Jeff Allen
2 weeks ago
This is the time of year when recruiters ask me about which industry conference to attend. More specifically, “WHY THE FORDYCE FORUM?”
It’s a really good question. If you’re going to take time from your desk and money from your bank, you deserve to return home able to make more placements than when you left.
Amybeth Hale
on Jan. 9, 2012
Conferences are designed to be formal gatherings for learning experiences. Typically, they are a couple days in length and consist of sessions led by speakers that often resemble college lectures with some networking opportunities weaved in between the sessions.
Expectations when attending a conference usually include learning some new skills and hopefully having a few things to take back to work and apply to be more efficient, effective, productive, and so forth. Unfortunately, what often happens is that most lessons go in one ear and out the other, because when you sit for several days and simply listen to lectures, everything starts running together and ultimately not much (if anything) gets changed when you get back to the office.
We don’t want that to be your experience with us. So we proudly present to you the 2012 Fordyce Forum: a “working conference.”
So just what the heck is a “working conference?”
Stephanie Maas
on Jun. 8, 2011
As I boarded the plane to head home from Fordyce Forum this past week, I took a minute to check in and see how I was doing after a whirlwind 2 1/2 days in Vegas….
First, I was a little tired…2 1/2 very full days of training, some recruiting mixed in on breaks, plus the 2 very full and fun nights in Vegas – yep, a little tired.
Secondly, I was feeling a little dehydrated, having been in the desert for 2 1/2 days!
Lastly, despite the exhaustion and dehydration, I was surprisingly energized. In fact, my brain was already racing to Monday morning and some of the changes I wanted to make to my desk as well as a few new things I wanted to implement.
So, I decided as soon as I got home, and before Monday morning got away from me, I was going to take Jeff Skrentny’s advice and spend a little time with myself to “get naked.” (Much to my husband’s chagrin, I meant this in a metaphorical sense, rather than a literal sense.) Here’s what came out of my “naked time.”
Amybeth Hale
on Jun. 6, 2011
We hope those of you who attended the Fordyce Forum last week had a wonderful time! For anyone who was unable to attend, below is a video for you to experience some of what went on in Vegas — we can’t show you everything because, well, you know that what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas! (Just kidding… sort of.) And for everyone who was there, we hope that the video brings back some fun memories and leaves you wanting more, which of course you can find here on www.fordyceletter.com and also by planning to join us again next year!
Amybeth Hale
on Jun. 6, 2011
Bob Marshall‘s been in this business for over twenty years — he has built up a wealth of knowledge about the business of recruiting. In particular, he knows what it takes to be a “Big Biller” – after all, he’s trained many people how to achieve this elite status. For those unfamiliar with the term, it typically applies to those who have billed over $1 million over their career. And who wouldn’t want to be one of those?
At the Fordyce Forum last Friday, Marshall shared with us what makes a “Big Biller.” Those in attendance received a hard-hitting lesson on the things that need to happen and the activity level that needs to be reached in your recruiting career for you to accomplish this level of achievement. It’s not an easy goal to attain – but it’s a goal well worth pursuing, as Marshall shared.
Below are several things Marshall listed that differentiate a “Big Biller” from the average producer. Take a look at this list and consider how many of these things you’re currently doing…or not doing.
Amybeth Hale
on Jun. 2, 2011
What’s the best way to lead? By example.
The Fordyce Forum kicked off today with an overwhelming theme of practicing what you preach, and there is no better way to exemplify good practices than by how one manages employees. During his keynote presentation, Jeff Skrentny challenged attendees to apply the same practices they require from their clients to their own hiring practices.
This morning, Conference Chair Jenifer Lambert led a panel of recruitment managers and business owners — consisting of Michael Gionta, Jordan Rayboy, Adam Dalva, and Carolyn Thompson — in a lively discussion around best practices for running a recruiting business.
In a room filled with recruiting firm owners, there could not have been a better discussion. The 60-minute discussion ranged from topics of when to hire to how to compensate and left attendees hungry for more — which of course they will be getting over the remainder of the conference. The following are just a few of the areas that were covered by the four panelists, who each approach managing their employees from very different angles.
Amybeth Hale
on May 25, 2011
Not all recruiting businesses operate the same way. Successfully, that is.
Whether you manage multiple offices over many cities, states, or countries, have a small group of employees who work in an office with you, or run your office on your own, management styles are never going to be exactly the same. Managing two employees requires a different approach than managing twenty. Managing one location requires a different strategy than managing multiple locations or a virtual office. If you try to model your management style exactly after another person or office, chances are it’s not going to work.
At the Fordyce Forum next week, we have a panel of successful recruiters scheduled to discuss how to find the management style that works best for you.
Jenifer Lambert
on May 23, 2011
With my fortieth birthday fast approaching, I’ve been thinking a lot about getting old or, to be more precise, how to avoid getting old. It’s a natural response to a milestone birthday. Well-intentioned friends console me with comments like, “Don’t worry about getting old. It sure beats the alternative,” or “Any day above ground is a good day.” I know they mean well, but that’s sort of a low bar and frankly I’m not convinced. Using the “above ground equals good day” logic, I should be ecstatic when I’m flying. I mean that’s 30,000 times better than just being above ground, right?!
The best advice I received was from a friend who is closing in on seventy. Instead of reassuring me that “40’s not old”, he offered these words of wisdom: “Getting old is a choice. If you stay curious, stay connected and find ways to celebrate, you’ll never be old.”
So, chairing the Fordyce Forum isn’t simply attending a conference for me. It’s an important part of my longevity program.
Amybeth Hale
on May 19, 2011
Meet Jennifer Knippenberg (pronounced kuh-nip-en-burg). Jennifer knows a thing or two about using social media to supplement a traditional recruitment strategy. Notice I said supplement… not replace. In her most recent role, her job was to oversee digital recruiting strategies and lead the development of candidate marketing practices for a large, international recruitment franchise organization. There, she acted as a consultant with both internal and external clients on recruiting strategy as well as developing and executing candidate attraction programs, including job/recruitment advertising, utilization of social networks, and specialized recruiting programs.
Her session at the upcoming Fordyce Forum will focus specifically on her experience helping offices of various shapes and sizes develop social media strategies. Her goal is to provide practical knowledge for attendees to take home regarding best practices for offices that range in industry focus, location, and size. Enjoy the following podcast and get to know Jennifer a little before meeting her in person in Las Vegas at the Fordyce Forum.
Amybeth Hale
on May 17, 2011
We are only two weeks away from the fifth annual Fordyce Forum in Las Vegas, Nevada! As such, I wanted to provide you with a list of some of the individuals you should certainly take the time to meet while you are attending the Forum. These folks will be in our exhibit hall and available for you to have conversations with throughout the duration of the conference. And of course, we are most appreciative of these companies as our event sponsors for helping us put on the conference – without our sponsors, we would not be able to bring you all the speakers and networking that you love so much about Fordyce!
Make sure you take the time to connect with the following individuals:
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