When I first became an executive recruiter, there was no computer on my desk; just a shoebox full of 4×6 note cards with contacts’ information. Newspaper advertising was still an effective means of generating a candidate pool, and the ‘facsimile’ was the vogue way to transmit résumés. The trusty telephone –and a healthy network- served as the primary means for finding needles in the haystack.

Today, social media affords easy access to a surfeit of talent-related information; the haystack has mushroomed into a ‘hay mountain’. The executive recruiter who keeps up with the trends and technologies can search smarter, farther and harder for a whole handful of talented ‘needles’. Greater choice allows our clients more exacting selectivity and less compromise on job requirements.

With that said, these tools are also responsible for increased job shopping and job-hopping, altering the structure and behavior of the executive recruitment landscape. The speed and frequency of talent flow between companies has been on the rise, in spite of the flat economy.

Although fewer people are using the phone, it remains an excellent tool for connecting the dots between the glut of data in the virtual world and the thickening relationship mesh in the physical world.

More information ≠ Better connections

While it’s easier than ever to find names, titles, email addresses, and numbers, the wide avenues of communication have simultaneously created new hurdles to connecting authentically. We must now compete with the constant clamor of emails and updates, tweets and texts. Today, sustained performance hinges on the ability to prioritize hundreds of messages, responding only to the information most relevant and critical to immediate objectives. Unless disgruntled in their current role, most executives will understandably overlook or ignore messages that aren’t relevant to their responsibilities.

So, how do we overcome this information barrier? With personal connections.

Initially this may sound daunting. Working as an executive recruiter, we need to generate a critical mass of contacts for adequate reach, but this isn’t just a question of numbers. More than ‘linking in’ with others, our work still revolves around cultivating relationships for talent searches today and tomorrow.

Sparks really begin to fly when we enlist advocates: those who will repeatedly take time out of their busy days to recommend us to the bright talent in their networks. That is still the most reliable way to align company culture with candidate capabilities, competencies, and motivations. It is also the slowest. Indeed, I know of recruiters who have forsaken the phone altogether, perhaps believing that they are faster or more effective working exclusively online. I would argue that this mentality unnecessarily sacrifices opportunity.

The trick lies in finding equilibrium. Dive too deep into the ‘hay mountain’, and you risk getting lost and wasting time on unproductive research. Conversely, just poke around the fringes, and you may not find the best candidates in time. Finding and remaining in the sweet spot takes a balanced approach and sound data analysis.

We have to become adept navigators in the ocean of talent information, tapping relevant relationships to draw a map to the best candidates. Think of it as crowd-sourced recruitment. It’s the combination of new and old technology and the ability to compile more data to make better-informed decisions.

Regardless of how communication preferences and trends evolve in the digital realm, actively building and cultivating personable relationships will reliably distinguish successful executive recruiter efforts. Once we’ve researched the most promising leads online, it’s ultimately the phone that allows us to get through to an audience immersed in digital communication. Though some argue that the phone may be at the beginning of its decline, I maintain that it still has a place among the emerging avenues of communication.

It just takes some old school persistence and patience, neither of which will ever go out of vogue.

What do you think?
Have you noticed a shift in candidates’ and contacts’ preferences in mode of communication?
How has your use of the phone evolved?
Share your thoughts by fax, phone, or the comments field below.

Resigned to Resign

The moment of truth is often not when the candidate accepts your offer, but when they actually go to resign.

 As recruiters’, we often pat ourselves on the back when a candidate accepts a job offer and agrees to make the leap to a new company. However, any recruiter who has been around the block a few times knows that there remains the slim, but all too possible chance that the ‘perfect fit’ might be lured back to his or her old team. (Oh, the audacity!) Therefore, our job isn’t done until that recruit –that employee-yet-to-be- actually shows up for his or her first day of work.

The dynamics of change… have changed.

Since the economy has maintained an ‘employer’s market’ for so long, you might think that companies would make resignations smooth and hassle-free. As usual, reality is more complicated.

Because many employees have been doing more work with less pay, they’re attentively awaiting the chance to jump ship. Consequently, some companies are suffering uncomfortable employee losses, and are reacting with more aggressive efforts to retain top talent intent on resigning. As with most reactions, this is an inefficient response; if retention were truly a goal, it would not have become an issue. Questions of efficiency aside, reactive retention efforts can work if the resigning employee is surprised by a sudden showering of positive attention.  (Never mind that most of these starry-eyed folks end up leaving the company within a year, anyway.)

Relaxing before the recruitment race is truly over exposes you to unnecessary risk of failure. Aside from the time and energy wasted on an unsuccessful recruitment, current staff –already busy with their own responsibilities- may be covering the vacant position, and expecting a new hire to pick up the slack soon. To mitigate the risk of losing the top candidate at the moment of truth, recruiters should help him or her prepare to give notice.

Bolstering the resolution to resign.

• Let recruits know that resignation can be harder than they expect, but without making the whole event seem more dramatic than it needs to be.  
• Be a resource for them by offering 3^rd party information on resigning.
• If needed, offer to help them develop 2-3 concise talking points.
• Assure them that they will be fine if they just stick to their ‘script.’
• Tactfully reinforce their main motivations for making a move without being too pushy or negative about their current company.
• Reiterate why you’re excited about them joining your company.

With a little extra encouragement and preparation, candidates can have a happy ending, and a fresh start.  The best result is the most anticlimactic: the candidate leaves on good terms, cuts ties cleanly, and moves into the new position without any baggage.  Preparing for the counter-offer mitigates a considerable risk for the hiring manager, improves the likelihood of a successful switch, and boosts your chances of earning that aforementioned caloric sin.

Additional resources:

For tips you can share with candidates prior to them having to give notice, check out my post “Quit Your Job with Grace.” on how to make a graceful exit.

For tips on getting the candidate to accept your offer, read my post “Deal or No Deal: Getting Top Talent to Accept Your Offer.”

Please share your thoughts on this topic.

-      Have you heard interesting stories about key employees giving notice?

-      What is the best way to protect against a counter offer?

>>> About Notogroup: Notogroup is an executive search and talent consulting firm. We have a singular focus on providing the most comprehensive executive recruiting service so that our clients can be assured that each and every hire is a successful one.  For more information, Contact Roy Notowitz.

We have all fantasized about it at one time or another.

We accept a new job, set sights on the future, and compose a few choice words to share with a frustrating co-worker, boss, or client when we are ready to announce our departure. In reality, most of us (with a few notable exceptions) know that burning bridges is dangerous business.

Although it has been an ‘employer’s market’ for some time, you might be surprised when your current employer reacts more aggressively to your resignation than you were expecting. Resignations can lower morale, reflect poorly on the immediate superior, and disrupt productivity. It is no surprise that companies would react with the following retention tactics to prevent (or at least stall) your departure.

Reactive Retention Tactics: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly.

The Ugly: the guilt trip is an effective first line of defense since superiors can rightly exclaim, “You can’t leave now! We need you!” Indeed, some folks may succumb to this dull hook of guilt.

The Bad: extracting reasons for leaving or information about the new employer. This gives the current boss ammunition to sow the seeds of doubt; “Oh, I have heard ‘bad things’ about that company.” We are patently trepidatious with change, and the economic turmoil has not done our confidence any favors.

The Good: “We are poised for growth and you are a key player on our team. You have unlimited potential here. If it is a higher salary/position you want, let’s see what we can work out…” I have seen companies double salaries and create new positions just to retain top talent.

Even the most burnt out and resolute are susceptible to these reactive ‘retention tactics’.

Giving notice can be harder than you expect.

There is no good time for companies to lose an employee unexpectedly. For employers, it is better to scramble for retention reactively, prepare for a transition, and then ‘let go’ when it suits them. For candidates, a ‘retention raise’ or promotion tends to attract more scrutiny, and more stringent accountability.

Announcing a departure irreversibly changes relationship dynamics and brands you as a liability. What’s more, over 50% of people who accept counter-offers end up leaving or getting fired within twelve months.* So, once you have let the cat out of the bag about your decision to leave, there is no going back. Before handing in your notice, consider a little preparation.

Tips for making a graceful exit.

Keep it positive

It was true when we were children, and it is still true today: ‘If you do not have anything nice to say, do not say anything at all.’ A job change is a personal choice, and it is okay to withhold additional reasons. Prepare phrases such as: “I have really appreciated the opportunity to work here. However, I am ready for a new challenge.” and “I am excited to develop my career and expand my breadth of experience elsewhere.”

Keep it professional.

Co-workers may want more information in an effort to understand your decision to resign. This is an opportunity to voice pent-up frustrations, and, therefore, is best left alone. Your reputation -a hard-earned and highly valuable career asset- can be tarnished by such spontaneous, unprofessional choices. Develop talking points ahead of time, stick to that ‘script’ at the moment of truth, and you will be fine.

Facilitate the transition.

Go the extra mile to ensure a smooth transition. Wrap up loose ends, provide a solid summary of all work and projects in process, and help your successor hit the ground running. Leaving a mess could tarnish an otherwise gleaming track record.

It is cliché, but well worth repeating; people are more connected than ever. Social Media amplifies gossip. Leaving a sour taste with an ex-employer could come back to haunt your palate. At the executive level, and in some industries, it is a small world. For that matter…

Stay connected with co-workers.

Maintaining relationships is key to long-term success. Who knows whom you will want to connect with in the future. As mentioned above, easing the transition for co-workers left behind shows initiative, consideration, and professionalism. Such demonstrations of integrity will keep the door open with your chosen contacts. You may end up working with old co-workers in the future, and your considerate actions will be remembered much longer than a ‘few choice words’.

Please share your thoughts.

What has been your experience giving or receiving notice?

Have you ever taken a counter offer and if so, was it a good choice or a bad choice?

Resources.

Bill Radin expands on the ‘Good, Bad, and Ugly’ tactics employers use to prevent departures in “Your Resignation: Beware the Retaliatory Strike.”

Douglas Welch “The Right Way to Resign.” – More pointers on leaving gracefully,

The Riley Guide offers a great selection of articles on job offers.

* Percentage of employees who accept counter offers, but leave within one year, voluntarily or otherwise:

89% – http://www.recruitersonthenet.com/recruiters-counter.htm

50-80% – http://www.mriscmadison.com/u/counteroffer.pdf

60% – http://www.ehow.com/how_4591361_respond-counter-offer.html

In search of more data, I discovered another major study by Leadership IQ of 5,247 managers covering more than 20,000 hires that points to deep-seated flaws with the interviewing and assessment process used by most companies. Perhaps the most salient statistic was that only 19% (one hire out of every five people hired) in a typical hiring process were classified as an unequivocal success. The study also indicated that 46% of new hires fail within 18 months.

The hypothesis given by the Leadership IQ Study was that the majority of hiring managers surveyed reported that they ignored subtle clues and were too focused on other issues, too pressed for time, or lacked confidence in their interviewing ability. The study also indicated that hiring managers emphasized technical competence over candidate motivation, coachability, emotional intelligence, and temperament.

While not much credence was given to the hiring process in these reports, the Recruiting Roundtable report offered some redemption for the value an experienced recruiter can bring. The report concluded that “recruiter skill” does correlate to improvements in quality of hire.

The top three recruiter skills for improving quality of hire included:
1. The ability to partner and communicate with hiring managers
2. The ability to gain a clear understanding of job requirements
3. The ability to recruit / hunt (of course).

Even though I was knocked a bit out of orbit by the research findings, I still believe that a comprehensive and structured interviewing process does improve quality hire. In my opinion, the real issue is inconsistency. Unfortunately, recruiters do not have professional standards of excellence that would provide the consistency needed to correlate process to improved hiring success.

In the absence of true professional standards or accreditation for recruiting, I will now have to give more weight to recruiter instinct and experience. While I have always believed that experience and skill are important, I have been more humble about promoting my own experience and passion for recruiting. Perhaps the talent it takes to be an incredible recruiter is not different (in concept) to the talent of a star athlete, musician, or an admired artist.

In truth, the best way to improve quality of hire is most likely to include a combination of all of the elements described above. However, when selecting your next recruiter, remember that it takes great talent to hire great talent.

What is this blog all about anyway?

I live in Portland, Oregon, a place where people love being in the outdoors and where many have a deep appreciation for organic vegetables, specialty coffee, local wine, craft beer, gourmet cupcakes, and handmade chocolate.

Right near my new office in the Pearl District, there is a coffee shop called Barista. This morning I watched the owner Billy Wilson sampling a line up of new coffees. He, of course, stuck his nose deep into the steaming cups. He felt the grind. He tasted with care and enlisted one of the other baristas to evaluate as well. They worked hard to identify all of the unique qualities and differences between the various coffees. I was not surprised to learn he has won national barista competitions. Needless to say, Billy appreciates coffee a lot! While I get a lot of enjoyment from coffee, I have not devoted myself to achieving the same level of knowledge about it. I rely on Billy to make recommendations and to tell me about each cup.

In thinking about my new venture and working to align myself with my passions, I realized that I have a similar appreciation for evaluating and aligning leadership talent for companies. I am enthralled with people and how they are successful at work, discovering what motivates them, hearing about what paths they have taken, and what they have learned along the way. I have an equal appreciation for businesses and related company dynamics. In short, I am deep into people and careers.

Often, filling a job seems simple on the outset – like enjoying a cup of coffee – yet the true complexity of hiring is often underestimated to a large degree and to the detriment of companies.

This blog is dedicated to creating a community engaged in a dialogue that will explore the tiny but powerful nuances and complexities of people, work, careers, leadership, business, technology, culture, recruiting, and hiring.

Top 10 topics and trends that we will explore in the next 6-12 months include:

1. The integration of online tools such as: video interviewing, social networking, applicant tracking, and candidate testing and assessment inventories are converging. This will enable faster candidate generation and improve hiring decisions at the same time.

2. Candidate assessment tools are providing valid scientific data enable us to better understand the true capabilities and limitations of candidates in a meaningful way. These tools, when used in conjunction with other best practices will significantly improve hiring accuracy and subsequently the quality of hire.

3. Knowledge worker and leadership roles are being reinvented as a result technology and the need to accomplish more with less. Many of the jobs of the future will be different than the ones we hold now.

4. The social media and the need to stay productive is blurring the lines between the professional work environment and our personal lives which creates an interesting dynamic in the workplace.

5. Massive exposure for jobs may make it easier to attract potential candidates, but that will also create greater exposure and competition and noise over the best of the best.

6. “Portfolio careers” will expand the pool of quality of outsourced free agents, but reduce the pool of people wanting to follow traditional career paths.

7. Just as social media has shifted the control of consumer brands to the public domain, the same is true for employment brand perceptions and conversations between highly connected peers.

8. The rules have changed for job seekers. Nowadays, it’s not just “who you know” that matters most, it is also “who knows you” and how well they understand your capabilities.

9.  How to define company culture and assess organization fit when hiring.

10. Social media and the blurring of personal and professional bundaries.

Please join the Notogroup community of top executives and industry experts by subscribing to this blog. I invite you to participate and contribute as well. I hope that you find this blog insightful, helpful, and entertaining.