacturer.
5. Controller – Orlando, FL-based Restaurant Company: 

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Send the following text message:  NEWCENTURY

To:  22828

As I mentioned in recent posts, my searches are generating a very high volume of candidates. Most are gainfully employed. It is clear that there is a lot of competition for jobs, especially for a step up, or a better situation. If you are serious about landing a new job, you must be a competitor!
 
These five points will set you apart from the rest of the field!

1. Demonstrate your match to the job requirements.
2. Prepare for all interviews and conversations.
3. Turn your accomplishments into short stories.
4. Build a Support Team.
5. Be an Effective Communicator
 
The first step is critical to getting onto the playing field. You must demonstrate your bona fides and make a good impression. I will discuss your resume later, however, at this point understand that Executive Recruiters need your entire work history. Don’t waste their time. Always provide them a resume that documents your complete work history. You may want other versions with a shorter time span, say the last ten years, which you can send directly to hiring managers.
 
You should tailor your resume, to put emphasis on your fit with the company’s requirements. One classic technique is to develop a two column handout that lists the job requirements in one column, and matching qualifications in the other column. This is a useful document to engage the recruiter and can be helpful during the interview process. I encourage my candidates to present that document to the interviewer at the beginning of their discussion. In most cases it will become the agenda for the interview. It would also be helpful to present a top-ten list of your key accomplishments.
 
The absolute best way to convey one’s accomplishments during an interview is by telling stories. When talking about your accomplishments keep the STAR acronym in mind. Your interviewer will be interested to know the situation, “ST”; the alternatives you evaluated and the action was chosen, “A”; and the result of your actions, “R.” Hiring managers are very interested in learning about your problem-solving skills. You should be prepared to discuss the implementation of the corrective action, especially if it required the management of a team. Stories make an impact! They engage the interviewer and will be remembered. For greater impact, add some humor and key learning.
 
Preparation and planning are the keys to success in any endeavor. Competing for a job is no different. You must understand the situation and adapt. Understand the company’s selection process. Do they use a “structured interview” process, if so, which model? How many people will interview you? What is their role in the hiring decision? How will you interface with those people on the job? Be sure to have an idea as to the background of each of those folks to help you establish a bond. Do you know the company culture and its values? What about the performance of the company’s key products and services? The more you learn during the recruiting and selection process, the less you will need to learn when you join the team. This will not go unnoticed.

Landing a job is a team effort! After you have established your bona fides and great stories to tell, assemble a team to help you sell your case. Your team will consist of the external recruiter, any external parties who have connections to the hiring manager, company employees who will be a part of the hiring process, and of course, your references. Let these people know of your interest in the position and your top three qualifications to do the job. Court them and win them over.

Finally, keep all relevant parties updated as to your interest in the position. Send thank you notes to everyone you meet for an interview. Remember; your thank-you note is another opportunity to sell yourself and to express your continued interest in the job. Keep your references in the loop, primed and ready. Communicate frequently with your recruiter to stay current in the search, and to respond to any important questions.
Ensure that you stand out from the crowd by your enthusiasm and professionalism! Understand that no matter how strong your background, there are many other viable candidates in the queue.
 
Key Points to Remember:
1. Demonstrate your match to the job requirements.
2. Prepare for all interviews and conversations.
3. Turn your accomplishments into short stories.
4. Build a Support Team.
5. Be an Effective Communicator

Thank you for visiting my blog.  I hope you enjoyed my point of view and would like to receive regular posts directly to your email inbox. Toward this end, put your contact information on my mailing list.  

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
3. Payroll-Benefits Manager, Atlanta-based Retail Company.
4. Senior Accounting Manager – Atlanta-based Manufacturer.
5. Controller – Orlando, FL-based Restaurant Company: 

Text To Join Our Mailing List:

Send the following text message:  NEWCENTURY

To:  22828

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 Remember:
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.

Thank you for visiting my blog.  I hope you enjoyed my point of view and would like to receive regular posts directly to your email inbox. Toward this end, put your contact information on my mailing list.  

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
3. Payroll-Benefits Manager, Atlanta-based Retail Company.
4. Senior Accounting Manager – Atlanta-based Manufacturer.
5. Controller – Orlando, FL-based Restaurant Company: 

Text To Join Our Mailing List:

Send the following text message:  NEWCENTURY

To:  22828