“It depends…”

Those wonderful two words people hear when they have asked a well thought out question either during the interview process, offer stage, at a conference, or sitting in a studio being interviewed by a famous talking head. We hear these words and in my opinion they are almost as bad as “but”, “however”, and “you should”.

Most people briefly tune out when they hear “it depends…” because it is a signal that A) a long winded answer is coming or B) they are about to be snowballed into confusion with multiple answers suddenly thrown at them. As recruiters we say these two words a good bit during the process because two candidates are never exactly alike. Sure the positions may be exactly alike but the people in those roles are not. So when we are asked questions about career paths, long term growth or managers ask why their roles are not filled faster than their peers, our minds immediately bring forth the hundreds (if not thousands) of different scenarios we have handled in the past. And then it comes out “It depends…”

“It depends on the timing within the department but we have seen a few employees promoted within their first year and some after five years….”

“It depends, we are in heavy growth right now and who knows what may be available two years…”

“It depends on whether you are willing to work the extra hours to meet….”

“It depends on what you ideally are looking for and what is your main priority – salary? benefits? location? challenging work? awesome culture?”

“It depends on the event, if the hosting firm does not do a good job marketing or with site selection then we could end up paying a large fee for minimal return…”

“It depends on the role we are trying to fill, your positions are highly skilled and sought after industry wide, and most of them do not live in our far flung small town…”

“It depends if those type of candidates actually use social media or not, we would have to research them…”

“It depends on what type of employee you are seeking because what may work for a start-up may not fit the beaurecratic culture here…”

“It depends on the salary range we are willing to pay…”

These are obviously not actual quotes but probably pretty close. People know they are about to be told a generalized answer that may satisfy immediate concerns and it gives the recruiter the opportunity to somewhat address it and quickly move on. The problem is when the candidate or manager ask for details. Be prepared to address their specific situation and do not hesitate to be upfront. It may save you time and help identify that the candidate is not a good fit or that the hiring manager may realize they have set unrealistic expectations. Reducing the use of “it depends” and giving clear straightforward answers I have moved companies forward.

I welcome your thoughts.

The Gap is Always Hiring

During my career I have “walked out” several people when terminated whether for cause or a lay-off. For one employer the CEO wanted me to be the bouncer and assist those that were terminated for cause in cleaning out their offices and then walking them out. It was an interesting situation for a recruiter – one minute I would be talking to a candidate on why they should join the company the next I could be in someone’s office helping them prepare to depart.

I would sometimes spend about one to two hours assisting an employee in cleaning out their office. These were usually decorated like a dorm room from college or an extension of their home. After the fifth or sixth time I realized I did not want to be like them. I wasn’t planning on being terminated for cause during my career (and never have been) but if I was terminated due to a reorganization or other lay-off reason I would pick up my stress ball and leave – no boxes, no need to come back on a weekend to clean out the office and no need to waste the time of a co-worker who would have to wait for me when they have plenty of work to do. For this reason my offices have always been bland, no pictures, no personal items and over the years people have asked why.

While sharing my story on why I would also state that if anything should happen “The Gap is always hiring.” Usually the listener would give me a perplexed look. The simple point is that no matter how hard we work sometimes things will happen beyond our control and we find ourselves without a job. There are many other employers and if necessary we have to be flexible in order to support ourselves or families. I believe that this mindset helped me perform at a high level because I did not work in fear. I would come in and do the job to the best of my ability.

Don’t get me wrong. Would it suck to lose a job? Sure. Would I want to be in a job search? Not really. Would my career take a hit and I might not find a similar role? I do not know the answer. Would I be able to find another employer with a great culture, interesting work and people? Yes, because there are thousands of employers that have these traits.

Recently this scenario came true when I lost my job due to a reorganization. I had a sense it was coming because of all the changes currently going on with my former employer. When I received the phone call to attend a meeting the next day I was fully prepared for what was about to happen. When it was over and I was escorted to my office I picked up two personal items – an award I received from a hiring client for my hard work and a mug my team had given me – and walked out.

I know most people would be upset or angry in this situation but I was not and will not be. I look back on my six years and have no regrets, complaints or ill feelings. I was given a great opportunity, experienced several promotions and felt that I made a positive impact. I was treated fairly, well compensated, and worked with some very talented people who taught me a tremendous amount from recruiting skills to leading teams. I gave my all and look back with pride on my work. It is over and I had a blast.

The job search has been going well so far thanks to my network and all the leads, advice and assistance that has been offered. I do not think I will be applying to the Gap but I do know that whomever is my next employer I will continue to give it my all and do my best to move the company forward.

I welcome your thoughts.

No One Is Going To Read This

It never fails, December is one of the busiest months for me and has been throughout my career. Since my first job in recruiting I have heard it every year from hiring managers, clients, candidates and co-workers. No one hires in December, candidates stop looking, and December is the slowest month of the year.

To those claims I say BAH HUMBUG!!

My first year in recruiting was spent working for an agency placing mostly contract labor with some direct hire placements. Back then we called them perm placements but over the years we have had to drop the word “perm or permanent” because someone might sue us for not really permanently employing them. I digress. I was told that first year to not expect any placements in December and yet I finished out the month with double digit placements and one direct hire. My own personal Christmas bonus! The same was said the second year and yep double digit placements again. But it wasn’t just me, everyone in our office had a solid month.

When I became a Corporate recruiter I was told that no one will hire in December. Yeah right. Then why was I working like the young Ebenezer Scrooge (you know, when he was a happy guy, working hard because he loved it and still had a soul) in the office while everyone else was kicking off for the holiday, doing their on-line shopping or spending the day socializing and trading cookies/gifts?

I know why, because even though the business may slow down during December recruiting never stops. It could be that these managers need to fill the open job of 200 days before 12/31 or lose it in their budget, or that they need to have someone start right after the first of the year when the budget opens up and they can start work on their projects. It is also because people resigned in order to start their new year off with a new employer and now the manager is in a bind and needs someone asap. I could go on but you all know and have heard the reasons.

Every year as the holiday approaches I fall for it, I start believing what is being repeated over and over, and begin to think that maybe I too can do some holiday shopping on-line, or socialize a day away but it never comes.

When I pulled into the parking garage this morning and saw it practically empty I figured maybe this year will be different. Nope – I have taken 15 minutes to write and post this blog that no one will read because you are not in the office or you are like me and my team, slammed with reqs to fill, interviews to schedule, offers to extend all the while stressing if you can get to a certain store to buy that last minute gift.

I will agree that there is one week when those claims do come true and that is the week between Christmas and New Years. That’s when I witness peace on earth.

Merry Christmas everyone and Happy New Year!

Stock Photos from 123RF

“It’s My Priority”

Last month I was honored to be on a panel for CTHRA discussing How Does Social Media Impact Human Resources? in Denver, Co. I arrived the night before and stayed at the JW Marriott in Cherry Creek which is right across the street from Elway’s (yep that John Elway) restaurant. Since I was by myself I decided to sit at the bar and enjoy a great steak dinner and eavesdrop on the various conversations going on around me.

A gentleman across the bar from me was talking to two of his (I’m guessing co-workers) in a loud enough voice for most everyone to hear him. He was, for the most part, bragging about some of the large deals he had landed with clients and how one client was giving him fits for backing out after they had already invested several million dollars. He was confident he could save the deal and that it was just some kind of dance that the investor was making him go through. I am not sure why he was bragging so much, but he had the confidence of a top producer and no one was questioning his claims. Then I heard one of his companions ask “How are you able to generate so much money for the firm?”

The braggart, who was now extremely focused on his mobile device, initially ignored the question. When asked again, he looked up with almost a shocked expression on his face and his response “It’s my priority! Plain and simple – it is my priority!” The companion flushed immediately and took a drink. That was it, nothing else was said. He didn’t go into how he does what he does, offer any sage advice to his peer, discuss specific techniques, or reveal which technology or tool helps him identify the best investors. “It’s my priority!”

Though I was not impressed in how he was trying to convince everyone in ear shot that he is the next Gordon Gekko, I have to admit he knows his job. He is responsible for one thing – to bring in as much cash as possible to his firm.

As a recruiter our priority is to bring in as much talent our organizations need to successfully run the business. I am sure there is more to his job – client management, positive customer experience, forms to complete – just like ours but the more I think about it the more I am convinced those are a means to an end.

The more we forget our priority the more we hurt our organizations. If we are not focused on constantly finding talent that will meet the needs of the business then we are doing a disservice to our employers. Once we commit to our priority we will move our organization forward.

I welcome your thoughts.

Corporate Recruiters Can Effectively Source

“Corporate recruiters do not know how to effectively source like third party recruiters.” How many times have corporate recruiters heard this from the third party recruiters? Sure some TPR’s will say that they used to be in-house recruiters before making the switch to the agency side of the business, therefore they can claim to know and can speak on everyone’s behalf.

I agree, to a certain extent, that due to large requisition loads, broken processes, meetings upon meetings, and involvement in personal development projects that corporate recruiters are at a disadvantage. (Side note – as a leader I have done as much as I can to eliminate or minimize these issues for my teams). However, even with these obstacles corporate recruiters can still effectively source no matter the size of the organization and the lack of a dedicated sourcing function.

In previous postings I have stated that time management or the structure of the recruiter’s day are key to ensuring a successful search. Another ingredient is a methodical sourcing strategy. After the kick-off meeting I would have a plan either in my head or in my notes on the sources I would go to first. Then I would work through them at the specific times I had set aside each day for sourcing activities. This allowed me to use my precious time efficiently resulting in the identification of quality candidates.

My plan was usually – company database first, job board databases, referrals, job board posting(s), broader internet searches, and then, depending on the positions, other sources could be career fairs, school visits, alternative advertising, target competitor companies or more recently social network sites.

By being methodical in my approach to sourcing I could act more like a TPR in seeking out talent for the more difficult searches and moving my company forward.

I welcome your thoughts.

What Are We Intaking?

The phrase “intake meeting” to describe what I call the kick-off meeting with the hiring clients has been popping up more and more this year at conferences or within my company. I am not sure why or how this word became so popular. Is it to make a basic step sound more official and formal?

We are not in the medical profession where they intake patients, we are not clinical experts, and we are not taking our clients anywhere. We are recruiters trying to learn more about the position, setting expectations and developing a partnership. To me, intake means we are in control and that the hiring client is not the expert and they will do as we say. We may take that position during certain aspects of the process but the clients are the ones performing the work or leading the teams.

This may be a semantic argument but I think using words like kick-off, launch or client meeting to describe the initial step of the process between recruiter and client are more in line with what is really happening. I like to view the recruitment process and search like the launch of a cruise ship or the excitement before you head off on a journey. Why sterilize the meeting with a clinical word like intake?

Let’s not overcomplicate recruiting to make it appear more than it really is and label meetings with words that sound great but do not describe what is going on. By being honest about what we do we can move our companies forward.

I welcome your thoughts.

Can Sourcing Be Automated?

Recently I delivered a webinar for the Human Capital Institute called “Is Your Sourcing Stuck In Manual?” It was an interesting webinar for me to develop because when I was contacted by Amy Lewis from HCI we had mostly talked about process improvement within a corporate recruitment environment. Amy came back after our initial discussion and suggested the theme of how process improvement could impact the sourcing function. I agreed that it does have a significant impact on the recruiter’s ability to effectively source. The title suggests that the sourcing function could be automated and it can be to a certain degree but it will always require a human element to evaluate fit.

The key points I discussed centered on the need for:

*a documented sourcing strategy that is approached methodically
*sharing the strategy with the hiring clients to build partnerships and potentially uncover new sources
*a streamlined process that is constantly reviewed and a drive to reduce inefficiencies
*the review of the recruiter’s structure for the day and time management approach to their requisitions
*research on a regular basis new tools that can increase efficiency or replace outdated tools

I realize that this is not new or groundbreaking information. By focusing on the five points and eliminating as much wasteful time, policies, or process roadblocks the corporate recruiter should then have ample amount of time to source for talent. Once they have the time then how they use it effectively is the next step.

If you are a leader, in my opinion, then a goal should be to help remove these barriers. If you are a front-line recruiter, take the initiative and ensure your approach to the day, reqs and sourcing is the most effective and efficient it can be for you and your organization.

A recruiter today has access to many tools that help search their company database and the broader internet. The tools can automate the sourcing function to a certain degree by helping cut through the thousands of profiles available. However, the recruiter still needs to know how to create an effective search string and have a strong sense of curiosity to keep digging and not just accept the first returns.

I greatly enjoyed delivering my first webinar outside of an employer and I hope the savvy attendees were able pick up a couple of take-a-ways that will help move their companies forward.