3-O'Clock Coffee Break

Are you a Strategic Business Partner? – Self-Assessment

David Szary — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 13:53:10 -0400

As we start the second half of 2009, the economy continues to deliver uncertainty for most individuals and organizations.

How do you prepare for unchartered times? How can you predict the future? How do you plan for the future?

As I talk to recruitment leaders across the country, no one seems to have a crystal ball filled with answers to these questions. But most agree now, more than ever, we need to be strategically connected with line of business executives to keep a pulse on the business climate and how it will impact staffing.

When hiring volumes are down, or more specifically, when managers do not have current requisitions to fill, the interaction with the recruitment organization typically becomes less frequent.

"Why should we meet if I don't have any hiring needs?" might be the sentiment of a hiring manager that does not have a strategic focus on staffing.

In these times, it is critical that we stay connected with our customers and strategically manage the staffing process including:

Keeping abreast of the constant changes to the organization and how it impacts staffing.
Keep hiring managers focused on future needs, succession planning opportunities, etc.
Taking advantage of the hiring "slowdown" to refine/improve process, assessment tools, etc. for upcoming hiring needs (hiring will pick up again!).

Are you currently engaging in these activities with your customers? Do you have a "seat at the table" developing recruitment strategy for today and the future?

In a recent blog post, I shared some tactics Scott Clatur, Manager of Talent Selection at Henry Ford Health Systems, was using to engage hiring managers on a more strategic level.

Working with our clients, we have developed a self-assessment survey that can indicate recruiters' competencies/skills in this area.

I thought I might share it as a tool to use with you and/or your team members.

Do you have a social media policy?

David Szary — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 13:07:20 -0400

A couple of weeks ago I was fortunate to participate in the Thought Leadership Institute's Corporate Sourcing Leadership Conference. As with any discussion around sourcing today, we talked about Social Media sites/Web 2.0 tools as it relates to sourcing top talent.

For larger companies, regulating access to these sites has become a big issue and debate.

Should we allow access to employees?
If we don't, will that negatively impact our brand identity and how the public perceives our organization?
If we deny access, does that really stop them from accessing these sites via their mobile computing devices?
If we do provide access, will workforce productivity go down?

From our discussion, even the early adopters of these technologies for recruitment purposes have not completely figured this out.

With that said, there are some companies that have developed policies/guidelines for social media usage.

If you are in the midst of figuring out your position on this subject, you might want to check out the links below to assist you in your efforts.

As you can imagine - technical companies like Intel and IBM are leading the way with respect to usage of new technologies!

http://www.intel.com/sites/sitewide/en_US/social-media.htm

http://www.ibm.com/blogs/zz/en/guidelines.html

http://www.thenewpr.com/wiki/pmwiki.php?pagename=Resources.BloggingPolicy

Have a great Holiday!

No one wants to hire your “runner up” - - let alone your 3rd place candidate!

David Szary — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 16:30:53 -0400

While talking "shop" on a recent visit with Sylvia James (Manager of Talent Acquisition at Spectrum Health), she had some excellent, practical advice that I thought would be worthwhile to share!

We were discussing how often hiring managers request more "candidates to review" (even after we have given them a quality slate of 2-3) and the negative impact that has on process efficiency and time management.

On the surface, there almost seems to be distrust on behalf of the hiring manager that:

The candidates submitted for consideration are NOT all high quality and worthy of being hired.
That we haven't found the best candidates possible.

In addition, often times the hiring manager asks us to "rate" the candidates (1st , 2nd , 3rd ) for them.

When put in this situation, it is very difficult to guide the hiring manager into a quality decision without spending wasted hours trying to find the elusive "perfect candidate" that doesn't exist and/or isn't better than the two to three you have already provided them!

So what can you do?

First and foremost, managing this situation starts with the intake session you have with the manager when qualifying the position (check out our resources section for more information on this subject!).

But let's assume you have done a quality intake session and the hiring manager still behaves like outlined above (probably because of past experiences with recruiters that have not managed the process correctly :))?

That is were Sylvia's common sense advice really hit home with me!

First and foremost, don't fall into the trap of rating your candidates: If they ask you to rate them simply state - - "I wouldn't bring candidates to you that I didn't think were worthy of getting hired! I like all three of them and think they all merit your attention. I would rather have you interview them and then afterward, we can discuss the candidates skill sets as they relate to the position."

When you take this approach, if the first candidate they interview is not the right fit, you can immediately focus on the other two candidates. If you fall into the trap of "rating" them, you will often get this response. "If Joe was your first choice, let's hold on the other two while you spend time looking for more #1 candidates." At this point, it is very difficult to get their attention on your 2nd or 3rd choice! Who wants to hire the "runner up"?

Make sure they know all the work that went into getting them these candidates: If managers understand all the work that goes into providing a slate of candidates, they would know that we exhaust many options and ONLY bring them candidates worthy of being hired. From the very first conversation (intake session), keep the manager informed of what you did to find the candidates you presented. This usually puts them at ease regarding the question "Is there anyone else out there that is better ?. .."

Cost benefit of continuing to search for a better candidate: If the manager wants to "see more candidates", make sure they know the ramifications of that decision. The reality is (as we all know) that if I continue to search for someone "better", we are at risk of losing the 2nd or 3rd person to our competition. A good rebuttal. "Sue - we could put these two candidates on hold and continue to look for others but there is a high probability that we won't find anyone better and . . . both the candidates take other positions and/or are no longer interested. I would hate to be out another 2 weeks with ZERO candidates and little options".

No one wants to hire your 2nd or 3rd option. Manage the process from the beginning with a good intake session and 'train' your managers to understand that you only bring candidates to them that are worthy of being hired!

Lean Human Capital

David Szary — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 14:40:09 -0400

I wanted to update you on some exciting things happening with our organization!

As many of you know - - It's my 20th year in recruiting (I can't believe 20 years already!). Reflecting on the past 20 years has brought me a renewed passion around four topics:

Lean Recruiting
Just-in-time hiring
The Changing Role of the Recruiter
Success attributes of 'Elite' Recruiters

With that said, we have recently partnered with industry experts in analytics, process improvement and employer branding to create an enhanced service offering through our new entity - LEAN.

Our enhanced Solution will help organizations:

Reduce waste/cost - associated with an inefficient staffing process
Reduce vacancy rates & time-to-fill by migrating to a just-in-time hiring solution
Quantify your recruitment organization's ROI - utilizing advance predictive analytics
Providing Education Programs that help your recruiters transform from "Good to Elite"
Create a Continuous Improvement Culture - one that's passionate about life long learning

We will continue to deliver our enhanced Recruiter Academy educational programs.

To give you a flavor of some radical new concepts I am working on, you can check out a white paper I wrote on Just-in-time hiring that was recently published by ERE.

If you would like more information about LEAN's Solution or a free proof of concept, please contact me.

Our blog site name has been changed and the look has been enhanced to reflect the growth and evolution our organization. Check it out!

Basically, we are practicing what we preach . . . continually trying to get 10% better each and every quarter!

As discussed in a recent blog post - "we are in unprecedented times where the only thing guaranteed is change."

You will see more changes from us over the next 6 months! This is just the beginning of our transformation in these unprecedented times.

We will continue to share practical advice (and I hope radical new ideas) on the topics mentioned and many more!

Friends, The Archive feature and turning Lemons into Lemonade!

David Szary — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 14:00:40 -0400

I recently wrote a blog post titled - "How many friends do you have?". In this piece, I defined a "friend" and discussed the importance of building your network of friends!

Well . . . I would like to do just that!

I would like to add individuals to my 'friends' network that I can exchange relevant, insightful information, network, etc. Since LinkedIn makes it easy for us - - I figured we could 'connect' using their useful platform. So if you are interested, please link in with me!

On the subject of LinkedIn, at the Kennedy Conference Sourcing Summit Shally Steckerl shared something I didn't know. He said that when you receive a Linedin invitation, if you do not want to include them in your network and click "Do not know", this counts against that person. If that person gets too many "do not know's", they go into LinkedIn 'jail' where they suspend your privileges. I didn't know this! While I sometimes do receive invitations from people that don't seem to be a good fit for my network, I don't want to cause them any harm. So what Shally shared was that if you run into that situation, just hit Archive (versus - Do not know) and it will not count against that person.

Lastly - - my partner Karen Antrim has some good information I thought I would share regarding how to turn bad information into good data (see below).

___________________________________

Using Bad Info to get Good Info - Turning Lemons into Lemonade

As a dedicated sourcing specialist responsible for providing lists of potential candidates, including the candidate's name, title, company name, phone number, and e-mail, I know the best way to gain good information is by calling into the company. While the Internet is a great source for both passive and active candidates, we all know that data is often out of date. Below is an example of how to use what could be considered bad data to obtain good information and even squeeze more valuable information out of the conversation for your recruiting process.

An example of not conducting the call properly:

"Hi, is Dan Brown still the Director of Purchasing?"

"No."

"Oh, who is your Director of Purchasing?"

"Bonnie Hunt."

"OK, thank you."

"You're welcome. Good-bye."

You accomplished your goal. You got the proper name for the Director of Purchasing. However, there is a wealth of information left uncovered. Let's try again:

"Hi, is Dan Brown still the Director of Purchasing?"

"No."

"Oh, who is your Director of Purchasing?"

"Bonnie Hunt."

"OK, thanks. Well that would make sense why his email bounced back. Can you confirm Bonnie's e-mail for me?"

"Sure, it's bonnie.hunt@company.com."

"Thanks. And where did Dan go?"

"He's in our CA office as VP Strategic Sourcing now."

"Good for him! What is his new phone number, and does he have a new email?"

"It's 123.456.5678 and his email should be the same."

"And that is dan.brown@company.com, right?" (You surmise the string based on what she told you about Bonnie's email string).

"That's correct."

"Great, thanks!"

There is still more info you could get from this conversation depending on what you are looking for. You could continue to ask if Bonnie now reports to Dan, how many people report to Dan, whether they are located around the country, etc. Once you've started building a rapport with the person on the phone, keep chatting and learning more.

"So Bonnie now reports to Dan?"

"Yep"

"And are there other purchasing people at this location who also report to Dan or do they report Bonnie now?"

"There is one other Director of Purchasing who reports to Dan from this location. Then the rest of the supply staff are split between Bonnie and John."

"Oh. John who?"

"John Williams, why do you ask?"

"I was just wondering if it was a different John we might have known. Well, thanks for the updated info. Have a great day."

If they ask "Who is calling?" or "What is the nature of your call?" chances are they will ask this at the beginning of the conversation when you ask to confirm the email. In my case, I am trying to obtain an e-mail address for either my boss or one of the recruiters, so I respond "My boss was trying to get an email to him and I'm just confirming the address for him."

Remember, the receptionist is there to help outside callers get to the right person, so if they question you, it's simply so that they can better serve your needs. Be matter of fact and clearly state what you need.

So even if you have bad information, just keep talking and turn it into good information!

About Karen Antrim:

Karen is the Recruitment Research Director for The RIO Group.　 Leveraging her over 20 years in business management, sales and technology, Karen has become an industry expert on　developing sourcing strategies to identify　qualified, passive talent utilizing cutting edge internet tactics including Boolean search logic, Web 2.0 technologies, etc. in addition to the most tried and proven tool . . . the phone!

Previous to joining　Recruiter Academy/RIO Group, Karen　was Director of Support Services for Thomson/Creative Solutions. 　

Unprecedented Times are You Ready?

David Szary — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 12:09:00 -0400

I had the chance to sit in on Simply Hired CEO, Gautam Gadhwani's presentation at the Kennedy Conference the other week. His presentation topic was Recruiting Buzz Index: What's hot and why?

As always, he provided invaluable insight into what is going on in the world of social networking, SEO, Internet Search and Web 2.0 tools. He kicked off his presentation with a cool video I thought I would share with you today - Did you know?

Gautam makes a compelling argument that we are heading into unprecedented times. I would add that the only thing that is guaranteed to remain the same is constant "change" in just about every facet of our lives!

His presentation brought to mind one of my favorite quotes by George Wood Bacon -

"Fortunes are NOT made in the boom times . . . That is merely the collection period. Fortunes are made in depressions or lean times when the wise man overhauls his mind, his methods, his resources and gets in training for the race to come."

While the uncertain economy continues to reek havoc on many individuals, it is also the best time to reinvent how we do things to become stronger than ever!

With requisition loads down, now is the time to implement radical new recruiting strategies that you have thought about (probably for years) but never had time to do!

Now is the time to think of new, innovative solutions that you haven't even thought about!

The one constant we have is "change". For those that embrace it, the next 10 years can become the most rewarding yet!

How many “friends” do you have?

David Szary — Wed, 20 May 2009 14:21:46 -0400

In my blog post last week, we talked about the differences between transactional recruiters and relationship recruiters.

Among the many characteristics defined, I mentioned that relationship recruiters invest time in developing relationships with professionals within the industry/skill set they recruit for and have a lot of "friends".

So how many "friends" do you have?

Well - before you answer that question, I want to define what I believe a "friend" is in the context of this discussion . . .

A friend

Will call you back within 24-48 hours after you contact them (if they are not traveling, etc.).
Is a professional within the industry/skill set for which you recruit.
Will unconditionally allow you access to people within their network.
Will unconditionally provide you with information and competitive intelligence that can help you recruit top talent for your organization.
Provides you with names and contact information of professionals that they used to work with at former companies.
Allows you access to their network on Linkedin. They will either contact folks on your behalf and/or allow you to contact them using their name as the referral source.
Provides you with attendee lists from conferences they attend.
Provides you access to the alumni network from their schools.

While most recruiters are building up their "professional networks" on Linkedin, Facebook, and Twitter, etc., how many true friends do you really have from this activity?

Do you invest the time required to build long lasting relationships that can create a network of "friends" that become an invaluable source of candidates, competitive intelligence, etc.?

The reality is this - If you spent time building relationships and creating a huge network of friends, you would not have to spend as much time "cold" sourcing. Your network of friends would provide you with ample people to either recruit or network with to find top talent for your organization!

So how many "friends" do you have?

If you haven't already done this, I recommend that you create a list (in your ATS, Outlook, Exel, etc.) of all the friends that you have. I would categorize them by the various industries/job categories you recruit.

Every three months, I would make a plan of action to "grow" your friends list. I would dedicate time each week/month (ideally - - say 2 hours a week) to build relationships to grow this list.

Developing a list of friends is not a hard thing to do, but you do have to invest time to the activity.

Trust me - - the rewards are worth it!

Are You a Transactional or a Relationship Recruiter?

David Szary — Wed, 13 May 2009 17:05:25 -0400

In preparation for a conference speaking engagement last week on sourcing best practices, it became apparent (in my mind!) that there are distinctly two different type of recruiters:

1. Transactional Recruiters
2. Relationship Recruiters

In this "era of abundance", we have access to millions of prospects via job boards, social networks, blog sites, and Boolean searches, etc. While on the surface, this seems to be a good thing (and for the most part - - I think it is), I also believe it can provide a false sense of security.

These tools can provide the security that if you just keep digging; you will find an interested and qualified candidate. Unfortunately the time spent on these efforts often can take away from building relationships with industry professionals, that when engaged correctly, provide access to quality talent quickly and for free!

Outlined below are some attributes associated with Transactional and Relationship Recruiters.

While this list is not exhaustive, I think it can be a good barometer to gage which one you are.

Over the next few weeks, I am going to expand on this topic and discuss how to leverage all the data we have access to, combine it with best practices of relationship recruiters, and exponentially increase access to top talent within the industries you recruit!

I hope you have a great week!

Transactional Recruiter

Spends most of time on internet and emailing
Makes tons of outbound emails, sms, cold calls
Gets off the phone quick to get to the next call
Referrals per contact/call - very low
Very few strong relationships with people in the industry they recruit for
Doesn't make "indirect" calls (calls with professionals that will know the person you are looking for)
Small "friends" list
Doesn't spend much time developing relationships with top talent
Always asking, never giving

Relationship Recruiter

Spends most time on phone talking to people
Makes targeted calls to people who provide valuable information
Spends 10, 20, 30 minutes (even an hour!) on the phone with a person
Referrals through contacts is very high
People in their network unconditionally provide access to their network
Mastered the art of the "indirect" call!
Huge "friends" list
Disciplined to carve out time each month to develop relationships
Give and you shall receive!
Never lets them see you sweat!

Recovery? Perspective? A long road ahead?

David Szary — Wed, 06 May 2009 13:14:32 -0400

I found this article on ERE interesting. It is always nice to get an objective, not completely negative perspective on our current situation. Some points made by John Zappe:

While unemployment is at its highest level since November of 1983 (8.5%), 4.4 million people were employed in March of 2009.
That is just slightly lower than the 4.5 million people employed in January of 2009.

To be sure, John points out in his article that this number of hires nationally is well off the recent high of 5.63 million workers in July of 2006.

And I am pretty sure that for millions of folks that are currently unemployed, this economic data does very little to help.

With that said, many experts do believe that we are seeing some signs of recovery - although we probably have a long road ahead of us till we see the days of sub-5% unemployment rates.

What does this all mean?

Well if your glass is half empty - - maybe not too much.

But if your glass is half full...

4.5mm people employed in the dead of winter - WOW! This is a sign of hope for the unemployed.
People are actually hiring recruiters - that is a positive sign. (And - baby boomers are still retiring, even if at a slower rate, creating more jobs)
My 401k went up a bit. Better than going down.
Summer is coming (I'm in Detroit, MI - nice weather is a big deal!)

I hope the rest of your week is productive and positive!

Recruiting in a down market

David Szary — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 14:51:00 -0400

OK -

I have to shamelessly plug Mr. Scott Clatur (Manager of Talent Selection at Henry Ford Health Systems) again.

I asked what advice he would give a recruiter whose requisition load was "light". His insightful comment:

"Of course, this is an ideal time to pipeline candidates for future needs and/or look to top grade current staff members that are not performing to expectations. The question I always use to get my hiring managers into the proper frame of mind for this discussion is . . . "

"Would you enthusiastically rehire each and every one of your staff members?"

This thought provoking question usually starts a very fruitful discussion around:

Types of candidates we need to pipeline for future needs
Immediate issues with current personnel that will probably result in a hiring need shortly
The competencies/skills required to be successful working for that hiring manager within that organization."

I LOVE this question! Of course it could be used in many other situations, including the intake session with a hiring manager when discussing succession planning needs, etc.

Scott - thanks for the great advice!

I hope everyone has a great week.

A New Outlook Add-on Tool

David Szary — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 13:17:53 -0400

Ok. My partner, Mike, got me hooked on a new FREE Outlook productivity tool (www.Xobni.com) and . . .

It just saved me 10 minutes this morning digging for an email buried in my outlook folders!

I haven't even really started playing around with it yet and can already see how it will make me more productive and efficient on a daily basis.

If you haven't checked it out . . . you might want to!

Have a productive and efficient day! :-)

A Lesson I learned from Golf!

David Szary — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 16:00:42 -0400

After playing some of the worst golf of my life during a recent spring break trip, I finally had enough!

While I have never been a strong golfer, I could at least keep the ball in play and finish the round with a little pride. But over the last year, it seems I get worse each time I play.

For years, friends have been telling me . . . �??You won�??t get better until you get some instruction.�??

Not willing to dedicate the time required for the lessons (and practice); I continued to flounder playing the game. Well after that last pitiful round, that was it�?� the other week I took my very first lesson!

WOW �?? have I been missing out!

In the first few minutes of the lesson, the instructor had me hit a few balls as I normally do. Once �??warmed up�?? (like it really makes a difference when I golf?) . . . He proceeded to have me hit a few more balls while recording my swing.

As he replayed the video, he compared my stance/posture when addressing the ball to a professional. AMAZING! I would never have believed how awkward my stance/posture was - - especially compared to �??best practices.�??

Immediately, I could see what I was doing wrong and started taking the necessary steps to correct it. All this info - 30 minutes into my golf lesson. If only I would have done this 20 years ago!

What does this have to do with recruiting?

I continue to work with recruiters that, self-admittedly (or from discussions with their hiring managers), have hit plateaus with respect to their recruiting performance.

Some days, they are on their �??A�?? game and flourish. Other days, they are not �??dialed in�?? and make unnecessary mistakes.

I ask what they are doing to improve, and many will say, �??Attend some training, read material online, etc.�??

I ask when was the last time they taped themselves and sat down with a mentor/coach and reviewed the tape and most say . . . I have NEVER done that!

If you can invest 6 hours this quarter (April/May/June)to improving your recruitment game, I would encourage you to tape yourself:

Leaving voice mail messages for candidates
Catching candidates live on the phone
On a phone screen with a candidate
Making an offer

Then sit down with someone that you respect as a �??pro�?? at each one of the processes outlined above to provide review/constructive feedback/mentoring/coaching!

Like I found out from my first golf lesson, the time spent is invaluable!

If you have never done this before, this activity will arguably be the best investment you will ever make in your recruitment career!

Those that have done this before will attest to that fact.
Good luck!

Do you have 20 minutes, pen, paper ang your calendar handy?

David Szary — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 13:33:27 -0400

Three steps to a successful offer presentation

Schedule 20 minutes to deliver the offer �?? Don�??t just call up a candidate and deliver a verbal offer during the middle of their busy day. Remember, this is a formal offer of employment from your firm (or your client�??s firm). Schedule a time to present the offer to them. Make sure they are at a location where they can listen and talk freely, as well as take notes. Ideally, if they are local, I would recommend scheduling a meeting in person to deliver the offer! But minimally, schedule a 20-minute block of time that is 100% dedicated to learning about a life changing offer from your firm.
Make sure they have a pen and paper to take notes �?? Before you start discussing the offer, confirm they have a pen and paper handy to take notes. You want to make sure they completely understand the offer from your discussion. If you�??re like most firms, once a verbal offer is presented, you will send the hard copy in the mail. Again, if you can meet in person - even better. Discuss the offer, have them take notes and then present written offer in person.
Discuss Non-Monetary Selling points of the offer FIRST. When presenting offers, most recruiters only discuss the monetary components of the offer. In a recent blog post, �??Don�??t forget the reason we are here in the first place,�?? we discuss the significance of reconfirming the non-monetary selling points of the position (chance to work with new technology, large scope of responsibility, promotion, less travel, etc.) BEFORE you discuss the monetary components (salary, bonus, vacation, benefits, etc.). The majority of people change jobs for non-monetary reasons. But instinctively, they will try and NEGOTIATE the monetary parts of the offer. If you get them excited about the non-monetary components of the offer, you can control the offer/negotiation.
Make sure they have their calendar handy: Once you have presented the offer, you have the opportunity to pre-close by discussing the following dates:

Set a time to answer any questions once they receive the written offer.
Date they will put in notice to boss
Start Date
Set up any appointments between resignation and start date (fill out benefits, background check, meet with hiring manager for lunch, etc.)

Make sure you put these dates in your calendar, as well to continue to follow up and support them during the process.

Changing jobs is one of the top 4 most stressful things a person can do! It is also a big commitment we are making on behalf of our company (or client). It is your job to manage this part of the recruitment process with the respect and attention it deserves.

Your candidates will appreciate the formal nature by which you conduct this step and most importantly - - you will be less susceptible to a counteroffer.

If you know your candidates Motives, no need to sell - - they will buy!

David Szary — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 14:38:04 -0400

I'm at the ERE conference in San Diego! Honestly, given the economy, I am actually surprised at how many people have attended the event. I think it illustrates that organizations want to improve their Human Capital functions by investing in learning new methodologies, tools and techniques.

On Monday I facilitated a pre-conference workshop with the renowned Shally Steckerl (www.jobmachine.net) on Sourcing Candidates with LEAN budgets. We had a great session and a ton of fun with those in attendance.

As always, the group interaction provided insight and inspiration on how I can improve my recruiting skills!

Probably the biggest "ah-ha" moment, or "take away" for me was reconfirming the importance of controlling the initial conversation with a quality, passive candidate you "cold called," and then identifying their true "Motives to Move."

Without this information, how can you possibly understand if you have a position within your organization that will clearly be better the one they have currently?

As Jeffery Gitomer says, "No one wants to be sold but everyone likes to buy."

Hence, before you SELL anyone on an opportunity, it is probably better to understand exactly what they are looking for in a new opportunity, and if you have that answer, they will most likely want to BUY it!

Oh, by the way, if you approach the call with this attitude . . . it becomes a much more enjoyable conversation!

In upcoming blog posts, I will discuss some tried and proven techniques to "cold calling" passively-looking top talent, overcoming the initial awkwardness of the call, and capturing their �??Motives to Move!�??

I am looking forward to Day II of the ERE expo!

Hope you have a great week!

Who is Responsible?

David Szary — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 10:56:32 -0400

In the last two weeks, I participated in discussions when this �??age old�?? question popped up!

Please allow me to Rant a bit!
________________________________

Get a room of Hiring Managers, HR/Recruiting professionals, and sourcers together and you will get a lively debate going about "Whose Responsible?"

Who is responsible for Turnover of new hires?
Who is responsible for 'sourced' candidates/leads that don't get hired?

Regarding Turnover:

You ask Hiring Managers and many will "blame" it on poor candidate quality.

You ask Recruiters and they are likely to blame management for the �??on boarding,�?? (or lack of), process.

HR might blame shoddy assessment tactics by both parties!

Regarding 'top' candidates not getting hired:

Sourcers are likely to 'blame' recruiters that "can't recruit and/or properly network with the leads provided.

Recruiters are likely to say, "�?�candidate was not a match and/or was not interested�?�"

At the end of the day; Who is responsible?

WE ALL ARE RESPONSIBLE!

WHO should be accountable?

WE ALL SHOULD BE ACCOUNTABLE!

Instead of "pointing fingers" and/or "passing the buck" - it is time for everyone involved to "take a check up from the neck up" and help identify solutions rather than excuses. As Les Brown says, �??�?�you�??re either on the way or in the way�?��?? Are you part of the problem or part of the solution?

All too often we spend more time trying to define "who is responsible" or, who should "own" that metric rather than identifying solutions to the actual problem.

If the goal of the hiring/recruitment process is to "produce" top performers that are retained by your organization for a long period of time - then let�??s work together towards that goal.

New Hires not performing? Let�??s figure out why.
Quality new hires leaving within the first six months of employment? Let�??s perform a Six Sigma project to isolate process errors and remove them.
Sourcing leads not getting hires - - Lets get the sourcing and recruitment teams together and fix the problem.
Who "owns" these metrics? -- Who cares? All of us should take ownership.

I don't want to get too philosophical on a Wednesday afternoon, but - - maybe this attitude among hiring managers, recruiters, HR & sourcers on this topic is the root of the problem with our economic situation.

Sure seems like there is more time spent trying to identify "Who is responsible," and "Who is accountable," rather than developing tangible, actionable solutions.

Moving forward, can we stop debating "Who is responsible" or should be held "Accountable"?

Rather, lets all take responsibility for identifying, engaging, hiring and retaining top performers.

End of story.

Do you have enough CIE time scheduled into your daily schedule?

David Szary — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 13:32:22 -0400

For those that know me, I am passionate about planning, time management, and continuous improvement. Of late, I have noticed that I haven't been getting through my Perfect Day as crisply as I would like (or normally do).

The root cause is that I haven't been planning in enough CIE time!

Rather than me managing my return calls, interruptions and emails (CIE's), I have been letting them manage me!

Since I haven't been allocating time into my daily schedule to get to them, I'm constantly in reactive, "firefighting" mode returning calls/emails and responding to interruptions "whenever I get time."

Of course the end result is that these CIE's are interrupting the time I have dedicated to getting work done!

If this sounds like you at times, some helpful advice that I have implemented into my daily routine:

Plan 1/2 hour (morning, lunchtime, late afternoon) 3x's a day to deal with CIE's.
When you have to get into a "work flow zone" (working on presentation, in an interview, etc.), drive your calls to voice mail and shut down email.
Publish your schedule with your teammates (post outside your cube/office - with a sign over it - - STOP - READ MY SCHEDULE BEFORE ENTERING) so people know when you are in a "work flow zone".
Make sure your peers know that just because you�??re not on the phone and/or in an interview, it doesn't mean you are not working and CAN be interrupted. Posting your schedule + discussing this with your peers can help eliminate 80% of the interruptions that you actually can avoid (versus client calls, etc.).

Of course, all of these tactics take discipline - - the most important attribute to being productive and managing your day/week/year, etc.

I hope you have a Perfect Day and don't let CIE's get in your way!!

Thoughts from "The Changing Role of the Recruiter"

David Szary — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 11:18:45 -0400

We interviewed numerous industry leaders to gather information for our presentation �?? �??The Changing Role of the Recruiter.�?? I thought I would share some of their insight/comments that were not covered during the webinar (due to time)!

As always, we appreciate your comments, thoughts, opinions, perspectives! (email David Szary).

�??50% of �??outside�?? recruiters and 60% of �??inside�?? recruiters will leave the industry during this economic downturn.�??
�??Everyone is focused on the 8% not employed versus the 92% that are employed!�??
�??Given the economic situation, the �??perception�?? is that it will be simple to �??put the right person in the right chair.�??�??
"With requisition loads down, recruiters will be asked to do �??more with less�?? while the # of applicants per position will increase dramatically.�??
�??We are connected more than ever but isolated (work remote/home) with less human interaction (more email, txt, etc.).�??
"If 50-70% of positions are filled through referrals/networking (and 70% of job seekers claim they find employment through networking), how dominant can social networking sites be as recruitment tools?�??
�??We feel guilty when we actually find and hire a great candidate from a job posting! It is not in vogue!�??
�??The �??Public at Large�?? contain more information (uncontrolled �?? blogs, social network sites, internet) about your firm than your organization does.�??
�??Companies are thinking twice about �??outsourcing�?? recruiting!�??
�??Technology has enabled us to find/connect with people easier but doesn�??t enable us to hire them any easier!�??
�??No �??silver bullet�?? in/to sourcing. Recruiting is like an 8-cylinder engine - firing on 4 or 5 just won�??t cut it!�??
�??Don�??t forget your ATS as a sourcing tool!�??
�??You don�??t win the Super Bowl with �??trick plays�?? �?? sourcing �??basics�?? fill 80-90% of positions, Web 1.0 to fill 5-10%, Web 2.0 to fill 5-10% today.
�??Unbundling of sourcing/recruitment services (name generation, candidate development) continues.�??
�??Most organizations are still building sourcing teams by �??what is left in the budget�?? and/or �??let�??s crawl before we walk.�??�??
�??Corporate recruiters are learning to become more like Project Managers.�??
�??Further specialization among recruiters.�??
�??Deeper sourcing strategy alignment between departments, sharing and creating economies of scale.�??
�??Next-generation CRM solutions with true �??Contact Management�?? features seamless integration with ATS and HRIS.�??
�??Building corporate �??career portals�?? directing candidates into �??best fit roles�?? instead of open requisitions.�??
�??One-on-one �??niche based�?? targeted marketing, viral marketing.�??

Know what makes a great blog? Comments from readers. We really want to hear what you have to say. Your thoughts, ideas, comments. Agree? Disagree? Let us know. Other readers will appreciate your input and it will position you as a thought leader.

Relocation Rollercoaster

David Szary — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 11:57:41 -0400

Our wonderful economy has created stressful times for many folks. In order for some people to secure employment, relocation is necessary (providing they can sell their homes).

In a recent conversation I had with 2 individuals over lunch, I was reminded how stressful relocation can be even in positive career move situations (both of these folks were relocating for promotional opportunities with their respective firms).

Here are a few comments they made over a casual lunch.

"I've been traveling back and forth since June. Heavy since Oct. (every week)."
"I'm not going back home this weekend since my husband is home with the flu, and I have a weekends worth of work to do anyways!�??
"I figured I would spend some time looking for temporary housing; a place I can store some items during the move."
"Next Friday I have to put the house on the market; paint and clean out garage, etc. I would rather be working!"
"My husband needs to update his resume and start looking for a new job."
"I got a call on Thursday afternoon; the Realtor locked the door after showing our house! My wife was locked out with our 6 year old and 8 month old! She was stuck at the neighbors until the Realtor made it back (2 hours later) to unlock the door. My wife told me I�??d better be well rested because I would have kid duty all weekend; I�??ve got to prepare for the new job�?��?? �??�?�I�??ve been working 12 hour days just to prepare!"
"Next week I will be moving Monday-Wed; staying at my folk�??s house in Florida from Thursday to Saturday; getting into rented condo on Monday with some of our stuff and storing the rest until we find a house. The house we wanted to buy we missed by 4 hours. I will be back in office for meetings on Thursday."

A peer of mine shared the following story with me: She ran into a person she had recruited to her organization 10 months earlier. She had been hearing great things about this gentleman from his boss. His boss said he was assimilating well into the culture, doing a great job, etc.

When she mentioned to him how well she heard things were going . . . He commented:

"The job and company are great! It�??s when I get home that is tough. We still haven't sold our house. My daughter just started talking to me again last month. My wife is having a tough time adjusting including being home sick. The personal side of this move has been really, really tough."

Changing jobs is one of the top 5 most stressful things humans do in their lifetime. Changing jobs and relocating in a difficult economy�?�? �?�WOW; much easier said than done!

With that said, if you and/or your organization recruit candidates that must relocate are you doing everything possible to make the process less stressful? Are you reaching out and asking how you can assist with the "personal side of the move"?

Doing any/everything you can to make the transition as smooth as possible makes all the difference in the world!

The "indirect, networking" call!

David Szary — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 13:40:31 -0400

While technology and web 2.0 sourcing tools are making it easier to identify talented prospects the ROI on "indirect, networking" calls is at an all time high!

For anyone not familiar with �??indirect networking;�?? it is the art of contacting, and networking with active job seekers who interface daily with the professionals you�??re trying to hire.

Let me give you an example: We are currently searching for a Senior Accountant with manufacturing experience. Given the unemployment rate, skill set, etc. you would think this would be a pretty easy search. Well �?? it hasn�??t been. We have tried numerous sourcing tactics (Web 1.0, Web 2.0, referrals, etc.), and have not found qualified candidates that meet our criteria.

As a result, we went online and harvested resumes of Controllers from manufacturing companies in the area; ideally, folks who were recently laid off or let go. The majority of these Controllers had accountants reporting up to them, either directly, or indirectly (reporting to an Accounting Manager).

I LOVE THESE CALLS!!!! Why??

First off, these folks are active seekers and are usually easier to reach.

Secondly, if they have recently left the company, they are more inclined to provide unbiased information, referrals, etc.

Most importantly- - these calls are fun and generate qualified prospects with a built-in referral source! There is very little outright rejection. You are asking for their help, networking with them, learning more about their previous organization(s) as well as the types of opportunities that interest them.

A call can go something like this:

�??Hi John. I am searching for a SR. Accountant with manufacturing experience. I found your resume on ________ and saw that you recently worked for _____ . I see that you had a team of 5 accountants reporting to you and thought you might be able to assist me in my search.

This is an excellent opportunity for someone to interface with key executives performing analysis and auditing for three divisions that operate globally.

Of the 5 folks that worked for you, do you think anyone of those folks would be qualified for this position? If so, I would sure like to talk to them about the opportunity...�??

After they provide feedback, I would ask if I could use them as a referral source.

�??John �?? is it ok to mention I received their name from you?�??

After I have harvested some qualified leads, I would return the favor and ask if there was anything I could do to assist them with their search.

�??John �?? we are not looking for a controller today but will keep your resume on file. Is there anything else I can assist you with in your job search . . .? �??

Indirect, networking calls are low-tech, BUT, highly effective and fun.

Think of your current searches today and if this tactic might apply! Happy Recruiting!

"Changing People's Lives'

David Szary — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 13:06:29 -0400

Are we forgetting what we do for a living?

Are we getting complacent and forgetting how we impact an organization? Have we forgotten the critical role we play in people�??s lives every day?

Anyone that has recruited for any length of time has probably experienced a wonderful and gracious thank you from a candidate. We all know how amazing it feels when a candidate shares their sincere gratitude and deep appreciation for "changing their life" for the better.

Here are 10 things you should consider each and every day to ensure you are motivated with the proper mindset to have an �??impact on people�??s lives�?? as a recruiter.

Every candidate is someone�??s brother, sister, father or mother. Treat candidates like you would treat your own family.
Do you recall that passive candidate you called some time ago who said they were not interested in your opening, but called you back a month later and got engaged, got hired and is grateful you called that day? You will make more of those calls today!
Most people (candidates) don't interview for a living. If you can provide constructive advice that may improve someone�??s resume or interview skills, please do it; regardless if the position is with your firm/client or not. It�??s the right thing to do!
Be respectful of every person�??s time. If you made a commitment to call at a scheduled time; then call at that time; Interview at 2 - - meet in lobby at 2!
Everyone deserves feedback. Be respectful and return all calls/emails!
"Be There" - - while it might be your 10^th interview, it is the candidate�??s first interview with you. Engage, focus and provide them 100% of your attention.
Don't let them see you sweat! Don't wear your emotions on your sleeve. If you�??re having a bad day leave it at the door and delight everyone you are in contact with each day.
Remember, the majority of hiring managers want positions filled as much as you! Yes, hiring managers can be frustrating, but understand why they don't like your candidate(s) and then be a true consultant and come up with a solution.
Be interested, not interesting. Engaging with candidates, learning about what they do, and understanding how we can help them achieve their goals is the best part of this job!
Before you start each day, remember; you can (and will) impact people's lives. Today you have the opportunity to pick up the phone, engage in conversation with someone, schedule a meeting with your hiring manager and potentially make both parties very happy (a 2 for 1 day!).