ITB Partners – Management Consultants
Our Business is Your Success
You want to exit at some point, you want to maximize what you get for your business. Exit planning or succession planning, you need to focus on it! A buyer is looking for something as close to a cash machine as possible. And, one that does not depend on keeping you around…more – read the full article
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Thank you for visiting my blog.
Your feedback helps me continue to publish articles that you want to read. Your input is very important to me so please leave a comment.
Thank you for visiting my blog.
Your feedback helps me continue to publish articles that you want to read. Your input is very important to me so please leave a comment.
Thank you for visiting my blog.
Your feedback helps me continue to publish articles that you want to read. Your input is very important to me so please leave a comment.
The fundamental questions the hiring manager must resolve are; can he do the job? Will he do the job? And, will he fit with our management style? The first question is fairly objective whereas the other two are a bit more subjective. As a third party recruiter it is my job to make the subjective issues more objective. One of my colleagues is fond of what he calls the “5 C Model.” When evaluating candidates he likes to get a positive check-off for competence, character, cultivation, (building teams, developing people) changeability (adaptability), and culture. I like this model!
The ability to adapt to the employer’s culture may be the most important attribute the candidate must demonstrate, especially for the more mature candidates. To help the hiring manager evaluate the candidate’s “fit” we must understand the candidate’s complete job history. I realize that many people recommend crafting a resume that excludes jobs held prior to the last ten years. The theory being that anything prior to the last ten years is not relevant and will reveal your age. I have argued that whereas this may be acceptable for internal recruiters, external, third-party Executive Recruiters want your entire work history. My clients are not hung up on age as much as larger, Fortune 500-Companies. They are more interested in experience and the ability to fit within their culture. This requires us to dig deep into the candidate’s background.
Personally, I like to begin with the fundamentals. There is an old saying to the effect that; “people don’t change, they just get worse.” A bit tongue-in-cheek, to be sure, but it does contain a kernel of truth. Stated another way, one’s strengths and weaknesses become more entrenched over time. That is why I am interested in the fundamentals. I want to know about those early jobs as they set the foundation for your career. The early employers reveal a lot about your initial training and development. It speaks to the types of cultures you have worked in and become adept. Companies, especially large well-established companies are known for their strengths. To build a career as a Sales and Marketing Professional most people want to begin their career with a top-tier Consumer Packaged Goods Company. If you want to build a career in Accounting, working for a major public accounting firm is the gold standard. You get the idea. No, I do not believe that foundational experience trumps all other experience. All things being equal, your first jobs are an accurate predictor as to your career trajectory. So why wouldn’t you present this vital information to a recruiter?
The last 10 years have been bleak for many job seekers. The recent economy has resulted in a number of short-term jobs and long periods of unemployment for some. If this is your situation, wouldn’t it be better to show your employment stability. Job stability or lack thereof is revealing. One should have been with an employer long enough to gain relevant experience and to show significant accomplishments, but not so long that one cannot adapt to a new situation. The longer you work for a company the more entrenched you become in their management style and culture. Long job tenures make it more difficult to adapt to the next situation. If you have reviewed a lot of resumes, you will note that people who have worked 10, 15, or 20 years for one employer often follow that situation with a number of jobs of a shorter duration. I believe that those short-tenure jobs are transitional, helping the candidate shed old habits and learn to adapt to new cultures. This is certainly something I want to know as I qualify my candidates.
Knowing how a recruiter thinks and works will help you become a better candidate. Be prepared to discuss your full history to help the recruiter do his due diligence. This will work to your benefit and establish a solid relationship with your recruiter.
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It is rare for me to work with candidates who lack experience working with recruiters. After 16 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 work with candidates who may not have worked 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.
Probably 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 only 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 fully understand 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 may 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 eliminated 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.
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Your feedback helps me continue to publish articles that you want to read. Your input is very important to me so please leave a comment.
Jim Weber, President
New Century Dynamics Executive Search
www.newcenturydynamics.com
I had breakfast Monday with John, a friend and candidate/client who just lost his senior level marketing job as a result of an acquisition. Another day, another laid-off Executive. Coincidentally, he was scheduled to begin his overseas vacation this week with his immediate family and in-laws. As with most senior executives John (not his real name) is a Type A Personality who lives to work so going on vacation at this time is a bit unsettling. He told me that he really wanted to jump into the job search but is committed to the vacation. Totally understandable thinking. My response was, “the layoff is a bummer, so enjoy your vacation!
I reminded John that we are entering the seasonal slow period for hiring. That is not to say that the recruiting and selection process stops, it just slows down. From June to Labor Day, people are focused on their vacations and time with family. As a result, the recruiting and selection process slows down a bit too. Things pick up again after Labor Day as folks re-focus to complete their objectives before the end of the fiscal year. I don’t recommend that the job seeker suspend his search, but to understand and adapt to the season. The primary strategy during this period is to focus on networking so that when the employer is ready to move forward, you will be well positioned to compete for the job. Use this time to connect with friends and family; relax, reflect, and recharge. Enjoy the vacation! I told John that he could reengage aggressively upon his return without missing a beat.
We talked about steps he could take immediately to set the foundation for his search. He had already made a good start by contacting me so that I could factor his situation into opportunities known to me. Additionally, updating his LinkedIn page and other Social Media Accounts is another good idea. His preference is to stay in the Atlanta area, but he is open to relocation for the right situation. I suggested that he broaden the target for his search. Granted, most of his experience has been in Restaurant Marketing narrowly defined, however, his capabilities can be applied more broadly. The Restaurant Industry is retail, a segment of the Service Sector. His skills and experience can be easily applied across the Service Sector at large. Additionally, many of his employers have been franchisers so that presents additional possibilities. Once he considered his experience in slightly broader terms i.e. Service Sector/Franchise Marketing, he began to see far greater potential for his job search. Atlanta becomes an even more attractive place to focus his job search as the opportunities in the Service Sector is very strong in this market.
We also discussed the viability of engaging in Consulting or Project work while looking for full-time employment. As I have argued many times in my blog, there is a need for short term project work which often leads to full time work.
Looking for a job is full-time work and should be taken seriously. However, one need not spend more than 35 to 40 hours a week on job search, especially during the summer months. Look to obtain balance in your life. Regroup, recharge, and reflect. The layoff is a bummer, enjoy the vacation.
Thank you for visiting my blog.
Your feedback helps me continue to publish articles that you want to read. Your input is very important to me so please leave a comment.
Jim Weber, President
New Century Dynamics Executive Search
www.newcenturydynamics.com