Generosity – That’s your Currency!

Lately, I’ve been planning 2011. One of the things I have decided to do is more marketing and branding. Today, that typically means having a social media presence and blogging. This is my 4^th straight week writing, which is pretty good since I have blogged about once every 3 months for the previous three years. Then I wonder why I have no followers. J At first I had no idea what to write about this week, then after a rather positive networking call I was writing a thank you email to the person who made the connection for me, Fred Klein. I had referred to his introduction as being generous.

I first heard the term generosity used this way by Keith Ferrazi, in his book Who’s Got Your Back? In the book, Keith teaches how to build what he calls “life line relationships” and explains that the currency in these relationships is generosity. This is very similar to the motto of the networking group I belong to, Gotham City networking. The aforementioned Fred Klein happens to be the co-founder. The motto of Gotham is that it is better to give than to receive.

Give what, you may ask. Give whatever you can, and that doesn’t mean that you need to share your rolodex with everyone you meet or donate whatever is in your pocket for every cause. Being generous means getting to know what’s important to people, how you could help them, and offering whatever you can to help make that a reality. Maybe you tell someone about a website, or refer them to a person or service that you know of which could help them. There’s just so much more to a relationship or networking than referrals and asking for referrals; it’s about helping one another grow. The more generous you are, the more you’ll help others, and they’ll be inclined to help you. To learn more about building lifeline relationships pick up Keith’s book. If you are interested in learning more about Gotham City networking you could check them out at www.gothamnetworking.com and/or write me.

The Return of Hope

Remember all those t-shirts and bumper stickers that had Obama’s face and simply said the word “Hope?” One might say he was elected because of that one word or emotion. Considering the state of our stock market, real estate and job markets at the time of the election, it made sense to elect the candidate that gave us the most hope. What happened to all that hope?

Since the end of 2007, all too often as I speak to hiring managers and job seekers the feeling I have come away with is hopelessness. I’ve heard many grown men and women on the verge of tears, and yet even more who seemed completely defeated. Recently while working on a search for a Manufacturing Manager, people have explained that the company for which they are working laid off their entire department. The explanation? They are moving manufacturing to another country. Those conversations happen too often, and they have a negative effect on me. But one day last week I turned on the TV, which automatically starts on “New York 1,” the 24 hour New York news network. Obama was giving a speech. And then it happened: the return of hope J. Click here and restore yours http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihy31LfIK90 . Let’s hope for all of our sake that Obama gets his way and our jobs come home to America.

This Candidate is Really Smart! Really?

Often times in recruiting you hear recruiters and hiring managers discuss the intelligence of a candidate. Typically, recruiters lose this discussion regardless of whether they are right or wrong. Sometimes they may lose because the lack of hard evidence or data and other times the hiring authority may something like “I don’t care how smart he/she is I want someone who is a fit,” and once that’s said it’s typically game over. Yet when it comes to who is going to be Commander in Chief of the United States of America there seems to be a ton of emphasis on how smart the candidates are or aren’t.

This debate has never been greater; largely due to one woman and one comment that turned Sarah Palin from overnight sensation to instant (in) famous for being stupid based on her statement that she “could see Russia from her house.” Everyone knows Sarah Palin is stupid, just ask Chelsea Handler, or watch this clip from recent TV appearance http://tinyurl.com/37hfwzl.

I had been wondering about the comment so I did what most people would do if they have a question these days, I googled it and the funny thing is that you actually could see Russia from Alaska. Not exactly Moscow, but you could see parts of Russia. Here’s one article that explains what parts you could see from where in Russia http://tinyurl.com/59v7q3 . So now we have someone who is not a fit to be Vice President because she said something inaccurate that in fact appears to be accurate. On top of that, she is famous for this “stupid” remark. Wow, I can’t wait to see if she runs again and how she does on her next interview. After all, aren’t we all qualified to tell how smart one candidate is versus another?

That last question was rhetorical, actually, unless you are a trained industrial psychiatrist or reading scores from a standardized test who are we to theorize and state unequivocally how smart or stupid someone is? Maybe the hiring manager or executive who is more interested in someone who has a fit for the job than someone who is smart is right or maybe if he is interested in IQ he wants proof. I know one of the things that we offer and that some of our clients do on their own is have executive level candidates tested to see just how smart they really are or aren’t. Even the NFL uses the Wonderlic test to get an estimate of a person’s IQ, especially when evaluating Quarterbacks. Thus, it would be easier to compare the IQ of Steve Young to Vince Young for example than it would be to compare Bill Clinton to Barrack Obama – both seem smart. While we could assume that someone who went to an Ivy League school is smart is that the most prudent thing to do?

In recruiting for technology positions for example if a candidate needs to know Java we could have them tested and show the scores along with the resume to the hiring manager. If it is an executive position we could have an Industrial Psychiatrist perform a battery of tests to show not only how smart they are, but how they think and even give some insight to their soft skills. Though, when it comes to running for office, apparently where you went to school and the court of public opinion matters most.

How silly is that? I just googled wonderlic, it’s a 50 question test and Ryan Fitzpatrick, Harvard graduate and now starting QB of the Buffalo Bills scored a 48 in only 9 minutes.(Last link, I promise http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wonderlic_Test ). Maybe he should run for President? Then again, does being smart make him a fit? I don’t know, but I also don’t know unequivocally how smart or dumb Sarah Palin is and neither does Chelsea Handler. If IQ testing is good enough for the NFL and good enough for corporations looking to hire executives, shouldn’t it be good enough for Americans as part of our decision making process on who to hire to run our country?

Don’t get me wrong, I actually am a huge fan of Chelsea Handler; her show “Chelsea Lately” makes me LOL every time I watch it, I just think that she and many others were unfair on their rush to judgment of Ms. Palin based on one comment she made that actually seems to be valid. I also think that if a client cares how smart someone is or how good they are at a particular skill maybe they should test them or ask their recruiter to have them tested. And, since apparently IQ is one of the most important determining factors on who to vote for, each candidate should take the same test and if they want to run for office their scores should be made public. Certainly if an NFL QB could finish the test in 9 minutes, someone who wants to rule the country should be able to find the time to take the test, even if it takes them two or three times as long.

You May Say I’m a Dreamer ...

If he were alive today, John Lennon would be celebrating his 70^th birthday and by now, as he probably did nearly 30 years ago, all of his dreams, except unfortunately world peace surely would have been realized. Most of us have some kind of dream; whether we chose to go after that dream or not is a choice we make.

Initially, my dream was to be a professional boxer and then a pro football player though much to my dismay there is not a lot of demand for guys who are 5’8” and take at least 5 seconds to run 40 yards in the NFL. By the time I reached college I knew the only thing I ever wanted to do was to have and grow a company. After falling into recruiting I was initially terrible, failing to close a deal in my first 6 months. Then, after a 10 day break where I reflected on all the deals I wasn’t making I went on to be the most prolific recruiter at TSG in Phoenix over the next several years. During that time we were named the “Fastest Growing IT Staffing Company” in the country by a leading industry magazine. I knew I was a big part of that and loved the feeling of growing a company since the Phoenix office was only a year old when I joined. In fact, I remember hearing that when the General Manager was asked for a reference several years later he said that I was the best recruiter he ever saw.

Eventually I would leave TSG to go to New York because like so many other people I always had a fascination with the big Apple and grew up in nearby Jersey (yes, I’m from the Jersey Shore and no I don’t know Bruce or Snooki). During this transition the woman who placed me, Sarah Lovelace, said something that touched me in a way perhaps no other words ever have. She said: “Everyone knows that anybody that’s any good in this business (referring to recruiting) eventually goes out on their own.”

Once again I went on to become the most prolific recruiter in the NY branch during my tenure. About 4 years later in 2007 I was reading my commission spreadsheet that showed all of my placements, the revenue I brought in and comparing that number to my actual paycheck and it made me sick to my stomach; it could have been the reason why at 32 years old I had 2 ulcers.

So ExecuSource was born and we were going to focus on the kinds of jobs I enjoyed filling most, executive level positions. I didn’t have any clients and in hindsight it may have been a little crazy but what did I have to lose; I could always go back and be a recruiter if things didn’t pan out.

The first year was rough in every way; from an appendectomy, to major issues with Vista (the bain of my existence), a break-up and making next to no money. Since then things have changed quite a bit; we built a social network of recruiters to support our clients, we formed several strong relationships with Pharmaceutical, Financial Services and Interactive companies and moved to a contained search model. It hasn’t been easy and we haven’t grown as much or as fast as I would have liked but I’m getting the feeling that the only dreams that ever happen overnight are the ones that occur when we’re sleeping.

I remember one of the first meetings I had my future client asked me why I went out on my own and I didn’t know what to say – I didn’t want to come off like a braggart or a dreamer so I sidestepped the question. Today, I realize that the answer to the question is two fold: Firstly, “Everyone knows that anyone who’s any good in this business eventually goes out on their own,” and secondly “You may say that I’m a dreamer. But I’m not the only one.”

"I'm Afraid of Americans"

“I’m Afraid of Americans!”

I know half of my audience will be thinking of the P-Diddy song from a couple of years ago when they read the title although I took the title from a David Bowie song of the same name. I’m not even sure if it is the best title for my ensuing blog; perhaps I’m afraid for Americans would have been more suitable. In any case, this fear has been brought on by what I’ve seen from American’s during the downturn and what appears to be a current slow turn-around in the job market.

The last two placements our firm made (and the hearing of the Bowie song at a local café) inspired me to share these stories. Names have been changed to protect their identity (and myself from them). The first person that scared me was Michael, a supposedly savvy veteran with nearly 20 years experience including a VP role at prestigious financial services firm while the other, an up and coming superstar, Carlos worked at a major financial services software vendor.

Michael and I began our courtship via LinkedIn where he was a part of my extended network and had the looking for career opportunities section checked on his profile. When I first contacted him and gave him my phone number he initially questioned – “Who are you, how do you know me and how did you get my information?” I was a bit taken aback since it was clear that he was part of my extended network and I had his phone number because he gave it to me in his reply – this should have been my first clue that something was off with this person. Once I was able to make him feel comfortable enough with me to discuss his background and learn about the position I was certain he was a great fit for the position and I presented him.

Soon after the client requested an interview and within a couple of weeks he met with 6 people and he got 5 very strong endorsements. The 6th person was the decision maker who was on the fence and decided he would prefer to offer Michael the position as a contract-to-hire rather than direct hire. Michael eventually decided contract to hire was OK as long as everything regarding the contract and his permanent offer be received up-front in writing. This included vacation time, guaranteed bonus and a title of Director (which would be equal to Sr. VP - a step-up from his previous position). Michael would call me every day, sometimes 2 or 3 times to see if I received his offer in writing.

Michael and I eagerly anticipated receiving the dual-offers. He was relentless in his pursuit; there was the time I was at my company softball game and Michael called, then Easter Sunday (how did he know I was Jewish) and then there was the time I was at the Pharmacy. My personal favorite was the time he called me to tell me that the client made someone else a Director and that his co-workers were laughing at him because he was only going to be an Associate Director. He was serious. The hold-up all along was because of his demands. Eventually my contact called to tell me that they couldn't do it because legal objected. I shared the news with Michael and he went ballistic. He sent me a very nasty e-mail about me, my client and their hiring process. I was so upset I sent the note to my client and they hired him anyway. He eventually did go full-time and I hope that he pans out. Actually, most of all I hope that I don’t see him on the news.

Next was Carlos, the rising superstar about 26 years old from what I could tell. Carlos was very nice at first although he was tough to reach – he was working 60 hours a week (he claimed). He also was very concerned about his current project and couldn’t start for a couple of months because he had to finish the project – what a nice guy! Then he grew frustrated as his company’s client, a bank in South America delayed the project again and then again.

After the second delay he called us and said that he had had enough and was ready to join our client whenever they wanted. The offer was for $120k, which he demanded even though he was currently making $96k and was bumped up to that in January from about $80k. He was sure he was worth it and deserved it and because he had such a unique skill my client obliged. The investment bank offered this 26 year old (at most) kid $120k plus a bonus and 4 weeks vacation…awesome! It wasn’t good enough for Carlos. He had earned 5 weeks vacation at his current company and didn’t want to give up that 5^th week – he earned it! Eventually, he accepted the position and during his final few weeks before he started and after work (between band practices) we were able to meet. He was a very nice guy in fact and very likeable. As much as I liked him I still can’t quite get over the entitlement of him or Michael. All I could think is scary…I’m afraid of Americans.

Dave Jacks' 7 Step Guide to Finding a Job

Dave Jacks’ 7-step guide to finding a job

Most of you know me and know I’m a recruiter and that I try to get out and attend networking events as much as possible. Often people ask what do you do and as soon as I say “I’m a recruiter,” they explain that they or someone close to them needs a job. They probe a bit and I explain the areas we focus in and encourage them to send me their resume regardless of whether their in an area we focus in and remind them that we’re a small company to try to temper their expectations. I then usually suggest that the person follow-up with me so I could give suggestions on how to go about their job search. Typically, I never hear from them again or if I do it’s because they email me their resume and then never have time to talk unless I have a job for them. Though there are some that have taken my advice and have succeeded in landed jobs so I’ve decided to share it with as many people as possible.

Step 1: Set-up a Facebook account! You already have one; great, you are one step ahead of the game. What’s that, your too old or too cool – get over it, it’s 2010 and there are new ways of networking that could help you grow professionally and keep in touch with friends and family.

Step 2: Set-up a LinkedIn account! You have that too – amazing!

Step 3: Invite all Facebook connections to LinkedIn. Trust me; you’ll see where I’m going with this.

Step 4: go to www.indeed.com . Indeed is a job aggregator – that is a site that pulls data from other similar sites. In other words any posting from any major job board, i.e. Monster, Dice, The Ladders, etc. or any major company such as IBM or Google will appear on indeed.

Step 5: Save your search as an agent on Indeed. Do a search for a job based on your skills or title (or do 2 separate ones) and then save them as an agent. When a new job is posting that meets your criteria you’ll get an email.

Step 6: When you see a job you are interested in posted by a company or a (lazy) recruiter that mistakenly mentioned the client name in a post look up the company on LinkedIn. LinkedIn will then pull up all your contacts at that company. Connect directly or via introduction to someone at that company and see if you could get them to be your internal advocate and submit your resume internally.

Step 7: Still no job…don’t fret…network and learn. Grow your network on LinkedIn and Facebook. Search your schools alumni, go through your old business cards, and attend networking events. Seek out experts in networking and job searches such as Keith Ferrazzi and Jim Stroud. You can download Keith’s guide to landing your dream job at his website www.keithferrazzi.com . Jim Stroud’s website is www.jimstroud.com . Lastly, think about joining a professional networking organization such as Gotham; which could be found at www.gothamnetworking.com . I belong to Gotham and you could attend an event as a guest of mine – all I ask is that you reach out to me first and/or mention me when you contact the group administrator of the event or group you are interested in.

Notes: Career coaches and Posting your resume.

I believe career coaches are a great resource although they could be expensive. If you are currently employed and looking how to leverage your existing experience to get a higher level job at your current employer or get a job elsewhere they could be helpful. If you are unemployed I suggest you hold onto your money or see if they will take some payment up-front and the balance when you land a new job. Lastly, consider seeing a younger person who just became credentialed or is training to become certified – chances are they’ll be helpful and much cheaper or even free.

As far as posting your resume on Monster or some other job board there’s nothing wrong with that as long as you don’t overdo it. That is if your resume has been live on a job board for 3 or more months take it down. The reason is that chances are the employer or recruiter most likely to hire or place you has already downloaded your resume. Recruiters (internally and externally) get desensitized to resumes they’ve seen countless times and start ignoring them after a while. Take a 6 month break and then re-post if you’re still looking and want to post your resume.

Good Luck!

Sincerely,

Dave Jacks

What's there to be Thankful about during a Recession?

What’s there to be Thankful about during a recession?

For starter’s Thanksgiving is an American Holiday and it is OK to wish someone a Happy Thanksgiving regardless of their religion or race; there is nothing offensive or politically incorrect about saying Happy Thanksgiving. In fact, in the last week many people have said “Have a Happy Holiday” to me and I found that to be somewhat insulting as a proud American.

Along those lines despite our current economic climate being an American is one thing to be thankful for, it is here in America that you could choose your profession; it is here in America that Obama proved no matter what your background is you can be anything you want to be. Be thankful for Obama for he was elected perhaps because, more than any other candidates from the primaries to November 4^th, Obama was the candidate not just for change but for hope and optimism. Obama was hired as our president because optimism was more important than any other prerequisite or anyone’s resume. IMHO he was hired because hope was the ultimate requirement for America.

Be thankful that you are an American, free to vote, free to demonstrate, free to bear arms, free to be whoever or whatever you want to be. And lastly, if you are a recruiter or salesperson in the search industry the next time you are in front of a client you may want to ask, “Mr. Client – if there was one thing, it could be a hard skill or an intangible – if there is one thing that you want in a candidate above everything else what would that be?” The answer may help you find your client’s next president!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Written by Dave Jacks - November 27, 2008 at 10:21 pm republished here to move from wordpress to blogger