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LITTLE THINGS CAN MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE


By this time, you know that the inspiration for my posts come from my actual experiences.   When I encounter three similar situations in the same week, that usually becomes the topic of the week, and so it is with this week’s post.  A lot has probably been written about business lunch etiquette and the protocol of payment.  It may seem like a little thing, and to some extent it is, but the ritual of paying for a business meal is important.  A little faux pas in this connection can easily turn a productive meeting into a questionable situation.  Furthermore, all other things being equal, fumbling this event can become the difference between closing the deal, or not.  This week I experienced one of those situations and it gave me pause.

Among other events, I had three luncheon meetings scheduled this week.  One I called to talk with a friend who has been helping me launch my book.  The other two were with people who wanted my help.  One is a good friend and networking contact, the other a referral from a friend.  In the first case, actually the last meeting of the week, I needed some additional information from Brownell, an experienced e-book author who knows her way around Amazon.com.  I wanted to confirm one final bit of information.   She is moving away from the Atlanta area in a month, so all the more reason to treat her to a nice lunch.

The first lunch of the week was with Don, a referral from another friend.  Don is in his early-fifties and having difficulty finding a new situation.  As he was in town on personal business, we decided to meet for lunch and to include my business partner, Stan.  Don reached out to me, looking for my help and advice.  Now, I was not expecting Don to buy me lunch, but I was a bit surprised that he did not offer to cover his portion of the tab.  His decision to stick me with the check was a blemish on the meeting.  Granted, it was a little thing, but if our situation was reversed, as with Brownell, I would have gladly paid for lunch.  Little things speak volumes.

The third meeting was a late breakfast meeting with my friend Charlie who reached out to me.  I have not seen Charlie in a few years, but we are connected on LinkedIn and Facebook, so we have not lost contact completely.  Charlie saw that I was near the publication date for my book and called me up to schedule a meeting.  After a good breakfast and a complete debrief on the other’s activities since our last meeting, we got down to business.  To make a long story short, Charlie is involved with a cloud-based training and development company which he thought would benefit me in my efforts to market my book.   He was also looking for some introductions to help him with another consulting project. When we completed our discussion, Charlie grabbed the check.   I asked to at least share the bill, but he would have none of that.  Charlie is still the class-act I have always known him to be.  Needless to say, I got right to work making the connections we discussed.

When you are working to build a business relationship remember that you are being evaluated by the other party.  People want to know that you are professional, competent, and trustworthy.  They want to have confidence in your integrity.  They want to ensure that an association with you will not reflect poorly on them.  Rest assured that little things will make a big difference.  I learned this lesson the hard way, fortunately for me, while I was still a young aspiring professional.

The simple rule of thumb is “he who calls the meeting picks up the check.”  If in doubt, offer to pay your share of the bill, or pick up the tab.  Don’t leave your luncheon partner in an awkward position.  If you do, an otherwise useful   and productive meeting may become a wasted effort.  Little things can make a big difference!

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 very important to me so, please leave a comment.

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

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Your Elevator Pitch


This past week was very busy; most are, but this was a particularly active and productive week.  I moved three Plant Manager candidates forward to interview with my client; I had two one-on-one networking meetings, one group networking meeting; and one after hours networking meeting also known as poker night.  Okay, I lost $25.00 by staying in too long with questionable hands, but we all had a great time!  I also sold a few copies of my book, “Fighting Alligators: Job Search Strategy For The New Normal.”  So, it was a good week. 
The highlight of my work week was the larger group networking meeting. As networking meetings go, this event was about what you would expect. I met some fun and interesting people and one guy that was clearly there only to hang out with his friends and drink beer. The most important aspect of the event was the interaction with my new coaching client who came  as my guest.  I was able to observe her in a networking environment and assess her skills.  I was not surprised to note that she was poised and comfortable in this setting.   I did learn something very important, which she actually revealed to me.  My client letscall her Carla, is a senior level business development executive for a major marketing research company.  Now, I have been around marketing research my entire career, so I know her segment.  I must admit, however, that I was surprised to find that so many people in the room were completely clueless about her work.  She asked if I noticed people’s eyes glazing over when she told them about her occupation.  I had noticed the difficulty people had to makethe connection.  You might say that we experienced on the spot marketing research.  We agreed that she needed to craft a more effective elevator speech.
An elevator speech or pitch is an introduction meant to summarize your business or occupation in about 30 seconds.  The point is to start a conversation and generate interest.  This is fine as far as it goes, but you want to be remembered so that a follow-on conversation will occur.  Making an impression and generating a deeper dialogue, especially in a group networking event requires a unique and compelling message.  It must generate an emotional response.
All networkers know that your elevator pitch must include your name, occupation, or your business.  It should also include your company’s unique selling proposition as compared to the competition.  So far, so good.  The best elevator speech, in my opinion, begins with how you help your customer and the benefits they receive from your product or service.  Do well at this step and your networking partner will gladly listen to further details. The essence of my pitch is that “I put good people into great jobs.”  I say this even before I tell them the name of my company or that I am an Executive Recruiter. Upon hearing this, people are hooked. They want to hear more!  I have  variations on that message that I save for different audiences in different venues, but I will save those for now.
My pitch tells my audience or partner that the service I provide has the benefit of matching good people with employers who need to fill great jobs.  It presents the benefit I offer. It is unique and interesting.  It captures the imagination.  People naturally want to hear more. Once I have them hooked, I  can fill in the details, including the segments I work and the type of occupations I place.  My variations are more amusing and colorful, but every  bit as effective. 
Anyone can deliver a well-craftedelevator pitch. That is hardly the issue. To be unique and interesting, to stand out in the crowd and be remembered takes a little more effort.  I suggest that you focus on the benefits you provide, the problems you solve, and what you do to help people, with their problems.  Adding a bit of passion and a dash of humor will seal the deal.  Once you have set the hook, you can fill in the details and schedule a follow on meeting.
So, what would be a more compelling elevator pitch for my client?  Her job is business development.  Her Company conducts primary marketing research for their clients. The point of marketing research is to help brands sell more of their products and services to existing customers;  attract new customers for their existing products and services, and to develop new products and services for new and existing customers.  Fundamentally, Carla, helps her clients attract more customers who will trade with them for life.  Wow, I may have just written her elevator pitch!

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 very important to me so; please leave a comment.

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

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Failure-Lab

When someone in your network, especially a friend and collaborator, asks for help or support, you comply.  So, this past week,  I trekked down to Georgia Tech with another friend to attend Failure-Lab Atlanta.  It was a very different kind of evening listening to people describe significant failures they experienced on their journey to success.  Six personal testimonies were presented without judgment or analysis, separated by live musical performances. The stories ranged from the tragic to the hilarious. Some were more emotional than others. They included themes like a personal betrayal and ignoring one’s inner voice.  Many included a heavy dose of helplessness and guilt.  Half of the stories were about personal relationships, with the balance about business failures.  One intertwined the personal with the business.  Of course, in the end, failure is very personal.  I am confident the audience could relate to many if not all of the presenters.  One can only  guess at the courage it took to share those stories with complete strangers.  It must have been a positive experience for the presenters.

My friend, Brownell,  who invited me, was the lead speaker.  She is launching a children’s book and is in the process of raising money via crowdfunding.  She really did not speak to any of her personal failures but recited a poem she had written in connection with her latest project.  Actually, the poem is the entire book.  The gist of her poem is about personal growth and development throughout one’s life.  It asked the question, “what will we do when we stop?”  In other words, will you have fond memories of the life you lived or regrets for the choices you failed to take?  She set the stage for the stories to follow.

The other presenters can be described as follows:

  • The Restaurateur
  • The Tough-love musician
  • The Lady with a start-up and a newborn.
  • The Lawyer cum Politician
  • The King of Pops
  • The bi-polar lady

Separating the story-tellers with musicians was brilliant. Whereas these stories were mostly sad and depressing, the musicians lightened up the mood. They were awesome, like an emotional palate cleanser.  Other than a rapper who performed to recorded music, the musicians were folksier, supported by acoustic guitars. But even the performers were conveying their own messages about overcoming failure.

From the Failure Lab Website:  “FAILURE-LAB  was founded in 2012 by a group of professionals in West Michigan to eliminate the fear of failure and encourage intelligent risk taking. We showcase storytellers and entertainers who share personal stories of failure, publish crowdsourced lessons, and instigate discussion.”  “Story-tellers and entertainers recounting their most memorable brush with failure. The audience is encouraged to share their thoughts on Twitter, using #failurelab during the performances and between stories.”  The founders thought that by sharing failures, having a discussion, and investigating lessons learned people would become more comfortable taking  calculated risks. Failure-Lab is meant to be inspirational.  The  goal is to create a sense of community, learning from other’s mistakes.

Failure-Lab is an interesting concept with broad application.  Shows are being performed across the country and abroad.  The message is that failure or rejection is just a step along the road to success.   Successful people understand this principle.    The owners of the concept have a consulting arm as well.  Their mission is to help organizations and individuals remove roadblocks to innovation, collaboration, and creative thinking.

People who are in a job search can certainly relate to failure, at least in small doses.  Sales professionals deal with rejection constantly.  It is just a part of the process.  Failure is a fact of life.  Learn to embrace failure as a stepping stone to success and keep moving.  Look for a Failure-Lab event coming to your community and make plans to attend.  Bring along a friend or two.  You will be glad you did.

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 very important to me so; please leave a comment.

Jim Weber, President

New Century Dynamics Executive Search

www.newcenturydynamics.com

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Job Search In The New Normal: Three Perspectives

My activity during the last two weeks has included three networking meetings with prospective candidates.  Two of the meetings were face-to-face at Starbucks, and the third was over the phone.  Their experience and individual situations ran the gamut.  The first candidate I met, Matt, is a referral from a solid networking connection which I have known for many years.  Matt had gone to school with my friend and had worked together earlier in his career. He was in town for a few days prior to leaving on a boys skiing weekend.  Matt is an established Financial Planning and Analysis (FP&A) professional employed in a good job with a major company.  He and his wife want to get back to the Atlanta area to be closer to their extended family.  His objective is to find a good job first and then move.   I found Matt to be very affable and professional.  Little surprise as his background included a private school education and Ivy League college degree.  Additionally, he had earned an MBA from a prestigious, top-tier University.  Matt is a very polished guy who knows how to communicate.  His intention was to establish a relationship with me and to explore some options.  Although a preliminary discussion, I enjoyed our visit and will work to help him achieve his goal.  Clearly, Matt is well grounded for a job search in the “new normal.”

My second meeting was not as positive.   John has had a difficult time finding a new job.    Also, a native of the Atlanta, he has been out of work for eighteen months. John has lived out of state for the past 16 years working in a small company.   He moved back to Atlanta to be close to family after the failure of a business venture. After earning an Ivy League Degree, he worked as a manager for established restaurant brands, later transitioning into the small company sector. In his most recent situation, he was in charge of administration for a small company which included the responsibilities of a CFO, a CIO, and Director of Construction. John was not comfortable during our meeting.  He was visibly nervous and a bit awkward.  We discussed options he has considered including consulting and project work. His references were very positive. However, his experience is not resonating with prospective employers.

Mark was my third networking encounter; this meeting was via telephone. Mark was referred to me by a CEO contact who had to terminate his employment as part of a company restructure.  Mark is a middle manager who has worked his way up the ladder to middle management without a college degree.  He has not had to look for a job for a very long time as he has been recruited from one job to the next by people who know him. Mark is well spoken, and his resume is solid.  Now unemployed, he really does not know how to look for a job in the new normal.  I suspect his network needs to be rebuilt as well.  We scheduled a phone call to trade information, but he made little effort to prepare for that call.  He did not review my background by visiting my website or checking out my LinkedIn profile.  As a result, we spent too much time on fundamental issues without learning how I could be helpful to him.  After our conversation, I made one referral on his behalf.  I need to follow up with Mark to more fully understand his needs and aspirations.

There are some interesting similarities between these gentlemen.  They are all about the same age and have enjoyed success in their chosen fields.  Their circumstances are very different, however.  Matt is in the best position as he begins the process to understand his options.  John is in a difficult position as the time between situations is taking a toll on his psyche.  He must reboot his search.  Mark will be fine.  He will need to rebuild his network, but his skills and experience are highly marketable.  I suspect that he has a suitable severance package.  He can ramp up his job search quickly and will likely be reconnected by summer.

The one thing they have in common is that they are learning to adapt to job search in the new normal.  Their ultimate destinations will take them down different paths, but each will need to engage in the same activities.  Matt and Dave will have more options to consider than Mark whose background is exclusive to restaurant operations.  Nevertheless, each must assemble and nurture an effective network, their team, to identify appropriate opportunities.  They must craft a viable personal positioning strategy to evaluate opportunities presented.  They must be able to convince hiring managers and recruiters that their experience and skills match the job requirements and that they are a cultural fit for the enterprise.  And, when employed again, they must get off to an effective start by taking ownership of the onboarding process.

Of the three, which represents the situation you would aspire to?  Matt’s of course!  He is proactively directing his career, building from a position of strength.  He is working on a plan to make a career move before circumstances force the need.  More than ever before, one must be vigilant in the management of their career.  Nurturing an effective network is the starting point.

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 very important to me so; please leave a comment.

Jim Weber, President
New Century Dynamics Executive Search
www.newcenturydynamics.com

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Onboarding Part 3 A Healthy Dose of Reality


So you’ve landed that great position.  Congratulations!  Now the real work begins. You are expected to understand your new environment. You are expected be successful in your new job.  And, you have a plan.
Throughout the interview process, you have evaluated the employer’s situation (not just its strategy and performance) to understand what to expect if you join the company. You will have done as much up-front homework on the company as you could!  You would have identified challenges to overcome.  You would know where the company is in its lifecycle  and the characteristics of that stage.   You would learn as much as you could about its culture.   You would have paid special attention to the signals.  What is important around here?  You would have explored the company mythology;  who are the heroes?  Does the company have an annual rewards and recognition program?  What are the award categories?  Who have been recent recipients?   What was the genesis of the program?
You will know that an established, Fortune 500, Blue Chip company will likely be much more structured with rigid lines of communications.   A turnaround or a start-up presents its own set of predictable circumstances.    A company experiencing rapid growth will be more exciting, and fast-paced. Your background and experience are likely tomatch the environment you are joining.  
You probably joined a startup or a turnaround.   In these situations the culture is less clear, it may be forming or transforming.   You remember the four stages of team-building?   The forming–storming–norming–performing model of group developmentfirst proposed by Bruce Tuckman in 1965.
As we become more senior in our skills and experience, we are given credit for “knowing”…In fact, a standard interview question is “what will you do in the first 30, 60, 90, days after you join the company?”  Or, where do you think you want to take this department?  The requirements of your position notwithstanding the employment agreement and any other hiring information you received are nebulous.  Large companies now have virtual self-help HR representatives…” ifyou have any questions, please call 1.800.HELP.ME” and they will give you the standard company information. As a senior manager joining the company, you are expected to know the inner workings (i.e., reporting systems) of the company when you first walk in the door.  The larger the company, especially if you are publicly-traded, the more siloed the departments.  Keep in mind, they ain’t talking to each other for the most part, as they are busy protecting their fiefdoms. The culture (it’s like learning a foreign language without a Rosetta Stone). The hierarchical structure can make or break you in the first 90-120 days because you never get a second chance to make a first impression.  Do you report to someone local?  If so, that is hugely useful.  If not, you are subject to fragmented detail that can affect your success and outcome.
You need to have an advocate in your corner.   Very important!  Create a local network of management personnel who can help you as needed.  You may be on-boarded by “locals” who do not report to your hiring manager.  If your hiring manager does not have a close relationship with these on-boarders, you may not receive credit for your contributions to the company.  Are they ready for you?  E.g., if you are in a business development role, do they have a list of prospects they want you to pursue.  If you have to create your own list from scratch, there goyour first 90 days of hitting the ground running.  Are you a leader?  For your team?  Do you have skills to unite a group of people with competing egos?  If not, take advantage of any internal training offered by the company or seek outside training. Be very clear about WHY “you” do what you do!  You will need to be able to defend that every day in many ways. 
Clients buy WHY you do what you do not WHAT you do.  Regardless of the onboarding  afforded you, always keep the image of how you want to be seen in the forefront of your mind.  It will help you to create your own personal brand that will help you in the future to be known as a “_________________.”  Leadership will brand you.  Make sure you are the best original you can be, not a cheap imitation 
Remember, the successful integration into the new company is your responsibility.  You must take the initiative, even if your new employer has a structured onboarding program.  You must know the pitfalls of starting a new job. You have experience and a body of knowledge to guide you.  At this stage of your career, you should be able to anticipate when problems may occur.  Build your network.  Keep a diary. Evaluate your progress and make adjustments as necessary.  Communicate, communicate, communicate.   Be inquisitive.

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 very important to me so;please leave a comment.

Jim Weber, President
New Century Dynamics Executive Search
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Onboarding Part Two: A Text Book Case


In order to get a company perspective, I talked with one of my clients this week.  This VP of Human Resources and I had worked for the same company in the early 1990’s.  That company had a model onboarding program, so I was not surprised to learn of my client’s commitment to effective onboarding.
My client, let’s call him Mark, told me that they viewed onboarding as a process, not an event.  They use a six month period to assimilate the new hire into the culture, her role, and her team.  He said, “the Devil is in the details.”  It is a well-plannedprogram run by their training department.  That was an interesting revelation.  But it makes sense.  He went on to say that the new hire’s supervisor is involved in the process to include regular interaction.  The new hire is assessed throughout the process which is recorded on a balanced scorecard. 
Mark told me that a new CMO had joined the company that day.  She was beginning to go through the same process, starting on the shop floor.  This first step is scheduled for six to eight weeks.  During this time, she will learn the business from the ground up.  The next phase is to shadow a Regional Operations Vice President for eight to twelve weeks.  She will see how the moving parts work together in the field, especially how Sales, Operations, and Marketing personnel interact.
The final step is to spend time with her direct reports to understand how the business rolls up to her level of responsibility.  The evaluation process includes a three hundred sixty degrees review.  Mark is very proud of their process and its results.  He said, “it is important to start the new hire on the right foot.”  He went on to say that their home office turnover is very low, seven percent.”  As I mentioned earlier, Mark and I had worked for the same company years ago.  Their onboarding process was superb.  It is no surprise to me that he carried on the tradition with his current employer.
Mark went on to tell me that the onboarding plan is customized to the new hire.  A conference call is scheduled prior to the new hire’s start date.  It is a group conference that includes all relevant parties.  Adjustments are made along the way to accommodate for transition issues like house hunting trips if relocation is involved.  At the end of the process, the new hire debriefs with her Superior.
My client’s program is a textbook example of onboarding the new hire most effectively.  Probably the most effective part of the process is the significant amount of time given to shadowing key personnel in the field.  Not only does the new hire see what gets done they also become immersed in the culture.  They learn the company’s philosophy,  values, and norms.  They learn about the formal  power structure as well as the informal power dynamics of the firm.  The latter may prove to be very important to the new hire’s success.
Successful onboarding programs think of the new hire as a customer.  Their question is.“ how would you deliver great service to this customer?”  A key component of great customer service requires monitoring the process and the evaluation of the customer’s effectiveness using the product.  My client’s program closely follows this model.  Additionally, by placing the responsibility for onboarding with the training department they ensure that accountability is optimized. 
If the employer believes that onboarding is critical to the new hire’s success, then it needs the appropriate emphasis.  If the employer lacks the resources internally, it may be worthwhile to consider an outside resource to guide the process.
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 very important to me so, please leave a comment.
Jim Weber, President
New Century Dynamics Executive Search

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Onboarding: Start A New Job The Right Way!

When I begin hearing the same thing from different people at the same time I stop and take notice.  That is what happened last week.  One day, my colleague on the consulting side of our business was lamenting a client’s poor management of the onboarding process for a candidate I just placed.   The next day the issue became, even more, personal as a close friend opened up about her experience.  She was disappointed with the way she was onboarded by her current employer.   She had just completed her one-year anniversary as a Key Account Executive with a Fortune 500 financial services company.   She thought she could have been much more productive leveraging her six-figure salary if her boss had crafted a better onboarding program.   The message to her was: “you are smart and experienced so you can figure it out.”   Of course, she did figure it out, but at what cost?  
To some extent, I can understand the first situation as the client is an emerging brand with a lot of moving parts.  On the other hand, my colleague had delivered the on-boarding plan to the hiring manager.  All he had to do was to share same with the new employee and facilitate his training and assimilation.  The second situation is more confusing as the employer is a major, well-established brand. 
When I think back on my job changes, while an employee in the Fortune 500 environment, I enjoyed the benefits of well-crafted onboarding programs.  These were significant Senior General Manager positions.  Not C-level jobs, but meaningful, highly compensated jobs.    My employers invested the time to ensure that I had the tools, understood the culture, and assimilated well into my new job.  They knew that if the onboarding program were sound, I would be more efficient sooner enhancing my potential to the company.   
I understand that the world that changed.  People are expected to do more with less.  Some things have not changed, however.  Turnover is still very costly.   Typically, most turnover comes from the ranks of the least-tenured employees.  In other words, there is a majority of permanent employees who have been with the company for a long time.   The smaller group of less tenured employees represents the segment that is turning most often.   Why is that?  It is costly!   Companies do not hire from the outside if they have the talent available inside the enterprise.  So churning the most recent hires represents a failure to meet recruiting goals.   In these situations, something is amiss in the recruiting-selection-management process.   
For our purposes, onboarding is about housekeeping, incorporation, and acceleration.  Housekeeping refers to the administrative activities of making a new hire an employee.   That includes completing the new-hire package to put the individual into the payroll system and assigning their workspace.  It also includes providing the new hire with tools of the trade such as cell phones, computers, and access to the intranet.    Incorporation speaks to the introduction of the new employee to the company.  That includes getting to know their existing team, peers, and possibly the next level of management where they may interface.  Acceleration is about helping the new hire become fully productive as soon as possible.  Acceleration is learning how things get done in the company.   It is as much about cultural indoctrination as it is about understanding business processes.  Acceleration may be the most critical part of the onboarding process as it is highly interpersonal and likely the most politically charged part of the work environment. 
If you are about to start a new job, invest some time learning about your onboarding plan.  If you find it lacking, you must be proactive!  Take the initiative to enhance the onboarding program and gain buy-in from your hiring manager and key stakeholders.   Success in your new job depends on getting off to a good start!   For the next few posts, we will explore the onboarding process more thoroughly.

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 in-box.  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 very important to me so please leave a comment.

Jim Weber, President

New Century Dynamics Executive Search



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Your Recruiter’s Vetting Process: Other Activities


For the past few weeks we have explored the candidate vetting process via interviewing.   Interviews are important, but hardly the only way candidates are evaluated.  There is a lot of work done throughout the selection process that precede, parallel, and succeed interviews.    To be successful you must understand the entire vetting process and prepare accordingly.
Most of my candidates come from my network, either as primary contacts or their referrals.  I generally know a bit about them and may have worked with them in the past.   The people in my network have established a certain level of trust.  Candidates introduced by network members benefit as that trust attaches to them, more or less.   Additionally, the referral source will provide much needed background information on their referral.  It is not uncommon to receive referrals from second and third level connections who I may not know.  Or, for some searches I must actively network to find candidates.  In these cases I am connecting with people I don’t know.   Since they are unfamiliar to me, I must establish a comfort level to put them into contention.  The basic process to accomplish that goal is:

  • Talk with people at companies where they have worked.
  • Review their on-line persona.
  • Conduct an Internet Search.

It really is a small world which technology continues to shrink.  Since I focus on a limited number of industry segments my professional world is a bit smaller.  If I have not crossed paths with someone, I know people that have.   By using my network I can talk to people who have had direct experience with the job seeker.  They will validate him, or not.  These discussions are particularly helpful as I will uncover information not available through more traditional means.

One’s online persona is important to explore.  We have heard stories of bad behavior displayed on the Facebook pages of recent College Grads and younger professionals.   Although this is less the case with more senior executives, there is still a lot to learn by reviewing their social media accounts.  It may seem like an invasion of privacy, a little creepy even.   The Internet, however, is the public domain and fair game.  LinkedIn is particularly useful.  The background information presented there is more comprehensive than most resumes.   I can get to know the candidate’s professional associations and affiliations as well as references provided by coworkers.  If they are active in on-line groups I can evaluate their technical savvy and writing skills.  If they are active on Twitter I can learn more about their interests.  In summary, social media is an information gold mine.

I use Google to find news articles about or written by my candidates.  There’s also a number of fee-based services available to collect highly personal financial information.  I haven’t found the need to do so, but you can be certain that others will.  You must know that the internet makes it easy to learn as much as one needs to know about job seekers.

Understanding the full scope of the recruiter’s vetting process is important to your success as a job seeker.  Understanding the information the recruiter needs and how she finds that information will help you better manage your personal brand.   Manage your public profile proactively to better support your job search goals.

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 in-box.  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 very important to me so please leave a comment.

Jim Weber, President

New Century Dynamics Executive Search

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Ace Your Next Interview: The Executive Recruiter

My last two posts have been focused on preparation to help you with the experienced, highly competent interviewer, as well as the not-so-competent.   Whereas those posts were about interviews you might expect from the employer it makes sense to talk about the type of interview process you should expect from a third party Executive Recruiter.  It may be useful to talk about my process, which I believe to be fairly representative of our field.

Prior to introducing any candidate to my client I complete this three-part interview process:

  • Preliminary conversation
  • In-depth interview
  • Follow-up conversation

The starting point for my search assignments is the Position Specification provided by the client.  This document is a combination of a traditional Job Description plus a description of the ideal candidate’s profile.  Additionally, the client often includes a list of personal attributes which they believe will ensure the best fit with their culture.  I use this document as my road map.  The candidates I consider must have backgrounds that match the client’s requirements.

The preliminary conversation is scheduled for 20 minutes.  During this time I work to ensure that the candidate’s expectations for compensation and job requirements are aligned with the client.  I want to know that the candidate will relocate if required.  I also want to understand the candidate’s motivation to consider the job in question.  During this time I am evaluating the candidate’s professional demeanor.  If the candidate passes muster during this process I will reveal the name of the client and send her relevant information, including the position specs.  I give the candidate time to do her due-diligence to ensure that this job fits her career goals.   If the candidate does not align properly we agree to end the discussion at that point.   I ask for permission to add her email address to my mailing list, keeping her advised of new opportunities as they develop.

When the candidate is ready to proceed we schedule the in-depth interview.  Depending on the location of the candidate this interview may be in person, or over the phone.  I allow 60 minutes for the in-depth interview.   The first half of our time is devoted to listening to the candidate present his history in his own way.   I want to understand the decisions he has made managing his career.  Why did he change jobs?  Why did he join a particular company?  What kind of experience was he looking for?  I want to understand his successes and challenges.  I want to learn about building and managing effective teams and employees he has developed for promotion.   Most successful people have given a lot of thought to their careers.  They know their strengths and weaknesses.  They understand their ideal type of work and corporate culture.  This insight is important to me!

During the in-depth, I am evaluating the candidate’s communication skills; specifically the ability to present their career story in a compelling way.  I want to be certain that the candidate’s communication skills fit the client’s expectations.   After all, effective communication is likely the most important skill required of a Senior Executive.  When the candidate is finished presenting his history I use the remaining time to gain clarification and complete housekeeping duties like recording a salary history.   If this conversation goes well then I advise the candidate as to when I plan to present his credentials.  If it does not go well I will let him know.

The follow-up interview is usually short, targeted to gain specific information to help me complete my candidate’s introduction to the client.  That introduction includes a point by point justification as to how the candidate meets the client’s requirements, as well as her resume.  There are other aspects to my candidate validation process which I will describe in next week’s post.

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

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Ace Your Next Interview: The Well-Trained Interviewer


Last week’s post was directed at helping you with an inexperienced, untrained interviewer.  Unfortunately, you are likely to meet those folks far more often than the experienced, well-trained interviewer.   The suggestions I provided last week are also useful when talking with a competent interviewer.   And let’s face it, you probably will not know in advance the competency of your interviewer so prepare for the worst and hope for the best.

Speaking of well-trained, highly competent interviewers, I can thank my colleague, Stan for this week’s topic.  When reviewing my post with Stan last week, he asked me what “knock-out” questions I used in my interviews.   I was confident that I knew what he meant, but just to be sure, I asked him for an explanation.  A highly useful interview question, I did not want to make any poor assumptions.   Stan told me that he used a few interview questions that if poorly answered would eliminate the candidate from further consideration.  He provided the following examples.
1.     If we hire you, what is your plan for the next 30, 60, and 90 days?
2.     Why should we hire you instead of the other highly qualified candidates in the queue?
3.     Why do you want to work here?
4.     What motivates you more, the thrill of winning or the fear of losing?
As it turns out, Stan and I were on the same page however, my methodology gets to the “knock-out” issue (suitability for the job) in a different way, which may become  another blog post.  These questions are meant to learn how the candidate will approach her work and how she might set priorities.   They surface issues which the candidate should have given serious consideration and preparation to discuss.  The response gives the interviewer insight into the candidate’s thought process.  Additionally, they help the hiring manager gauge the candidates’ interest level for the job in question.   Poor unfocused answers are a big red flag.  If the candidate has not given any thought to these questions then she is likely not a good fit for the job.  “Knock-out” questions help the interviewer validate the candidate’s Executive skills, (ability)  motivation ( interest level) and fit (cultural).
Executive Skills:

  •  Strategic thinking
  •  Goal Orientation
  • Leadership ability
  • Technical Proficiency

Motivation
  • Self-awareness
  • Personal drivers
  • Career Goals
  • Understands the job and expectations for success
  • Is very interested in the job in question
Fit
  • Understands and shares our values
  • Belief in our product/service/mission
  • Experience working in a similar culture
So, the “knock-out” question is meant to qualify/disqualify the candidate on the most fundamental issues of concern to any hiring manager.  A satisfactory answer does not mean that one will get the job.  It is the ante.  The price of poker, so to speak.  They are meant as a starting point to understand the three big questions on the mind of the hiring manager;  1) can he do the job, 2) will he do the job, and 3) will he fit our culture.
An executive recruiter begins with the same fundamental questions.  He may arrive as his answers in a different way, but the result is the same.  If you are not working through a third party recruiter you should give serious consideration as to how you answer these questions, as well.  It would be useful to talk with other experienced hiring managers to understand their knock out questions.
To be successful in front of an experienced interviewer requires preparation.  Give ample thought to the job you seek!  Know the kind of questions interviewers use to qualify candidates at the most fundamental level.   Preparation is the key to success in any endeavor.   Ace your next interview by developing great answers to the obvious ‘knock-out” questions.

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