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Diversity In Recruiting – Equality and the older worker

Frank McCarthy on Mar. 1, 2005

The client reacted very positively to your candidate’s resume and then queried you in depth about your assessment of the candidate. “How did she interview? How does she measure up to our job specs? Her strengths?” And finally, “When can I see her?” The interview is scheduled; the candidate is prepped; and you hope for a positive outcome. After the interview, your client calls you with the feedback, “Great candidate but overqualified for this position.” You probe, “Where is she overqualified? Give me some specifics.”

“She’s just not a fit for us right now.” That’s it. How often has that happened to you? How often has it happened to experienced executives you presented to clients? I honestly think that the “overqualified lullaby” is a convenient phrase to hide behind, probably a lie, and a cover up for something that the client does not want to share with you. In many instances, it’s a dodge to get out of hiring an older candidate.

The Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) prohibits discrimination in the workplace on the basis of age. To establish a case of age discrimination, a claimant must demonstrate that he/she: is in the protected of age 40 or older; was performing to the employer’s expectations; was subject to an adverse employment action; and that similarly situated and substantially younger employees were treated more favorably. ADEA also proscribes discrimination against job applicants on the basis of age. The ADEA is a separate law apart from Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which is the basic federal law that covers most forms of discrimination in employment.

Relax. This is not going to be a column on ADEA or the Civil Rights Act. It’s just good every now and again to see a summation of the law of our country in print.

In 1954, Thurgood Marshall was a civil rights lawyer arguing Brown vs. Board of Education, the case that ended the “separate but equal” system of racial segregation. Asked by Justice Felix Frankfurter during the argument what he meant by equal, Mr. Marshall replied: “Equal means getting the same thing, at the same time, and in the same place.” Equal treatment also applies to the older worker.

Maggie Jackson writes Balancing Acts, a column that appears twice a month in the Boston Globe. Last December she wrote that companies that tap older workers can profit from a wealth of experience.

Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, the engineering research and development firm in Cambridge is so eager to make use of experienced talent that one-third of its retirees wind up returning to work part time … Draper with its flexible work schedules for semi-retirees and generous benefits for workers whose average age is 48, is a model for the future. The lab ranks first in AARP’s 2004 list of 35 Best Employers for Workers Over 50.

Deborah Banda, AARP’s director in Massachusetts, says, “Employers that face this demographic imperative today gain a competitive edge tomorrow.” The Bureau of Labor Statistics presents some interesting facts:

-Baby boomers, now ages 58 to 40 will begin hitting retirement age in just a few years yet many intend to keep working at least part time

-Most Americans save too little to retire comfortably; older people are healthier than ever and want to stay active

-More than 60 percent of people 55 to 64 years old worked in 2002, up from 55 percent in 1982

-Given these trends, workers 55 and older will grow from 14 percent of the labor force to nearly 20 percent by 2012, while workers aged 25 to 54 will shrink to 52 percent in that period.

Maggie Jackson concluded this column, “The employers on AARP’s list are the enlightened or those already forced to search for new sources of talent. But what will it take to shatter still strong stereotypes of older workers as ready for pasture, not promotion? To start, we have to take the long view and start seeing elders as crucial resources, not impediments to progress. Perhaps the ingenuity and determination of older workers will change mindsets.”

What does all this mean for our industry?

“Older workers soon may find themselves in an unfamiliar position: as a much-coveted commodity. As workers approach their retirement years, they are used to being cast aside as companies cultivate young and rising talent. But with an unprecedented number of people set to step out of the work force, the threat of an employee shortage is forcing companies to re-evaluate their priorities.” (WSJ.com Older Employees Gain New Favor)

In a minute we’ll take a look at AARP’s 2004 list of best employers for workers over fifty because it may be the source of future business for TFL readers. One of the most challenging issues our clients will face through the next ten years is their increasing inability to find and recruit the staff and skills necessary to run their businesses. The baby boomers and their expertise will retire and every business and profession will be affected by this.

Jim Carroll (PROFIT-Xtra/9/9/04) doesn’t think the Gen-Y people are the answer to the pending labor shortage. “Generation Y is the generation born between 1977 and 1999, which today makes up nearly one-quarter of the population. Having grown up with computers, the Internet, video games and hundreds of TV channels, the members of Gen-Y can become extremely bored, extremely quickly which could prove a unique challenge to the corporate sector.”

The demand will grow for older workers. Some businesses, particularly in healthcare and retail, are increasingly focusing on hiring and retaining older workers as the nation’s 78 million baby boomers age.

“By virtue of their sheer numbers, employers have no choice but to really look at this … as a continuing pool of resources that they might need in the future,” said Deborah Russell, manager of AARP’s Economic Security/Work Section.

AARP has been active in promoting employment of older workers. And workers aged 55 and over have been gaining a bigger slice of the employment pie since the 1990s. Their share of the work force increased 2.4 percent, more than twice as fast as their rise as percentage of the population. (http://msnbc.msn.com/id/4916661)

Before we look at AARP’s 2004 list of Best Employers for Workers Over 50, let’s debunk some of the myths out there about older workers. (Source: American Business and Older Employees, AARP, Washington, DC Bureau of Labor Statistics)

Myth 1: You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.

Reality: Studies show only negligible loss of cognitive function of people under 70. While older workers take longer to absorb completely new material, their better study attitudes and accumulated experience lower training costs. The fastest growing group of Internet users is people over 50.

Myth 2: Training older workers is a lost investment because they will not stay on the job for long.

Reality: The future work life of an employee over 50 usually exceeds the life of new technology for which the workers are trained.

Myth 3: Older workers are not as productive as younger workers.

Reality: Overall productivity does not decline as a function of age. Productivity can actually rise due to greater worker accuracy, dependability, and capacity to make better on the spot judgments. Older worker’s production rates are steadier than other age groups.

Myth 4: Older workers are less flexible and adaptable.

Reality: Older workers are just as adaptable once they understand the reason for changes. They are more likely to ask why, because they have often seen past changes in processes and procedures abandoned in mid-stream when they didn’t bring expected rewards quickly enough.

Myth 5: Older workers are not as creative or innovative.

Reality: General intelligence levels are the same as younger workers. Eighty percent of the most workable and worthwhile new production ideas are produced by employees over 40 years old.

Myth 6: Older workers cost more than hiring younger workers.

Reality: While workers with tenure are entitled to more vacation time and pension costs related to number of years worked, replacing workers is not cost free.

Myth 7: Benefit and accident costs are higher for older workers.

Reality: Total sick days per year of older workers are lower than other age groups because they have fewer acute illnesses and sporadic sick days. While individual older worker’s health, disability, and life insurance costs do rise slowly with age, they are offset by lower costs due to fewer dependents. Overall, fringe benefits costs stay the same as a percentage of salary for all age groups. Older workers take fewer risks in accident prone situations and statistically have lower accident rates than other age groups.

How are the AARP Best Employers for Workers Over 50 Selected?

Employers interested in being considered for the AARP Best Employers for Workers Over 50 honor must submit a comprehensive application that includes questions about their human resources practices and policies. Because policies that are good for mature workers are often beneficial for all workers, employers are not required to have programs dedicated exclusively to mature workers. However, employers who can demonstrate that their programs are particularly valued by mature workers may receive additional credit through the evaluation process. Areas of consideration include:

-recruiting practices;

-opportunities for training, education, and career development;

-workplace accommodations;

-alternative work options, such as flexible scheduling, job sharing, and phased retirement;

-employee health and pension benefits; and

-retiree benefits.

AARP’s Selection Process

Applications submitted will first be evaluated by an independent survey firm using evaluation guidelines developed by AARP’s workforce experts and research staff in consultation with external labor experts.

After the survey firm’s review, the applications and initial ratings will then be sent to AARP and an independent panel of judges.

Next, the panel of judges comprised of private sector, nonprofit, and government labor experts will review the applications. The opinions of the judges, together with the initial rating, form each applicant’s final rating.

After the evaluation is complete, finalists are vetted to ensure that any organization recognized as one of the AARP Best Employers for Workers Over 50 has practices that are generally consistent with AARP’s public policies and values.

Workers Over 50 Honorees for 2004

These companies and organizations, recognized by AARP for their best practices and policies for valuing the mature worker, are roadmaps for the workplaces of tomorrow.

Adecco Employment Services, Melville, NY www.adeccousa.com A staffing and human resource solutions company that places temporary and full-time employees at client locations.

Beaumont Hospitals, Southfield, MI www.Beaumonthospitals.com A provider of health care services, medical education and medical research.

Bon Secours Richmond Health System, Richmond, VA www.bonsecours.com A not-for-profit, multifacility health care system with three hospitals and more than 24 outpatient service sites.

Brethren Village, Lancaster, PA www.bv.org A not-for-profit continuing care retirement community offering choices and services to keep residents living independently for as long as possible.

Centegra Health System, Woodstock, IL www.centegra.com A health care system that includes several hospitals, the Centegra Primary Care physician network, a fitness center, and over 20 additional sites throughout its service area.

Deere & Company, Moline, IL www.johndeere.com Manufactures, distributes, and finances a broad range of agricultural, construction, forestry, commercial and consumer equipment.

Delaware North Companies Inc., Buffalo, NY www.delawarenorth.com A hospitality and food service provider that provides visitor services at national parks and attractions, resorts, and at more than 50 sporting venues and 30 airports in the United States.

DentaQuest Ventures, Inc., Boston, MA www.dentaquest.com National administrator of dental benefits.

First Horizon National Corporation, Memphis, TN www.firsthorizon.com A nationwide financial services institution providing services to individuals and businesses.

Gemini, Incorporated, Cannon Falls, MN www.signletters.com A manufacturer of metal and plastic letters for outdoor signage and customized, decorative metal plaques.

Hoffmann-La Roche Inc., Nutley, NJ www.rocheusa.com An innovation-driven healthcare company, with core businesses in pharmaceuticals and diagnostics.

Lee County Electric Cooperative, North Fort Myers, FL www.lcec.net A not-for-profit electric distribution cooperative providing service and energy products to 165,000 customers in Southwest Florida.

Lincoln Financial Group, Philadelphia, PA www.lfg.com Provides financial and security products to individuals and businesses.

Loudoun Healthcare, Inc., Leesburg, VA www.loudounhealthcare.org A not-for-profit healthcare organization providing a full continuum of quality healthcare services.

Minnesota Life, St. Paul, MN www.minnesotalife.com Provides insurance, pension and investment products to more than 6 million clients in all 50 states and Puerto Rico.

Mitretek Systems, Falls Church, VA www.mitretek.org A non-profit research and engineering company.

New York University Medical Center, New York, NY http://med.nyu.edu A not-for-profit healthcare organization comprised of the NYU Hospitals Center and the NYU School of Medicine.

North Memorial Health Care, Robbinsdale, MN www.northmemorial.com A non-profit health care provider with more than 800 physicians and 5,000 employees in its system.

Pitney Bowes, Inc., Stamford, CT www.pitneybowes.com A provider of integrated mail and document management systems, services and solutions.

Principal Financial Group, Des Moines, IA www.principal.com Offers businesses, individuals, and institutional clients a wide range of financial products and services.

Scottsdale Healthcare, Scottsdale, AZ www.shc.org A non-profit healthcare provider with two hospitals, outpatient centers, home health services, and a wide range of community outreach programs.

Scripps Health, San Diego, CA www.scrippshealth.org A not-for-profit, community-based health care system that includes five acute and tertiary care hospitals, numerous outpatient facilities, and home health care services.

Smurfit-Stone Container Corporation, Clayton, MO www.smurfit-stone.com A manufacturer of paperboard, paper-based packaging, and other packaging materials and paper-based products.

Sonoco, Hartsville, SC www.sonoco.com A manufacturer of industrial and consumer packaging products and provider of packaging services.

SSM Health Care, St. Louis, MO www.ssmhc.com A healthcare network sponsored by the Franciscan Sisters of Mary that delivers patient care in the St. Louis region.

St. Mary’s Medical Center, Huntington, WV www.st-marys.org A regional medical center in the tri-state region of West Virginia, Ohio, and Kentucky, specializing in cardiac, oncology, trauma, and neuroscience services.

Stanley Consultants, Inc., Muscatine, IA www.stanleyconsultants.com A multidisciplinary consulting firm that provides engineering, environmental and construction services worldwide.

The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, Inc. Cambridge, MA www.draper.com A private, not-for-profit corporation engaged in applied research, engineering development, technology transfer, and advanced technical education.

The Methodist Hospital, Houston, TX www.methodisthealth.com A nonprofit health care organization made up of a flagship hospital, The Methodist Hospital, and three community hospitals.

The Vanguard Group, Valley Forge, PA www.vanguard.com An investment management company that provides an array of financial products and services, including mutual fund investments and employer-sponsored retirement plan services.

Volkswagen of America, Inc., Auburn Hills, MI www.vw.com Manufacturer of passenger cars and trucks.

WELBRO Building Corporation, Maitland, FL www.welbro.com A full-service construction management and general contracting company.

West Virginia University Hospitals, Morgantown, WV www.wvuh.com A private, not-for-profit corporation that is closely tied to West Virginia University and includes three hospitals, a trauma center, and the WVU Eye Institute.

Westgate Resorts, Orlando, FL www.westgateresorts.com A privately-held timeshare company that employs over 5,000 people throughout the country.

Zurich North America, Schaumburg, IL www.zurichna.com A commercial property-casualty insurance provider serving the multinational, middle market and small business sectors in the United States and Canada.

An Insider’s View Of Networking And The Benefits It Provides

Frank McCarthy on Feb. 1, 2005

The scene is Cal State Northridge; the week before the major earthquake in the late nineties; the occasion is a career conference sponsored by the diversity students. I was in the midst of a talk on job campaigning techniques and had just completed a segment on networking when one of the students shouted the question, “When do you start networking and how long do you have to keep networking?” Before I could answer, one of the more exuberant seniors stood up and proclaimed: “Man, if you haven’t already started, start today. You stop networking on that great going home day, when they lower you into the ground.” To which I said, “Amen, Brother!”

Here a few generic ideas about networks. A net says Webster, is an instrument formed of thread, twine, or other fibrous materials woven into meshes used for catching fish. Networking is an interlacement into a fabric a complicated intermingling of lines. Networks are people talking to each other, sharing ideas, information, and resources. Networking is a verb not a noun. ACTION!

The important thing in networking is not the finished product, but the process of getting there the communication that creates the linkages between people and clusters of people. One of networking’s great attractions is that it is an easy way to get information. Networks cut across society and provide a direct approach to people and issues.

In networks today members treat each other as equals because what is important is the information. Information is the great equalizer. Today’s networks are essential to the job seeker and the recruiter because networks are a speedy access to information. Networks are bridges to where you want to go; bridges to other contacts.

When friends or family, business acquaintances, and candidates lose their jobs or decide they want to look for a new opportunity, how often do we advise them to begin networking? We tell them, “You have to get the word out to people who can help you.” Career counselors, outplacement professionals and coaches all preach the value of networking. Do we realize the importance of networking in our own business?

Networking has always been a critical basic in the recruiting business. I know that many still believe that networking with former and current candidates is the best way to find top talent. I can still hear some of the industry trainers telling us, “Do your networking on the phone or in person; don’t waste time on Internet data mining. All you need is a few names to get started. Then your goal is to get three names from everyone networked. This is the way to identify and recruit top talent. Join some associations, go to conferences, collect name and then get resumes. This will keep your pipeline primed for candidates to fill your jobs.”

In my early days of this business I extended my networks by going to industry and trade conferences, publishing a newsletter, doing tons of favors for people and a host of other things. In the early 80′s I placed a diversity CIO in a national insurance company. He asked me, “How many other diversity people did you tell where you placed me?” “Just a few people,” I said. He then gave me some advice that I’ve followed ever since. “You should write or call lots of folks and tell them. This will extend your network and help you build a huge database of diversity candidates.” I started sending a few letters out after a placement. This grew to over 200 letters for each placement; typed, signed, sealed, stamped, and posted. Thank God for email.

I used to be a believer in that school of thought but no longer. Like Bob Dylan, I believe, ‘For the times they are a-changin…’ We haven’t got time to talk to all the people necessary to build a database of candidates for current and future openings. I still believe in all the basic truths of networking, like:

–Interacting with people to determine their experience and expertise and to get their referrals

–Asking these people to refer other qualified candidates

–Networking can take place any place at meetings, the check-out lane, hockey games, etc.

–Adding names and contacts to your networking list.

But I know there is a better way to do all this. Today, Internet networking, e-networking, is quickly becoming the heart and soul of our industry.

Peter D. Weddle, a journalist for Career Journal (www.careerjournal.com) wrote, “Networking has long been one of the pillars of successful recruiting. As one observer says, recruiting is a contact sport, and networking is one of the best ways to extend your range of contacts. Networking is connecting with your peers and building relationships with them. Moreover, as its second syllable notes, networking involves work. The word is not “netplay” or “netrelax.” Effective networking is a lot like taking care of your health. Only you can do it and you have to work at it every day.”

Just before Christmas I participated on a panel for a leading manufacturer of health products. The subject was “Candidate Research.” Another panel member, Meredith Freeman, Manager of Recruiting & Research, Willmott Talent Acquisition Solutions (MeredithF@willmott.com), led a discussion on Internet Networking, Candidate Research, and Candidate Development. To facilitate audience interaction, Meredith distributed a workshop manual which she wrote. To give you an idea of what kind of training is available, read the Table of Contents for her manual:

1. Sources for Research

a. Telephone

b. ISP

c. Google

d. Directories

e. Alumni

f. Associations

g. Usergroups

h. Discussion groups

i. Web based networking

j. Resume databases

k. Outplacement firms

l. Blogs

m. SIC codes

2. Company Information/Industry Information

a. Websites company research

b. Job boards Research/Recruiting sites

3. Google Internet Sourcing Techniques

a. Basic language

b. Techniques/File type searches

c. Google web alerts

d. Google University search option

4. Searching

a. Finding documents

b. Finding resumes in title/in URL

c. Finding Excel spreadsheets

d. Finding Microsoft or PDF documents

e. Finding Resume Books

f. Finding People

g. Finding Information on people/companies

h. Finding email addresses

i. Finding Alumni groups

5. AltaVista

6. Online Research Communities

7. Sourcer Training

8. Diversity Information

a. Fraternities and Sororities

b. Associations

c. General Diversity sites

d. African American websites

e. Hispanic websites

9. Niche Job Boards

The Benefits of E-networking

Let’s return to Peter Weddle. “The Internet, as the only networking venue that is available all the time, is a valuable networking resource. Networking online, or e-networking, is not limited by your location or the number of hours in a business day. Viable methods of e-networking include:

–Participating in verbal communities

–Corresponding with newsgroups

–Keeping up with fellow alumni at your alma mater’s website

–Building relationships with candidates whose resumes are archived in your organization’s database

–Maintaining contact with former employees through alumni database.”

This certainly beats hours and hours on the telephone talking to many people who are not remotely qualified for current and future positions. This type of network building doesn’t have to be done during duty hours in your office. You can usually get on the Internet any time and any place you choose.

“Despite its advantages,” Weddle states, “e-networking is considered a waste of time by many recruiting organizations. They want recruiters to network the old fashioned way – one-on-one over the telephone during business hours and feel that the only recruiters who should be on the Web are Internet sourcing specialists, who typically have little work or recruiting experience and modest networking skills. But even though their use of the Web is encouraged these specialists data-mine for resumes rather than build relationships with candidates and referrers, missing out on the opportunity to e-network.”

Some structured-networking groups

Barbara Meade, on Career Journal.com (www.careerjournal.com) stated that CareerJournal.com Calendar of Career Events and the Riley Group publishes a list of structured networking groups. In her article, “A Guide to Finding Structured-Networking Groups,” she describes five groups.

ExecuNet, Norwalk, CT, describes itself as a career services group for executives earning $100,000 or more annually. It runs more than sixty meetings a month in more than forty-five cities. Typical attendance is 20 to 30; some meetings are devoted to networking; some have speakers.

The Five O’Clock Club is a membership organization offering career coaching and outplacement assistance.

The Financial Executives Networking Group, a national organization headquartered in Weston, CT has been so successful that it served as a model for the Technology Executives Networking Group and others. The FENG and TENG don’t charge membership fees, but prospects must be recommended by a member. FENG has about 50 chapters and 30 special interest groups.

Forty Plus groups are autonomous. They seek managers, professionals, and executives over the age of 40 and who are earning at least $40,000.

Networking Considerations

–Good recruiters are always building lists of prospective candidates, or people who can lead them to these candidates in fields in which they specialize. Most build the lists before they need them. E-networking simplifies and expedites this list building.

–Screen in network members. Be in play; networking can take place anywhere. Get names, pyramid your contacts.

–Networking brings opportunities. Network members open doors Make networking a “win/win;” ask, “How can I help you?”

–People want to share information, they want to help you.

E-networking considerations

–One of the critical factors for an e-network member is the trust relationship. You have to get and give trust.

–Remember: E-network members not only benefit from favors; they have to do favors for others. You get to know E-network members and they get to know you; people you can e-mail if you need something from them and people who can do the same with you.

–E-mailing, the communication channel for E-networking, demands more than adequate writing skills. Sloppy or insensitive writing communication skills lend themselves to short term, probably SPAM relationships.

The goal of e-networking is different than traditional networking. In e-networking your objective is to increase the number of people you know so that you will get in front of large groups of people.

Diversity In Recruiting – Command Training

Frank McCarthy on Dec. 2, 2004

“Ultreya!” Dan McCarthy, a close friend and no relation, introduced that word into my vocabulary. Here’s how. This past April, Dan set out on a walking pilgrimage from St. Jean Pied de Port, a small town at the foot of the Pyrenees in Southern France and the gateway to northwestern Spain. On the first day he walked fifteen miles up to the pass of Roncesvalles at about 4,500 feet above sea level. The next day he began six weeks of walking on el Camino de Santiago, the Way of Santiago, the 1,200 year old, 500 mile pilgrimage road to the shrine of the Apostle Saint James at Compostela, in Galatia, in the northwest corner of Spain. “A frequent conversation opener on the Camino is, ‘Why are you making the pilgrimage?’ or, “Why ultreya?’ Ultreya is a pilgrim cheer meaning to the end, or, go for it.

Ultreya is a great starting point for this last article, Command Training, in our series of Back to Basics. Go for it. Go for the gold. Be all that you can be. Great motivators for people in our industry, who want to make a difference and are driven to succeed. Leadership is the cornerstone of success in the military. Many readers will remember or have heard discussions about the NCO Academy, Officers Candidate School, Command and General Staff School, Army War College all dedicated to training military leaders.

Effective, informed leadership is critical to success in the placement industry. In this article we will present: an overview with comments on a few of Colin Powell’s 18 Lessons on Leadership (The Leadership Secrets of Colin Powell by Oren Harari); then cite a few business axioms; and conclude with some tips for success.

Vince Lombardi believed that “Leaders are made, they are not born. They are made by hard effort, which is the price which all of us must pay to achieve any goal that is worthwhile.” Colin Powell in his Lesson One: Being responsible sometimes means pissing people off, states, “Good leadership involves responsibility to the welfare of the group, which means that some people will get angry at your actions and decisions.” Do leaders/owners in our industry:

–Waffle on the tough decisions

–Avoid going toe-toe with people who need to be confronted

–Try to please everyone with their decisions

–Look at what is either right or wrong with tinted lenses?

Don’t be buffaloed by experts and elites. Experts often possess more data than judgment (Lesson Three). Do leaders/owners in our industry:

–Get so far away from the trenches that they forget what it takes to run a desk

–Stray from their work ethic and forget that the same work ethic made them successful

–Set weird company policies based on whim rather than the good of the company

– Waste staff member time by insisting that they do it the old way?

Never neglect details. When everyone’s mind is dulled or distracted the leader must be doubly vigilant (Lesson Five). Do leaders/owners in our industry:

–Keep their eye on the ball; know where the business is; dare to try new things

–Instruct, delegate, supervise, and measure

–Let top producers stray from operational details or policy

–Safeguard the routine and activity level; do they lead by example?

Organization doesn’t really accomplish anything. Plans don’t accomplish anything, either. Endeavors succeed or fail because of the people involved. Only by attracting the best people will you accomplish great deeds (Lesson Eight). Do leaders/owners in our industry:

–Attract the best and the brightest and give them the tools to succeed

–Respect and value team members

–Create a welcoming, inclusive environment

–Share the wealth; reward people?

“Powell’s Rules for Picking People” Look for intelligence and judgment and, most critically, a capacity to anticipate, to see around corners. Also look for loyalty, integrity, a high-energy drive, a balanced ego and the drive to get things done. Do leaders/owners in our industry:

–Evaluate prospective staff members as honestly as they assess candidates for clients

–Recognize that staff development must be a core competency

–Commit more than 30% of their time to selecting and training top people

–Ask themselves about each staff person, “How good is this person at getting things done?”

–Overlook that the quality of their people is the best competitive differentiator?

(Borrowed by Powell from Michael Korda): Great leaders are almost always great simplifiers who can cut through argument, debate, and doubt, to offer a solution everybody can understand! Do leaders/owners in our industry:

–Practice the KISS principle: Keep It Simple, Stupid

–Let their egos get in the way of good instruction and clear direction

–Energize or sap the energy from their staff

–Have PhDs in ambiguity and encourage CYA defenses from their staff

A few business axioms learned over the years from my role models in the industry:

–Never lose sight of what it takes to make a placement return to the trenches

–“Being in play” join associations, get active in the community, be involved, stay out of the “fast check out lane,” give back

–Do favors for people favors first this will make you different

–You can make a great living, if you don’t get greedy

–Remember that the job no leader should delegate is making sure you have the right people in the right place

–Know your competition

–Celebrate successes with your whole team. There are lots of opportunities for good recruiters to become attracted to new and exciting recruiting firms

–As Vince Lombardi said: “Mental toughness is essential to success.”

–Follow-through is the key to execution; every leader who is good at executing follows through and always does what she says she is going to do.

–Get things done through others but be sure to reward them and give them credit

–Believe and practice the continuous improvement and training of your staff and, most importantly, yourself

–Make sure that people don’t stay at your firm just for the money

–Stay in touch with everyone! Don’t stop being in play and networking until you are lowered into your six by six condo!

There are thousands of “tips for success” offered by many self-proclaimed gurus in every industry and in every career. I will pass on just a couple learned from some top recruiters.

–“Mind your time. Once it’s gone, you’ll never get it back.” The telephone and the Internet are extraordinary tools but misuse is a killer. Know what information you need and get it in a timely, respectful manner. Who cares that she played the tuba in junior high?

–E-mail is so effective in identifying, sourcing, and recruiting candidates. Become an expert.

–Don’t forget about reference checking. Do it wisely and with consideration. Don’t waste people’s time. It is still an effective source of gaining new clients, branding your services, and building networks.

–Develop an expertise and in teleconferencing and video-conferencing

–Traditional interviews aren’t useful for spotting the qualities of leaders who execute.

–Lastly, the old chestnut: work hard. Abraham Lincoln said that, “things may come to those who wait, but only the things left by those who hustle.”

Ultreya: hang in there and go for it!

I hope you didn’t think you would escape without a mention of the demise of the curse and a salute to the World Champions of Baseball: The Boston Red Sox. It is bad form to gloat. Besides, I have already done that to excess with lifelong friends and family in New York and New Jersey. How sweet it is!

There is so much to say but Paul Hawkinson would get out his red pen and that would be the ball game.

But I can’t let this glorious event slip away without a memorable line or two. After all, I have been a Red Sox fan since 1935 and fifteen of those years were lived in the environs of the Evil Empire. To show you the depths of our love for the Red Sox, let me quote from a sermon, given by the groom at his wedding ceremony, in church, which took place just before the recent World Series.

“I love baseball. However, my passion for baseball and the Red Sox are mostly internal. Sure, people know my team but I am not an in-your-face fan and I don’t feel that my love or passion for my team means any more or less than someone else’s love or passion for their team. I also don’t believe that they are stupid or ridiculous for believing in their team. (The fact that they are stupid or ridiculous is a separate issue.) Be that as it may, while I root for my team with an optimistic but guarded hope and suffer minor depressive episodes if they lose, I know that I walk with more humor, live with more confidence, and I’m happy, elevated and experience a healing when there is a win. But I resist the urge to call this a ‘religious experience’ because I firmly believe there should be a separation of church and stadium.

My friends and future friends, for some strange and mysterious reasons known only to God, I was drawn to my lovely bride, even when she was seduced by the Devil of success and became dare I say a Yankee fan. But time passed and her senses awakened to the arrogance of reality and this beautiful, passionate, incredibly humorous woman to my left for some strange and mysterious reasons known only to God has latched herself onto my blind passion for the Red Sox, cheering when I cheer and weeping internally, if I weep internally …”

That’s all folks but now you know! Amen.

A very happy and healthy holiday season to all!

Diversity In Recruiting – ABN: Airborne/Special Training

Frank McCarthy on Nov. 1, 2004

“Don’t be buffaloed by experts and elites. Experts often possess more data than judgment. Elites can become so inbred that they produce hemophiliacs who bleed to death as soon as they are nicked by the real world. Small companies don’t have time for analytically detached experts. They don’t have the money to subsidize lofty elites, either. The president answers the phone and drives the truck when necessary; everyone on the payroll visibly produces and contributes to bottom-line results or they’re history.” Sound advice from General Colin Powell (The Leadership Secrets of Colin Powell by Oren Harari). Most TFL readers who are business owners will offer a hearty “Amen.”

When I first started out in the placement industry in 1973, I didn’t have a clue. You don’t get much business training in theology and jumping out of airplanes. Then I met Irving Sands, a Boston giant in our industry. Irv started in the placement business in the late 1940s and was the first or one of the first to promote changes from candidate fee paid to company fee paid. He was also the sparkplug for developing a Code of Ethics, a founder of Massachusetts Professional Placement Consultants, and one of the first to promote the career development approach in candidates he represented, and probably the first member of our industry to develop a specialty practice in placing human resource professionals. Let me tell you how I met him and what I like best about his approach to our business.

I started my business in Providence, RI, had been in business about two months, had not only not made a placement, I had not even set up an interview. Pretty disconsolate, I was re-reading the Sunday Globe Want Ads and there were big ads placed by a Boston placement firm, Rogers and Sands. I thought that these guys must know what they are doing and maybe I can learn something from them. I called and asked for Mr. Rogers, Irv picked up the phone I found out later that there was no Mr. Rogers and I told him my sad story. His reaction: “Hey, how about I come down and spend some time with you tomorrow?” He did and became a lifelong friend and coach. I told that story at the first of his many “retirement” parties.

His approach to the business is simple and profound: complete respect for the candidate and client, honesty and fairness in everything, loyalty, always do what you say you are going to do, love life, have a sense of humor, and do lots of favors for people.

This month some special tools of our trade will be front and center: candidate research, keys to diversity recruiting, and red flags in diversity recruiting.

HTC Research (http://htcresearch.com/), a provider of passive candidate research, in a recent newsletter presented ten reasons why recruiting firms should use candidate research:

1. Need to spend more time doing sales and less time talking to the wrong candidates.

2. Unfamiliarity with specific geographic region, target company or industry.

3. Need to reduce internal cost of finding qualified candidates.

4. Need qualified candidates quickly.

5. Placing ads on job boards was unsuccessful.

6. Client has agreed to pay for research costs.

7. No time to do the sourcing internally.

8. No resources to do the sourcing internally.

9. Want to build a database of “hot” candidates for future needs.

10.You’re a little rusty on the phone skills needed to find candidates effectively.

Candidate research offers many benefits to clients and recruiting firms. Here are a few:

Reduces recruiting costs, and allows companies to control the costs

Provides an inexpensive method of building and enlarging candidate databases

Increases candidate flow; builds pipelines of candidates

Provides a slate of candidates in a brief period of time for presentation clients

Builds databases of candidates in marketable disciplines for present and future use

Enhances networking capabilities and company name recognition

Identifies the key players and industry leaders

Gathers data about the feasibility of entering new markets

Gathers intelligence about your company’s reputation among potential candidates; amasses market information, and provides data on how you and your competitors are viewed in the marketplace

Enables your recruiting staff to handle more projects in a more timely fashion

Assesses the availability of candidates in specific disciplines and what they are earning

Saves time and facilitates quick turnaround

Candidate research firms abound throughout the country. I’m sure that Ken Cole’s national directory, The Executive Search Research Directory, slimmed down during the recession, but you will be amazed at his lengthy list of research firms. Recruiting firms throughout the country use candidate research. The following guidelines for selecting and evaluating candidate research firms resulted from conversations with many recruiting firms. Companies are definitely interested in candidate research. A few guidelines for selecting and evaluating research firms:

Interview the person from the research firm who will be responsible for your project. The interview does not have to be in person but make sure that all your questions are answered and that both you and the researcher agree on the objectives, time frames, and details of the project.

Describe your project in detail. Ask the researcher whether a similar project has been completed. If the answer is yes, get the details. A negative response is not necessarily a red flag; it means that you have to do more probing. Ask questions and then make your evaluation.

Find out if there are any companies that are “off limits” to the candidate research firm.

Ask if the researcher would be willing to work with you on a test project. You design the project and get the firm to work on it for ten hours without any cost to you. Make it the actual project that you have in mind. Do not give the firm any target companies; ask them to develop a list of companies that they feel are good target companies. Tell the firm if the test project is successful, you will pay for the ten hours and roll it into the contract.

Get a detailed listing of their recent research projects. Ask how many hires resulted from the projects; how many projects were successful; how many were unsuccessful, and why?

Ask about their process and how you will work together. Insist on timely and frequent progress reports. Set due dates and turnaround time. Get references. Negotiate a mutually beneficial contract.

At least once a month I get calls from other recruiters who ask about diversity recruiting. Many of the calls go like this: “One of my best clients wants to fill a job with a diversity candidate, should I take the search or try to split it with someone else.” These calls reinforce the fact that diversity recruiting is back on the table. The remainder of this article will give you some information you can use when clients pose questions about diversity recruiting. For your clients to be successful recruiting diversity candidates, ten key elements must be in place. I’ll list them briefly but if you want a more detailed description, email me (frank@diverseworkplace.com) and I will send the Ten Keys to you.

1. The most senior executives of the firm must establish a clear business mandate that diversity recruiting is a business necessity with clearly defined objectives and measurements.

2. Diversity staffing must take careful aim at business goals. Successful diversity recruiting initiatives are tied to the business objectives of the company.

3. The recruiting process must be efficiently planned, effectively implemented, managed, and measured. Minimize surprises. The diversity recruiting plan must receive input from all stakeholders.

4. All obstacles must be eliminated at the beginning of the recruiting process. Get rid of lame excuses for not hiring talented diversity candidates. Before the recruiting begins, get closure on issues such as relocation, job level, reporting relationships, sign-on bonuses, title, etc.

5. Human resources and company management must assign their best, most respected leaders to diversity recruiting projects.

6. The company must establish and strengthen cultural competency and multicultural respect. Cultural competency means the ability and skills to work with diverse people and to manage the process.

7. The staffing leaders must cast a broad net to find diversity candidates.

8. The company must provide timely feedback when working with recruiting firms.

9. The organization must plan, implement, manage, and measure effective retention programs.

10. Companies must tell their diversity success stories.

What are the red flags in diversity recruiting?

The company has no diversity recruiting strategy in place, lacks knowledge about diversity, does not link diversity to business objectives, and does not have a clear understanding of diversity staffing.

The interviewer is not culturally competent and does not know how to interview individual candidates from different cultures.

Stereotyping is commonplace.

Company representatives who make hiring decisions based on their own racial and ethnic biases.

We would like to hire people of color but there are none out there in the disciplines we are seeking. Such statements encourage belief in a long-standing and repudiated myth.

The demographics where company installations are located suggest a diverse workforce but the management levels are homogeneous all white.

Senior management has no understanding of the business case for diversity and the resulting consequences to their marketing and growth objectives.

Corporate thinking seems to be limited to complying with the law, heading off lawsuits, and staying out of trouble. There is no recognition of diversity or inclusion as strategic and imperative business issues, no commitment to equal treatment, and no desire for a level playing field.

The rigid adherence to job descriptions and promotions from within are obstacles to recruiting of highly qualified diversity candidates.

Next month we will complete this series by discussing leadership, being involved, some business axioms, and tips for success.

As I write this, today is a crisp, invigorating October day in New England. It is a happy day because last night Curt Schilling worked his magic on the Angels, and the Bronx Bombers bombed! Next Sunday, the Patriots will be going for their 19th consecutive win against Miami and I will be there. Rest easy, non-Boston sports fan, I will not conclude by bragging about our home teams.

On a recent sales call on Merrill Lynch in New Jersey, their five principles were posted in the lobby:

1. Client focus

2. Integrity

3. Respect for the Individual

4. Responsible Citizenship

5. Teamwork

Diversity In Recruiting – AIT: Advanced Individual Training

Frank McCarthy on Oct. 1, 2004

Basic Training conjures up many images for people who served in the military. Unbelievable, comical, weird, and life changing experiences are all interwoven in the fabric of your military memories. One recruit, as the story goes, enmeshed in basic training decided that army life was not for him. He began to go to every formation, every mess hall line, every drill on an imaginary motorcycle. Countless times during the day you would see him release the kick stand, hear the vroooomm, vroooomm of his imaginary motorcycle, watch as he tested the invisible brakes and steered the handlebars. He and his ‘bike’ quickly captured everyone’s imagination and became the topic of conversation throughout the training regiment. After three weeks of this, he and his motorcycle were summoned to a meeting with the company commander. You could hear him coming throughout the company area as he drove his ‘bike’ full speed into the orderly room.

The young recruit jumped off his ‘bike,’ smartly saluted the captain, and stood at rigid attention. After the commanding officer gave him his discharge papers, he turned and began to walk out the door. “Hey,” the CO shouted, “You forgot your ‘bike.’” The smiling, soon-to-be civilian, retorted: “Thank you, sir. I won’t need it any more.”

After basic comes Advanced Individual Training. Last month our focus was the telephone, recruiting, and candidates. This month we will look at clients, marketing, sales calls, and changes in the industry, new skills, and the impact of the Internet.

I am writing this on a beautiful Sunday morning on the Labor Day weekend. Beautiful for many reasons: it is a spectacular late summer day, the Red Sox have a sizzling winning streak going, and I am going to see the Bosox-Rangers game this afternoon. However a very disconcerting, menacing event took place earlier this morning at church. The priest, a notorious Yankee fan and therefore obviously disturbed, posed and answered this question at the end of mass: “Where can you get a great hotdog and watch a ball game in mid-October?” “Yankee Stadium.”

Company slogans sometimes last for generations:

I want YOU for the US Army World War I and II

I love New York 1977

Where’s the beef? Wendy Restaurants, 1984

It’s the real thing Coca Cola, 1941

The pause that refreshes Coca Cola, 1929

…another shrimp on the Barbie … Australian Tourist Commission, 1984

Day-Timer’s slogan: “It’s all about you,” sets the stage for this article on advanced individual training. You can be as effective and successful in this business as you want to be “It’s all about you.”

People in our industry are bombarded with literature, e-mails, and telephone calls touting the importance of marketing and effective sales presentations. I’m going to look at sales and marketing from two different vantage points: relationship building and listening to clients. It’s all about you and your ability to forge, strengthen, and grow mutually beneficial business relationships. Practitioners who focus on maintaining lasting relationships with the clients, in good times and in bad, have many things in common: they are still in business, they know their clients, they listen to their clients, they get repeat business, they do favors for their clients, they get referrals, and they get respect.

Let’s hear from some experts in the field about listening to clients. Two senior human resources executives, Frank Miklavic (Boston) and Ron Andrews (Prudential, New Jersey), and Greg Page, an executive search professional had a lot to say about listening. Here’s a recap:

Work at getting the job description and profile right, especially with the hiring manager and VP. Often they don’t really know what they want and the process of tweaking the description; skill set; intangibles; work; values; etc., helps everyone get on the same page and enhances a successful placement. Find out who the decision maker really is.

Learn about the company, its products, and its “success model.”

On a senior level search especially, interview the candidate over the phone or in person if local, but meet the person live before you present the candidate. No surprises on interview day!

Try to set your own and your client’s expectations realistically so that everyone has a good chance of success.

Do more for your clients than they expect. This may be through faster work, better documentation, providing more quality references, referring a junior candidate for free etc.

Make your client’s job easier by being well prepared and organized for discussions and making the interview processes go smoothly (never waste their time).

Don’t rely on the easy recruiting methods too much do your homework.

Ask your best clients for referrals to possible new clients.

Ron Andrews was very direct:

Pursue what I ask for, not what you think I need

Deliver on your promises

Keep me abreast of what’s happening on a search at all times

Give me insight on how the candidate market views the firm

Show me that you understand our needs (technical and behavioral) by the talent you bring.

In person sales calls still make a difference. Sure, time is a factor, the telephone and e-mails are quicker, and maybe companies don’t want to be bothered. I truly believe that building the kind of relationships that last must be done face to face. Don’t call them sales calls. You don’t have to sell every time you see a client or prospective client. How about relationship calls? Whatever you choose to call them, visit your clients.

Whenever a colleague tells me that they haven’t done much business lately with an old client, I always ask: “When is the last time you saw them or had lunch with them?” One search person, who has been in business for over thirty years, makes three in person sales calls every week, tracks them and records the information gathered on his database. He started doing this in the early seventies and is still going strong. This is a discipline that has rewards.

Many veterans in the recruiting industry attest to the dynamic change that has taken place in the human resources profession in the last twenty-five years. In the old days third party recruiters would go around the Personnel Manager and build their relationships with line managers. To do so now would be fatal. Today, human resources professionals are respected partners who know their business and influence policy. The lessons for recruiting industry practitioners are obvious:

? Know all facets of recruiting; be open and receptive to new ideas; embrace change and the daily evolution of novel recruiting tools and creative ways of attracting the best candidate pool.

? Be comfortable with emerging technologies; brainstorm with others and spearhead new approaches for 21st century recruiting.

? Have the courage to step away from the trite business as usual mentality; stay current by constantly learning new skills and upgrading old skills.

? Constantly evaluate your recruiting processes and sources of finding and developing prospective candidates.

? Find out your candidate’s hot buttons and decision-making criteria. Train recruiters to focus on the difficult-to-find candidates.

? Have someone audit your interviewing skills and those of your recruiters. Demand the best in interviewing skills. Be aware of the nuances and behaviors of cultural differences. Focus on the competencies of candidates.

? Know and be able to describe the culture of your client’s organization.

Here are a few questions we can ask ourselves:

How do our recruiters, procedures, and operations stack up to our competitors? What feedback do we get from our clients about our services compared to our competitors? What’s missing?

What would make this operation a world recruiting organization?

Are we doing business as usual - the same way we did it ten years ago? Are we out of touch?

Do we go beyond the predictable candidate slate? Do we settle for candidates who are actively on the job market? How can we expand our reach?

Are we missing out on top candidates by not getting in tune with their goals and objectives?

Glenn Gutmacher, the founder of Advanced Online Recruiting Techniques (glenn@recruiting-online.com), proclaims far and wide the benefits and impact of recruiting on the Internet, Here’s a lengthy quote from one of his articles:

A search guru I respect, Shally Steckerl, recommends twelve steps for a successful Internet candidate search (www.jobmachine.net/bookmarklets/12step.htm):

1. Gather search keywords

2. Broadcast the job

3. Search internal databases

4. Use current contacts

5. Search resume boards

6. Find general industry information

7. Identify and locate competitors

8. Search for candidates from competitors

9. Search for resumes on the Web

10. Search for people on the Web

11. Communicate with new found contacts

12. If these steps yield no results, start over from step 1 using more narrow keywords and a refined message to your contacts.

Unless you’ve been under a rock since the late ’90s, you know that the major job boards have made a major impact on how companies find candidates, at least for entry to mid-level positions. However, if every recruiter spends their time on thebig three (Monster.com, still far ahead of Yahoo’s HotJobs.com and CareerBuilder.com), the same desirable candidates will be pursued repeatedly by other recruiters, and, may not be receptive to you.

This is why I advocate investigating the niche job boards. These are specific to industry, function, level, geography, diversity and more. Major boards noticed their growing success and started to create “channels” on their sites, e.g., Monster.com’s Chief Monster for executive-level candidates.

Not only do the niche job boards have some good candidates who are not on the major boards, they charge a lot less. More than likely they will let you do a trial job posting or two and/or a day or so of unlimited resume search for free, if you ask. They want you to sign on, tell others, and help them to gain some marketplace traction.

Niche job boards have much smaller databases but the candidates using them are specialized. And since you probably don’t need to put more than a few good candidates in front of the hiring manager, it may be enough. To find such sites, I recommend that you buy a comprehensive directory with site reviews, such as CareerXRoads by Gerry Crispin andMark Mehler (MMR Publishing; www.careerxroads.com); or an even larger free access job board directory from AIRS, (www.airsdirectory.com/directories/job_boards).

Next month we will discuss various recruiting tools, the use of e-mails in recruiting, candidate research, and the keys to diversity recruiting.

At the beginning of this article I mentioned the Red Sox vs. Rangers game. Curt Schilling had his 18th win (10 strikeouts) and the Sox are only 2.5 games behind the Yankees. Mirabile dictum wonderful to relate!

Diversity In Recruiting – Basic Training

Frank McCarthy on Sep. 1, 2004

Paratroopers take great pride in their jump boots. They spend many hours each year spit shining them to the traditional airborne gloss. On the day before JFK was elected President, I made my first parachute jump at Fort Benning, Georgia. Exiting the plane and jumping into thin air at twelve hundred feet was certainly exciting. But what I remember most about that day was seeing my own reflection in my highly polished boots and thinking: “What the hell am I doing here?”

What does this have to do with the placement business? Airborne training is rigorous and comprehensive; everything is covered; nothing is left to chance. It is so demanding and repetitious that the young trooper instinctively and almost naturally performs every necessary action and reaction time and time again because his life depends on it. Training, training, and more training.

You can see where I’m going: people in our industry, even veterans, – no, make that especially veterans – need training throughout their careers. So, the articles for the rest of the year will be: BCT: Basic Training; AIT: Advanced Individual Training; ABN: Airborne, or, Special Training; and Command Training.

Before we begin, let me tell you about one airborne training technique. When the Training Sergeant in jump school yells: “Hit it!” The paratrooper trainee must quickly assume the position of exiting the plane and at the same time yell at the top of his lungs: “One thousand, two thousand, three thousand, four thousand.” Then he must look up to visualize and make sure that his parachute is opened and deployed. Some days the “Hit it” command is given forty to a hundred times, mostly when you least expect it. The trooper either obeys immediately or does many pushups and/or laps around the field. One Saturday night I was in scenic downtown Columbus, Georgia and recognized two young GIs from my jump school who were out with two local young ladies. I walked up behind them and screamed, “Hit it!” They reacted true to their training and terrified their dates. Mea culpa.

This article will focus on the telephone, recruiting, and candidates. Believe me, this will not be an in-depth training session – just the musings of an interested player.

There it sits on your desk in the office, your work station at home, in your pocket, purse, on your belt when you are out and about: the telephone. Alexander Graham Bell’s gift to us is our lifeline to clients and candidates, the conditio sine qua non (the without which not) of our business. It is feared by some, nemesis to a few, avoided by others, abused by many, and moneymaker for those who have mastered it. Its proper use spells success and growth, its misuse ends or shortens placement careers, lessens income, and leads to abysmal failure. Here are a few bullets to jumpstart your thinking about the telephone. I’m sure you have others; if so, send them along and I will include them in a future article.

- Smile when picking up the phone; the caller will hear it in your voice.

- You are center stage in every phone call; people judge you on your manners.

- Prepare for phone calls as you would prepare for critical conversations. Nothing makes an important phone call more rewarding and more confidence building than the hard work of good preparation.

- Keep the fact that you are very busy, having a bad day, whatever, out of your phone voice.

- If you take the call, have time for the person calling.

- Promise to do 100 pushups every time you keep a person on hold for more than 10 seconds.

- Talking to someone in the office while conducting a phone call is a double play of rudeness.

- When you forget whom you are calling make a joke out of it rather than trying to be suave.

- Your every phone call is an interview, a sales call, an opportunity to judge you, a chance to make a lasting first impression.

- The phone is a coward’s pulpit when it is used to get angry, tell someone off, to be insulting or obstinate. People who do this usually do not have the courage to be a jerk in person.

- Make sure that people who work for you have PhD’s in telephone courtesy; if they don’t, you look bad.

- There is a special place in hell for people who consistently use cell phones at restaurant tables, plays, movies, churches, during conference and workshops sessions, etc. Next to genuine emergencies, the only excusable time is when you hit the lottery for $100 million!

- Last, and far from least, return phone calls. Forge a reputation for returning phone calls. A fitting epitaph for the gravestone of a recruiter: “She always returned phone calls.” The best, the brightest, and the most successful always do.

Dr. John Sullivan, former Chief Talent Officer for Agilent Technologies, is a Professor and Head of the Human Resources program at San Francisco State University. He contributes to Electronic Recruiting and Exchange as well as The Fordyce Letter. In one ERE article, “Eight Simple Rules for Becoming a Great Recruiter,” he gives pragmatic guidance for learning the recruiting craft:

- Read everything that relates to recruiting, your industry, business in general

- Build a learning network: work with others who want to become the best

- Use metrics; track what works and know why it works

- Get a mentor

- When you are actually recruiting:

- Rely on referrals

- Recognize that you are in sales

- Do your market research

- Focus and prioritize

Here are a few additions to Sullivan’s advice. I am sure that subscribers to TFL can add many more.

- Know all facets of recruiting; be open and receptive to new ideas; embrace change and the daily evolution of novel recruiting tools and creative ways of attracting the best candidate pool.

- Be comfortable with emerging technologies; brainstorm with others and spearhead new approaches for 21^st century recruiting.

- Have the courage to step away from the trite business-as-usual mentality; stay current by constantly learning new skills and upgrading old skills

- Continually upgrade the skills of your recruiters – provide training

- How do your recruiters, procedures, techniques, approaches compare to your competitors?

- Do your recruiters deliver? Do they waste too much time on the Internet? Do they network?

A young man, fresh out of business school, answered a want ad for an accountant. He was interviewed by a very nervous CEO who ran a three-man business: “I need someone with an accounting degree,” the man said. “But mainly, I’m looking for someone to do my worrying for me.” “Excuse me?” the young candidate said.

“I worry about a lot of things,” the prospective employer responded. “But I don’t want to have to worry about money. Your job will be to take all the money worries off my back.” “I see,” the young accountant replied. “And how much does the job pay, Sir?”

“I will start you at one hundred twenty thousand a year.” “Wow,” the young accountant exclaimed. “How can such a small business afford to pay me such a big salary?” “That,” the owner said, “is your first worry.”

Ed Mangahas, runs a very successful recruiting firm in Boston, and when it comes to candidates he advises: “Know your candidates well. Understanding both career ambitions, as well as specific job qualifications, are important. Most companies today are trying to get the most talent for their dollar. This means getting someone with more potential to grow with the company or expand his/her job responsibilities and scope. There is a current trend of cautious hiring for fear of committing payroll dollars too soon. I believe that trend will continue, even as business continues to rise. So being able to present a candidate that can fulfill the job requirements, but also fits into the client’s business plan for the next few years will become increasingly critical with each hire.”

How about some advice from other practitioners and corporate staffing people?

- “Provide more thorough reference checks. Be flexible: let the client add some of their own questions. Provide updated CORI (criminal background) checks. Don’t sell the candidate on the company, let the company do that. If the candidate still isn’t sold, it’s probably not the right fit. This will avoid unneeded turnover.” Thanks to Ericka Lowry, Staffing Manager at Cambridge Health Alliance.

- Ron Segal and Norm Lieberman, two TFL readers advise us to “get ready for rapid response to clients with pressing needs; keep your candidate records current; review and improve your candidate prepping procedures for candidates and hiring authorities do this for telephone screenings as well as face-to-face interviews; review and hone your debriefing procedures.”

- Frank Miklavic, a senior consultant in the Boston area, and a former VPHR, directs us: “Don’t oversell the candidate! Give a balanced and honest assessment of your impression of the company.”

I’ll conclude with a few considerations about candidates and working with candidates. I’m sure that I am going to miss a lot, so, I invite the readers to send their bullets along and I will note them in subsequent articles.

- Do your best to meet candidates in person this is critical in avoiding surprises we all have war stories to tell when we haven’t met candidates.

- Check references thoroughly sharpen your reference checking techniques. Many times excellent reference checking is a powerful marketing tool that results in new business.

- If you have a concern about a resume or something in the resume, get it squared away ASAP.

- Give guidance and critiques of resumes; never re-write a candidate’s resume.

- Follow the golden rule that never changes: “Prep and debrief candidates before and after interviews.”

- See your candidates, if possible, after the offer is made and accepted. If the candidate is good enough to get a great offer, he/she is also good enough to get a lucrative counter-offer. As Barbara Cinque, a retired recruiter often stated: “He’s walking around with my money and you can bet I will keep in touch.”

- Probably shouldn’t put this one in but I will. Be honest with candidates, never use them for fodder, and give them honest feedback.

- Work hard for your candidates. Whether you place them or not, candidates are either PR firms for your company, or negative critics of your services.

I started this article by mentioning airborne training. It’s a nice day for a baseball story, so let me finish by describing a true incident in the playing career of Lou Pinella, the former Yankee great, and a manager who believes in disciplined training. I attended a luncheon where the umpire involved told this story.

The umpire and Pinella had a number of misunderstandings throughout their careers. One day when Lou was at bat the first pitch was questionable but the ump called it a strike. After the second bad pitch was also called a strike, Lou, in anger, turned to the umpire and bellowed: “Where was that one at?”

The umpire in a calm voice replied: “Lou, you never end a sentence with a preposition.” Lou instantaneously retorted: “OK. Where was that one at, a——?” Lou was ejected!

Next month we will focus on interviewing, the impact of the Internet, clients, marketing, sales calls, and managing information.

Diversity In Recruiting – Basic Training

Frank McCarthy on Aug. 31, 2004

This article will focus on the telephone, recruiting, and candidates. Believe me, this will not be an in-depth training session – just the musings of an interested player.

? Smile when picking up the phone; the caller will hear it in your voice.

? You are center stage in every phone call; people judge you on your manners.

? Prepare for phone calls as you would prepare for critical conversations. Nothing makes an important phone call more rewarding and more confidence building than the hard work of good preparation.

? Keep the fact that you are very busy, having a bad day, whatever, out of your phone voice.

? If you take the call, have time for the person calling.

? Promise to do 100 pushups every time you keep a person on hold for more than 10 seconds.

? Talking to someone in the office while conducting a phone call is a double play of rudeness.

? When you forget whom you are calling make a joke out of it rather than trying to be suave.

? Your every phone call is an interview, a sales call, an opportunity to judge you, a chance to make a lasting first impression.

? The phone is a coward’s pulpit when it is used to get angry, tell someone off, to be insulting or obstinate. People who do this usually do not have the courage to be a jerk in person.

? Make sure that people who work for you have PhD’s in telephone courtesy; if they don’t, you look bad.

? There is a special place in hell for people who consistently use cell phones at restaurant tables, plays, movies, churches, during conference and workshops sessions, etc. Next to genuine emergencies, the only excusable time is when you hit the lottery for $100 million!

? Last, and far from least, return phone calls. Forge a reputation for returning phone calls. A fitting epitaph for the gravestone of a recruiter: “She always returned phone calls.” The best, the brightest, and the most successful always do.

? Read everything that relates to recruiting, your industry, business in general

? Build a learning network: work with others who want to become the best

? Use metrics; track what works and know why it works

? Get a mentor

? When you are actually recruiting:

? Rely on referrals

? Recognize that you are in sales

? Do your market research

? Focus and prioritize

Here are a few additions to Sullivan’s advice. I am sure that subscribers to TFL can add many more.

? Know all facets of recruiting; be open and receptive to new ideas; embrace change and the daily evolution of novel recruiting tools and creative ways of attracting the best candidate pool.

? Be comfortable with emerging technologies; brainstorm with others and spearhead new approaches for 21^st century recruiting.

? Have the courage to step away from the trite business-as-usual mentality; stay current by constantly learning new skills and upgrading old skills

? Continually upgrade the skills of your recruiters – provide training

? How do your recruiters, procedures, techniques, approaches compare to your competitors?

? Do your recruiters deliver? Do they waste too much time on the Internet? Do they network?

How about some advice from other practitioners and corporate staffing people?

? “Provide more thorough reference checks. Be flexible: let the client add some of their own questions. Provide updated CORI (criminal background) checks. Don’t sell the candidate on the company, let the company do that. If the candidate still isn’t sold, it’s probably not the right fit. This will avoid unneeded turnover.” Thanks to Ericka Lowry, Staffing Manager at Cambridge Health Alliance.

? Ron Segal and Norm Lieberman, two TFL readers advise us to “get ready for rapid response to clients with pressing needs; keep your candidate records current; review and improve your candidate prepping procedures for candidates and hiring authorities do this for telephone screenings as well as face-to-face interviews; review and hone your debriefing procedures.”

? Frank Miklavic, a senior consultant in the Boston area, and a former VPHR, directs us: “Don’t oversell the candidate! Give a balanced and honest assessment of your impression of the company.”

? Do your best to meet candidates in person this is critical in avoiding surprises we all have war stories to tell when we haven’t met candidates.

? Check references thoroughly sharpen your reference checking techniques. Many times excellent reference checking is a powerful marketing tool that results in new business.

? If you have a concern about a resume or something in the resume, get it squared away ASAP.

? Give guidance and critiques of resumes; never re-write a candidate’s resume.

? Follow the golden rule that never changes: “Prep and debrief candidates before and after interviews.”

? See your candidates, if possible, after the offer is made and accepted. If the candidate is good enough to get a great offer, he/she is also good enough to get a lucrative counter-offer. As Barbara Cinque, a retired recruiter often stated: “He’s walking around with my money and you can bet I will keep in touch.”

? Probably shouldn’t put this one in but I will. Be honest with candidates, never use them for fodder, and give them honest feedback.

? Work hard for your candidates. Whether you place them or not, candidates are either PR firms for your company, or negative critics of your services.

The umpire in a calm voice replied: “Lou, you never end a sentence with a preposition.” Lou instantaneously retorted: “OK. Where was that one at, a——?” Lou was ejected!

Next month we will focus on interviewing, the impact of the Internet, clients, marketing, sales calls, and managing information.

TFL archives, The Radical Recruiter

Diversity In Recruiting – Director Of Diversity – Dead End Job?

Frank McCarthy on Aug. 1, 2004

The world of work in America today seems to look to the human resources professionals for all the answers to diversity issues. This expectation is not only a mistake but it is grossly unfair. We know where the leadership belongs. We also know that in far too many instances the leadership passes the buck to Human Resources.

Many believe that diversity is a business imperative and should not be housed in the Human Resources Department. All agree that diversity is more than a narrow compliance program. Top diversity leaders in America fight for a higher place on the chain of command. Most want to report directly to the CEO; others want to be positioned so they have easy access to the top decision and policy makers in the company. The level at which the Director of Diversity reports sends a very clear message to other companies, prospective candidates, and the community.

Deborah Dagit, Executive Director of Diversity and Work Environment at Merck & Co., believes that the top diversity officer should reside in Human Resources. “I really feel strongly about that. Otherwise, HR can be the best darn gatekeeper (against) diversity. They have all it takes to be a barrier. If HR doesn’t have a buy-in, you are always going to be up against that.”

Today’s Director of Diversity is a business professional who understands corporate leadership and knows what it takes to get things done in the business setting. The Director of Diversity presents diversity as a business imperative, critical to company growth; gains the trust and confidence of the employees; and is a resource to everyone in the company. The role of the Director of Diversity is arduous, visible, and demands many skills and competencies including:

- Business acumen and bottom line orientation

- A commitment to fair treatment and tolerance

- An understanding of cultural differences and an appreciation for emerging markets

- Marketing, sales, team and consensus building skills

- Excellent listening and advocacy skills

- Competency in problem-solving, and conflict management

- Focus, persistence, creativity, and the willingness to take risks

- Awareness of what is going on in the company.

Is the Director of Diversity position a dead end job for a person of color? Sort of like taking a canoe over Niagara Falls? It certainly is, if it is at a company that is not serious about diversity or that.

Over the years I’ve discussed this with people of color who have been tapped by senior management to take job by companies that do not view diversity as a culture change. I have a lot of respect and empathy for motivated people who take on this role at a company that is not serious. They are like voices crying in the wilderness and all they hear is the echo of their own voices.

But, at companies where the senior leadership recognizes the value of diversity, the Director of Diversity position can be an excellent career move, a stepping-stone for a fast tracked executive. A premier financial services corporation selected their top sales executive to take over a faltering diversity program. Why? They wanted a proven, talented doer to make diversity happen. Did it hurt his career? Just the opposite. I suggest that they get everything on the table before they commit to taking the job by asking some pertinent questions: “Why are they selecting you? What is their vision for managing diversity? What are the accountabilities?” Here are some other questions that should be answered:

- Is the company committed to cultural change?

- Is the position viewed as a key role? How strong is the person to whom the position reports?

- Where and what is the commitment? What is the budget; is it realistic? Get details and accountabilities.

- What kind of support will you have? Who are your backers; are they reliable and committed?

- How will you be measured? What are the strategic goals and objectives?

- What happens when there are problems, resistance, and objections? Who will run interference with senior managers who don’t get it?

- What are the risks? Will you make a difference? Will you be effective? Is it too risky, or a win-win situation?

Is the top diversity job a dead end job? Read these excerpts from a job description and then answer that question for yourself:

The Vice President, Global Diversity will report directly to the President of the corporation. The President’s other direct reports are the international and domestic divisional and operating unit presidents. The organization is a $9 billion global company with over 55,000 employees and operations in 50 countries.

The Vice President, Global Diversity is a highly matrixed role that will provide worldwide leadership to diversity initiatives. This individual will be the chief architect in designing, developing, and implementing a comprehensive global diversity and inclusive workforce strategy to insure being the employer of choice for the best and brightest talent and achieving its business goals. The company will continue to dedicate significant resources to accomplish its diversity goals, and the VP, Global Diversity is responsible for guiding and coordinating these efforts throughout the company.

The VP Global Diversity will build strong working relationships with division presidents and key senior managers and staff members. The VP Global Diversity will monitor the company’s performance management, compensation, incentives, and promotional processes to ensure that they are equitable and consistent with the company’s diversity strategy.

The Vice President, Global Diversity will partner with selected company executives to secure contributions to minority and women’s organizations that are aligned to the company’s diversity objectives. This individual will work and consult very closely with Corporate Communications, Worldwide Marketing, Global Human Resources, and Public Affairs. This individual will promote and supervise effective utilization and growth of minority and women-owned businesses that are suppliers to the company.

The selected Vice President, Global Diversity will be evaluated and measured by his/her constituencies on:

- How quickly he/she understands the business

- Management expertise

- The ability to contribute to business results

- Knowledge of best practices

- Ability to communicate vision and to function as a change agent

- Team orientation

- Influencing and collaborating skills

- Success in building and maintaining business partnerships and alliances

- Demonstrated successes in consistently delivering results

- Leadership and team building skills

- Willingness to confront issues, solve problems, and meet challenges

Wow! This is a job for a courageous leader not a faint hearted follower. Much to the dismay of corporate America, diversity is real and is here to stay. Let’s finish with a quote from If the World Were a Village, by Meadows; and “A Summary of the World,” by Provasnik.

If we could shrink the earth’s population to a village of one hundred people, would you recognize it? Here’s the makeup:

- 52 villagers would be female; 48 would be male

- 33 would be children

- 6 would be over the age of 65

- 58 would be Asian

- 70 would be persons of color

- 30 would be Christian

- 6 would own half the village’s wealth; all 6 would be US citizens

- 9 would speak English

- 50 would suffer from malnutrition

- 80 would live in sub-standard housing

- 66 would not have access to clean, safe drinking water

- 10 would be lesbian, gay, or bisexual

- 1 would have a college education

Diversity Recruiting – Stereotyping

Frank McCarthy on Jun. 1, 2004

“Dear God, so far today I’ve been pretty good. I haven’t cursed; I haven’t talked about my neighbor; I haven’t lost my temper; I haven’t been mean to anyone; I haven’t been greedy; I haven’t been selfish; I haven’t had too much to drink; I haven’t been nasty or coveted anything. I’m thankful for that. But in a couple of minutes, Dear God, I’m going to get out of bed and from then on I’m going to need a lot more help. Amen.”

A Quincy Jones remark is perfect right here: “I’ve always thought that a big laugh is a really loud noise from the soul saying: ‘Ain’t it the truth?’”

God must have a great sense of humor. The giraffe, the camel, the monkey attest to that. Some, Bostonians for sure, would say the New York Yankees fit this category. Many times when I experience things that happen in everyday life, human foibles and interactions, I think: “Here’s another example of God’s humor.” God must get a big kick and a few laughs out of the way we stereotype people who are different but I don’t think He sees any humor in the way we treat people who are different.

Stereotypes are harmful because they prevent us from seeing people as individuals with unique skills and characteristics. Stereotypes are almost always negative or have a negative effect on the person stereotyped.

Gordon Allport defines stereotyping as “a perceptual and cognitive process in which specific behavioral traits are ascribed to individuals on the basis of their apparent membership in a group…. A stereotype is an exaggerated belief associated with a category. Its function is to justify (rationalize) our conduct in relation to that category.”

Allport states that prejudice is a logical outcome of stereotyping. Prejudice, as defined in Webster’s Dictionary, is “a feeling, favorable or unfavorable, toward a person or thing, prior to, or not based on actual experience.” In The Nature of Prejudice, Allport takes it a step further: “Prejudice is an overt or hostile attitude toward a person who belongs to a group, simply because he belongs to that group, and is therefore presumed to have the objectionable qualities ascribed to that group.”

Many believe that we all have a natural tendency toward prejudice and stereotyping. Allport teaches that prejudice ranges from people whispering about or avoiding certain people, to discriminating against those people (keeping the country club white), to attacking certain groups with violence or semi-violence (isolating or making it tough for a neighbor of color), to death (lynching, massacres, genocide). According to Allport, a prejudiced person is a mixed-up human being. His words are strong:.

The course of prejudice in a life seldom runs smoothly. Prejudiced attitudes are almost certain to collide with deep-seated values that are central to the personality. The influence of the school may contradict the influence of the home. The teaching of religion may challenge social stratification. Integration of such opposing forces with a single life is hard to achieve.

Hey! This is pretty ponderous and dispiriting for a beautiful spring day. Lighten up. Go back to stereotyping; that’s more palatable. Is it? Listen to the words of Dr. Evelyn Scott in an address delivered in Melbourne, Australia:

It is stereotyping which is the root cause of racism; it is stereotyping which is preventing us from reconciling our differences….The term stereotype was first used in the eighteenth century to describe a printing process designed to duplicate pages of type. Today its meaning has changed dramatically. Today we recognize stereotyping as a fixed conception of a group which is held by many people, which allows for no individuality or critical judgment.

One of my clients is a major hospital where 139 different ethnic groups are served. Imagine listing all the stereotypes perceived in that environment. It would be easy and probably entertaining to specify universal examples of stereotyping. If I did so, this article would take an entire issue of TFL. Instead, let me quote Sondra Thiederman, the author of Making Diversity Work:

“Positive biases are as apt as negative ones to distort our perception of what a person is really like…. A big problem with positive stereotypes is that each good thing we inflexibly believe about a group is invariably paired in our minds with something negative…. I can think of few groups that we glorify more than the Irish, but our infatuation is a double-edged sword. Yes, we declare with a winsome smile, they are charming, but they are also childlike; yes, they are poetic but they are also moody and temperamental. Everyone, of course, knows how creative the Irish are; how sad, we say, that this creative spirit leads them to drink.”

The world is changing. We are becoming more ethnically diverse. People from different cultures are coming into daily contact with each other and this brings greater opportunity for the expression of stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination.

The main arena for this change is the workplace where the vast majority of us make our living. The workplace is made up of many groups. In Voices of Diversity by Renee Blank and Sandra Slipp, real people talk about problems and solutions in a workplace where everyone is not alike. The diverse voices portrayed in the chapters are those of African Americans, Asian Americans, Latinos, Recent Immigrants, Workers with Disabilities, Younger and Older Workers, Gays and Lesbians, Women, and White Men. Rather than deal with all the voices, let me conclude with some African American voices I have heard in the workplace in the past thirty-four years some are from this book, others from my experience:

- We never get honest feedback. We are always seen as blacks, no matter what; the black accountant, the black engineer. Race is always our identifier, our badge.

- Rarely are we singled out for our accomplishments. We have to be clearly better than our white counterparts.

- The old stereotypes follow us around they are always there. When we talk about veiled or overt discrimination, no one believes us.

- No matter how good our track record is, we still have to prove ourselves. Our achievements do not follow us.

- When we excel, we make people uncomfortable. Rarely are we part of the normal socialization in an organization.

Stereotyping is all of the above but it is also sad because we miss so much about the persons being stereotyped.

Diversity In Recruiting – Execution: how to get it done

Frank McCarthy on May 1, 2004

What are you hearing on the street? What’s the latest buzz about the economy? About hiring? There are many positives out there: contract recruiters are busy, more jobs are being created, companies are talking to recruiters, candidate research firms are selling projects, and the pace of hiring is accelerating and heating up.

Are we poised for the advancing tide of opportunities? What should we do differently? Will conducting business as usual insure success, or, do we need a new way of acting?

Company leaders realize now more than ever that having the right people in the right job makes the difference between success and failure. Good leaders insist on playing an integral role in selecting the right people. They realize that the right people will give them the competitive edge needed in the marketplace. Hire the best people and they, in turn, will hire the best people.

Corporate leaders look to us to find people who excel at getting the job done. During this time of expecting better things to come, during this lull before the ‘storm’ of increased business activity, a return to basics makes sense. How do we get things done? How do we generate candidates? Do we use the right tools? Do we keep informed? Do we capture all the necessary information? Is our method of checking references effective? Do we stand steadfast on our ethics? Do we make the best use of referrals?

Spring, with its traditional spring cleaning and spring check-up, is a natural time for a quick refresher course, a post graduate look at some of the basics of our business.

Larry Bossidy and Ram Charan, the authors of Execution The Discipline of Getting Things Done (published by Crown Business, New York, New York) believe that execution is the cornerstone of business effectiveness, growth, and success. They state: “There are seven essential behaviors that form the first building block of execution:

- Know your people and your business

- Insist on realism

- Set clear goals and priorities

- Follow through

- Reward the doers

- Expand people’s capabilities

- Know yourself.”

Bossidy and Charan state strongly and directly, “Today’s business leaders aren’t where the action is. Being present allows you, as a leader, to connect personally with your people, and personal connections help you build your intuitive feel for the business as well as for the people running the business. Realism is the heart of execution. Set clear goals and priorities. You should strive for simplicity in general. One thing you’ll notice about leaders who execute is that they speak simply and directly. The failure to follow through is widespread in business and a major cause of poor execution.”

To make it in the recruiting business we know we must have people skills. Bossidy and Charan proclaim that the foundation of people skills is emotional fortitude, and this comes from self-discovery and self-mastery. They believe that “four qualities make up emotional fortitude:

- Authenticity: authenticity means pretty much what you might guess: you’re real, not a fake. Your outer person is the same as your inner person, not a mask.

- Self-awareness: Know thyself it’s advice as old as the hills and it’s the core of authenticity. Nowhere is self-awareness more important than in an execution culture.

- Self-mastery: When you know yourself, you can master yourself. You can keep your ego in check, take responsibility for your behavior, and adapt to change, embrace new ideas, and adhere to your standards of integrity and honestly under all conditions. Self-mastery is the key to true self confidence.

- Humility: The more you contain your ego, the more realistic you are about your problems. You learn how to listen and admit that you don’t know all the answers.

Ethics drive and motivate execution. Here are a few ingredients for a code of ethics. Some come from The Association of Executive Search Consultants (ASEC), others from thirty-one years of learning from the hall of famers in our industry.

- Professionalism: conduct activities in a manner that reflects favorably on the profession.

- Integrity: conduct business activities with integrity and avoid conduct that is deceptive or misleading.

- Competence: perform all assignments competently and with an appropriate degree of knowledge, thoroughness and urgency.

- Objectivity: exercise objective and impartial judgment in each assignment.

- Accuracy: strive to be accurate in all communications with clients and candidates and encourage them to exchange relevant and accurate information.

- Respect clients, candidates, and sources.

- Give all candidates equal and full consideration.

- There is no substitute for quality.

- Keep your word; do what you say you are going to do.

- Give back to the industry; do favors for people.

- Value the differences in people.

Character is the hallmark of serious players in our industry. Character is when no one is looking. Some practitioners, who do not remain in the business too long, exhibit a code of ethics that is rapt in ambiguity and cloaked in contradiction. Their stay is short because this business is just too tough without ethics and integrity. During their cameo appearance they become critics of the way the overwhelming majority of us do business. When I evaluate their negative criticism I recall a Brendan Behan quote and a short fable.

First the quote: “Critics are like eunuchs in a harem. They are there every night. They see it done every night. They see how it should be done every night but they can’t do it themselves.”

The fable: The boy rode on the donkey and the old man walked. As they went along they passed some people who remarked it was a shame the old man was walking and the boy was riding. The man and boy thought maybe the critics were right, so they changed positions.

Later, they passed some people that remarked, “What a shame, he makes that little boy walk.” They then decided they both would walk!

Soon they passed some more people who thought they were stupid to walk when they had a decent donkey to ride. So, they both rode the donkey. Now they passed some people that shamed them by saying how awful to put such a load on a poor donkey. The boy and man said they were probably right, so they decided to carry the donkey.

As they crossed the bridge, they lost their grip on the animal and he fell into the river and drowned. The moral of the fable? If you try to please everyone, you might as well kiss your ass good-bye.

In English pubs, ale is ordered by pints and quarts. So in old England, when customers got unruly, the bartender would yell at them to mind their own pints and quarts and settle down. It’s where we get the phrase “mind your P’s and Q’s.” Here is an overview of some of our P’s and Q’s, our basics.

Execution means action. The market is changing. The time is now: nunc aut nunquam (now or never). Wayne Gretsky said: “I want to be wherever the puck is.” Abraham Lincoln believed: “Things may come to those who wait, but only the things left by those who hustle.” When asked the three most fundamental elements of his art, Demosthenes replied: “Action! Action! Action!” Saint Augustine warned: “By and by never comes.” Nike’s contribution to this discussion: “Just do it.” In the Psychology of Winning, Denis Waitley says it all:

I’d rather watch a winner than hear one any day.

I’d rather have one walk with me than merely show the way.

The eye’s a better pupil and more willing than the ear.

Fine counsel is confusing but example’s very clear.

And the best of all the coaches are the ones who live their creeds,

For to see the good in action is what everybody needs.

I can soon learn how to do it, if you let me see it done.

I can watch your hands in action, but your tongue too fast may run.

And the lectures you deliver may be very wise and true,

But I’d rather get my lessons by observing what you do.

For I may misunderstand you and the high advice you give

But there’s no misunderstanding how you act and how you live.

I’d rather watch a winner than hear one any day.

Here is a checklist, a few comments and questions about the basics. (When I edited this, it sounds more like an examination of conscience.) Look it over. Add to it. Make your own comments. When you read this think of the words of Helen Keller when asked: “Are you sad that you have lost your sight?” “I never lost my vision.”

- Repeat business is great but it can make you lazy. Keep selling and developing new clients. Are you making three face-to-face sales calls every week?

- Keep in touch with your clients. E-newsletters that provide useful information are well received.

- How is your reference checking? Is it an opportunity to get more business, more candidates?

- Good candidates come from research. How are your skills and the skills of your staff in target list development, identification research, use of the library, sourcing and prospecting, and data gathering during a phone interview?

- Can you improve your documentation and capture all the information you amass every day? Do you input everything that could be a bridge to new business?

- How good is your database? Do you continually update it? Someone said: “A database is as good as the last time you talked to the person!”

- Do you foster relationships with other third parties who can assist in growing your business?

- Do you attend conferences, trade association meetings, and other networking opportunities? Do you get the attendance lists from these meetings? Are you keeping the ball in play?

- Are you keeping up with the latest technologies? The latest tools? Do you use the Internet? Candidate Research? Unbundled search?

- Do you know about “on-boarding” and how it can work for you?

- Do you do favors for clients, candidates, sources? One practitioner’s mantra is: “Favors first.”

- How are your skills in developing people not on the job market? One client stated: “We use recruiting firms because we want access to folks not looking for a job.”

- Do you spend the days moving the business and leave the paperwork and drudgery for nights and free time?

- Do you prepare for meetings? Prepare for important conversations? Do you have an outline for phone calls that can make a difference? Good preparation pays off and builds confidence.

- Do you take time for vision?

Nunc aut nunquam: now or never