Fistful of Talent

Is Your Employment Brand Being Created on the Social Web Without You?

Talk to any business leader or HR professional today about implementing a social media strategy to enhance their Employment Brand and recruiting efforts, and you're likely to be met with a blank stare. Once they snap out of their trance of horror, the first question is often - "But what happens if someone says something bad?" Which makes me wonder...

If an Employee or Customer complains on the Internet - and no one from the Company is listening - do they make a sound?

Ummm - you betcha.

In the book "Satisfied Customers Tell Three Friends, Angry Customers Tell 3,000: Running a Business in Today's Consumer-Driven World" - author Pete Blackshaw points out that companies no longer control how consumers talk about their brands, so it's important for business leaders and brand managers to build credibility and trust online with their web-savvy consumers. And while the message in Pete's book is directed primarily at marketers and brand managers -Recruiters and HR Professionals can (and should) apply many of the same strategies toward creating a trusted and credible web presence for their Employment Brand by participating in digital conversations. Let's face it - the internet is one of the first places where potential employees will be looking for information about your company. It's also where current, former and future employees are hanging out and interacting with "Friends" asking questions, having conversations and sharing information.

So how to shake the fear and get involved? Follow the examples of some of the big kids on the block who've been at it for awhile and start with these steps:

--Develop a Social Media policy and communicate it to all employees. You know you want to do it. Creating policies and procedures is something most human resource professionals live for and here's your chance to feed that need because in this case - it's a good thing. (Example: IBM's Social Computing Guidelines)

--Monitor what's being said about your Company/your Brand and respond appropriately to both positive and negative content. Build a reputation for being responsive/engaging and use the feedback you receive to correct problems or make necessary changes. (Example: ComcastCares on Twitter)

--Develop a strategy for addressing negative content - before it happens. Determine who the appropriate people are to respond and treat comments or questions on the web like a face-to-face adult conversation. Apologize if necessary. Correct inaccurate information with facts and data. Thank commenters for bringing up issues and communicate any changes that will be made as a result of their feedback. (Example: The United States Air Force, whose awesome Blog Response Flowchart could be used as a guideline for social media responses in general.)

--Have a real human on your team create content and respond to comments or questions - not your Attorney, PR person and often - not the HR Manager - since these people often have a tendency to speak in gobbledygook.  Remember the social web is about "conversations" and real humans typically don't talk that way. (Example: Southwest Airlines - Nuts About Southwest incorporates a variety of company voices on their BlogSouthwest page.)

The truth is, as stewards of the Employment Brand, it's past time to implement a social media involvement strategy and plan. Employees and potential employees are likely already engaged in (or lurking within) "conversations" - both good and bad - about our companies on blogs, social networks, video/photo sharing sites, online forums and message boards - but unfortunately, company leaders aren't listening in or participating in the dialog. With no balance or credible response, we risk allowing these potentially negative conversations to become our "Employment Brand" when prospective employees turn to search engines to research companies of interest. Don't be the one to let that happen on your watch.

Editor's Note - Jennifer McClure is a Vice President at Centennial, Inc.,a Cincinnati-based recruitment and coaching firm, where she's charged with strategic recruiting efforts, executive coaching and business development for the firm.  Send her an uncustomized LinkedIn invite at your own peril...  

Outplacement Services - A Recruiter's Candy Store? It Should Be...

Jim was a Director of Strategic Planning at a Fortune 50 organization who successfully led the sales strategy for one of the company's premier brands. Bob was a Director of Marketing at a Fortune 500 company who received numerous industry awards and professional accolades for innovative initiatives that created product line growth. Dave was a President of a multi-billion dollar Fortune 1000 company who delivered millions of dollars in savings to his company and customers through leading global teams in performance improvement initiatives. Jennifer was a Vice President of Human Resources who developed and led recruiting strategies in a division of a Fortune 500 company during a period of high growth that resulted in over 80% retention of those hires after a two-year period.

What do all of these people have in common? They're "A" Players who found themselves restructured out of Corporate America at what could likely be called the peak of their professional careers due to mergers, acquisitions or economic conditions outside of their control - and they were all provided outplacement services as a result. But unfortunately, while each of these individuals were going through their career transition period, some companies or recruiters, who were looking for candidates just like them to fill key roles within their organizations, missed the opportunity to recruit them. Why? Because they never considered looking for candidates at an outplacement firm. It could be that these hiring professionals believed that only "passive" candidates were the answer, while some others wouldn't even have considered the idea of hiring someone who was currently unemployed. (Something must be wrong with them - right?)

To get past some of the perceived barriers in considering candidates in career transition, perhaps we should think of recruiting at outplacement firms for experienced hires in much the same way that we think of college recruiting for entry-level hires. Most companies who hire recent college graduates value the fact that these individuals have spent time preparing themselves for future employment by getting an education. Candidates going through outplacement services have also typically spent the time getting an education and have real-life work experiences that can be shared and evaluated in considering them for opportunities as well, plus they're also actively involved in completing assessments, working with a coach or counselor and participating in networking activities to prepare themselves for "re-employment". So, even though both types of candidates are un-employed, why do we sometimes place a stigma on the latter who are likely to be unemployed through no fault of their own?

I'm a Recruiter, and my primary focus is on connecting with business leaders who need help in identifying and attracting leadership talent to their organizations. As a result, I'm also always interested in connecting with top senior-level talent who may be a fit for those opportunities, and I've found outplacement firms to be a great resource to efficiently connect with these types of individuals. Through developing relationships with several outplacement firms and Career Coaches, I'm able to communicate my hiring needs to them and receive targeted and vetted referrals for my opportunities. I also regularly receive referrals of the types of individuals they know I'd like to connect with in general and these referrals are a potential win-win for all involved! The outplacement firm/Coach is able to add value to the process for their clients, the clients are able to expand their networks by connecting with a trusted Recruiter and I'm able to connect with high-quality individuals who could be either placements or clients in the future. (And, I'm able to make these high-quality connections without having to wade through thousands of resumes received through job postings or making hundreds of phone calls.)

In fact, I met 75% of the individuals mentioned in the first paragraph above through their outplacement activities or referrals from my relationships in the firm they were working with. To understand the value of these connections to me in my business - I've recommended the first individual for an opportunity with a client, I connected the second with his next career opportunity and the third is currently being considered for a position with one of my company's clients. The fourth - well that one was me - and I landed my current position through networking while going through outplacement. Thankfully, I was referred to the owner of the company where I currently work by my Career Coach because both understand the value of helping and connecting experienced professionals who are going through the career transition process.

Are you missing out on high-quality hires because you haven't considered sourcing candidates from outplacement services? If so, it's past time to shed any biases that you may have and start building some mutually beneficial relationships by walking in that candy store today.

Editor's Note - Jennifer McClure is a Vice President at Centennial, Inc.,a Cincinnati-based recruitment and coaching firm, where she's charged with strategic recruiting efforts, executive coaching and business development for the firm.  Send her an uncustomized LinkedIn invite at your own peril...  

FOTv Show #3 - Is a One-Page Resume the Secret to Job Search Success?

FOTv IS BACK.  And we're pissed off, and we're not going to take it anymore.

OK, I jest.  A little.  But we are eating our own today.  The target of our dining experience?  Jason Seiden, who had the audacity to say that in order to have a successful resume, you need to keep it to one page.  Here's what the human lighting rod had to say on his own blog on the topic:

"Looking for a job? Submitting your resume to recruiters, hiring managers, and HR departments?

Let’s get clarity around something: your resume needs to be one page. ONE. See for yourself why:

(Note: I assume that we’re talking about a hard copy resume in this video because my experience is that many people still print these things out and read them over lunch or on the train or other places where they are not plugged in. If you think your resume is going to be read online only, then this advice applies double: make all relevant information fit on ONE SCREEN, without shrinking the font to anything below 10 points.)".

Jason's, the camera's on, so defend yourself.  All the rest of you, click through to see what the FOT team thinks of Jason's latest deep thought, and hit us in the comments on who you agree with:

5 (More) Must-Use Social Media Tools For HR & Recruiting Professionals In 2009

In a recent post, here on Fistful of Talent, I suggested 5 Must-Use Social Media Tools for HR & Recruiting Professionals in 2009. In that post, I also promised to provide you with you five more. We're going to get a little further out in the social media waters this time, but I encourage you to jump on in - the water's just fine!

Use video in your recruiting and employment branding efforts- According to eMarketer, 80% of US Internet users view video on-line at least once per month. You know what that means?  It's past time to get creative and add video content to your company's website and a YouTube channel! Check out these YouTube Recruiting Tips on the Jobs in Pods Blog to get started and this article on ERE.net that explains how Recruiting Videos Allow Candidates to Feel the Passion. Next, view these great examples from Microsoft and TiVo that show how having a sense of humor and highlighting what is unique about your company makes for compelling stuff. If you don't have a huge budget or lots of geeks on staff to help you create slick ones like those, then follow Deloitte's example and engage the talent around you. They created the Deloitte Film Festival and asked their employees to answer the question "What Is Your Deloitte?"on film. The result? Over 50% of their US employees participated, and Deloitte got some great videos out of the deal for very little investment.

Join or start Ning Groups to build relationships and source talent - Ning provides anyone the opportunity to create their own on-line social network - for free. It's described as "the software equivalent of Home Depot"- meaning that you can build a network with as many features, bells and whistles as you have the time and desire to create. So, why is Ning an important tool for HR & Recruiting professionals? First, I've already mentioned joining groups for networking and learning from peers (i.e. RecruitingBlogs.com, The Fordyce Letter Network, HRM Today, etc.). Second, you can search for and join Ning groups dedicated to your industry or positions that you recruit for to build relationships with and recruit candidates. A quick search on "job seekers" nets results on the first page for groups related to job search in general, as well as tech jobs and "green" jobs - enough to open your eyes to the possibilities. A third reason to check out Ning is to start a group of your own. Follow the example of savvy recruiters who started LinkedIn Groups as talent pools, and took those groups one step further into interactive talent communities. 

Check out the information and inspiration available at Slideshare.net - For me, a visit to Slideshare is like a trip to a library or bookstore. I can spend a lot of time there, and it's a great way to learn from thought leaders, check out what's new, and research topics. A search for presentations tagged "recruiting" yields information on Sourcing, Employee Recruitment through Second Life, and this gem - 30 Recruiting Strategies in a Down Economy in 30 Minutes. Popular presentations tagged "HR" include Essentials of HR Management, Strategic Human Resources, and Developing an HR Scorecard. Another way to find great presentations is to find your friends and social media mavens with profiles on Slideshare. There, you'll find their personal presentations, as well as any they have tagged as favorites. For example, check out the profile of Brendan Shields of ERE Media and you'll find 71 presentations from ERE Expos, webinars and seminars. (wow) Some of the brainiacs at FOT are there too - William Uranga and Paul Hebert have added some great stuff that can help you see some of the possibilities.    

Use a Social Bookmarking site to learn, share and save useful information- If you're not familiar with "social bookmarking", here's an easy to understand video that explains the concept and a recent list of top social bookmarking sites. I personally use delicious to bookmark things on the web that I'm interested in or in areas where I consult with clients. My tags there allow me to refer back to items for developing presentations, recommendations, and answering questions. For example, see what I have found interesting in the areas of recruiting, coaching, human resources, employment branding and more by checking out those tags in my delicious bookmarks. You can also take a peek at what social media Rock Star Chris Brogan has added to delicious, or what Cheezhead, The Recruiter Guy or Punk Rock HR's Laurie Ruettimann are favoriting on another site called StumbleUpon. (Everything's public.) Think of how you can not only use sites like these to learn from others, but also to share information with others in your company or team! 

It's time to start blogging - Whether it's a personal/professional blog or a corporate blog (or both), it's time to join the conversation and get started if you haven't already! In my brief experience, blogging has been a great way to connect with others and has created opportunities for me personally and professionally. Need more solid reasons to blog? Here are a few: Why All HR Departments Need a Blog, Why Your Company Should Have a Blog, Save Your Career, Start a Blog and (pull up a chair/turn down the sound) Why I Blog, The Video (featuring responses from several prominent Recruiting/HR bloggers). Finally, two more great reasons - because your voice needs to be heard and all of the cool kids are doing it.

There you have it. Five more tools to add to your toolkit in 2009! What else do we need to have in the toolbox, or what are some other ways to use the tools mentioned?

Hit me in the comments with what I've missed!

Editor's Note - Jennifer McClure is a Vice President at Centennial, Inc.,a Cincinnati-based recruitment and coaching firm, where she's charged with strategic recruiting efforts, executive coaching and business development for the firm.  Send her an uncustomized LinkedIn invite at your own peril...  

5 Must-Use Social Media Tools For HR & Recruiting Professionals In 2009...

If you're a Recruiter or HR Professional, 2008 may have been the first year that you actually heard the terms Web 2.0, social media or social networking. So you may be a little late to the game, but congratulations - you're here - so that's a start! And just so you know, I'm officially declaring 2009 to be THE year to get to know and effectively utilize social media tools that can help you in your career. To create your Personal Development Plan (gotta call it something you're familiar with so you'll feel comfortable), I'm recommending 10 tools that you need to implement or increase your involvement with in 2009. You'll get 5 in this post, and 5 in a subsequent post. You may already be using many of these tools, and if you're rockin' and rollin' with all 10 of them, then move to the head of the class! (Of course, you're probably already there since using social media tools has likely set you apart from your peers who haven't figured them out yet.)

1. Go where the peeps like you hang out on the web. The best way to get smarter about something is to surround yourself with people smarter than you. There are plenty of options to choose from, including - RecruitingBlogs.com, HRM Today, ERE.net, and The Fordyce Letter Network - just to name a few. Check them all out, see which one best fits your niche and join at least one. Create a profile and set aside a few minutes each day to explore. Next, add some contacts and join Groups of interest. Work your way up to commenting on blog posts and forum discussions and participating in the live chats. Graduate to posting content and questions of your own as well as helping others. By participating, you'll be able to network with other recruiting and HR professionals who are dealing with and solving similar challenges, and you'll be able to build a community of like-minded folks who are willing and able to help you when you need it. If you're not involved with these groups, you're missing great information like this, this, this and this. 

2. Learn how to use (really use) LinkedIn. LinkedIn is a no-brainer these days for business professionals. I'm regularly surprised to find HR or recruiting pros on LinkedIn with incomplete profiles (or worse, no profile), very few connections and no Group memberships. LinkedIn is one of the best on-line tools out there for Personal Branding, Job Search, Business Development and Recruiting! An effective profile is your on-line business card, marketing brochure, Google-rank helper, etc. Create a great profile, connect to others, join and/or create Groups, participate in Discussions, ask and answer Questions, etc. Need help? Here are some great resources to get you started: Jason Alba's "I'm on LinkedIn -- Now What??" book and blog, the Social Media Headhunter's LinkedIn Recruiting Companion, Shally Steckerl's LinkedIn Cheatsheets, and the LinkedIn Blog for the latest news on what's new at LinkedIn.

3. Read more Blogs by becoming an RSS Rockstar or Ninja. I started reading blogs early in 2008, and like most, I subscribed via email. Like most, I also get too much email, so I found myself moving blog posts to a "Read Later" folder - which I never got to. After discovering Google Reader (there are others too), I now subscribe to over 300 blogs, and I can skim through or read content at a much more efficient pace (and my email box is happier too). Some people get their info from books or newspapers - I read blogs and feeds. And I learn. A lot. Need some suggestions for your starter kit? Start with FOT's latest Talent Management Blog Power Rankings, Business School Directory's Top 50 HR Blogs, and RecruitingBlogs.com Best 2007 Recruiting Blogs. (You can also find many smart bloggers who syndicate their feeds on RecruitingBlogs.com and HRM Today.) Subscribe to several, and then add and subtract as you go. Pretty soon, you'll be up to 300+ blogs in your Reader too. Or not. It's up to you!

4. It's time to try Twitter. If you've been resisting using Twitter so far, then it's time to give in. I resisted initially too, but since I started Tweeting in March 2008, Twitter has become one of the best resources I have as a recruiter, coach and talent consultant. Why? Because I connect with thought leaders who share what they're working on, resources, tips, links to interesting articles, etc. Twitter doesn't have to take over your life. Like you, I have a day job. Some days I check in a few times in between phone calls, interviews and client meetings, and other days I'm not there at all. And for those who say the people they need to connect with aren't on Twitter - think again. I deal mostly with senior level professionals and executives, and I have clients, candidates and potential clients/candidates following me on Twitter. Trust me. They're there - or will be. Need help getting started? Check out Why Recruiters Should Use Twitter on RBC, and my post over at CincyRecruiter's World on 10 People All Recruiters Should Follow on Twitter.

5. Figure out how to use Facebook for recruiting. I'm also adding this one to my own PDP for 2009. LinkedIn wasn't necessarily the place to be in early 2006 when I joined, and while recruiters were certainly some of the early adopters, it's most definitely the place to be now. Because I got in early and spent time developing my network and learning to use the tools, I'm ahead of many of my counterparts in using LinkedIn to develop my business, my personal brand and my relationships. I predict that Facebook will become an even more important tool for Recruiters and HR professionals in the future. Many companies are already effectively utilizing Facebook to connect with and recruit young professionals, but I'm seeing more and more senior level talent signing up and trying to figure it out as well. (Translation - everybody's doing it.) Facebook has some cool tools for recruiting and employment branding. So stop thinking about all of the pitfalls of Facebook and just do it already! And when you figure out how to use it well, share your knowledge on all of the tools above.

Stay tuned to Fistful of Talent for 5 more social media tools to get involved with in 2009. (And if you need help with subscribing - see #3 above, or just click here and add to your Reader! I'm on all of the tools above, so hopefully, I'll see you/meet you on the Interwebs!

What Would Happen If Goldilocks Interviewed At Your Company?

You've heard the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears right? Breakin' it down for you - Goldilocks was a bratty little girl who disobeyed her mom and invaded the home of the Bear family while they were out for a walk. While she was there, she helped herself to their stuff in search of an experience that was "just right". To bring you up to speed on the story, Goldilocks is all grown up now, and she's likely interviewing for a position with your company. 

Actually, I met with Goldi recently. She's now a senior level professional who's considering a job move to further her career. She created a target list, reached out to her network, and quickly scored an interview for an executive level position with a well-known company in her industry. When she arrived for the first interview, she was left waiting in a busy lobby for almost half an hour before anyone came to greet her. Finally, two newbie recruiters introduced themselves and ushered her into a meeting room with a wall of windows facing a cubicle farm. They grilled her from their list of questions, but were frequently distracted by people walking by who waved at them. Most of their questions, thrown at her in quick succession, started with "Tell me about a time..." and they asked few follow-up questions.

Both recruiters spent much of the interview looking down while taking copious notes, and they were unable to answer most of the questions she posed to them about the opportunity. At the end of the interview, Goldilocks asked about the next step in the process, and was informed that she would be scheduled for some standardized tests before progressing to the next step - which would be an interview with someone from HR. After being pointed in the direction of the lobby, she left the interview with a very poor impression of the company and elected not to continue further in their interview process.

Goldilocks' background is impressive. She's a Game Changer - and even with the current economic conditions, she knows that she'll have a variety of opportunities to choose from in deciding where to continue her career. She's not in a hurry, and isn't interested in wasting her time with recruiters or companies who just don't get it. Maybe the company above would have had a shot at Goldilocks if they had considered the following:

Making a positive first impression. Candidates should be warmly greeted when they first arrive, and taken to an area that is comfortable and inviting if they must wait. Always, always be on time for scheduled interviews and conduct them in a positive environment free from distractions. Value the candidate's time and make them feel welcome and important!

Creating an interview guide unique to each position. Develop a job specific list of interview questions that will uncover how candidates have performed in similar situations and demonstrate how they approach different types of challenges presented by the position. Mix behavioral interview questions in with skill-based ones, but maintain a conversational flow. Conversations are comfortable and encourage sharing of information. Interrogations are not comfortable and tend to produce canned or short responses from candidates.

Selecting an effective interview team. Pair skilled interviewers with note-takers so one person can focus on asking great questions and following the flow of the conversation - or at least alternate asking questions and note-taking. Interviewers who lose eye contact frequently due to note-taking make it virtually impossible to develop any kind of connection with a candidate.

Including only relevant steps in the interview process. Asking candidates to complete tests or assessments that "everyone must take" or requiring several levels of phone or in-person interviews before talking with the hiring manager is a quick way to turn candidates cold on an opportunity. Just say "No" to asking that CIO candidate to take the typing test you've been giving all candidates since the beginning of time. (Unfortunately, I've seen that one.)

Providing an opportunity for candidates to meet employees at or above their level early in the process. By-the-book interviews or first interviews with very junior team members point to a hiring process focused on quantity, not quality. In-demand and senior level candidates want to see that others "like them" work at the company, and they want to ask questions/get answers from that perspective as well. They typically don't respond well to being treated like Applicant # 1,462.

Goldilocks is out wandering in the woods looking to make a job move, and she may just show up at your  house company for some porridge an interview soon. Are you comfortable that she'll find the experience to be "just right"?

Editor's Note - Jennifer McClure is a Vice President at Centennial, Inc.,a Cincinnati-based recruitment and coaching firm, where she's charged with strategic recruiting efforts, executive coaching and business development for the firm.  Send her an uncustomized LinkedIn invite at your own peril...  

Providing Feedback to Rejected Candidates - Will You Please Suck It Up?

You're a Recruiter. You have an open position. You source. You screen. You interview. You send several candidates to the hiring team for consideration. In the end, the "best" candidate is selected. You celebrate the successful completion of the search by either updating your recruiting metrics or collecting a hefty placement fee. One candidate is happy and starting a new job with the company, and usually there are a few candidates who interviewed for the position, but weren't selected, who must now be dealt with. How do you close out these candidates?

One option is to do nothing at all, and never circle back to let the unsuccessful candidates know that  someone else has been selected. We may forget to do so, feel like we're too busy, or take the position that if the candidate is interested in knowing the results, they'll follow up with us. 

Another option is to provide a standard response to rejected candidates via impersonal, succinct and lawyer-approved rejection notices delivered in one of the following ways:

-Form letter or email. Using a mail merge from the ATS, several notifications can be sent in a matter of minutes. Rejection letters can then be crossed off the To Do List, and we're on to the next position. Easy. Clean. Nobody gets hurt.

-Brief phone conversation. "We decided to go in a different direction", "We selected a candidate that we feel is a better match" or "it was a difficult decision, but in the end, you were not selected" are all ways of telling candidates they weren't "The One", without really saying anything at all. If candidates press for more details, we repeat the opening line, and add "I'm sorry". Still more questions? Rinse and repeat.

-Voice-mail. Used when there's a desire to deliver the message "in-person" - but not by actually talking with a person. Call a candidate's home number during the day, or call their work number early morning/late at night, and we can usually score voice-mail. We can also use the helpful *67 to block your phone number (hang up if someone answers), and for the truly conversation phobic, there's Slydial, which sends calls straight to voice-mail.

If you're the candidate on the receiving end of these types of rejection communications, how does it make you feel? Let's switch places for a minute...

You're the candidate. You were made aware of an opening at ABC Company either through their advertisement, a referral from a trusted relationship, or you may have been cold-called by a recruiter. You take the time to customize your resume and do research on the company. You go through several interviews for the position via phone and in-person - all of which add up to several hours spent discussing the opportunity with recruiters and/or representatives of the company. You take time off from your current job to attend interviews. You spend time away from your family in the evening talking with the recruiter, collecting and sending follow-up information, and arranging contact with your references. You don't get the job - and all you got for your time and effort was a form letter, short conversation or voice-mail from the recruiter who has been treating you like their best friend for the past few weeks. You spent all of your valuable time being pursued by the company/pursuing the opportunity, and you didn't even get a lousy t-shirt.

Why don't we provide more specific feedback to candidates on why they weren't selected? Most candidates don't like dealing with recruiters (internal or external). In fact, some hate recruiters, and their dislike of us often centers around how we communicate with them (or don't).

I get it that if you do provide specific feedback, sometimes candidates want to debate the reasons why they weren't selected. That's no fun, and it can get uncomfortable. But in my opinion, it comes with the territory. Also, the excuse reason that we are protecting ourselves or our clients from legal/liability issues doesn't hold water either if we're doing our jobs properly and pushing clients/hiring managers for objective and specific reasons why they selected one candidate over another.

The Bottom Line

Put yourself in the candidate's place. I think we need to do a better job of respecting the time and energy that candidates put into the process. The more time they invest with us in the process, the more time we should spend communicating the reasons why they weren't selected. An experienced and well-trained recruiter/HR professional should be able to deliver the message in a respectful manner, and in such a way that doesn't expose the company or client to liability. Respecting all of the candidates in the hiring process can go a long way in helping us with positively building our personal brand or employment brand in the marketplace, and maybe someday a candidate will send YOU a lousy t-shirt thanking you for your efforts!

What's your take on providing rejected candidates feedback?

Editor's Note - Jennifer McClure is a Vice President at Centennial, Inc., a Cincinnati-based recruitment and coaching firm, where she's charged with strategic recruiting efforts, executive coaching and business development for the firm.  Send her an uncustomized LinkedIn invite at your own peril...

The Top 6 Ways A Recruiter Knows If You're A Good Client - Or a Terrible One...

As a Third Party Recruiter, I spend quite a bit of time meeting with potential Clients to learn about their leadership recruiting needs, and educating them on how we can work together to identify, recruit and attract the best talent to their organization. Usually, after some information sharing and discussion, as well as completion of the necessary paperwork, we're off and running.

However, there are some times when meeting with a potential new Client where I'm not "feeling the love" as a recruiting partner, and it becomes apparent that a relationship is likely not going to work between us. Of course, there are many things that go into a successful partnership between Clients and Third Party Recruiters, but here are a few I'm looking out for in initial discussions:

1. Be monogamous/commit to our relationship. Expectations may be slightly different depending upon whether a Recruiter works on a retained or contingency basis, but being considered and treated like a valued partner is important in any recruiting relationship. Nothing says that a Client is "just not that into you" like being one of many Recruiters working on the same position. If Clients have no investment in the relationship, then Recruiters who do choose to engage will likely invest very little time and resources in the search as well. It's no surprise that Clients who won't do retainers or exclusives are often the ones who complain the most about candidate quality and working with Recruiters.

2. Have realistic expectations about timing. I once met with a potential Client who was rolling out a multi-million dollar national advertising campaign in 2 weeks, and wanted to engage our firm to quickly find a VP of Marketing before the campaign started. (What?) They'd been looking on their own for several months and were now desperate. (You think?) While that may seem like an extreme example, it's not uncommon for Clients to expect that perfect matches for key strategic roles be delivered to their doorstep in less time than it takes to knit a sweater. In this situation, being honest and admitting that you are in fact - a human - not a super hero, is required. While It's possible to locate some great candidates quickly, a good recruiting process (like fine wine) takes time. Good Clients appreciate honesty and communication of realistic expectations. Bad Clients? They don't, and will move on to other Recruiters who are eager to disappoint them.

3. Expect success from the process - not miracles. Potential Clients who say "we've had bad luck with Recruiters in the past", or "we've not found a Recruiter yet that can meet our needs", or "no one seems to understand what we're looking for - we're different", are waving red flags like the color guard in a marching band. If no Recruiter has made them happy, it's possible that I won't be able to either. Bad Clients who have a poor work culture, pay and benefits that aren't competitive, hiring managers who aren't cooperative, etc., won't solve those problems by engaging an outside firm to recruit talent. However, if they're willing to listen to a recruiting consultant who can advise and assist them with making the changes required to recruit "A" players, then it's possible they could be a good Client.

4. Value the service and expertise a Recruiter provides. Nothing says "win-win relationship" like a potential Client starting the inevitable fee discussion with something like "we never pay Recruiters more than ___" (where the number in the blank is something slightly more than the price of a postage stamp, and something much less than the industry standard). Makes you wonder why they contacted you in the first place, if all the Recruiters they've been paying substandard fees are delivering the results that they're looking for. (Insert Albert Einstein's insanity definition here.)

5. Communicating and being responsive. We've got to be in this together, and if the decision-maker or hiring manager doesn't have the time to meet with me, provide feedback on candidates, etc. then I'll be rowing the boat with only one paddle. As Jerry Maguire so eloquently stated - "Help me help you." It's important to determine during initial discussions if the main point of contact/decision-maker has the "communicates effectively" box checked on their most recent performance evaluation.

I was once on the other side of this equation too - as both a hiring manager and an HR leader working with outside Recruiters - and it's important for companies to have their own criteria for choosing a Recruiter/Search Firm to work with too (that goes beyond fees). If you haven't created that, you've probably been disappointed with a recruiting relationship, because you didn't communicate and agree upon expectations at the start.

Sometimes, it's best just to walk away before a relationship even gets started, because you're just not right for each other. If that's the case, it's optional to use the "it's not you, it's me" line when breaking up. (Which of course really means "it's not me, it's you", so make sure you're the one saying it first.)

Editor's Note - Jennifer McClure is a Vice President at Centennial, Inc., a Cincinnati-based recruitment and coaching firm, where she's charged with strategic recruiting efforts, executive coaching and business development for the firm.  Send her an uncustomized LinkedIn invite at your own peril...

The Great Recruiting "Snipe Hunt"...

Before there were computers (gasp!), video games (not even Space Invaders), text messaging (people actually wrote letters), or cell phones (remember that avocado green wall phone with the loooong cord?), we had to get creative and make our own fun as children. I grew up "back in the day" on a family farm out in the middle of nowhere (Google Earth may never find it), and more than once, to combat some of the boredom of my early teen years, I’d invite some of my city dwelling friends out to the country for a Snipe Hunt.

As a veteran Snipe hunter, it was my job to give them some tools for the hunt (burlap bags and flashlights), and convince them to enter the dark woods to search for and capture a creature they’d never seen or heard of. Of course, <*spoiler alert*> my friends were never successful in capturing a Snipe - - because they don’t exist. The only goal of a Snipe hunt is to get your friends out on a dark night to scare them and make fun of them – which was never hard to do. (And where I lived, we were equal-opportunity Snipe hunters - girls were sent on Snipe hunts too.)

As a recruiter (internal or external), many aspects of the Snipe Hunt may sound oddly familiar. We’ve all had those times where, at some point in a search, we start to feel like we’re on a wild goose chase, and may begin to wonder if the “right candidate” even exists. In my experience, here are a few “red flags” to watch out for in the beginning that could mean that you’re about to embark on the recruiting equivalent of a Snipe hunt:

-The ideal candidate is described in extraordinary detail. In general, when the Job Requirements listed for a successful hire are longer than the Santa Wish List of an 8 year old – including things like certain degrees, specific industry or product experience, job experience no more than ___ and no less than ___ , you could be in trouble. If a client isn’t willing to consider candidates who have a demonstrated history of success, but don’t exactly match all of the requirements, you may end up searching for a creature that exists only in the mind of the hiring manager.

-Restricting where or how candidates can be sourced. Sometimes clients spend more time discussing where or how they don’t want candidates to be sourced than what they do want in a successful candidate. This can include things like dismissing candidates who are in between jobs (“passive” candidates are great, but there are many talented folks who are unemployed due to a variety of reasons), or requiring that no candidates be sourced from job postings, job boards, social networks, etc. (depending on the type of position, some of these tools can be very useful in a search). If you’re starting out, not being able to utilize all of the tools in your recruiting tool box, you may be missing an important tool that could help you to be successful in completing the search.

-A desire to hire only the best – with a salary range well below market. Sometimes, you can sell top candidates on making a move and taking a pay cut due to the company culture, future growth opportunities, etc. - but you’re usually starting from behind the line, if your low-paying client wants to attract top talent. “A” players typically won’t make a move for less, so it’s likely only some of the B & C folks will be interested. If the client only wants to talk to superstars - but doesn’t want to pay for them – you’re likely in for a frustrating experience.

Don’t want to spend your time on the recruiting equivalent of a Snipe hunt? Do your research before you meet with a client, so you can ask great questions, build credibility and trust, and get them talking about what the new hire needs to be able to successfully DO in the job. Once you’re able to consult with your client on the ideal candidate profile, provide your recommendations on how to approach the search, and advise them on what they may need to do to attract the talent they are seeking, you’ll be able to avoid the frustrations of an impossible search.  That means you can leave the Snipe hunting to the less experienced recruiters who charged off on the hunt without asking the right questions, or doing some research to find out if a Snipe actually exists.

Have you ever been sent out on a wild goose chase by a client or hiring manager? When did you realize you were searching for a candidate that didn't exist?

Editor's Note - Jennifer McClure is a Vice President at Centennial, Inc., a Cincinnati-based recruitment and coaching firm, where she's charged with strategic recruiting efforts, executive coaching and business development for the firm.  Send her an uncustomized LinkedIn invite at your own peril...

6 Things To Think About Before You Ditch Corporate Life To Become A Recruiter....

Since I made the transition from Corporate America into recruiting a few years ago, I'm frequently contacted by people who want to pick my brain because they're interested in making a similar change. I'm happy to have these conversations, and do my best to provide honest feedback to consider in making their decision.

Often, there are a number of things that they've not thought about while envisioning raking in huge search fees and working a few months of the year from their second home on the beach. (Isn't that what it's like to be a Recruiter?) Here's a few things I suggest pondering before making the leap from the lush corporate life to the life of hunting, killing and preparing your own food as a Recruiter:

1. Don't go out on your own before you try it first. Just because you "know a lot of people", have interviewed before, or have spent time in sales, HR or recruiting in the corporate world, you have a lot to learn about becoming a Recruiter. First, find a good Mentor (I chose the firm I work with because the owner has been a success in the biz for over 30 years), and then join a firm where you can learn the ins and outs of recruiting by actually doing it. Once you're successful, know that you enjoy it, and have established a strong reputation/network, there's plenty of time to start your own business at a later date.

2. Carefully choose which type of recruiting you want to do, along with the right firm/culture. Know and understand the differences between retained, contingent, staffing firms, employment agencies, etc. and talk with Recruiters in each area to determine which would be the best fit for you. They're not the same, and often the skills and approach necessary to succeed in one area are vastly different from another. Just as important, firms within the same industry are also not the same, and you'll want to identify a company that has the culture and structure that is the right match for you.

3. Understand that recruiting is an emotional business. Sure, there are good days and bad days in Corporate America too, but when your livelihood primarily depends upon the decisions and actions of others, you may find yourself opening a bottle of bubbly to celebrate a successful placement one minute, and then drowning your sorrows in it the next. Sometimes, no matter how well you personally have blocked and tackled, candidates and clients do really stupid things that cause deals to blow up. So, make sure that you have a strong support structure in your life - family, friends, a dog, a good shrink, etc. to help you stay motivated and grounded, instead of having your life turn into a roller coaster ride that makes you so nauseous you just want to get off.

4. Really think about the big company vs. small company dynamic. I'd guess that most recruiting firms are small - say 25 employees or less. If you've worked in a larger company, you'll miss some stuff. The firm I joined is a family-owned business and has 10 employees. They're all great people, and it's a very team-oriented environment, but I've worked for some large organizations in the past where I've led teams of more than 10 employees. Here, I'm the "boss of me", and if there's a hill to be taken, I'm the one leading the charge, carrying the equipment, and bringing up the rear. Not bad at all. Just different.

5. No, you don't understand the value of the benefits your company provides for you. As mentioned above, if you're joining a recruiting firm, you're likely joining a small business. Small businesses either don't provide benefits, or the benefits are super expensive to discourage participation. Unless you have a spouse's plan to hop on to, you'll likely have to acquire some or all of your own benefits, and those can be pricey. No more company paid Life Insurance/AD&D/Disability or matching 401k contributions. As an HR exec, I spent years immersed in the dollars and cents of benefit plans and communicating the value of those benefits to employees. But, it took leaving Corporate America (and those affordable/no-cost benefits) to make that hit home for me. (Doh!)

6. Make peace with money before you start. Sure, the income potential for a successful Recruiter can be great, but the recruiting Rock Stars didn't start out at the top. It takes time to build your business and establish relationships. Also, recruiting typically involves some sort of commission-based income, and you'll quickly realize that steady direct deposits were indeed a beautiful thing. My Mantra now: "I used to make money for a living - now I earn my money". It's a mindset shift, and you'll need to ensure that you have the personal discipline to manage a variable income stream. And most important - never, ever get into recruiting because of money. If you're in it for the money, you'll wind up making poor decisions to push deals together to get fees. That approach will lead to a damaged reputation, no clients - and NO MONEY.

For me, the change to recruiting has been an extremely positive and rewarding one, but there are days when I do miss spending endless hours in the Board Room in meetings doing "strategic planning", revising/re-revising budgets to hit bonus plans, implementing the latest and greatest plan to increase employee engagement/reduce turnover/improve retention/stop the troops from revolting - or whatever HR leaders are working on today. Ummm... I take that back. I don't miss any of that!

Editor's Note - Jennifer McClure is a Vice President at Centennial, Inc., a Cincinnati-based recruitment and coaching firm, where she's charged with strategic recruiting efforts, executive coaching and business development for the firm.  Send her an uncustomized LinkedIn invite at your own peril...