KeenHire Blog by Margaret Graziano

Talent Strategy 3.0 - Vail Colorado December 14 & 15

2009-10-29T23:51:57-05:00

About the Program

With a rocky economy, hot new emerging industries on the rise, three generations in the workforce, Sr. level leaders on the verge of retirement/re alignment and a sea of recruiting alternatives knocking at our clients’ doors, it is time to start thinking about how we as an industry are going to align ourselves as strategic business partners rather than as transactional service providers. As the economy begins to recover it is imperative that you brand your firm as the human capital provider of choice.

The Society of Human Resource Management reports that 6 of the top 10 Workplace Trends are directly related to talent acquisition, selection & retention.

The number 1 trend to most likely have a major impact on the workplace is workforce retention, and the most critical HR function effecting business strategy is Staffing/Employment and Recruiting.

The above issues are not separate -they are looked at as Talent Management and there is no other group of people on the planet better equipped to empower corporations to solve these problems than people like us, top tier staffing & search professionals who work on the front lines of talent acquisition, every day.

The KeenHire™ Human Capital Strategic Consulting Series empowers search & staffing professionals to take a new look at search and staffing - a look from the shoes of an employer. Strategically speaking, retention begins with selection and effective workforce planning and we as an industry have everything to do with ensuring that the placements we make that need to, have a place in the succession plan.

Join us for this provocative, insightful and fun program that delves into the corporate strategic talent issues and highlights innovative solutions you can provide to solve them. Let’s face it, now more than ever your clients have recruiting alternatives. There is off shoring, in-sourcing, RPO and on line systems that streamline the work of recruiting. Even large global HR consulting firms are trying to cash in by getting into the recruiting game. Your ability to grow is directly contingent on your ability to adapt to the changing market as well as on your ability to meet and exceed your clients increasing needs.

Astute recruiters and search professionals are looking down the path for what they can do to offer a deeper level of service and provide holistic solutions to their clients human capital needs and therefore differentiate themselves from the sea of recruiting options available to their clients. In the past you had to be good on a daily basis to keep your clients coming back for more, NOW…..you have to be great and you have to commit to their end game, or someone else will.

Course Outcomes

Empower yourself in understanding and responding to corporate retention issues, dispel the myths and uncover critical issues affecting your customers’ ability to attract and keep the right people.

You gain hands on experience in uncovering the real Cost of unwanted Employee Turnover and the impact that it has on your customers’ companies ability to achieve its strategic objectives.

You gain competence and capacity to impact your customers’ recruiting and hiring efficacy.

You learn a strategic approach to assessing your customers’ REAL human capital needs, proactive workforce planning and a comprehensive approach for implementing a 3 –step top grading approach that positions you to build your customers’ organization with high performers in key roles.

You leave the workshop with an array of bolt on and augmented talent management strategies that meet the needs of leaders, managers and the multitude of front line customer facing and operational impact staff in your clients’ workforce.

You walk away with the power and prowess to influence the Talent Mindset throughout your entire customer base.

To register call 1-888-533-6447

$1299.00 per person

What They’re Saying

"This course was by far well worth more than the cost I paid to be here". Karen Richards-Fidelis Bio Pharma, Dallas Texas.

“I am pleased to recommend Margaret Graziano as a foremost authority in personnel recruitment, assessment, selection, and retention. I have paid to attend training and certification events with Margaret as the leader, and feel that the value was exceptional. Beyond her incredible knowledge of the aforementioned subjects, she brings a sincere passion to the training, and presents useable information in such a way that it is actually useful in a real-life setting. She cares about the people she works with and truly wants to advance our industry by helping others thrive as “true professionals”. Her training has helped me in my professional development, and the development of my organization. I believe that even if you are a “master” in this business, you can certainly increase your personal productivity and profits from her training, speaking, and the products offered by her company, KeenHire.

Ed Keil, CPC, CERS, Owner, Reliance Recruiting
hired Margaret as a Consultant/Coach/Trainer in 2006 , and hired Margaret more than once

“Margaret Graziano has proven to be one of the torchbearers of progressive Human Resource/Human Capital initiatives. Her insight to what Corporate America wants and needs in order to help their company grow and prosper is truly leading edge and spot on. She has wowed her contemporaries with her "Keen" insight to the marketplace and has produced products and services which will revolutionize our industry. If anyone has any questions about Margaret's ability, just let me know. There is no one better equipped to assist you with Talent Acquisition and Talent Management issues for your firm. Do yourself a favor and get her involved with identifying and helping you solve these HR issues.” October 21, 2008
Jeff Wilson, CERS, CPC , Managing Partner/Owner , Key Corporate Services, LLC

Some Aspects For Staffing Companies To Think About

2009-10-28T08:02:00-05:00

A trend I have noticed is those who cut all costs necessary to operate their businesses are financially in worse shape than those who have methodically evaluated where to focus cost cutting.

I call these "knee-jerk" blanket cost cutting decisions Emotional Management and will suggest that everyone be wary of it. Are you cutting costs because of a fear of the unknown - the length of the recession, the direction of the economy, the ability for you to make a sale next month? Or are you cutting costs because you are determining which costs are necessary for survival, which are necessary for growth, and which costs are "lifestyle” costs? Food for thought.

By Adam Peterson, CEO, Vipe Inc

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It is all about differentiation. Keen recently surveyed over 25 large staffing and or recruitment firms, what is on everyone of their minds is how to generate more business and come out ahead of the rest. The following is a brief summary of what they said.

1. You are either the largest in your niche and you differentiate because you are the biggest

2. You have some new innovations that separate you from the competition

3. Your price is better

4. You have a means like RPO or VMS that catapults you to the front of the line.

5. You dominate multiple markets all selling to the same end user

6. Your brand is known to all

Think about it.....what is it for you? If you don't know, figure it out, and figure it out fast.

Best to You

Margo

What I Love About Working With Recruitment And Staffing Businesses

2009-10-26T19:53:14-05:00

Someone recently asked me why I enjoy working with staffing and recruiting people. The answers probably have something to do with why I myself, spent 25 years as an active member of the industry.

Lets start with the industry as a whole; overall the staffing industry, temp, perm (oops direct), contract staffing and executive search all have something in common. We surround ourselves in people contact all day, every day; as an industry we have a better finger on the pulse of why people stay at companies and why people leave companies than any other industry on the planet. We also know what the job market needs and what it wants, before the newspapers and CNN have even begun to think to ask. Additionally we are amongst the first that feel the onset of a recession, so in some ways we are pretty astute economic fortune-tellers. As an industry we put people to work, we give people hope, dignity and purpose. As an industry we make new friends easily, keep friends and maintain our networks.

When I look at the people who flock to and make it in the staffing industry, I see so many commonalities, many which bring a smile to my face, some don’t and I’ll list those as well.

Most people I have met, are friends with, or have assessed all share a strong sense of urgency about their business, how they make decisions and how they serve their customers. They also are for the most part bit on the competitive side, they like to win the games they play and the business they go after. They like a lot of action and enjoy the frenzy of the flurry of the deal or multiple deals coming in or closing at once. They know the numbers tell the story so they watch the numbers and encourage healthy activity. They learn from their mistakes, as one can only spend so much time with the wrong candidates, clients, prospects, orders or co-workers. They also like being evaluated on performance, the bottom line. They do or they don’t, trying is not something an experienced successful staffing person enjoys saying or hearing, especially out of their own mouth.

I would say most of my colleagues in staffing have a good sense of humor, and learn as time goes by, to find the humor in every no show, mis hire, client debacle, lost fee or candidate betrayal. What starts out as a disappointment or angry rant typically dissipates into some long lasting joke or key lesson for future hires to laugh over and learn.

On the not so cheery side, most people in the staffing industry have a very healthy dose of Ego, with a capital E. At times that Ego, while shielding them from rejection also gets in their way of getting better, hearing the truth and making needed changes – in business and in personal relationships. I know this because I have lived it.

And then there is the shoemakers kids, the staffing industry by far a has the worse turn over of any professional services industry. Although the BLS does not track our industry independently, most agency owners report close to a 45% turn over of established staff in tough times and 65-68% fall offs of new people hired who lack the right stuff to stay long enough to make the impact the company needed to justify the hire. That is darn scary. Some people attribute the turn over to us making the job look too easy, because we are just so great at it, others say we adopt the practice 'place the best and hire the rest', and others say it's because we take care of ourselves and our businesses last.

All in all, the staffing industry houses some of my favorite people, fondest memories and life long friendships, not to mention every aspect of my entire adult business life. I am glad to be a part of it and happy that I am working with so many great new comers, established professionals and successful business leaders. In an effort to better serve our readers and customers we are asking that you click on the following link and take this Keen offerings survey. Thank you for your partnership and your support.

https://app.e2ma.net/app2/survey/25372/15365/9edbcfae7b/

Hard Won Staffing Lessons And Where We Go from Here

2009-10-22T17:27:44-05:00

Although staffing employment traditionally is a leading indicator of recovery, professional recruiters today look forward with caution. This recession feels different -- not just a slowdown, but a disruption of the way business has been done. As you formulate a strategic plan for 2010, ask yourself: "Can I afford a return to business-as-usual?" Monster spoke to leaders in staffing whose hard-won wisdom points to a better future.

Staffing Solutions that Innovate

Dan Boersma of Laguna Source in Laguna Beach, CA specializes in finding talent for pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical device makers. He's managed the downturn with a three-part strategy of client service, industry knowledge and old-fashioned hustle.

"In this recession, you're working twice as hard to make three quarters as much money," Dan asserts. "The big positive is you have a little bit of free time, to say, 'Hey, we have some time on our hands, what can we do that's going to help us long-term?'"

Talent shortages in his niche have helped, but as even successful companies try to do more with less, Dan finds he has to narrow his focus to develop deeper relationships with clients. This is the time to listen, to learn more about coming technologies and the skills needed to harness them, and to build trust.

Dan and his team watch for announcements on venture funding and company earnings that signal staffing opportunities. Press releases and news articles are obvious conversation-starters with potential clients. Less obvious is Dan's observation that his best currently-employed candidates are more reluctant to move to a new employer. They need reassurance that a medical technology firm, for example, will have staying power. Whether positive or negative, industry developments point to hidden corners where top talent and new prospects on both sides of the recruitment equation are open to change. Dan says, "If a company's doing layoffs, I want to be the first to talk to their people."

And then there's plain old bearing down in tough times. "In a downturn, recruiters tend to get down on themselves and the business," Dan says. "It's easy to blame things on a bad economy, but we get here early, stay late, work on weekends…staying aggressive like this has just kept us going."

Service, research, and hard work deliver. It's a simple plan, and it works for Laguna Source.

Rethinking Staffing Services

Margaret (Margo) Graziano of KeenHire in San Jose is taking the reinvention route; she believes that the fundamentals of staffing have shifted, and the future belongs to those who broaden their services.

Margo has moved her Talent Management Division from "getting people into chairs" to a form of human capital management consulting. KeenHire's clients, also caught in the disruptions of the Great Recession, face many hiring complications that boil down to doing more with less. They profit from expertise she's developed across the entire talent acquisition timeline, such as:

Risk Mitigation
"Clients are asking us to help them not hire the wrong people, because they can't afford to make mistakes," says Margo. Staffing can't just supply candidates and hope it works out (or blame a bad hire on a client's managers). Risk mitigation means helping a client design teams. What's the right mix of talents for a new initiative or product? How should the team work? Can the company adapt, and how?

It also means retention. "We see a lot more effort and money being spent on keeping the good people," observes Margo.

Hiring Improvements
Job descriptions can be a vise, squeezing the wrong person into a job because she happens to have the right skills. Margo counters this problem by assessing people well beyond skills. "I look carefully at the people who are already doing well in the job and build what we call a 'DNA thumbprint' of what the ideal candidate looks like -- not their resume but their values, beliefs, competencies and behaviors. We actually find and staff organizational development professionals, industrial psychologists, training and development people, HR, talent management people, talent acquisition, full-time and contract recruiters."

Human Resource Management
Human capital consulting from staffing companies can add value to processes like onboarding, top-grading and retention strategies. Once the staffing company has supplied great talent, it can help the client hold onto those people. This is more service, and while it reduces churn (and -- let's admit it here -- churn can make short-term profits for staffing companies) it deepens customer attachment and creates new services to sell.

"It goes beyond the hiring moment," Margo concludes. "We work with companies to help them develop coaching programs and training and development programs for their high potential people."

Where Staffing Goes from Here

As you plan for 2010, consider these likelihoods:

1) Staffing will see a resurgence but not a return to business as usual. The collapse of whole business areas and re-alignment of money (think automotive and health care, for two examples) means that client needs will change.

2) The super-candidate syndrome will continue. Margo Graziano suggests that staffing lead the conversation away from "Super Resume" to "Super Candidate" by finding greater alignment in values and capabilities than single skills.

3) There is no substitute for persistence and hard work, especially with your most creative employees. Open your business to their suggestions. Experiment. Be aggressive. Learn and change.

Great practitioners of staffing recognize a tectonic shift brought by such a brutal recession. Companies big and small will have to do more with less. Even as business picks up, the opportunity to lead change -- for your clients and your business -- is too exciting to miss.

By Doug Hardy: Monster Staff Writer

Contract Staffing & Executive Recruitment for Hi-Tech Talent

2009-10-10T12:49:17-05:00

I am on my way back to one of my two 'homes' from the Tech Serve Alliance conference in Red Rock. My second visit to that resort in two weeks.

The Red Rock ROCKS.

It is a Fabulous venue, excellent food, great staff, spa that is to die for, reflexology extraordinaire and great up do!

Beyond the amenities Tech Serve Alliance put on great conferences.

Tech Serve Alliance was step above the other conferences is the courses it offered and the way the content was delivered. I would say they put on a strategic, innovative and progressive conference. The majority of the sessions were content heavy and highly valuable for Staffing firms wanting to stay ahead of the curve. Some of the programs I personally attended were focused on Building and Managing the Virtual Workforce, Immigration, Off Shore Staffing Solutions, Diversification, Pending Economic Trends, *Strategic Selling, Hiring the Right Sales and Recruiting Team and more. *And yes I attended the ones I led.

The mood and the conversations around the conference was very much positive-about creating value, growth in revenues and margins, innovative solutions to compelling problems. I invited a long-term friend of mine to join me at the conference and she was very impressed by the level of participants, programs and networking.

Her and I made many new and diverse friends, learned about doing business as one world, and the challenges that come with it as well as got well immersed in the world of high tech contract and direct hire placement.

The attendees were extremely open, generous and warm. I saw old friends and made many more new ones.

My love for people in the staffing and recruiting space was again deepened. I couldn't have chosen to be in a better place, to contribute, to share and to expand my network and influence.

Thank you Tech Serve Alliance for a great conference!

Branding Yourself As A Recruitment Professional Of Choice

2009-10-04T00:00:05-05:00

Keen just completed leading another Certification in Employee Retention for NAPS, in the 16 hours of content course titled Talent Strategy 3.0 our seasoned search professionals were inspired, engaged and clamoring for opportunities to service their clients in a more strategic manner.

People always say when the student is ready the teacher appears, well this past week at the NAPS pre conference I experienced that when the teacher is ready the students appear. By far this was the most challenging, thriving group of early adapters I have worked with and they took me to a whole new level.

I could have worked with them for 3 more days and they would have pulled everything I had out of me and more. I completed the course excited, invigorated and ready for more.

Highlights from the course were specific strategies for building search, selection and retention programming around the recruitment process, adding value and positioning these firms as the Choice for Recruitment. These days everyone says they offer something unique yet when asked to define what and how they are unique, every firm sounds the same. We headhunt, we only work with working candidates, we have better sourcing, we know our candidates, we know our industry - well if everyone is saying the same thing, how does one stand out?

These are some of the ways we teach our firms to stand out from the competition, win their clients loyalty and be invited to the table for strategic talent workforce planning:

1. Role Analysis
2. Stake Holder Assessment
3. Talent Gap Analysis
4. Match Matrix
5. Top Grading
6. New Hire Users Manual

Keen Certified recruiters and search professionals position themselves at the table with CEOs, VPs and Sr Hiring Managers. Keen certified consultants know about the talent issues facing their clients and are uniquely poised to deliver solutions to those problems. They are trained to talk the talk and walk the walk.

Our programming and training is not for everyone, actually from the 50 or so people we have trained they tell us that they believe our training is only for the top 12% of recruiters committed to dominating their market and strategically positioning themselves as Talent Management Specialists integrated into their clients' operation.

Talent Strategy 3.0 - Leading Companies Choose Their Talent Wisely

2009-09-29T08:34:55-05:00

Every time the right person walks out of your door and the wrong person walks in, the cost to your bottom line is immense.

With a rocky economy, emerging global competitors on the rise, four generations in the workforce, Sr. level leaders on the verge of retirement or their version of retirement (contracting) and a future of opportunities knocking at your high potential workforces’ door, it is time to start thinking about how you are going to incorporate the ‘talent mindset’ in your company.

The Society of Human Resource Management reports that 6 of the top 10 Workplace Trends are directly related to talent acquisition, selection & retention. The number 1 trend to most likely have a major impact on the workplace is workforce retention, and the most critical HR function effecting business strategy is Staffing/Employment and Recruiting.

The above issues are not separate -they are looked at as Talent Management and there is no better time than right now to master the distinctions of Top Grading and Employer of choice.

The time is now to ask yourself the following questions:

Who are my A players? What makes them tick?

What is my strategy to keep them engaged?

How do I attract more people with the same values, competencies and winning behaviors?

When I find what I think right looks like, how do I measure the candidates against the people who are A players? Do I have a benchmark?

What competencies are missing on my team, the presence of which would make a difference?

With duplication, replication and limited protection for IP - tomorrow's companies will compete based on who they hire and how those people execute company strategy, sales and service delivery. People will become American companies keen competitive advantage.

The only way to compete based on talent is to choose that talent wisely, with the end in mind.

KeenHire teaches Executives and Top Management who to hire, how to hire, when to hire and how to leverage those that are hired. We help business leaders hire the right people, at the right time, for the right cost for the right length of time.

Can Leaders Be Made Or Are They Born?

2009-09-21T23:50:59-05:00

As I read and re-read Think and Grow Rich and begin to migrate this marvelous piece of work into Keen's Leadership development program, I have to first look at myself and shore my own capabilities and capacities up to those leaders that I admire. Currently, I am in the middle of assembling Keen's executive advisory board and Keen's leadership team. The nice part of a recession is our recruitment process has gleaned many suitors, the awesome thing about it is - I selected and continue to select team members out of abundance not scarcity. I know that what KeenHire offers is more than cool. It more than makes a difference in High Tech, Information Technology, Energy, Robotics and Heathcare companies, and therefore I also know that I can attract, select and retain the best of the best as my partners, executives and staff. If I want the best, I also know that I need to be the best. I can never be 'done' developing myself or getting better. I don't look at this as a burden, I look at it as a challenge and part of my mission.

When I look at the leaders I have worked with through out the years in running a staffing business and in actually being a leadership coach; the gap in what is and what isn't leadership is fairly large. The good news is a person, if their heart really calls them to lead, can choose to be a catalyst and develop them self in the traits necessary to lead with excellence. The bad news is that it is not easy. The guidelines of Napoleon Hill are classic, foundational and fundamental principles for being an extraordinary leader in any walk of life.

Given we are about to face the most challenging workforce of our lives, everyone in leadership is going to have to step it up, tell the truth about what works and doesn't and get help to get better.

We will all be stretched, we will all need to be better with people than we have ever been. We will need to engage and inspire while developing, coaching and acknowledging. We will need to be mavens at the hiring process and performance management and if we can't find a way to be a leader who is skilled at those types of competencies, we need to step aside and recruit and hire someone who is naturally competent at it; for it we don't the competitor next door will swoop down on our top talent and whoo them away.

Actually, even when we are at our best, our mission critical and difference making key players may still get lured away. Keep in mind, the word on the Talent Management Street is that people don't leave companies, they leave Managers - so our job as leaders is to be and create excellent managers, specifically the managers who lead the best and brightest of Sales, Engineering, of our workforce.

Think and Grow Rich

Organized Planning

The Crystallization of Desire into Action

The Major Attributes Of Leadership

1. Unwavering Courage – Based upon knowledge of self and of one’s occupation. No follower wishes to be dominated by a leader who lacks self-confidence and courage. No intelligent follower will be dominated by such a leader for very long.

2. Self-Control - People who cannot control themselves can never control others. Self-control sets a mighty example for one’s followers, which the more intelligent will emulate.

3. A Keen Sense of Justice – Without a sense of fairness and justice, no leader can command and retain the respect of his or her followers.

4. Definiteness Of Decision – People who waver in decisions show that they are not sure of themselves. They cannot lead others successfully.

5. Definiteness of Plans – The successful leader must plan the work, and work the plan. A leader who moves by guesswork without practical definite plans is comparable to a ship without a rudder. Sooner or later they will land on the rocks.

6. The Habit of Doing More than Paid For – One of the penalties of leadership is the necessity of willingness, on the part of the leaders, to do more than they require of their followers.

7. A Pleasing Personality – No slovenly, careless person can become a successful leader. Leadership calls for respect. Followers will not respect leaders who do not score highly on all factors of a pleasing personality.

8. Sympathy and Understanding – Successful leaders must be in sympathy with their followers. Moreover, they must understand them and their problems.

9. Mastery of Detail – Successful leadership calls for mastery of details in the leader’s position.

10. Willingness to Assume Full Responsibility – Successful leaders must be willing to assume responsibility for the mistakes and shortcomings of their followers. If they try to shift this responsibility they will not remain leaders. If followers make mistakes and become incompetent, it is the leader who has failed.

11. Cooperation – Successful Leaders must understand and apply the principle of cooperative effort and be able to induce followers to do the same. Leadership calls for power, and power calls for cooperation.

There are two forms of leadership. The first and by far the most effective, is leadership by consent of, and with the sympathy of, the followers. The second is leadership by force, without the consent and sympathy of al the followers.

Excerpts From Think And Grow Rich - By Napoleon Hill

2009-09-20T16:13:57-05:00

The Power of Thought

Desire:The Starting Point of All Achievement

Faith: Visualizing and Believing In the Attainment of Desire

Autosuggestion: The Medium for Influencing The Subconscious Mind

Specialized Knowledge: Personal Experiences or Observations

Organized Planning: The Crystallization of Desire into Action

Decision: The Mastery of Procrastination

Persistence: The Sustained Effort Necessary To Induce Faith

Power of the Master Mind: The Driving Force

The Mystery of Sex Transmutation

The Subconscious Mind: The Connecting Link

The Brain: A Broadcasting And Receiving Station for Thought

The Sixth Sense:The Door To The Temple of Wisdom

How to Outwit the Six Ghosts of Fear

The Devils Workshop

So you might be asking yourself, "What any of this has to do with you, me, KeenHire or the price of tea in china?" I first began re-reading the book last spring, as a guide book to creating the company of my dreams. A company that would grow beyond anything I myself could fund, manage and control. What I have learned through studying this book and Napoleon Hill's work is that success, personal and business is all a matter of the thoughts and actions of the people running the company. Instinct told me this when I first started in recruiting, and instinct again told me this when I trained and watched hundreds fail in my 25 years of managing and training people in the recruiting industry.

What I know now know is that a good leader will not only clear his own head, she will ensure she surrounds herself with people who are on purpose, committed and driven to achieve the the intention - no matter what anyone on the outside says.

Too often great ideas get squashed by negative comments, a great new potential hire quits just short of reaching a win, a solid performer gets promoted to their highest level of incompetence, a long term mission critical player gives one great idea after the next, yet their ideas fall on deaf ears and then they leave and everyone stands around and wonders what happened.

To run a great company, we must be great. To continually outperform the competition we must surround ourselves with top tier caliber people and all of us must execute our plans with intentionality and discipline. Success is not something that just, happens. Success is planned for and persistently pursued. Success is not a part time endeavor and it takes work.

As the economy shift and companies begin to hire, we all need to remember why it is that we had to lay so many people off. The Bureau of Labor Statistics stays in 2009 US companies, had an average turnover of 50%, while voluntary turnover stayed at around 22%. If these numbers are correct, why were our companies lopsided with overhead and how do we prevent that from happening again?

What do we need to do now, from a strategic stand point to re position our employee value proposition, so the best and brightest chose to join and stay with our firms?

In the research that Keen has done, we have seen and experienced companies who think attracting top talent is only a sourcing problem; others believe and report that it is a selection problem and others are going deeper and saying it is a management and leadership problem.

What ever the reason, the solution is up to you to resolve and execute for your company. Whether you are in HR, Recruitment or Talent Management the next five years will be the most exciting time for you to reinvent your personal value proposition. You will be called on to deliver much more than a great immediate cure to the pain of the day, you will be called on for strategic direction, insight and action.

Pick up a copy of Think and Grow Rich as there is a new version out, revised and expanded by Dr. Arthur Pell. There is an entire section on creating the job of your dreams and lots of great information on what it takes to lead in good times and bad. This book is an excellent addition to your personal collection.

Best of Success
Margo

Living In the Zone

2009-09-08T20:10:33-05:00

Written By Regina Brett, 90 years old, of The Plain Dealer, Cleveland, Ohio

"To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me. It is the most-requested column I've ever written. My odometer rolled over to 90 in August, so here is the column once more:”

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.

3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone..

4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.

5. Pay off your credit cards every month.

6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.

8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.

9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.

10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.

11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.

12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.

13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.

15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.

16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.

17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.

18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.

19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.

20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.

21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.

22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.

23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.

24. The most important sex organ is the brain.

25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.

26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In five years, will this matter?'

27. Always choose life.

28. Forgive everyone everything.

29. What other people think of you is none of your business.

30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.

31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

33. Believe in miracles.

34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.

35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.

36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.

37. Your children get only one childhood.

38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.

39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.

40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.

41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

42. The best is yet to come.

43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

44. Yield.

45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift."

Five Tips For Bringing Out The Best In Gen Y Workers

2009-08-25T12:07:03-05:00

Generation Y workers, otherwise known as millennials, will be making up a significant portion of the new workers coming onto the market over the next couple of decades. That’s why it’s more important that ever to learn how to work with these emerging and workers so you can make the most of their potential and find them a great niche in the working world. While these workers are sometimes know as being outspoken and unable to take criticism, they are also technologically savvy and high performing in the workplace, making them both a challenge and boon to work with. Here are some tips to make the most of your experience.

Emphasize and utilize technology. Because they’ve grown up using it, most Gen Y workers are more than familiar with using a wide variety of technologies from web work to cell phones. Let them use their skills to your advantage in the workplace by providing them with the technological tools to get more done.
Allow for flexibility. Many Gen Y workers struggle with having to work late hours and make long commutes, especially when technology can allow them to do it at home. Offering the ability to work from home certain days of a week and meet other, non-traditional scheduling options will go a long way with younger workers.
Offer mentoring. Gen Y workers will do well with a mentor around to show them the ropes or someone who can offer some more personalized guidance. It’ll enhance their understanding of the corporate structure, let them get criticism from someone they know and trust and build their confidence in the workplace in a more secure and individual situation.
Run a tight ship. While they are good workers, many millennials will need extra supervision and guidance on the workplace. Make sure that the rules are laid out clearly, expectations are set and there is a clear corporate structure. Set up regular meetings with management to ensure that workers get the feedback and encouragement they need.
Provide great training. Give your employees the skills they need to excel in the workplace by providing high quality, thorough training. Millenials will excel best with hands-on training where they learn through experience rather than through lectures and book-directed lessons. Training should focus on building communication, learning personal development and using feedback effectively to get the most out of workers.

This post was contributed by Amber Hensley, who writes about the online college reviews. She welcomes your feedback at AmberHensley1980@ yahoo.com

NAPS and KeenHire Join Forces to Position You as The Hiring Hero!!

2009-08-24T15:28:00-05:00

Are you a NAPS Member?

The National Association of Personnel Services is committed to you being the best recruitment professional you can be and is amping up their benefits so you can leverage your power!

Effective July 15, 2009 every NAPS member will receive a 20% reduction on all KeenHire Assessment & Pre-Employment Screening product or service, every training product, seminar, and tool.

NAPS members Click Here to find out more about how to receive this special offer!

Check out the Keenhire.com web site, click on talent tool box, Keen Institute and Browse our store Click Here. More savings and more promotions to come.

The NAPS conference is coming up in Vegas! Come See Us There !

http://www.recruitinglife.com/annualconference/2009/about.cfm

1-888-Keenhire (533-6447)

HR Transformation And YOU

2009-07-31T10:58:29-05:00

As market conditions continue to shift, companies are clamoring for effective solutions that allow them to do more with less. It’s not just the highly astute that begin doing more with less by eliminating roles that do not generate a return on investment. It is, however the highly astute that weigh the pros and cons of such actions and put contingency plans in place to counter any reduction of force or elimination of process or systems.

Our business at Keen has morphed dramatically from our initiating purpose. We thought we were in the business of helping companies hire right, it turns out that we are in the business of partnering with companies to generate a higher level of return on any of their people investments. In the past year we have embarked on major HR transformation projects that shift the way companies operate around their talent. At first blush, one might think that we are in the ‘fluff’ business; our customers tell us it is anything but that.

One of our biggest accomplishments this year was a result of facilitating a 2-Day

HR Strategy session; during that session the business leaders of the company clearly defined the departments future as Talent Centric, Strategic Business partners. Inside of that commitment it became apparent that there were several tasks and roles that were no longer necessary to do inside the organization. The result was the firm choosing to take all administrative HR functions and outsource them. Their savings was $7,500,000 over 4 years. Now that is real money.

Another large accomplishment for Keen was installing an Emerging Leader program inside a company with no retention programming, no succession planning, no next level leadership development. In actuality, when this company reviewed their most recent risk assessment results their number one issue was that they have no one in line or on the bench take over for the 5 Sr. VPs when and if they leave the organization. Within 12 months we rolled out a leadership development program that focuses on leadership competency development, core leadership values and effective management skills necessary to carry forth the vision, mission, profitability and customer retention goals of the company.

Yesterday, I received a call from a publicly traded company. They have 150 on site employees and 6 HR staff. For multiple reasons they need to operate more fiscally prudent and more people strategic. They are embarking on a complete transformation of who HR is and what they provide; as that happens at more and more companies those of us providing outside HR & Talent Solutions, Consulting and Recruitment need to up the ante on what we offer and how we deliver. Those of us working internally in HR or Talent Management must increase the level of strategic impact we make on the organization in order to remain an active player in the company.

The time for change in who we are being and what we contribute is now.

Meet The Team

2009-07-25T21:28:06-05:00

OUR FOUNDER, MARGARET GRAZIANO

• Named “Chicago Woman Business Owner of the Year”
• National Association of Women Business Owners, 2004
• Named “Influential Woman in Business"
• The DuPage Business Ledger, 2003

Margaret Graziano is the CEO and Sr. Managing partner of Keenhire, a firm that provides the people, the systems, and the tools that empower clients to put the right people in the right jobs for the right cost for the right period of time.

Ms. Graziano has worked in the human capital industry since 1983, and has been coaching leaders in performance management, team development, hiring, retention and succession planning since 1999.

She has long-term, successful partnerships with companies in the healthcare, energy, medical education, manufacturing, electronics, high tech, human capital, distribution, sales, and staffing industries.

Graziano’s specialty is in coaching and training business leaders on playing to their strengths and building high performing leadership teams. Business leaders’ gain results in the area of performance management, people and organizational development and next level succession planning. She works with leaders on bridging the gap between employee selection and retention. She has mastery in Team Role Analysis, Talent Benchmarking and Talent Competency gap assessment.

Graziano is an Executive Coach and is certified in Organizational Development, Retention and Competency & Behavioral Assessment. With an office in Chicago and Silicon Valley, she resides in Northern California in San Jose.

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TALENT ACQUISITION & HUMAN RESOURCES SOFTWARE STRATEGIST,
NEAL BHAMRE

• Former Senior VP of Kineticom, named fastest growing U.S. staffing company by Staffing Industry Analysts in 2005
• Recognized expert and author on the development and globalization of the staffing program office

Neal Bhamre serves as Vice President of Operations with Keenhire, a firm that provides the people, the systems, and the tools that empower clients to put the right people in the right jobs for the right cost for the right period of time.

Mr. Bhamre specializes in evaluating the business needs of recruitment firms and organizations, and in developing leading edge strategies to help meet company goals while successfully managing change.

His breadth and depth of knowledge in staffing and the recruitment process have allowed him to engage all aspects of a recruiting organization’s operations. Strategies include developing recruitment process and supporting technologies, defining contingent workforce program offices, selecting technology and program office partnerships, and program improvement projects.

Previously, Mr. Bhamre was Senior Vice President at Kineticom, Inc., where he helped diversify the firm's client base from seven companies to over 50. He helped develop a global talent initiative, attracting scores of international high tech workers to the U.S..

Before Kineticom, Mr. Bhamre served as Director of Technology Innovation at Robert Half International. During 10 years there, he led major initiatives that would dramatically improve the company’s impact; he helped develop the first websites enabling candidates to search and register for jobs online, and he helped automate the matching of candidates to job opportunities—for which he was granted a U.S. patent for his intellectual leadership.

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SENIOR EXECUTIVE ADVISOR, ROBIN DRISCOLL

• 30+ years of experience in Sales and Marketing, General Management, and Company-building
• Former VP of Accustaff, Western Region, a $2.2 billion international staffing company
• Former President of PermaTempAgency, a $30 million Silicon Valley staffing company sold to AccuStaff in 1995

Robin Driscoll is the Senior Executive Advisor of Keenhire, a firm that provides the people, the systems, and the tools that empower clients to put the right people in the right jobs for the right cost for the right period of time.

Mr. Driscoll specializes in sales and marketing, general management, and company-building in the high tech and staffing industries. Through his leadership in business management, he has acted as a catalyst for the growth and success of countless organizations.

With over 30 years of experience, Mr. Driscoll was CEO of oDesk—a global staffing technology startup; CEO/Founder of WorkCard Inc.—a hosted software company providing supply chain management software; Vice President of Accustaff, Western Region; President of Perma Temp Agency; Sales & Marketing Manager of Schlage Electronics; and VP of Sales and Marketing of Datura Int’l.

In addition to his work with KeenHire, Mr. Driscoll is also President of the Driscoll Family Foundation and a management advisor to Bay Brokerage Company—a leading food brokerage in Northern California, and two early-stage startups—www.vipepower.com and www.diesmart.com.

Mr. Driscoll is a member of the Silicon Valley Band of Angels and a Trustee at St. Mary’s College of California. He is a graduate of St. Mary’s College and a past director of various organizations including Essential Solution, Inc., YourSafety, Vertia, Autotown, and Broadware Technologies.

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CONSULTANT AND PRODUCT MANAGER: STEPHANIE MARBERRY, Ph.D.

Dr. Marberry specializes in evaluating, securing, and developing talent for discerning companies. Her accountabilities include insuring that the candidates her clients are selecting are a good fit for the position, for the organization and are committed to both the role and the organization; thereby directly impacting her clients’ retention.

Marberry utilizes KeenHire, Inc. assessments, behavioral interviewing, and administers an in-depth hiring process to determine candidate fit and to build developmental programs for retention and succession planning. She also creates customized hiring benchmarks through a thorough job analysis and conducts in-depth behavioral based interviews.

Dr. Stephanie Marberry received her Ph.D. in Industrial Organizational Psychology from Northern Illinois University in December 2007. Her specialties include training, employee and team development, assessment, human capital software evaluation and coaching.

Dr. Marberry has conducted several research studies that dealt with the development and validation of measurement tools using SPSS and LISREL. She has also worked on search committees and helped to develop new selection systems for a variety of companies. Dr. Marberry is a member of SIOP and has contributed to her alma mater through active participation in organizations such as Phi Theta Kappa, Golden Key, Mortor Board, Psi Chi and the graduate student advisory committee. She is certified in several assessments such as the PIAV (personal, skills, attitudes, and values), DiSC, and TriMetrix.

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SENIOR TALENT ACQUISITION SPECIALIST, PIÉRRE DUNAGAN

• Former owner of financial services firms The Dunagan Group and Dunagan Robinson & Isbell Financial Services
• 20+ years of experience in talent acquisition and talent management

Piérre Dunagan is a Senior Talent Acquisition Specialist with Keenhire, a firm that provides the people, the systems, and the tools that empower clients to put the right people in the right jobs for the right cost for the right period of time.

Mr. Dunagan specializes in talent acquisition with a skilled understanding of talent management and the recruitment process.

Mr. Dunagan has married his wealth of business experience with the unique selection, retention and recruitment process of Keenhire, to powerfully serve his clients in the industries of healthcare, energy, medical education, manufacturing, electronics, high tech, human capital, distribution, sales, and staffing industries.

Mr. Dunagan has spent the last 20 years selecting, training, and retaining talent as the past owner of two financial services firms, The Dunagan Group and Dunagan Robinson & Isbell Financial Services.

Mr. Dunagan brings a unique and meaningful perspective to the talent acquisition process because of his own experience as a hiring manager. As a result, he personally understands the impact of a great hire and the cost of a poor mis-hire on a company’s bottom line.

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CONSULTANT: DONNALEE CARINGELLA

DonnaLee Caringella is a coaching, performance improvement and human resources consultant. Ms. Caringella has worked in the human capital industry since 1987 and has been consulting since 1997. Consulting work includes the areas of human resources, organizational development, coaching, training design and delivery.

Ms. Caringella specializes in team development, with several team training certifications and experience working with diverse array of teams. She has provided coaching to business managers in a variety of functions.

With a focus on managing efficiently and effectively for both the individual and the organization, Ms. Caringella excels in improving personal productivity, performance management and meeting management.

She has extensive experience identifying and developing personal competencies.She also designs and delivers training for excelling in critical managerial skills such as performance management, providing feedback, presentation skills, time management and communication skills. Ms. Caringella has a Master’s degree in Labor and Industrial Relations and a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She is a certified Instructional Designer and a member of the Chicago Chapter of the American Society for Training and Development. She resides in the Chicago area.

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TEAM AND LEADERSHIP COACH:CINDY HOLTFRETER, CPCC

• Certified Professional Co-Active Coach (CPCC)

• Certified Radical Leadership^TM Coach

• Certified Radical Leadership^TM Facilitator

• Radical Leadership^TM Program Designer

• Certified in Team Coaching

Cindy Holtfreter is a leadership development coach who has partnered with cutting edge organizations to support the spirit and talent of their seasoned and emerging leaders in a variety of disciplines and across a broad range of industries – Technology, Science & Technology, Manufacturing, Healthcare and Insurance.

Ms. Holtfreter has over 14 years coaching experience in transformational education and leadership development. She believes that Great Leadership requires Great Courage and is passionate about coaching her clients to own their greatness, to step out and lead authentically from their heart.

Ms. Holtfreter also specializes in Team Coaching & Development. Her expertise lies in holding teams accountable for producing results while coaching them in how they interact with each other to be a high performing, sustainable and inspiring team.

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CONSULTANT: AMY RILEY

Amy L. Riley is passionate about people leveraging their strengths and reaching their full potential – in all areas of life. With over 10 years experience coaching and developing leaders at all levels, she has a special interest in working with emergent and mid-level leaders to support them to identify and fully step into their unique leadership style.

With her acknowledging and empathetic approach, she creates the space in which her clients can speak to and be with “all of it” – the disappointments and the inspiring achievements. She ensures that her clients recognize and appreciate their inherent talents and learn what is most relevant from their life experiences. Guiding them through cycles of action and reflection, her clients think about what really matters to them, get in touch with their dreams, and get that they can design a life which inspires them by doing it their unique way.

Riley earned a Bachelor’s Degree in International Business from the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign, and a Master’s Degree in Training and Development, with an emphasis in Organization Development, from Loyola University in Chicago. She is a certified Coach and a Certified Professional Behavior Analyst (CPBA) – qualifying her to administer the DISC Personal Profile Tool.

Riley is the founder of Shoop Consulting Group, Inc. (www.shoopconsulting.com) and is in the author of the forthcoming book, Expect the Best while You’re Expecting. Inspired by women who take on powerful and empowering perspectives during pregnancy and childbirth, she is interviewing women and telling their stories through her blog and book (www.expectthebestbook.com). Riley also coaches expectant mothers, helping them to embrace pregnancy, powerfully deal with any challenges that arise, and create what they most desire during this creative and emotional time.

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BUSINESS MANAGEMENT ADVISOR AND SENIOR LEVEL COACH: JEFF RADKE

Business & Coaching Background

* Owner/CEO, home manufacturing company

* EVP construction company

* VP, home healthcare product and services company

* VP, healthcare conglomerate

* Seasoned senior level coach

With almost 30 years experience as an executive, Jeff knows the opportunities and challenges faced by ‘corner office’ leaders. As a senior leader in a $600 million organization or as an owner of his own manufacturing business he knows what it’s like to keep a sales team focused and motivated, nurture and retain key leaders, and at the end of the day be the final decision maker. He has held numerous senior positions in a variety of industries from healthcare to construction, from manufacturing to the service sector. He has first-hand experience leading organizations dealing with rapid growth, turn-arounds, acquisition assimilation, and economic downturns. He is especially passionate about what it takes to create and sustain results-producing-playful cultures, top notch collaborative sales teams, and a steady stream of powerful leadership succession.

While in senior positions and now as Business Advisor and Senior Level Coach Jeff has been fulfilling the role of wise counsel and confidant to senior leaders and owners for two decades. Those who have worked with Jeff appreciate having the counsel of a master coach, highly skilled at listening for what’s missing and needed who knows what it’s like to be in their shows. Although highly trained as a coach Jeff retains the highest regard for straight talk and down to earth solutions.

Jeff specializes in supporting executives in managing the paradox of achieving a stronger balance sheet AND stronger leadership team. He recognizes the importance that organization culture plays in creating and sustaining momentum and focus. In his role as coach, Jeff partners with senior leaders in clarifying and articulating their vision for their organization, and translating that vision into tangible results.

A final thought – If it isn’t fulfilling it’s not going to be fun. Most executives I know have figured out to some degree or another how to be successful. What has proven more elusive is how to be satisfied and fulfilled on the way to success. Jeff is most interested in the questions and conversations that lead us to being satisfied and fulfilled.

“People say that what we're all seeking is the meaning of life...…I think that what we're really seeking is the experience of being alive.” -Rudyard Kipling

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EXECUTIVE & LEADERSHIP COACH: AL SPICER, PSY.D., PCC

Dr. Al Spicer has over 15 years of experience working with people to transform their effectiveness, fulfillment, and life success. He has worked with executives and managers employed in a range of industries, including companies such as: Sprint, Zurich Financial Services, Ameritech, Anheuser-Busch, DriveChicago, Bank One, YMCA, US Cellular, Accenture, Oliver Wyman, Tuthill, Motorola, Chiro One, Simon, BP, Veolia, Pfizer, and IBM among others.

Dr. Spicer is a professional certified coach (PCC) with advanced and specialized coaching skills as a graduate of both Coach U and The Coaches Training Institute certification program, where he attained his Certified Professional Co-Active Coach (CPCC) credential. Additionally, he has a doctorate in clinical psychology. As a member of the International Coach Federation (ICF), he was a member of the executive board of the ICF Chicago Chapter for four years and served as the 2003 President. Al specializes in coaching individuals in leadership effectiveness, career success and transition, personal effectiveness, and work-life integration.

Dr. Spicer enjoys coaching super confident risk-takers who play for high stakes in their chosen endeavors. His clients are notable for their intelligence, wit, inspiration, and clear commitment to a bigger vision for themselves and the world. His passion is partnering with people who are inspired to design and achieve extraordinary results and success, both personally and professionally.

Dr. Spicer is also a facilitator and certified coach for Radical Leadership, a powerful and foundational leadership development process. It was intentionally designed to support individuals to lead from their unique wisdom, power, and essence in order to have their intended impact on all aspects of their lives. Finally, Dr. Spicer is a graduate of Team Coaching International and uses team coaching skills proven to optimize the effectiveness, positivity, and productivity of high performing business teams.

Al lives outside of Chicago with his wife and two children. He loves the outdoors and has interests in a variety of sports including tennis, golf, skiing, and track autosport. He credits philosophy, the arts, music, psychology, and spirituality for playing a significant role in his personal and professional development.

• • •

KeenHire July News and Events Announcements

2009-07-13T21:21:59-05:00

KeenHire is Growing!

What started off as an initiative to transform the recruitment process for the search and staffing industries, has wound up emerging into a full series of programming and training that bridges the gap between recruitment and retention of high performing talent for high tech / high touch corporations. Keen is growing and we have added five new consultants to the team and we are strategically partnering with three other training companies. In addition, we have trained and are partnering with 15 elite staffing and search companies committed to raising the bar on their service delivery models, and our Keen Human Capital Strategy seminar series is taking off with a bang!

Keen Calendar at-a-Glance:

PEOPLE ON THE GO TELE-CLASS.

Accomplishing more in less time, effort, and stress.

Tuesday, July 28th | On The Go Tele-class: Summer Special.

COMPLIMENTARY LUNCH & LEARN WEBINAR.

Build a high performance team.

Thursday, July 30th | Register Here

And if you didn't catch the employment empowerment buzz last month at KeenHire, here is the recap:

WHAT IS EMPLOYMENT EMPOWERMENT?
by Margaret Graziano

Employee empowerment is sometimes reflected in employee engagement. It can be measured in several ways: one of the tools a company can use is an engagement survey, another is 360 degree peer review, another is by conducting employee focus groups, and recently I uncovered an employee empowerment assessment that analyzes the difference between the Managements' interpretation of empowerment and the employees' experience or their lack of it. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING:

EMPOWERMENT POLL: What's your opinion?

What is empowerment in the workplace? What is it to lead an empowered team? Do leaders really want this, or is it the right thing for them to say they want, and are they not empowered enough to actually create it?

Please comment here, we'd love to hear your views, stories and opinions.