Keith D. Kulper, President KULPER & COMPANY, LLC Executive Search

KULPER & COMPANY…where academia meets corporate innovation | Kulper & Company

2013-06-24T11:08:00.001-07:00

KULPER & COMPANY…where academia meets corporate innovation | Kulper & Company

Preparation for using an executive search firm | Kulper & Company

2013-06-17T12:19:00.001-07:00

Preparation for using an executive search firm | Kulper & Company

First Quarter 2013

2013-02-08T11:59:00.002-08:00

At the end of 2012 things were a bit uncertain but at that time we knew that 2013 was looking like it could be a great year for our business and the US economy as a whole. We had a friends luncheon in early January and the talk turned to the outlook for the year ahead. People love to be negative in their outlook---what's to lose if you are wrong, right? At that luncheon I spoke up and said that I thought the year ahead looked fantastic---one scoffed---one bet me and another ordered pizza. Well--after 5 weeks my outlook seesm to be proving correct. The signals from Washington remain a bit unclear but one thing is for sure....the US and World economy is itching for a breakout year where new highs in the DOW will be made and GDP will break through 3.5%. Given that is it only February 8th and we are involved with a major snowstorm for the next few days, I thought I would write while our power is still on...to update my wild eyed prediction from that famous luncheon. First...2013 is definitely going to be a record-breaking year for the DOW and the US economy as a whole. I am forecasting DOW 15250 by 12/31/13 and GDP of 3.5% by Q3 Second...we will finally see a meaningful drop in the unemployment rate---should be under 6.25 by 12/31/13-- Third...interest rates will begin to rise by Q4 2013 despite assurances to the contrary by Chairman Bernanke because by Q3 economic growth will be accelerating and calls for FED tightening to avoid a economic overheating will become more insistent. If this scenario plays out what does it mean for our clients? HIRING--HIRING--HIRING Revenue growth Widespread increases in pretax profitablity and tax revenue to help lower the current account deficit Here are a few more predictions both short and longer term: The Democrats will win back control of CONGRESS in 2014. The 2nd half of the Obama Administration will feel like the 2nd half of the Clinton Administration but without the scandals and distractions; President Obama is too smart to let that happen. A Democrat will win the 2016 Presidential election and CONGRESS will continue to be led by the Democrats. GUN Control, Immigration and other progressive legislation will be put into effect. The US will finally assume a leadership role to fight "Global Warming". The mideast will get a little less crazy as more Israelis move to the center and away from the far right or far left; illegal settlements will be dismantled and the Palestiians will be on their way to achieving statehood. China will be an increasingly stronger business and political partner; India, too.... The war on terror will continue but in a much less costly manner in terms of manpower and political capital... Arab spring democracies will struggle to get on their feet but the US, EU, CHINA, Russia and NATO will unite to help pull them up and assure security for their people...and developed countries, too. Is this sounding like a "Golden Age" to you? It should, because that is exactly what it will be. My firm is getting busier every day...may that continue because I love what I do and it is fun to run a successful business that helps people realize their goals. We will always need to have the right leaders who can affect change and drive transformational change. I look forward to your comments and to hearing from you if your organization or institution needs help with an external search.

Kulper & Company | LLC Executive Search Firm

2012-11-26T08:22:00.001-08:00

Kulper & Company | LLC Executive Search Firm

With Thanksgiving, the presidential election and Hurricane Sandy all behind us and the hoped for positive resolution of “fiscal cliff” deliberations forthcoming in December, 2013 appears to be shaping up as a real “Lucky Thirteen” year for the US and Global economies. The secular decline in residential real estate values appears to have ended and because mortgage rates will remain low for most if not all of 2013, could we be set for break-away economic growth? We were taught many years ago in business school that it is important for executives to have a view of the direction of interest rates but are there any reliable ways to do that?

My favorite professor, at the Stonier Graduate School of Banking, Ed Siegfried, PhD, keeps track of economic indicators and encourages his clients and students to do the same thing. Regularly keeping track of key economic indicators makes it much easier to view changes in key indicators that can signal important economic inflection points. Dr. Ed’s Economic Chart is a handy tool for anyone to review and study on a regular basis. Armed with good information an executive decision maker can greatly enable the achievement of strategic goals for his or her business or university.

Take a look at the most recent version of Dr. Ed’s Economic Chart ---what does it tell you?

Here are a few quick observations of the trends it clearly reveals:

· Housing Starts are UP

· GDP is increasing

· Unemployment is decreasing

· Rates are stable at all-time lows

· Inflation is very low

Dr. Ed urged us to look at the data and then form our own opinion about the direction of the economy so that we could be effective executive decision makers not adherents to sentiment. Based upon the trends we are seeing now it is apparent that the economic indicators are “bullish”. Hiring should be up in an environment like this and assuming Congress resolves the threat of the “fiscal cliff” and we can avoid being drawn into a new war, we should be in for quite a nice period of firm economic growth during 2013-14.

Here is what I think this means for KULPER Clientele----higher education institutions with a focus on research and high quality education and corporate innovators focused on bringing new and better products to market.

For UNIVERSITIES:

· FED Government Agency Funding for Sponsored Research Grants will be UP

· Enrollment will be UP

· Long term Debt/Bond funding availability will improve//but slightly higher interest rates are likely after mid/late 2013 as economic growth rates accelerate and the bond market responds.

For COMPANIES

· New product innovation will accelerate and create important competitive advantage/economic growth---this will be a 3 to 5 year trend.

· Hiring of top talent will be increasingly challenging as the economy gains momentum and the unemployment rate drops.

· Factory utilization which is running close to 80% right now will continue to increase; new factories will be built and fitted out with state of the art production equipment to accommodate re-tooling requirements.

There are more conclusions to be drawn from the data, so I would encourage you to do your own analysis and make use of these objective “headlights” to illuminate your thinking and decision making and then move forward with confidence.

Search Climate: Great time to Look & Seek

2012-02-28T13:55:00.006-08:00

As we enter the last month of the first quarter of 2012, I would like to say:"if you are thinking about looking for a new opportunity or seeking to hire right leaders the time is just right".

We have seen quite a few hiring and firing cycles over the past 15 years and as the economy continues to swing in the right direction the time for organizations to hire and individuals to seek career development/advancement through a job change could not be better right now. I think that this periond will last for a while---maybe two years or so, before organizations start to get into a hiring frenzy which will signal the end of the rush. Yes, it is going to get a lot better for individuals seeking to improve their careers during the next 12-24 months, for organizations endeavoring to achieve competitive advantage ----and of course, the overall economy as well.

Organizations seeking to gain market share by aggressively seeking out and recruting top talent during this current period will find themselves ahead of their key competitors in the race for topline revenue and bottom line results--particularly in areas that demand top engineering, science and technology leadership. Likewise, for academic institutions seeking to improve research funding, faculty quality and overall ranking.

The decision makers must be savvy enough to sense that the time is ripe to seek out and hire top talent and then act....or they may miss the currently open window of opportunity.

All the best,
Keith

Keith D. Kulper, President KULPER & COMPANY, LLC Executive Search: Jobs Report--a pleasant surprise...

2012-02-03T06:10:00.000-08:00

Keith D. Kulper, President KULPER & COMPANY, LLC Executive Search: Jobs Report--a pleasant surprise...: What will the pundits and naysayers have to say now? Unemployment is now officially reporting in at 8.3 % with over 200,000 jobs being crea...

Jobs Report--a pleasant surprise...

2012-02-03T05:31:00.000-08:00

What will the pundits and naysayers have to say now? Unemployment is now officially reporting in at 8.3 % with over 200,000 jobs being created in January 2012. President Obama must have a big smile on his face this morning----the market is reacting positively---should be a great day.

OK----this story has been building for quite a while. Rates have been at historic lows for several years and the FED is promising low rates for another 2 years! We'll see about that, but the Treasury Yield Curve has been pointing the way towards steady recovery for quite some time for anyone who has been paying attention. We, of course, need to remember what brought the world economy down and keep an eye out for those who promote excess, greed and recklessness in the way a school yard bully might. Remember: bullies hate it when someone calls them out and fights back so always have the courage to do that if you see bad behavior in your enterprise, community or institution...you will sleep better at night and you will be taking responsibility for a better future for everyone.

Innovation---entrepreneurship and hiring of bright people focused on making good things happen in their own enterprises and institutions can take heart from today's jobs report. Our business here at KULPER & COMPANY is very solid and we are forecasting a banner year in our area of where "academia meets corporate innovation". The economic pendulum has inexorably swung in the right direction. Yes, there are threats, concerns, issues etc., but this is the time for positive people to take center stage to boldly drive growth, innovation and growth in an honest and sustainable manner.

Bravo! This is great news--enjoy it.

Now let's all get to work and keep our focus on innovation, entrepreneurship and growth and undoubtedly more good things will happen for our economy which will clearly have a positive effect on our families, communities, businesses and, of course, this beautiful world on which we are so blessed to live.

Happy SuperBowl Weekend.....and....Go Giants!
All the best,
Keith

New Client Relationships

2012-01-18T15:18:00.001-08:00

Welcome to 2012. If there is one thing that all university presidents and corporate leaders share in common it is in the importance of their professional relationships with key clients and constituencies. It is what they must focus on every day ---all day long. It makes me think: how can I perform in a way that will continuously surprise, delight, challenge and help my clients?

Right now, I am researching the background of a major potential client in the hope of encouraging the prospect to select KULPER & COMPANY for a major search assignment. I have already been told that the search we will undertake for them will be critically important to the success of the company. There is so much information available about the company on the web, their leadership, their products, their operating philosophy, etc. that it is a bit overwhelming; but, I was instructed many years that there is nothing like taking the time to prepare for an important meeting. It is fascinating to learn about the culture of this company and how they have grown and developed over the years through the many concerted efforts of their employees and executives. With many companies, words and phrases like---"commitment to innovation", "entrepreneurial culture", and "minimal bureaucracy to encumber decision making"----are often used as a way to deflect people from what the culture of the company is really all about. After all, in America and the world the biggest buzzword in higher ed and the corporate world is, innovation!

The more we cross reference our research, though, the more we test if our prospective client is blowing smoke or is genuinely for real. We are at a point in the development of our firm where we know that we can tackle and succeed in any assignment we accept. We have done it consistently now for 15 years and will continue to do so. It is thrilling to meet other business and university leaders who feel the same way and can back it up---when that happens we end up working on many search assignments together.

I will let you know in my next blog how my prospective client visit goes. We are, frankly, thrilled to be considered as a finalist to handle their search need. The prospect company sought out KULPER & COMPANY because of the work we are doing with our current corporate and university clients and the results we achieve for them and our commitment to working at the edge of university research and corporate innovation.

Will keep you posted.

Keep up the great efforts and the best prospects will notice and.... you will always be in demand.

Warm regards,
Keith

R&D Manager /Director/ VP Searches

2011-12-21T12:16:00.000-08:00

As we know there is a real dearth of available engineering talent but the prospects for improvement are showing some signs of progress . We recently accepted and completed a search for a Manager of R&D for a specialty chem and gases company that caters to the integrated circuit and photovoltaics industries. The search was successful because we worked in tandem with our client to create a critical mass of candidates who possessed the right attributes, skill sets and experience to tackle the job. The hired candidate is a terrific person who will make a difference in the long term growth and development of the company.

What we observed though is that there simply is not a deep or broad enough channel of qualified engineers---in this case, in electro/organometalic chem ready to step up to the opportunity we were marketing. What can be done about this issue?

Clearly, there are many organizations who are trying to encourage more young people to study engineering----civil, mechanical, chemical, electrical, etc., and they are to be applauded for their efforts. Here in New Jersey the Liberty Science Center is supporting STEM ( Science, Technology, Engineering & Math) education initiatives. At NJIT and other universities like them, they are encouraging their engineering students to not only learn these academic skill sets but also how to work in teams to develop innovative skill sets. On NPR this morning I heard that the 4H Club is promoting a program designed to educate 1 million new engineers . To the extent that we can all recognize the value of these efforts and support them we will be helping to close the engineering gap here in the United States and around the world.

Having acted as a judge of a recent engineering class showcase at NJIT about 1 month ago, I can attest that our higher education institutions are working hard to make engineering more attractive to its students. Can they do it fast enough and well enough, only time will tell. But to the extent that each one of us in a place of influence can support the work of universities to graduate more well trained engineers right here in the United States, we will be helping to address a critical need of our country.

A bright young person with an interest in and aptitude for STEM related subjects will have absolutely no problem becoming employed upon graduation. Clearly, the graduates of these programs must be more than one dimensional subject experts. If the work that NJIT is now doing to educate the whole student is any indication, the class of 2102, 2013, 2014 and those to come will have learned about the value of invention, innovation and how to be a real problem solver in the manner of Steve Jobs and his many antecedents. We need to keep at it----and keep graduating well prepared young engineers, business majors & scientists who will become tomorrow's successful entrepreneurs.

Warm regards,
Keith

A surge in hiring...HIRE=HELP

2011-11-17T11:44:00.000-08:00

For the past few months our phone has been ringing and our email in box has been filled with inquiries regarding our services. Is it because KULPER is doing a good job...or is it a secular trend? Inasmuch as I would like to believe it is all about the word getting around about the quality of work we are doing here in our search firm...I have to believe that it is more about a steady increase in hiring needs by our clientele.

We work at the intersection of higher education research and corporate innovation, so, it is particularly pleasing to know that the best universities and companies are contacting us at a steadily increasing rate to help them attract their most important new leaders.

2012 is going to be even more active than the later half of 2011 in our estimation; this means more jobs at all levels because as new leaders come in, they all need teams to help them successfully execute.

The message from the Occupy Wall Streeters around the country may seem a bit muddled what with all their drumming and camping out in parks, but it is clear to me that this group of young people needs employment; and not as burger flippers in the local McDonalds as worthy and honest as that work may be. For the most part, the college grads among this group are articulate and bright---why hasn't Corporate America responded and sent their recruiters to the encampments?

Back when I came out of college there were many --many management training programs that absorbed many thousands of college grads each year. Now, with Globalization the competition for entry level jobs is a global phenomenon---but that should not mean that American companies who are running lean and mean---and quite cash flush---shouldn't open up their coffures and start hiring young people with solid educational accomplishments and background.

So, here is my exhortation to corporate HR and recruiting!
HIRE=HELP

Hire=Help...Hire our college grads---give them an opportunity; everyone needs a first job.

Hire=Help...Hire our mid career/experienced managers; they will hit the ground running.

Hire=Help...Hire great people any where around the world if they have the desire, ability and background.

As we all get this idea....the economy will undoubtedly benefit, confidence will increase and all boats will rise. Hire because it is good for business, hire because it helps to make the world a better place for everyone in it and hire because it is simply the right thing to do.

Happy Thanksgiving....

Peace,
Keith

FULBRIGHT Program makes a difference

2011-10-24T06:22:00.001-07:00

I was about to get started on today's tasks when I saw the article about the Fulbright Program in today's Chronicle of Higher Ed http://http://chronicle.com/article/Interactive-Map-Countries-and/129471/?sid=wb&utm_source=wb&utm_medium=en

I hope you can access it using the link inserted because the Chronicle writers did such a good job explaining what is happening with the program and why it continues to have such an excellent impact on world development.

When our son, Sloan, told us that he would become a Fulbright Fellow it sounded very good to us, but frankly, we knew very little about it other than it was a famous program designed to send talented and motivated American scholars to countries around the world to learn, teach and help. Sloan was motivated to go to Bangladesh. We wondered why he picked this country....it is very far from his home in America in every way imaginable. Over the past 7 months he has been sending reports of his progress coupled with digital images and videos . We have been amazed by the beauty of the country, the warmth of the people and the depth and breadth of the challenges they face as a developing nation. It is an ancient place of civilization with records tracing back 4,000 years. Check out the attached link:

http://http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bangladesh

Sloan's research is in the field of social entrepreneurship which in my estimation is a relatively new area of academic focus. Sloan is using his skills in product design learned at MIT and RISD to help developing countries improve the lives of their citizens. For example to help reduce indoor air pollution from the use of kerosene for cooking and heating ( a world wide killer) he and his colleagues are developing solar heaters and cookers that are cheap, simple and effective. Examples of his work can be seen at:
www.oneearthdesigns.org

The FULBRIGHT Program is looking at many, many global challenges and issues through the eyes of its Fellows and Scholars---very worthy and highly laudable. I hope my blog will encourage you to learn more about it.

Peace,
Keith

R&D Leadership Searches

2011-10-03T12:37:00.000-07:00

We focus on leadership searches for companies and universities who are at the intersection of research and development and entrepreneurship. The search assignments we accept and complete for R&D VPs, Directors, Managers or CTOs are fascinating and require an in-depth understanding of client needs before our search process can be utilized to attract the right candidate.

Right now we are working on a Manager Chemcial R&D search for Voltaix LLC; see www.kulpercompany.com > SEARCHES. Voltaix is a specialty gas and materials company with close ties to universities like Arizona State. It is a fascinating search from many perspectives not the least of which that we are working closely with the community of R&D professionals in the specialty gas/materials sector who support integrated circuit and advanced photovoltaics manufacturers. What makes the company so fascinating is that they are at the forefront of discovery in their field and they help make integrated chips run faster and more efficiently as well support the effectiveness of green/ renewable power generation.

The candidates we speak with are the people who make this industry grow and develop which is what it takes to attract the right slate of candidates for our client who is helping to create new knowledge and patented solutions for their clientele. Having a compelling story to tell about the client company operating at the forefront of R&D in specialty gases and materials is the icing on the cake and helps the search move that much faster and effectively.

If your company or university has some of the same qualities as Voltaix or Arizona State, I hope you will be in touch with us here at KULPER & COMPANY; we would love to be of help.

Best regards,
Keith

Leadership Forum: Sander Flaum at William Paterson University 10 4 11

2011-09-30T12:18:00.000-07:00

As part of my service to our clients and friends of KULPER & COMPANY--both in higher ed and industry-- I enjoy helping to foster better understanding and communication among those who actually lead, and those that study leadership.

Because I am member of the Dean's Advisory Board at the Cotsakos College of Business at William Paterson University we have been considering various ways in which we can help the students and raise the profile of our fine college of business--which is AACSB accredited and boasts one of the finest sales leadership and investment training programs anywhere in the country. About 1 year ago we talked about initiating a LEADERSHIP FORUM where I would interview leaders from a wide variety of industries about their views on leadership, their field of endeavor, and how they got to where they are today.

Our guest leader on evening of October 4, 2011 at the CCOB/WPU is Sander Flaum. Sander is one of the thought leaders in the field of marketing for the pharmaceutical field. His firm FLAUM IDEAS is widely acknowledged to be a top national firm well regarded by CEOs and Presidents of global pharmaceutical companies for its help in developing effective new marketing programs.

The Leadership Forum is exclusively for the students, faculty, administrators and invited guests of Dean, Sam Basu--and me. Please let me know if you are interested in upcoming forums.

Best regards
Keith

KULPER & COMPANY--Current Market Activity

2011-09-22T16:06:00.000-07:00

It is such a choppy market out there. The media is having a field day bringing up the 'R' word every other breath---( CNBC, Bloomberg, etc) and worrying about the end of the Euro--the demise of Greece --financial institution contagion. The DOW's tumble today notwithstanding we are not anywhere near the scary times of fall 08. The market was in free fall then and I was ready to hang my ( then) money manager.

What is happening, now? In our perspective here our clients are certainly concerned about what is going on but they are retaining us for their most important search assignments at the fastest pace in 5 years! Executive search firms can be viewed as a reliable market place barometer....

What does this mean to your organization? If your cash flow is solid and the prospects remain good---you may want to be bold---take advantage of the lowest rates in 50 years and move forward with your growth initiatives. I beleive you will be in good company. Organizations like Clorox, Kimberly Clark, Apple, Honeywell, Dow Chemical and the like ( the strongest US corporations) are not sitting on their hands during this choppy and uncertain time. The best universities are taking the same tack---they are making moves when others are wringing their hands.

From our perspective here ---the search assignments are pouring in and our phone is ringing for more assignments every day! A year ago? It was an entirely different scenario. I have a strong belief that when people decide to use our service there is strong belief in the future of their organization.

Take heart---all this brouhaha will be over eventually. I hope you will be able to make the right decisions for your business and profit from your confidence in what you believe will happen.

All the best
Keith

September 15th 2011

2011-09-15T14:24:00.000-07:00

The world is a different place every day. We listen to the news and hear about the many doings around the globe ...all of which seem to be double edged. We can take heart in remembering that this is the way things have always been on the planet and will likely always be. Good people still need to take action to make the right things happen so, complacency is rarely the solution.

Our business is very busy on this day. We have a search firm and we are now engaged in 4 searches with 2 more to come on line tomorrow. September 15, 2011 is vastly different for us from a business perspective than September 15, 2010 and that is truly a good thing for us here at KULPER & COMPANY as well as for our clients. Perhaps in the face of high unemployment our clients are now hiring at a faster pace than I have seen in several years. The economy is truly like a rubber band that stretches when pressure is exerted and become slack when pressure is released. What is happening in your business? Are you getting busier? I would venture that you are. I think the economists will be pleasantly surprised when they see the employment #s for fall of 2011---from now until November there is going to be a lot of hiring going on.

The Federal Government ---Congress and the like have a role to play here in that when appropriate and possible they can do things to give the economy a push or save an industry from ruin like they did for the automobile companies. But like the automobile companies who are now paying back the loans they were given, American enterprise needs to stand on its own two feet--and that is just what it is doing. Over the course of time our society will get better not worse, despite all the hand wringing going on from the right or the left. America is a composed of people who are practical and reasonable. We really like it best when people who work creatively and hard can make a difference like Steve Jobs or Henry Ford or the entrepreneur who's name we don't yet know but is working very hard at right this moment to creating a solution to a problem like diabetes, high performance batteries or a vehicle that gets 200 mpg. I think wherever possible we need to think and talk positively. We are a great group of people who can solve any problem in front of us. Remember that your neighbor has much the same challenge as do you---every day---and remember to laugh as often with him or her as you can! Life is truly short...we are meant to enjoy it while we are dealing with its many challenges.

So, todays entry is meant to make us all feel a little better. The sun is still rising for America----don't listen to the naysayers---get busy solving problems.

With hope...
Always,
Keith

PICMET KEY NOTE Speech August 4, 2011

2011-08-02T09:51:00.000-07:00

PICMET Keynote Speech: August 4, 2011 830AM

Keith D Kulper, President, KULPER & COMPANY, LLC

It is a real pleasure to be with you all this morning; my wife, Denise and I are both honored to be here. Congratulations on the 20th Anniversary of PICMET; Dundar, you and your colleagues have done an exceptional job. PICMET is the key global leader in the field of technology management research and innovation; thank you for asking me to address the group today.

The focus of my remarks, will be of real interest to the attendees of the PICMET conference because our firm, KULPER & COMPANY, works at the intersection of Academic Research and Corporation Innovation on senior level leadership searches for academic institutions and corporations who rely on them to aid them with the commercialization of new knowledge.
Over the past few years we have helped universities with solid business and engineering programs attract transformational leaders to fill VP, Provost, Dean and Department Chair positions. Likewise we have helped our corporate clients engaged in commercializing break through research bring in the right leaders for their key positions.

Attracting transformational leaders is always a very difficult challenge. The reason is that our clients must come to grips with one of the hardest admissions---they need to change. This happens most often when there is a crisis brewing or when there is great ambition to move a terrific idea forward. There are many excellent candidates for challenging jobs---this is true and always will be the case. We often tell our clients that identifying a slate of candidates qualified and motivated to accept the job offer will not be difficult---the real challenge is hiring the right one.

Many organizations pride themselves on their growth and development. Look at PICMET for just one moment. Where would it be without Dundar’s steady and devoted leadership. Over the years his efforts have transformed this organization from a small group of professionals interested in learning more from one another about the theory and practice of technology management to a world leading body encouraging the discovery of new knowledge and the application of it by top corporations everywhere.

When we look at transformational change in any organization our clients are usually quick to admit that there are issues that they themselves have created as well as opportunities for them to seize. An honest and accurate assessment of the situation is the first step in the process toward attracting a new leader who will be able to affect the desired organizational change.
For example, a few years ago a provost came to us and said: “We have tried to attract a new Dean for our business school on our own the last two times. Each effort resulted in less than satisfactory results. We need a Dean who can attract the right new faculty, boost enrollment, market awareness and attract funding. We also need a leader who will know how to work well with key alumni, trustees and the Deans of the other schools who are anxious to create new boundary crossing interdisciplinary programs”.

Does this sound familiar to anyone? It is a very common challenge. Many of the job advertisements found on the national job sites will describe a hiring need similar to this one. Every university wants the right leaders for their schools and leaders must be able to show progress in their efforts or they will not remain in the big chair for long. Transformational change comes easier when the client university or company is clear about the Key Performance Indicators for the hired candidate in addition to the responsibilities of the job. KPIs define success for both the hired candidate and the organization by establishing a real “to do” list with a timeline. For example, over a five year period a KPI for the new Dean in the case study I was referring to earlier included, “growing enrollment by 10 % compounded annually over a five year period”. For most schools this sort of KPI would be very difficult to accomplish for many reasons including current market share, school reputation and senior administration commitment. What made this doable though, was careful research at the outset so that reasonable—vs “pie in the sky” KPIs could be established.

Now it is very true that not every candidate seemingly qualified to be a Dean based upon his or her record of research, teaching, administrative and service record will know how to accomplish the KPIs set forth in position spec. This is a good thing since those candidates should not be actively considered in the first place. Achieving real consensus among the hiring decision makers about what the hired candidate must actually do –by when---to be considered a real success in his or her new role is, in our experience here at KULPER & COMPANY, the most important element of a successful search.

We help our clients create the KPIs for the hired candidate when we work with them on the producing the position description. This is a collaborative effort with solid input from the hiring decision makers. It is not enough to attract a slate of candidates who appear right for the position---it is necessary to qualify candidates who are likely to succeed and this is done by matching a carefully crafted set of KPIs with the background of accomplishment and enthusiasm of the candidates for the transformational challenges that lie ahead. We seek to affect hiring matches that highly predictive of the future success of the candidate.

In our field of technology management this kind of approach to leadership hiring could not be more important. The right leaders of universities and corporations will be able to accelerate the development of leaders who will be able to drive the field forward. This will be measured in many ways. More students will graduate with technical and business degrees who will provide solutions to the research and development challenges of today. Transformational leaders are able to understand their KPIs and then drive them home with enthusiasm.

How is it that a university or company that heretofore may have appeared much the also ran is able to jump ahead of its best competitors? Embracing the idea of transformational change must come first ---then a careful plan that charts the milestone of accomplishment must be created and once that is done candidates with the right set of behavioral competencies must be matched with the responsibilities and KPIs of the position.

Since our firm opened for business in March of 1997 we have noted with interest how closely many of the most successful corporations are aligned with universities devoted to discovering new knowledge that can be successfully commercialized. We have made introductions to Deans and department chairs to corporate VPs and Directors seeking to strengthen mutual ties. Innovation always comes from problem solving---companies need universities to help them address their most critically important opportunities. It is a great “space” to focus on----we love what we do!

The case studies on our website www.kulpercompany.com share a common theme: search committee members and hiring decision makers perceive real value from our assistance in helping them attract and hire the right candidate. In the area of technology innovation and management the importance of having the right leaders could not be more important. There is a real “war for talent” constantly being waged by the best institutions and companies seeking growth and development as well as competitive advantage. Universities and companies with a clear idea of what they want to accomplish by when stand the best chance of not only achieving their strategic goals but also in hiring and attracting talent most likely to succeed.

Our commitment to helping academic institutions and companies engaged in technology development and management stems from an early engagement we accepted from Stevens Institute in Hoboken NJ. We helped them with a variety of key hires in the Howe School of Technology Management and the School of Engineering. From those early days we perceived the importance of the product development “eco system” that includes corporations who depend on academia for fresh thinking and new ideas to help drive their business—as well as government agencies that fund the discovery of new knowledge; we have made this space our passionate focus ever since because we see how important it is to have the right leader in positions of authority at the universities and companies we support. We know that our clients agree.
It is very important to understand and appreciate the forces at work that serve as the well spring of innovation….because the best and brightest leaders are driving the process—and we make it our business to know who these people are and why they are succeeding in their roles.

The virtuous circle of academia, industry and government produce a breathtaking array of activities that serve to stoke the fires of entrepreneurship and innovation. Leaders like Steve Jobs at Apple, Bill Gates at Microsoft, Andy Grove at Intel and the many unsung heroes at Dupont, 3M, Exxon and so many others will speak of the debt they owe academia in support of their R&D and product development activities. Government agencies and foundations likewise will readily agree that academic leaders forge the pathway that results in so many new products and services that benefit humanity.

How do we know that the right candidate is getting identified and hired by the universities and companies that must attract the best and most dependable leaders?
With so much at stake …..
• What needs to be done to improve the chances of having a national search produce the great outcomes sought after by clients and candidates alike?
• Why would university and corporate leaders alike risk the outcome of what is perhaps their most important activity: winning the War for Talent?
• How can search firms help?

Here are some of the key challenges that a search committee and hiring decision makers must confront when they venture into the marketplace to attract the Right Hired Candidate
• Search cycle time parameters
• Breadth of candidate choice
• Candidate Assessment factors
• Search Committee leadership
• Search Committee composition/volunteers busy with full time jobs
• Opportunity cost

How can an experienced search consultant help improve the odds for their clients?
• Focused project management---from start to finish of the engagement
• Development of a position description that is compelling to the right hired candidate and includes a set of achievable KPIs //by when
• Candidate development process that keeps the right candidates interested and enthused until an offer is made and accepted
• Search Committee guidance based upon what works and what doesn’t work
So what does work and what doesn’t?
• The right candidate is one who is closely aligned with the position spec
• A position spec is effective when it states not only what the client wants but what the hired candidate can expect from the client in the way of support and funding
• Clarity of Key Performance Indicators is essential
• KPIs help produce a slate of candidates who are very well matched with what the client needs and expects the successful candidate to actually do—by when –in his or her new job
KEY Elements of a successful Project Plan for a major search assignment
• Achieve a clearly articulated position description that is supported by the search committee and hiring decision makers
• Structure a candidate assessment process that will identify top performers and attract them to the job
• Establish a reasonable/achievable project plan at the outset of the search and work the plan continually until the assignment is completed.
• Stay flexible---the position description may require calibration as the search progresses
• Make a compelling offer to the right candidate(s)
• Track actual performance of the hired candidate once hired at 6, 12, 24 and 36 month intervals
Research and Development depends on the right team led by experienced and capable executives. The best universities and companies understand that talent is the most important element. Taking an approach that attracts the most suitable talent is critically important for every institution and corporation competing to produce the best research and most reliable product solutions.
It has been a pleasure to share these thoughts and findings with you all this morning---now I look forward to responding to any questions you may have during the remaining time allotted me.

Many thanks!

Why use Executive Search Consulting? B School Student Research Paper

2011-07-25T12:46:00.000-07:00

I'm a student doing a
research paper on Executive Recruitment, and the pros of using
recruitment firms. I was wondering if you could answer three quick questions.

1) Sometimes it can be more expensive to hire a recruitment firm
instead of using internal recruitment or HR, but in your estimation,
what are the hidden costs associated with a bad executive hire?

The hidden costs are potentially enormous as I am sure your research
is showing. There are many examples of hiring decisions that could
have been improved with the right help from a professional executive
search consulting firm. Many companies don't know what they don't
know about the search and hiring process and that is where the trouble can start.

We work hard to help clients understand the value of the search process through our case
examples, blog and other info on our website. A real measurable is
the value that a right hire creates. Increases in revenue, # of new
clients or improvement in client satisfaction could be tracked as well as cost
reductions. Clearly though when the right hired candidate comes to a new
position things start happening for the better.

We like to detail the Key Performance Indicators (expected hired candidate deliverables by when) right in the position description. Candidates have commented that this
information is unique for them and very helpful. Once the candidate is hired track candidate performance against expectations----some of our
case studies --right on our website www.kulpercompany.com
---discuss this.

2) On average, how many job openings would you say a corporate
recruiter works on at one time?

A corporate recruiter ( working for the hiring company) often works on many---many job openings at once. This can be a very difficult task since there are so many moving parts involved with each hire. The corporate recruiter is able to leverage his/er efforts by using outside search consultants and employment agents.

I would say that it is tough for any search consultant to handle more than 3 or 4 search assignments at once; beyond that, managing the assignment
load becomes pretty difficult and puts the outcome at risk.

Some large search firms, or very busy ones, are criticized for their lack of
quality work when they split the work load up among a large staff---because the right hand sometimes is out of touch with what the left hand is doing! I think you get what I
mean....The more focused and involved the lead search consultant is
with each step of the search process the more likely the outcome will
be what the client needs and wants.

3) Do you feel that corporations have increased or decreased spending
on recruitment in the past few years? Do you think spending will
increase or decrease in the coming year?

Decreased spending 2008-2010........Spending on recruitment is increasing since Q4
2010. We expect to be very busy through the balance of 2011 and into 2012.

I hope you find these responses interesting and helpful. if you are considering use of executive search consulting services.

All the best,
Keith D Kulper
President
KULPER & COMPANY, LLC

Keith D. Kulper, President KULPER & COMPANY, LLC Executive Search: Job Transition Advice

2011-06-30T14:09:00.000-07:00

Keith D. Kulper, President KULPER & COMPANY, LLC Executive Search: Job Transition Advice: "Here is what actually happens in our business. We are not job counselors here at KULPER & COMPANY --we are executive search consultants---bu..."

Job Transition Advice

2011-06-29T12:41:00.000-07:00

Here is what actually happens in our business. We are not job counselors here at KULPER & COMPANY --we are executive search consultants---but we always try to be helpful to friends in job transition. We advise an intelligent approach to the challenge of job transition, but because of the challenges inherent in this task and lack of experience with job transition issues, particularly for senior level execs, it often becomes a challenging and emotionally draining experience. We are offering the below actual dialogue with a friend in transition to be helpful to anyone currently in transition or facing the prospects of it sometime, soon. We present this to the readers of our Blog purely for informational purposes; no names are mentioned in this dialogue and we make no claims that it is going to work for you.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Person in Transition:
One of many reasons I enjoyed this morning's conversation was your candor and willingness to be open and forthright; including issues of sensitivity. That said, I have been asking myself if I had the right to take advantage of that quality. While I don't necessarily have a yes/no answer, I have decided to ask you a question that you may or may not want to address. If you are comfortable with the question and equally comfortable answering it, great. If not, I won't be upset. The question.....Was there anything that I said or didn't say this morning that you would recommend I handle differently should a second opportunity occur for me to sit down and talk with another search consultant?

KULPER & COMPANY Response
The main point I like to convey to people in transition is that the more aware they are about the job search process the more sophisticated they will appear in the eye of the hiring decision maker--or search consultant. Understanding that your role( as a candidate) is to be a solution provider ---makes that idea much easier to understand and embrace. By continually asking: “ How can I be helpful in this particular situation”? ----you are able to seize the day and pursue opportunities that makethe most sense to you. The more information you have about the problems the hiring exec needs to solve the more likely you will be able to present yourself as his or her solution provider.

Person in Transition
I recognize that it took a long time to build a career that I am proud of but, that, in and of itself, doesn't get me more than a cup of coffee. One of the take-aways from this morning was that my career, while wide in scope in that I moved from a large and well known organization to improving performances within a very diverse group of companies, may offer little value in today's market either due my age or the job search process itself. Is there something obvious to you that I should consider doing as I seek my next job?

KULPER & COMPANY Response
The key is to visualize yourself in the shoes of the hiring decision maker. You do this by possessing good information about the hiring need---and by staying as objective as you can in matching your experience and problem solving capabilities with the issues the hiring decision maker is facing.

Person in Transition
When I reflect upon my career and the shortage of solid experience that could drive us to levels not yet reached, I paid internationally known search firms a lot of money to continue looking for the right people. Unfortunately, I was never happy with the people they sent me.

KULPER & COMPANY Response:
To be very honest with you, when we are doing a good job for our clients only 50% of the candidates we present are judged “acceptable”---it is very hard to get inside the head of the client. I work very hard at throughout the search process. We call it 'calibrating the search' because we are carefully adjusting our understanding of the client's hiring hot buttons as we drill deeper into understanding what is going to get us to an offer for the RIGHT candidate. Even when the position spec is very well wrought we continue to learn more about the real hiring need as we go along. Perish the thought, but if the client is rejecting 80-90% of our candidates (thankfully that happens very infrequently) this is a big red flag. I then call a time out and we carefully review what is going on and why…..We work hard to present the right candidates---because that helps everyone-- and is the fundamental reason for the engagement.

Person in Transition:
I understand that the process isn't easy. As a practical matter what should I do as a first step, now?

KULPER & COMPANY Response:
I would suggest that you should be doing at least 3 informational interviews per week----face to face---where you are sitting with an exec level decision maker because you are sincerely interested in learning about his or her operation ---so, you can decide if you can make a difference by becoming involved in it somehow. Your approach to getting the meeting could be---“ Gerry, I have been doing some homework on your industry /business and I am very interested in the work you and your associates are doing right now because….( insert reason)----if you would have some time to discuss this with me I would appreciate visiting with you next week; could we set up a time to have coffee together?

This approach works because it is a non threatening neutral request----you are after information –not a job or anything else ( at this point). If the conversation happens to migrate towards where you are at the present time and there is interest in learning more about you….then you will have your opportunity. This process can take a few meetings as you learn more and he or she warms to the idea that you might be just the sort of solution provider he or she needs. Getting to “yes”—is an emotionally driven process—much more so than an analytic one. The decision maker needs to feel good in your presence and relaxed ---as he or she talks about a topic that is of importance to him or her (and what could be more important than their business?---or areas that interest them when they are not working so hard—family, hobbies, sports etc. ). By approaching the decision maker in this manner you are creating rapport that allows him or her to relax and maybe to even begin to visualize you as a solution provider for some issue or problem that has yet to be brought up to you!

I hope my responses are helpful to you----Good luck and keep in touch.

Likewise, I hope that this information proves helpful to you if you are in transition now and wondering how to best approach your next opportunity.

Warm regards
Keith

Keeping a search on track

2011-06-21T05:46:00.000-07:00

We like to think that we have the client's best interests at heart in every assignment we accept. Clients need to hire the right candidate; our job is to help guide them towards that outcome. Our search process is proven, honed and and highly effective. Why is it still a challenge? In today's blog I will address one reason--in subsequent blogs I will address others:

"Spec Creep"---this happens when a client keeps changing what he or she thinks is necessary/acceptable in the way of required candidate experience. Compare this to client who keeps changing the architectural blueprint while the project is underway. A certain amount of give and take is normal but both the client and the search consultant know when the changes become excessive since none of the candidates meet muster despite their alignment with the position spec.

Our solution is to confront the problem directly and forcefully as soon as we see it happening. A client meeting is called and there is a review of the candidate inventory against the existing spec. If need be the spec gets revised. We believe in our clients and their need to hire the right candidate. We always work through the issues with the client and would never quit on them--unless we determine that their reason for rejection of qualified candidates is unlawful or discriminatory. We might ask for additional compensation though if the changes to the spec are so significant as to require retooling of the marketing/advertising program as well. Why does this happen? Clients are under pressure to complete many projects simultaneously. They are busy and often they fail to "measure twice" before they start, even when the consulting firm is taking them through a very deliberate spec development process. We always strive spend enough time with spec development before we launch the search because we want to spec to be "right" before we commence. So, when we see our client consistently rejecting candidates who clearly meet the stated spec ---we call a "time out" and do a complete review of what is going on. This is the right thing to do because it protects everyone involved with the search----the client, the candidates and of course our firm. Time is money for everyone and wasted time is just that---a waste. So a direct response to a client who is engaging in "SPEC Creep" is always the best course of action.

I hope this short piece proves helpful to you if you are a professional search consultant or a client currently engaged, about to engage, in a search assignment utilizing the assistance of a professional search consultant.

Best regards,
Keith

University Research Spending

2011-05-09T07:25:00.000-07:00

In today's Chronicle of Higher Education there is an excellent chart reflecting research fund raising and spending. The universities shown on the list are showing their commitment to creating new knowledge; these schools bear our attention.
http://chronicle.com/article/Some-Universities-Increased/127437/#disqus_thread

Perhaps the idea of the chart was to show how self funded research did not necessarily increase the amount of outside funded research. However, the total funding/spending # is what is perhaps most relevant. It shows that the universities can be self reliant and not wholly dependent on state, federal and private sources of funding to drive their efforts to create new knowledge. Kudos to the schools who are producing great outcomes with the funding they are generating and attracting.

Keith Kulper

HIGH Tech Hiring Challenges/The Engineer Shortage

2011-05-06T12:23:00.000-07:00

If you are a CEO of a high tech company that depends on hiring qualified engineers for key positions involved with product development, testing and roll out, I don't need to tell you about the hiring challenges you face. As the CEO of an early stage company recently commented when I expressed frustation over the current state of affairs involving the dearth of available /qualified engineering talent who possess permanent residency status or American citizenship---"welcome to my world, Keith"! Engineers translate product concepts and solutions into viable revenue producing products and services. Engineers create solutions that can be reproduced in a highly reliable, cost effective and profitable manner. Engineers learn the scientific method, understand immutable scientific laws and are able to effectively apply them in ways that create entirely new businesses: think Microsoft, Google, Amazon, FORD, Dow Corning, JP Morgan Bank ( yes, financial services needs engineers, too!)

Here are a few suggestions
1) Define the problem as it is exists today. If we have x # of engineering jobs in America how many American engineers do we need to get the job done?
2) Examine why the "engineer supply/demand equation" is out of balance.
3) Implement solutions that start producing and employing more American citizen engineers as soon as possible!

Why has the engineering shortage occured?
Is the "academic rigor" in top American universities somehow out of whack with the simple need of our society to produce more American citizen engineers?

Is the compensation of American engineers too low? is it too high?

Are academic institutions retaining --all the way to graduation---- a high enough percentate of students they accept into their engineering programs?

Do American companies think that it doesn't matter that their engineering team is not composed of American citizens?

We think that America is the well spring of innovation. Our culture is highly influential around the world and our standard of living as the leading developed country is what most developing nations aspire to achieve. Our greatest innovators are often entrepreneurs who leverage their creativity through the brilliance of engineers. If we don't have enough native trained talent might America lose its position as the leader of the free world?

What is your opinion? Please send along your comments.
All the best
Keith

PS "Happy Mother's Day" to all you women engineers out there who are Moms, too!

Search Committee Code of Conduct

2011-04-29T10:00:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I commented on an interesting blog written by Allison Vaillancourt, PhD., VP HR at the University of Arizona----here is the link to her blog
http://chronicle.com/blogs/onhiring/is-it-time-for-a-search-committee-code-of-standards/28628#disqus_thread

Allison's blog received over 50 comments from various professionals at universities ( primarily) involved with the search process. Dr Vaillancourt's idea that it is perhaps time for a "Code of Conduct" for search committees to observe. This makes some real sense if for no other reason than to let committee chairs and members know that there are basic ground rules that will be productive for them to follow. Good rules, generally help everyone --- and, of course, in a civil society no matter how great it might seem to think that ultimate freedom = no laws---that notion went out sometime before Hammurabi.

For search committees the rules need to stem from the "Golden Rule"---treat others as you would have others treat you. Because search committees are composed largely of volunteers who are often selected by the administrative staff because they like and trust them, this should not be confused with the idea that despite their most often well-meaning intentions, the search committee chair and members, know how to handle the subtleties of the search process. This is not due to any lack of intelligence or willingness---it is almost always related to a lack of experience and knowledge about what constitutes a truly effective search process. At KULPER & COMPANY we have created guideline booklets for search committee teams that are used for both academic and corporate searches. The booklets help the committee members be better prepared for the interview process and touch on some basic ideas as: the inadvisability of "ad-hoc" back-channel reference checking, the best ways to conduct a candidate visit/interview and other fine points of the search process. We never assume that the guide books are read---but we are always pleased when they are, since it makes the guidance we provide to search committee members that much more easily accepted.

Like with good etiquette, a good search process is fair and considerate to everyone. And also like good etiquette when people are considerate of others, people become relaxed and are at their best. An interview is a very stressful experience for everyone involved. So, to the extent that a "Code of Conduct" for search committees can be adapted by accredited academic institutions, all the better---because it will make it that much more likely that the right hired candidate will get the job!
Nice work, Allison.

All the best,
Keith

Reference Checking: It does work!

2011-04-28T10:22:00.000-07:00

Please see article by Professor Gene Fant in today's Chronicle of Higher Ed and my comment; good stuff.
http://chronicle.com/blogs/onhiring/reference-checks/28674?sid=oh&utm_source=oh&utm_medium=en

All the best,
Keith

Networking, a timeless skill set

2011-04-08T05:00:00.001-07:00

Here is an article written by an professor at Assumption College who directs their Honors Program---it is on the topic of Networking. Very nice job by Professor James Lang; hope you find it helpful.
http://chronicle.com/article/How-Do-You-Teach-Networking-/127008/#disqus_thread

All the best
Keith