Jim Weber is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting. Jim Weber will lead a discussion building your Independent Consulting Business
Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 845 1610 9138
Passcode: 393716
Prior to forming New Century Dynamics Executive Search in 1999, Jim Weber spent 22 years with Fortune 500 companies in the Food Retailing Industry where he developed a broad-based portfolio of “hands-on” line and staff experience in growth and turnaround situations. A proven executive with exceptional leadership skills, Jim has a strong financial background and heavy operations experience in specialty retail stores, quick-service restaurants, manufacturing, and distribution.
Jim Weber is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Jim Weber will present Better – Writing, Leads to More Gigs…Jim will lead a discussion to help the attendees become more effective by improving the quality of their written communications.
Our Spotlight Speaker is Doug Reifschneider
Jim Weber – Managing Partner, ITB Partners
Prior to forming New Century Dynamics Executive Search in 1999, Jim Weber spent 22 years with Fortune 500 companies in the Food Retailing Industry where he developed a broad-based portfolio of “hands-on” line and staff experience in growth and turnaround situations. A proven executive with exceptional leadership skills, Jim has a strong financial background and heavy operations experience in specialty retail stores, quick-service restaurants, manufacturing, and distribution.
If Kerri had a nickel for every time she answered “how did you ever get into recruiting?” she would be on a tiny island, that she owns, sipping frozen drinks with little umbrellas. With a finance degree and an investment analyst background, Kerri walked into an Atlanta staffing office in 2003 and sought help finding another analyst position. As the story goes, she was recruited to be a recruiter.
Kerri always boasts, “I absolutely love what I do; I am passionate about being in Talent Acquisition and helping people find jobs; it is the best feeling in the world!”
Working for several staffing agencies and consulting firms as well as internally recruiting for a few corporations, Kerri has a keen knowledge of managing high performing teams, strategizing with executive leaders, consulting with hiring managers and human resource partners and sourcing and recruiting stellar candidates. Kerri has successfully managed relationships at all levels between the client/hiring manager and the job seeker throughout the interview process to ensure timely and effective placements.
What have Kerri’s candidates, colleagues and executives said about her?
• “honest, passionate … proven veteran … right kind of leader … commitment to excellence and professionalism … motivated and forward-thinking … best recruiter I worked within 50 years”
• “Talent Acquisition leader with a successful track record of leading change initiatives, improving processes and operational metrics, exceeding goals, and managing staff.”
Kerri grew up on Long Island in New York, attended the University of Maryland for 3 years (ZTA love) before transferring and graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in Finance from Hofstra University. Shortly thereafter, she moved to Atlanta in 1995.
Peter Frost, President of BENG, said networking is critical as job searching strategies and career transition continues to change in this economy. “Those in transition can no longer rely on job search engines to fuel their search, they need to continuously build a network and stay connected to that network,” explains Frost. “Most new members begin to realize all of the networking contacts they let go during years of secure employment and they’re encouraged to become career networkers.”
Business Executives Networking Group “BENG is a non-profit organization providing mid to senior-level professionals seeking employment, with a forum that will facilitate their job search and enhance their networking skills. This multidiscipline, independent group of mid-to senior-level professionals contains job seekers and employed members and business owners. BENG provides employment information, opportunities for networking, emotional support, and tools to accelerate their members’ job search. We rely upon the spirit of generosity and cooperation of our members, whether in transition or employed, to accomplish this mission.”
Your Atlanta meeting facilitators are Richard Kirby Jim Weber
During my college years, I learned that if I completed my term papers early, I would have the flexibility to avail myself of interesting opportunities. That usually meant enjoying social events with my Fraternity Brothers. Besides, I never saw the point of adding stress to my life by waiting until the last minute to tackle a project.
Last weekend was a great example:
Last week, my friend Michael Moore invited me to join him for a Saturday Morning meeting of the Atlanta Chapter of the National Speakers Association (NSA). I was not familiar with the NSA, but I would like to become a better speaker. I called Michael for more information. He told me he had been a member for many years and thought I would enjoy the event. He said the meeting would begin at 8:30 a.m. and end at noon. Additionally, he reminded me to bring my mask as the meeting would be fully Covid-19 compliant. Since I had already completed and published my weekly blog post, my Saturday was clear. I was sold. I registered for the event immediately after our call.
As with most meetings, the first thirty minutes is usually for check-in and networking. It is rare for me to attend an event in Atlanta that I do not encounter people I know. Arriving early provides an opportunity to meet new people and catch up with friends. I made plans to arrive at 8:30 a.m.
Background of NSA
The National Speakers Association (NSA) was founded in 1973 to help its members become more successful by providing education, tools, and resources. NSA members include speakers, trainers, educators, humorists, motivators, consultants, and authors from a variety of industry segments. NSA helps build eloquence, expertise, enterprise, and ethics. Their Mission is “Empowering professional speakers to thrive and influence. We elevate excellence, share expertise, and challenge one another to improve.” NSA’s values are to “provide mutual support, shared success, giving back, and cooperation over competition to build a bigger pie.” Clearly, this organization is aligned with my goals and values.
Full Covid-19 Compliance
I arrived on-site at about 8:30 a.m. and was greeted at the door by my host and another gentleman who I did not know. I later learned that he was the Barry Banther, the keynote speaker, and Incoming NSA National Board Chairman. I proceeded to ‘checked-in’ where I filled out a brief Covid-19 questionnaire and had my temperature checked. As I was obviously healthy and wearing my mask, I received my name badge and was directed to the meeting room. Already in the room, several people were engaged in conversation. You know, networking. Not surprisingly, I encountered a colleague and the speaker for my upcoming BENG Atlanta Chapter meeting. Before the official meeting began, I was able to ‘catch up’ with my colleague and prepare my speaker for Tuesday’s meeting. After catching up with those folks, I encountered a third acquaintance who had attended a few of my events. That is networking in Atlanta. You usually find people you know at any event you attend.
The meeting room was staged to accommodate the attendees as well as those participating via ZOOM. The layout included a well-appointed elevated stage for individual presentations and interviews. It was well-lighted and flanked by video monitors. It was not a particularly large room, but it could easily accommodate sixty people. It was more than adequate for the twenty members and guests seated appropriately for social distancing. It is an excellent venue for my meetings.
The Meeting
Thurman Interview
The formal meeting began promptly at 9:00 a.m. with a welcome and presentation of the organization’s mission. This was followed by the introduction of guests and our hosts. The next item on the agenda was the Installation of Chapter Officers for 2020 – 2021. The ‘warm-up’ Speaker was Dan Thurman who talked about his experience starting out as a professional speaker.
The Keynote
Barry Banther, the Keynote Speaker was impressive. I suppose that should be expected of the incoming NSA Chairman. Barry’s talk was titled “How to Build
Barry Banther Keynote
a Sustainable, Profitable, and Fulfilling Business as a Speaker.” It was an excellent presentation! He used a lot of stories to drive home his points, holding our attention. His talk was particularly relevant as it was similar to one of mine. I received many ideas to improve my presentation which justified my attendance.
Conclusion
There are good reasons to avoid procrastination. In addition to creating stress, procrastination can result in lost opportunities. If you believe, as I do, that networking and continuous learning are important professional skills, you should engage in those activities whenever possible. For me personally, I believe that public speaking is a fundamental skill to be developed. I was fortunate to be able to accept my friend’s invitation to the NSA Meeting. Completing my work early in the week paid off big-time.
Thank you for visiting our blog.
Jim Weber – Managing Partner, ITB Partners
I hope you enjoyed our 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 Cichanski, CEO of FlexHR will present HR Trends 2020
Distress in the workplace? You’re not alone. This Human Resources trends discussion will focus on the essentials business owners must know in today’s’ world, as well as to stay compliant with labor and IRS laws during current times. This review takes a deep dive into policy, best practices, and HR operations.
We’ll guide you through tangible situations and how the repercussions can cost tens of thousands of dollars to your organization. Next, we will review the “Risk Factor” of actions that are critical for managing the human side of your enterprise.
This session will include COVID conversations, details on how to stay out of trouble and reduce risk factors, clarifying policy, laws, handbook communications, managing millennials, and how to hire and fire employees in a social distancing environment. And finally, we will open the forum up to go through questions and answers.
Your presenter is Jim Cichanski, the founder and CEO of Flex HR, Inc. and a Preferred Partner of VSG. Jim also spent 27 years in the Army National Guard achieving the rank of Colonel, was inducted into the Officer Candidate School Hall of Fame, and received numerous awards including the Legion of Merit. Jim holds a BA in Applied Behavioral Sciences, is a graduate of the Department of Defense Equal Opportunity Institute, has served on the board of HealthSource of Georgia, and was an inside board member for 17 companies. He is an ongoing active member of various HR and Angel Investor professional organizations.
Jim Cichanski – CEO FlexHR
Flex HR, Inc. was selected Best of Johns Creek Award in the Business Human Resources Consultant category by the Johns Creek Award Program last year, and this year was inducted into the Johns Creek Business Hall of Fame. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution awarded Flex HR “Best of Atlanta Business Profiles” while Outsourcing Gazette magazine listed Flex HR as the “Top Most Promising HR & Staffing Service Vendors.” For 3 years INC Magazine recognized Flex HR as an Inc 5000 “Fastest Growing Privately Held Companies in America”. Jim was also recognized by the North Fulton Chamber of Commerce as the “Small Businessperson of the Year.” Catalyst Magazine acknowledged Flex HR as 1 of 18 Companies CEO’s in Atlanta would like to own. Jim is married to his wife Eldeen for 40 years, has two daughters and 4 grandchildren. He recently served on the Board of Directors for HomeStretch and is an active board member and investor in several Human Resources related ventures.
This was a good week. It was not a good week because I recruited a new consultant, which I did. It was not because I accomplished all of my planned tasks, but I did. And, it was not a good week because I had several very productive meetings. All these activities are noteworthy of course, but it was my ability to mix these activities with my favorite personal pastimes that made the week so enjoyable. Yes, I accomplished quite a bit and had a lot of fun in the process.
The high point of my week was my meeting with Walt. I was introduced to him, three weeks ago by Dave, a mutual friend. Dave reached out to me to see if I would be interested in talking with him as he needed help with his job search. I have great confidence in Dave’s recommendations, so I invited him to make the introductions. Shortly after that, Walt and I were having a telephone conversation.
Our first conversation was relatively brief. I learned that he had a background in the food distribution segment with experience in business development and as a category manager. Walt advised me that he had been terminated within the past two weeks, having been furloughed by the pandemic. He did not have a current resume to share, at that time, but promised to send a copy when it was ready. He said that it has been a long time since he has had to look for a job. Actually, this may be the first time he has been in a job search since he began his career. I also learned that he is a cigar aficionado, familiar with my favorite cigar bar. We ended the conversation with my commitment to follow up after I review his resume.
We met mid-afternoon, Thursday at the cigar bar. After making our cigar and beverage selections we found seats at a table in a private meeting room. We made a toast and got down to business. He handed me his resume as he began to recap his background. Walt is an extrovert. He is friendly, engaging, and interesting. We are about the same age and have much in common. Our meeting was off to a great start. He laid out his history as a Category Manager and Business Development Professional in the food distribution industry segment. He explained that he was furloughed at the beginning of the lockdown, then recently terminated.
We spent the better part of two hours together. I noted that he is better off than most job seekers. He has a severance package including a non-compete clause. He has a solid network and excellent references. Already, he has reached out to make them aware of his situation so they can be helpful. He admitted that he is not savvy about networking groups or how to find them. He said he is open to new opportunities.
When Walt finished presenting his background he asked for my advice. I commended him on his positive outlook and his willingness to consider new opportunities. We discussed the obvious difficulty in the foodservice segment; however, I foresee opportunities helping his prior customers with their purchasing and supply chain issues. We also discussed pursuing opportunities in non-food distribution. I told him that many are finding success by taking freelance consulting projects as a bridge strategy to find full-time employment. Finally, I suggested that his search should include smaller companies with upside potential.
His resume, hot off the presses, was prepared by an HR professional, not a professional resume writer. Although it is well organized and easy to read, it is bland and lacks a call to action. It does not reflect the contributions he has made to his employers and his positioning statement lacks clarity. I can help him with that issue.
His final question was about my program. Could I be helpful, and how I was paid for my services? I explained how the three parts of my business, (New Century Dynamics Executive Search, ITB Partners, and Executive Career Coaching) operated and how each could be helpful to him.
At the end of our conversation I agreed to the following deliverables:
Help him plug into the market via networking groups.
Review his resume and LinkedIn Profile – make recommendations.
Provide clearer background information about our capabilities.
Make Strategic Introductions to my network.
Walt is hitting the market at a difficult time. The economy is coming out of recession, it is the middle of summer, and his industry segment is under pressure. As a Baby Boomer, he has demographic challenges. On the plus side, he has a solid skill stack and a positive mindset. His severance package is a plus. He has a good network and great references. Most importantly, he is coach-able and open to new opportunities. Walt will adapt to the realities of this market as he has a better understanding of his options. I am confident that it won’t be long until he will be gainfully employed.
Thank you for visiting our blog.
Jim Weber – Managing Partner, ITB Partners
I hope you enjoyed our 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.
Dan Jourdan or “The Deej” as he is known, is a salesman. He has successfully started from scratch, built up, and sold five out of six of his own businesses. But he is not a businessman, he is a salesman. The one business that failed was when he tried to be a real human, instead of a salesman. With his current firm “Dan Jourdan & Associates” Dan now writes, speaks, and sings about how to grow your business quickly, through strategic acquisition. (I don’t really sing) Dan lives in Georgia with his wife Sharon and two kids Matthew and Sophie.
Dan will present “The Corona Close” How to Prospect Effectively in Today’s New Market.
If you are a Job Seeker, this discussion will help you understand the nuances of the current labor market so you will be better able to understand the opportunities for success.
Small business owners will find that this discussion will help them better understand how they can address the needs and priorities of their clients and prospects.
Dan Jourdan is about Building Self Functioning, Highly Profitable Sales Organizations For Your Small Business.
The BENG
“Members Helping Members”
Peter Frost, President of BENG, said networking is critical as job searching strategies and career transition continues to change in this economy. “Those in transition can no longer rely on job search engines to fuel their search, they need to continuously build a network and stay connected to that network,” explains Frost. “Most new members begin to realize all of the networking contacts they let go during years of secure employment and they’re encouraged to become career networkers.”
Business Executives Networking Group “BENG is a non-profit organization providing mid to senior-level professionals seeking employment, with a forum that will facilitate their job search and enhance their networking skills. This multidiscipline, independent group of mid-to senior-level professionals contains job seekers and employed members and business owners. BENG provides employment information, opportunities for networking, emotional support, and tools to accelerate their members’ job search. We rely upon the spirit of generosity and cooperation of our members, whether in transition or employed, to accomplish this mission.”
Your Atlanta meeting facilitators are Richard Kirby Jim Weber
Robert Steele has 40 years of Insurance, Employee Benefits, Healthcare, and Technology experience as a sales and marketing executive. Robert’s biggest asset is his ability to take companies in transition and turn them around when sales, marketing, or product development was causing financial or operational bottlenecks.
He has taken four companies that were all facing growth problems with a different underlying problem at each company and created new opportunities for growth, financing, or product development and enhancement. Robert loves challenges. Adapt to dealing with C-Suite executives where a trusted advisor relationship becomes the difference between making a sale and losing a sale is a key to his success. His innate ability to ask key questions, at the right time, to get executives engaged in the process has led Robert to close six, seven, and eight-figure deals.
Robert’s passion is helping teams re-invent themselves to a level of excellence in their sales activity and exceeding objectives. He has mentored peers, colleagues, and even competitors to think differently about themselves and their approach to problems that have been plaguing their sales challenges.
Now we know what it is like to shelter in place for the better part of two months. But try to imagine being in the middle of a job search, making good progress, just to have the Covid-19 shelter-in-place recommendation induce a dead stop? What a bummer! Well, a lot of people found themselves in this situation. I talked with several and have taken on a few as clients.
I worked with one client who is in a job search for the first time in 15 years. This client lost her job before the shelter in place began and was just getting traction when everything stopped. She came to me seeking help with her resume and networking efforts. She needed a skills tune-up.
A lot has changed since her last job search. The proliferation of online job boards and electronic resume submissions is a major change. She wanted to ensure that her resume featured the best keywords to optimize her results with automated resume reading programs.
Then again, job search has not changed that much, especially for senior managers. 85% of jobs are still secured via old fashioned networking. 10% of jobs are found through job boards, with the balance through Executive Recruiters. Naturally, my advice to job seekers is to allocate their time in the same proportions. It is not easy at first for those who are not confident networking. It is easier to sit in front of a computer screen, applying for jobs. Of course, they become frustrated by the lack of response.
I begin coaching a new client by seeking to understand their career. This helps me determine how to present the client in a compelling way. More importantly, I want the client to articulate their story effectively and concisely. It is not easy at first for most, but eventually, they get it. This is one of my towering strengths.
The resume is the best place to start. A well-crafted resume will tell a story about patterns of success and career growth. These patterns reveal the candidate’s orientation toward measurable results, or not. It also tells something about the type of work and environment where they are most effective. Are their skills best suited to taking on new projects or assignments? Are they better suited to turnarounds or troubleshooting? Do they thrive in ambiguous situations that require rationalization, or making incremental improvements to established lines of business? Whatever the case, I help them identify their career patterns. They become the theme of the candidate’s story. Make the theme of your career story stand out.
The first time a recruiter or hiring manager touches a resume it is likely to receive little more than 20 seconds of their time. Obviously, the reader is scanning, not reading. They are absorbing impressions. Their focus is on the first third of the first page. They are looking for a headline, keywords, phrases, and job titles. If they are not captivated by what they see, that will be the end of one’s opportunity. I make those key points jump off the page.
To tell an effective story you must know your audience. Are you sending your resume to an internal or an external recruiter? Maybe it is going to the hiring manager. Are you responding to an online Job Posting? Are you scheduled to attend a networking meeting or maybe a one-on-one? Is your LinkedIn Profile current? Each point of contact represents a different audience, requiring a different vehicle. Your job search tools include your resume, Bio, Cover Letter, LinkedIn page, Key Results Summary, and business cards. They are to be used in a coordinated manner, each for a specific purpose. A detailed resume is your foundation document.
Make your resume an interesting read. Make it read like a story. Each sentence must draw the reader into your journey. Make them want to read the next sentence, then the next. When you review your resume, look to see if it tells a story. Is it clear and compelling? Is there a common theme woven throughout? Does it make you look interesting? Does it entice the reader to schedule a meeting? If the answer to those questions is not in the affirmative, you have work to do.
Thank you for visiting our blog.
Jim Weber – Managing Partner, ITB Partners
I hope you enjoyed our 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 is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting. Kevin Garrett is our Main Speaker, Doug Reifschneider is the Spotlight Speaker
Kevin Garrett is a nationally recognized LPL Financial Advisor, and Partner in one of the largest financial planning consortiums in the country.
Kevin Garrett – Integrated Financial Group
Kevin and his team focus his extensive planning strategies around pursuing his clients’ goals and dreams for themselves and their families before and during retirement. He specializes in assisting women who are dealing with challenges in their lives, as well as the unique needs of sports and entertainment professionals.
Kevin is involved in the local community, most recently as a member of the International Rotary’s Dunwoody Chapter, Committee Chairman with the North Fulton County March of Dimes, as well as being on Advisory Boards for the St. Jude Golf for the Kids Invitational and the Fulton County school system. Kevin is a member of the Atlanta Athletic Club where he has been active on the club’s committees. He also coaches his son’s league basketball team. He lives in the Atlanta area with his life and business partner, Lesley, and their 2 sons and daughter.
