Background: In August of 2001, a recruiter who operates as a franchise of my company entered into an agreement with a local company in his city to search for a Vice President of Marketing. This company has a profitable E-Commerce Electronics company that generates a $75,000,000-$100,000,000 volume. The recruiter has a 20+ year relationship [...]
Archive for October 2003
“A company I consider a good client has asked me what kind of wiggle room I can give them on fees if they give me a dozen assignments.” Several requests of this type have come to us lately. We covered this topic before but here are our thoughts again.Now that business is getting stronger and [...]
As the economy continues to bounce along at a less than robust pace, Search, Placement and Staffing Firms are increasingly confronted by clients presenting one-sided, arbitrary agreements with a “take it or leave it” attitude. These “contracts” generally have provisions that require the heavy discounting of fees and bill rates, unrealistic guarantees and refund [...]
Call reluctance is an emotional short circuit that diverts energy from the act of prospecting to the act of procrastinating. Instead of making calls, call reluctant salespeople are busy preparing to prepare and avoiding the phone. They allow their fears to stand in the way of their goals- and it extracts a high emotional and [...]
As I complete my twenty-second year in the business of executive recruitment I pause to give thanks and focus on the future with unbridled enthusiasm and optimism. Why am I so psyched? Because I’m a part of the most meaningful, impactful profession on the planet and am surrounded by such wonderful colleagues.I thank [...]
Remember the periodic Peanuts comic strip where Lucy would con Charlie Brown into kicking a football she was holding; then at the last second, she’d pull the football away and poor Charlie would land on his backside?More and more practitioners are starting to feel like Charlie Brown these days as clients and candidates alike are [...]
Would you believe forty years have fleeted by since we first heard these haunting lyrics of Bobby Dylan? Come gather ’round peopleWherever you roamAnd admit that the watersAround you have grownAnd accept it that soonYou’ll be drenched to the bone.If your time to youIs worth savin’Then you better start swimmin’Or you’ll sink like a stoneFor the [...]
Congratulations!If you’re in the Search and Placement business right now, your timing is terrific. Historically, our industry has always been one of L-O-N-G boom, followed by severe bust …. followed by another L-O-N-G boom! The greatest growth, however, is to be had in the immediate aftermath of a Recession when our market comes [...]
The other day I received a call from a large state association considering me to speak at their day-long annual “Motivation Day” event. To be considered for this event is a huge honor. I was so pleased and excited that I got the call.But I have a confession to make. I can’t motivate anyone. I [...]
If there are still any skeptical individuals among the Fordyce readership who are not yet convinced hiring corporate “insiders” is the most successful way to hire, this follow up should eliminate what few doubters may exist. My most recent industry Vice President-turned-recruiter who obtained two offers for his candidates during these last few weeks had met [...]
There are two purposes of every contract: To protect the “reasonable expectations” of the parties. To compensate one or more parties for “damages” caused by “reasonable reliance” on those expectations. Your printed fee schedule (or letter) is a contract with the employer, whether it’s signed or not. (Note: There are a few states that require a signed agreement [...]
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