Fear not, here are two approaches to this question and help get past any stigma of being in transition.  The first is before the interview and the second is for use during the interview.

#1: RECOMMENDATIONS

Recommendations will show that you did good work in prior roles, getting these in the hands of the interviewer in advance is a great way to get them focused on your work.

Having recommendations from former colleagues publicly displayed on your LinkedIn profile, personal blog or as files on your BusinessCard2.com account is a powerful tool.   Saying that you have relationships is good; having immediate proof for an interviewer makes it stick.

Quick tip: When you make the request include the key points you want your contact to highlight.  This will make it easier for them to write a recommendation.

When reaching out to the HR contact or hiring manager, you can send them a link to your references in advance.  Mention the references in the body of your e-mail and beneath your signature include the following format to describe your references that provide 4 points of information for each one: Name, Title, relationship, and length of relationship.

YYY Corporation:

John Smith, CEO, I reported to him for 5 years.

Jane Smith, Project manager, member of my team for 6 years.

Dave Smith, Field manager, primary contact for on working on new construction for 3 years.

ZZZ Corporation:

Bill Smith, COO, I reported to him for 4 years.

#2: OPPORTUNITY TO GET REEMPLOYED

This is not an economic lesson, but simply sharing your potential opportunity to get reemployed.  If the opportunity has been low, then you again deflect the concern from your performance. The person asking the question may not understand the situation at your prior firm and the industry, the size of the pool of individuals competing for roles you seek, and number of openings available.  You will not use all these points, but getting the facts will help craft a good answer.

1. Explain the business you were in and situation that required layoffs
2. The state of business’s recovery and if there has been an opportunity to be rehired
3. Was the decline across your industry and were other firms laying off people?  If so, then there was a limited ability to move to a competing firm.
4. What is the fate of people in similar roles from both your prior firm and others? If loads of people in similar positions are still in transition, it’s not just you.
5. Where does your role fall in the ‘rehire’ cycle.  For example, my own role is in finance and we are often the last to get rehired – simply because we are in overhead.  Despite a company doing better, there is a lag effect before people in my position get rehired.

Having the facts will help you state the situation without emotion.

Hope this helps.

Mark

I have discussed this topic several times at networking meetings and with fellow candidates.  In each discussion we landed around two scenarios causing you to look at a lower role: Your Financial State or Your Emotional State.  The general consensus from people who have faced this choice was as follows:

If your financial state requires it:

Go ahead and take a lower role, but remember it’s only a temporary situation.  Keep applying for new roles and don’t stop networking, though you’ll have to likely keep your meetings to early morning coffees and lunches.

Try to get a role where you’ll do well, thus allowing you to build goodwill among your new colleagues which will be useful for future references and who knows what might happen within that firm.

Build a home budget to assist in determining the amount of cash you’ll need each month.  I used one during my own job transition – either you can manage it or worry about it.

Another alternative strategy to a lower role is finding a couple of part-time gigs, thus keeping the title.  You will network to find a part-time role is no different than full-time.  The way to ensure the part-time role will extend into the foreseeable future is that the role is addressing a permanent need, not a project.

If your emotional state or home situation requires it:

You are better off not networking, then to continue to network when you feel burned out or lack a positive attitude because there is too much pressure within your home to get reemployed.  If you are networking poorly, it’s not likely you will land a role and the damage to your reputation is difficult to reverse.  It’s a better choice to stop.

Go ahead and accept the position only when you can absolutely ace the job and exceed expectations.

Here’s why this is important for you to stay within one or two levels below what you held previously held and within your area of experience.

If you stray too far, you may experience what several of my colleagues did.  They found themselves not performing well due to being unmotivated from being in such a low level or lack of understanding of industry/company to do the job.  Within the year, they also found themselves back on the street with a hole in their resume and no references from the position.  Granted it was a mistake they only made once, but it was a whopper.

The upside for you is that by taking a role where you kick some _________ (insert your own word here), your psyche gets reenergized and puts you back into a state where you look much more attractive to a prospective firm.

If you are in a good emotional and financial state, then their advice was to set a deadline for yourself for when you’ll expand your search into lower roles, to allow yourself to be in control of the decisions.  Here’s something to help pitch yourself while still in search “Arguments for Hiring Someone in Transition – Skills You Will Not Find on a Resume”

Good advice from fellow candidates who have faced this tough decision.

Good luck today!

Mark Richards

My colleague Marcia Ballinger from Ballinger | Leafblad and I were having coffee and we got on the topic of interviewing.  She shared some amazing insight into how in-transition candidates effectively derail their chances during the interview.

Marcia has submitted many in-transition candidates for her clients’ consideration because they have the right skills and experiences that make them attractive to a client – regardless of their employment status.  Also, Marcia’s firm has sat in interviews as an observer for the past five years, so she has seen both types of candidates in action.

She noted distinct patterns of behavior from the in-transition candidates derailed their chances for the role because they made themselves an ‘outlier’ compared other candidates – but in the wrong direction.

Much like that old joke about when you and buddy are being chased by a bear, you don’t have to run faster than the bear, just your buddy.  When it comes to hiring, the candidate selected is not the best at everything, they are simply better than the other candidates.

Here are the traits that Marcia has seen from in-transition candidates are going to get you caught by the bear.

• They talk more and listen less.
• They are very quickly convinced that an opportunity is “perfect” for them, even when they don’t have all the facts. Marcia said that she frequently has in-transition candidates proclaim that they are ‘perfect’ for a position, even before they have seen a job description.  (Writer comment: For an executive position, these can be literally ‘million dollar’ decisions given the potential impact of the executive on a business.  Who makes million dollar decisions with no information?)
• They lean forward.
• They don’t always wait for the speaker to finish answering the question.
• They are glib, surface, and less “thoughtful.”
• They talk faster, as though they are trying to “squeeze” more in.
• They seek to persuade, not to understand.

Having interviewed during my own transition, I’ll admit to being guilty of these behaviors.  At the time I felt as though I was displaying my eagerness and interest, but now I see it was my anxious feelings shining through.

How does someone with a job behave during an interview?  Here’s what Marcia has observed:

• These people are picky. They are choosey.
• Instead of trying to convince, they are waiting to be convinced.
• They are genuinely interested in learning more and investigating whether the opportunity could be a fit. But, they do not come in convinced that it IS a fit.
• There tends to be more mutuality in the discussions with employed candidates. Employed candidates see themselves as ‘peers’, so the interview is more like two business people having a meeting.
• For the hiring executive, it feels more like a regular meeting between a boss and a staff member, and less like an outsider, or a “salesperson.”

For you and me, these types of ‘insider’ insights are pure gold since its behavior from fellow candidates – both what’s working and what’s not.  However, Marcia made another point which I think is more relevant: The in-transition candidates’ behaviors arise from their circumstances and build over time; therefore, they need to work harder to suppress these behaviors.

The employed candidate comes into the interview with the ability to walk away, which gives them a position of strength.  They feel less overall risk and certainty no reason to push or persuade.  This is why the discussion is more relaxed and interactive.

Can an in-transition candidate give themselves the walk away power?  While perhaps not at the same level of the employed candidate, you can get close if you go into an interview with this mindset: I don’t want to be interviewing a year from now; therefore, I need to be sure this is a job where I can truly succeed and will be retained.

If this approach helps you avoid being back in-transition in the near term, it’s a powerful motivation to help you make sure this is the right position.  (If you are at the point, either financially or emotionally, that you to just get into a role please see: The Art of Settling for Less).

My thanks to Marcia for sharing this amazing insight that will help all of us get the most out of our interviews.

Good luck today!

Mark

As executives working in the non-profit sector, some of our time is spent answering questions from people outside of the sector. One of the most common questions that we get these days comes from corporate business leaders, and sounds something like this: “I’ve enjoyed my career in business, but how can I move into the non-profit sector?”

It is a good question. And, there is some good news to report.

The good news is that there is a wave of retirements in leadership positions in the non-profit sector.  These retirements are opening up more opportunities at the senior level. This wave was predicted by employment researchers and it is here now.

Moreover, depending upon the organization, there are not always back-up leaders who are trained and ready to step into the top spots. Because there is not always an obvious “successor” in many situations, some new leaders of non-profits will come from outside the organization, and in some cases, outside of the non-profit sector.

We’ve also found that boards of non-profits have become increasingly open to considering executive candidates from the business sector. They can see the “transferable skills” that an executive candidate from business might bring to the organization.

Again, good news. Right?

Yes. But there is bad news, too.

If you are that business executive who wishes to lead a non-profit, you are not alone. While it’s true that there is a wave of retirements in the non-profit sector, there is an equal wave of business leaders thinking about moving into non-profit leadership, either as a career change, or as a sunset last assignment. There is no shortage of competition.

So, how can you stand out in this sea of business leaders who are chasing the same thing as you are? What can you do to make yourself an attractive non-profit candidate?

First, make sure you are serious. Don’t go into non-profit work if you think it is easy. It isn’t. Non-profit organizations are as complex and challenging as any business. There may be multiple funding sources. Resources can be scarce. There’s the “double bottom line” to manage that balances financial sustainability with mission-driven impact.  By comparison, achieving corporate goals can be very straightforward.  A non-profit objective might connect to multiple stakeholders and require inputs from numerous sources.

Further, don’t go into non-profit leadership because you seek a more leisurely pace. Expect to work just as hard and just as many hours in the non-profit sector as you did in the for-profit sector. Most non-profit executives who have come from the corporate sector are stunned by the difficulty of the work and the level of effort required.  “I have never worked harder in my life,” is a common refrain.

Certainly, don’t “pretend” to be serious about working in the non-profit sector as a hedge until a for-profit job comes along. A lack of passion for making this change will be readily apparent.

Second, take a close look at where your background could best fit a non-profit organization. A career as an attorney might be better preparation to run a legal aid organization than a men’s chorus, for example. If you are a CFO, you might be more suited to run a micro-lending organization than a counseling agency.

You will always be a better candidate when some part of your background is directly connected to the work of the organization. Telling a board that you have a personal interest in gardening does not prepare you to run the state nursery and landscape association, for example. When we hear corporate executives talk about moving into non-profit positions, we find that they tend to focus on themselves.  “I want to give back,” or “I want to be connected to a mission,” or “I’ve always wanted to work in a non-profit.”  That’s fine, but you should be prepared to talk about where you add value.  Answer the question “What, specifically, will you bring to a leadership role in a non-profit?”  Your answer will need to be relevant and practical.  That you like people, or are service-oriented, will not suffice.

Be clear about what you do and what you do not bring to any non-profit position. That includes both your paid work experience as well as volunteer activities. Be aware that if you do not have volunteer non-profit board service or significant volunteerism in your background, you will be at a real disadvantage.  It is probably not going too far to say that if you’ve not yet amassed some significant non-profit board experience, including leadership roles, it will be tough for you to convince anyone that you have a real understanding for how a non-profit works at the executive level, and that you know what you are walking into.  Of course, serving as a board member is not the same as leading in a non-profit on a daily basis, but it is a start.  If you think a non-profit job is in your future, find non-profit board and committees to serve on and dig in now!

We must also say that full-time non-profit work is not for everyone.  Be aware that you might not be suited to non-profit work, stylistically.  You might find it a good idea to invest in some assessments or coaching that can give you feedback about your work style and tendencies.  It is quite possible that the process of running a non-profit with multiple stakeholders and multiple goals may not be to your taste, in the long run.  It usually takes longer to make decisions.  Consensus and buy-in from groups is required more often.  You’ve got to earn commitments in different ways, where often “incentives” are intangible.  Sometimes the best thing that can happen is to discover that you are not suited to a given direction.  It could be a gift to be told “You might not like this.”

Lastly, fundraising. Most non-profit organizations list fundraising as one of the most important requirements for a new leader. If you have not done fundraising, such as on a development committee, this may be an insurmountable hurdle. Do not tell a board of directors that fundraising can be easily figured out. Do not say that you will surely be a great fundraiser because you are a “people person,” or because you know sales and marketing. Fundraising is a core organizational activity, and its own distinct field of study and set of competencies. Without meaningful fundraising background, look to work at non-profit organizations with other dominant funding streams, such as predictable and reliable earned income. There aren’t many, but they are out there.

So you STILL want to go into non-profit? If yes, then good for you! You have asked yourself important questions about using your skills and talents in a new and possibly more meaningful way. That might bring you to a role in the non-profit sector. But, be cautious. Know yourself. It will take a combination of background, passion, and preparation to land at the top of a non-profit.

Good luck!

Start-ups can either define or redefine how we interact at work, home or fun, and they are generally centered by a passionate set of individuals who can see and believe in a better way.  The environment is so different from the corporate world.  I describe my start-up experience as equal measures of excitement and terror – which is why you need the passion to endure the ups and downs of a start-up.

Start-ups bring you to the basics of business, there are no corporate policies or processes, no layers of management, limited support structure, and it’s simply defining how to successfully solve, deliver and sell a solution to a customer need.

You will certainly have a title and be responsible for key areas, but the role is often defined by what is needed to keep going, not by the standards of a larger firm.  As CFO of a start-up, in a single day I had an investor pitch, helped carry store inventory, finalized our pricing strategy and then went back to the store to help move displays.  I have also written copy for web pages, designed customer pitches, gone on sales calls, etc. – the funny thing is you will find yourself just feeling this is normal.

If you are considering a start-up, here are four items that will help indicate their chance for success.   

With so many successes, new forms of funding capital, ease to gain technology, self-marketing, and start-up support structures, there are more start-ups than ever.   This simply means you have more to choose from and need to determine which has a chance for success.

ONE: Experienced management team

The experience is they have succeeded in the industry, commercialized similar products or launched start-ups.   These are critical factors as there is simply limited room for repeated errors – so the team simply needs to have a rock solid business plan.

I am a fan of failure, as it is one of the best teachers of how to become better – people who succeed do so because they can see the problems coming and know to change course.   If you have never failed, then hard to know what might hit you.

TWO: Large addressable market

There are loads of good ideas, but you really need to understand how big market is for the product to determine what kind of company it can become.

To attract talent and capital of any significance (in the millions), there needs to be a large market.   The term ‘large’ is defined differently by every investor, but if your total market does not give you a revenue potential north of $50 million – it’s going to be hard to raise capital of any significance. Investors will be looking for large multiples (10X, etc.) on the capital invested, so there has to be a market to support large revenue opportunity that either the start-up or an acquirer can achieve.

THREE: Protectable Intellectual Property

The intellectual property is essential to the value of a company; it’s what draws customers and investors.   The intellectual property may be possessed at the start of a venture, via a patent or process, or built over time like a customer database.  No IP is completely protected, but it should be very defensible from replication or replacement.

Here’s the other question you need to ask when it comes to the IP “Is this a product or a company?” When the IP can be extended to new markets, needs, etc. then you are more likely to have a company on your hands.

FOUR: Capital plan

Understanding the capital needs for growth is critical.  A common shortcoming of early stage company business plans is an assumption that one round of funding is enough.  Typically, it takes several rounds of fundraising to achieve moving from product development to beta testing to initial rollout to full distribution.  Every entrepreneur is going to be optimistic, so being a little aggressive is okay, it’s when the story does not fit the size of capital being sought is when you need to worry.

You should understand where they are in the capital process as well to understand if they can bring you on and the type of risk you are undertaking.

Best way to evaluate – Meet the founders

I’ve met with several dozen start-ups and use this simple rule of thumb: Spend an hour with the founders to see how good of a feeling they have on these items.

o   If you get satisfactory answers, then start walking through the business plan in greater detail to see if the tactics match the strategy – this is when you’ll see whether or not they can take advantage of the opportunity.

o   If not, then wait to read the business plan until they are ready – if you read it at this stage, you will just be noting the holes you already identified.

Good luck today!

Mark

RETURN TO “GETTING STARTED – YOUR ROLE”

What Skills Transfer between Industries

We all believe we can succeed because our skill set will transfer intact.  As each of my industries have been very different in size, scope, regulatory, competition and technology, let me share what I believe transfers well.

• Understanding the business model – This is simply your ability to understand how an industry works and how the company makes money. Most people figure out how a business makes money pretty quick.  Generally speaking, each area of the business has 3-4 key items to understand.
• Technical skills – While the application of the skills may differ, the understanding of the technical skills (e.g. marketing, accounting, etc.) for your professional move across.
• Communication and Personal skills – These are the skills and experiences that make you truly unique from other candidates, so they transfer very well. Again, how you apply them will be different, but usually it’s these skills on what seals the deal when getting hired.

What does not transfer between industries?

After reading what does transfer it’s hard not to think “So what’s the big deal?  Why are people hung up on experience?   What am I missing?”

Here it is: An intuitive sense of the business.

When switching industries you must learn the language, trends, competitive forces, etc.  When someone says “ABC Company just raised their price 2%” – you will not know how to react, because you need to learn what the price change means.  Within your first year, you’ll encounter this dozens of times (if not more).

While a new perspective or outside view is always a benefit, you need to recognize that it is difficult to be as efficient as others until you learn the industry.  Also, people feel more comfortable with those who understand the business already, especially if the business is in trouble and they need to act fast.

Changing industries takes pre-work.  Starter steps for pursuing a new industry:

• First, before you start applying for roles within the industry, meet someone from the inside to determine if its culture and style fit you. Trust me; the view from the outside is often different from the inside, especially when it comes to how your role is viewed or allowed to engage.   I have witnessed Product Marketing be a strategic leader in some firms and purely support in another – as the needs and norms of the industry were very different.
• Second, invest time into learning the industry before you focus too heavily on a given set of companies. Having an overall picture of the industry will help you understand the company’s role inside it.  You may find the role a company in this industry is very similar to the one you are in today, but just serving a different industry – a good example is a distribution firm.

o   I find that visually mapping out the industry is incredibly useful in seeing the interrelationships and dependencies for serving customers.

o   I’ve had colleagues attend industry events, supplier meetings, join industry groups on LinkedIn (to view discussions), etc. as part of their learning efforts.

• Third, in your pitch the skills to emphasize are living through a major industry shift, launching a new business, working in different geographies – basically, anything that shows you understand the challenges of making a change and have been successful in doing so.

o   Also, if you’ve learned the major drivers of their industry, don’t be shy in letting them know you’ve done your homework.

• Fourth, have a plan of how to learn the industry for once you land. Go back to your industry insider for tips on how best do so.  Your potential employer will expect you to have the plan – so bringing one to the interview garners some kudos.

Good luck today.

Mark

BACK TO “GETTING STARTED – YOUR ROLE”

I asked Marcia to write this post because she has consistently met with individuals in transition at the request of people in her network.  The perspective of a recruiter when it comes to networking with candidates will help us all prepare better.  My thanks to Marcia – MJR

I’ve been in search longer than I care to admit.  During that time, I’ve met with hundreds of executives and formed hundreds of impressions.  The following are some of my thoughts intended to help you make the best possible impression with a recruiter.

First, get the meeting off to a good start:

• Be on time, but not too early.  It can be uncomfortable having someone waiting in the lobby for 30 minutes ahead of schedule.
• Find your own way to the recruiter’s office.  It does not make a good impression to call the recruiter from your car and ask where they are located or where to park.
• Do some homework.  Look at the firm’s website and the available information about the recruiter.  What might the two of you have in common?
• Bring a folio and something to write with.  Does this seem obvious?  You’d be surprised!

If you are meeting with the recruiter to network:

• Remember that there is a very (very!!) low likelihood that the recruiter will be hired for an assignment that you’d be interested in during the time you are in transition.  This is a courtesy meeting.  Reiterate that you are very grateful for the opportunity to meet and only expect 20 minutes of the recruiter’s time.
• Be a little flexible.  Come prepared with your own agenda but know that some recruiters will want to control the meeting.  Either way is fine.
• Send the recruiter your resume ahead of time.  Be prepared to give a short synopsis of your background and a description of the types of assignments you are most interested in.  Be specific.
• Before you leave, ask the recruiter, “Is there anything I can do to help you or your firm?”  Recruiters are frequently asked to help but are rarely offered help.
• Your objective in this meeting is to make an acquaintance and leave a positive impression.  Be brief, be positive, be gracious.
• The recruiter is meeting with you to be helpful to you, with no other agenda.  Be a bright spot in their day!

If you are meeting with the recruiter to interview for a specific job:

• Recruiters all have different styles, but you should expect that most of the time will be spent asking questions posed by the recruiter.  Do not prepare “formula” answers ahead of time.  You want to appear genuine, not false.
• The recruiter will be meeting with a number of candidates, not one of which is “perfect.”  Be honest about your strengths as well as areas where your background does not entirely match up.   If the recruiter didn’t think you were a likely candidate, you wouldn’t be in the interview!
• The recruiter’s purpose in the interview is to confirm your qualifications for this position, assess your “fit” to the culture of the client organization, and clarify any open issues.  The purpose is NOT to screen you out.  Because the recruiter has specific objectives for the interview, he or she will likely have a list of questions to ask you.  Let the recruiter control the meeting.  Answer each question, but don’t “over-answer.”  Many candidates have talked themselves out of a job, but I’ve never seen anyone talk themselves into a job.  Give thorough but brief answers.  If you’re not sure, ask the recruiter if they’d like more depth.
• You’ll probably have an opportunity to ask questions about the position and organization.  This is your chance to ask the recruiter about some of their impressions of the hiring executive, the staff and the organization’s culture.  Bring your most pressing few questions to this meeting.   This is not the time to go through a laundry list of specific issues; you will have ample occasions to ask more detailed questions later.

Finally, follow up promptly:

• Some folks prefer a handwritten note, but I appreciate the immediacy of an email.  Use the same level of professionalism in your correspondence with the recruiter that you plan to use on the job.

RETURN TO “YOU AND THE RECRUITER – HOW DOES IT WORK?”

If you meet 50 people at a party, church or work function, how many of their names will you remember in a month?  Six months?  In one year?  Now use the same timeframes, but make it how much of their personal history will you recall?   The answer is probably not much.

Recruiters will generally meet several hundred people a year.   That’s why they have databases.  So when they get a search, the first step is to search their database.

Even if you really had a great meeting with the recruiter, the better way to get your name into the search results is to have a very complete resume that provides company name, industry type, position titles, functions overseen, etc.  – all the items that a search might be conducted on for the position you seek.

Why Won’t the Recruiter Meet with Me?  (Actually, you don’t want them to)

Recruiters get work by networking and calling on clients.   A call to a client is an “At Bat”.

A meeting with a candidate when the recruiter is not working on a specific role is not an “At Bat”.

You want them out finding jobs, not chatting with you.   Get your resume into them.

Offer to meet or to have a call to get acquainted and see if they can help you network.   Many may meet you.

Trust me; if you match up with what their client is seeking, you will spend a fair amount of quality time with the recruiter.

Until then, let them go to work.

Why does it seem like the Recruiters have all the jobs?

Back to the initial expectations, 75-80% of roles come from networking -the percentage will vary by both the company and the level of position they are filling.

So why does it seem like recruiters have all the jobs?

1. 20-25% of open position is a pretty big number.
2. You are more likely to hear about a role from a recruiter, because they openly use their network or advertising.
3. Many people don’t really care to broadcast that they are in transition, so you may not hear the source of the job change.

For whom does the recruiter work?

The one paying their fee: the client.

Of course, the recruiter wants you to present well.  But after the initial interview, I recommend remembering the relationship is between you and the company, the recruiter is an extension of the company.  The recruiter has accomplished their three goals for their client; the rest is up to you and the company to finalize if an offer is extended.

Obviously, the company is interested in you.  Make all the future discussion directly between you and the company.  Keep the recruiter informed, but when it comes to sharing messages and thoughts the clarity of communication regarding conditions of your employment is critical, so adding another person in the mix, diminishes it for both the company and yourself.

Put another way, if you can’t have the tough conversation with them when they are trying to ‘recruit’ you – What happens after you start?

If a recruiter offers to give an opinion on your salary package, politely take their advice, but seek someone with independence from the client.   I don’t mean to imply anything other than it’s simply a good practice.

What about the “Out of the Box” Candidate?

Occasionally, a recruiter will say they are including an “Out-of-the-box” candidate – which is usually someone from outside the industry.

Why do recruiters put in someone like this – there are many reasons: client request, recruiter knows the person being submitted very well, etc.   But you need to recognize that you are still outside the requested parameters for the job.

After being submitted as one of the candidates, someone asked me “How often does the out-of-the-box candidate get hired?”.   My response was simple, “More often than the candidate who never got in front of the client”.

What if the recruiter does not see how my skills transfer?

I am a finance guy.   If you asked me to recruit a new CIO, the first thing I would ask for you to give me a list of qualities and requirements.

I have never sat in the CIO chair.  So while I might be aware of what the CIO does, I truly don’t know what combination of skills and experience level for each skill it takes to run an IT department.

My ability to translate the skills of a CIO from outside our industry would apply to our industry would be even more limited.

Do the skills of managing a software company IT department work in a manufacturing world?   My guess is yes, but I’d be hard-pressed to tell you which ones.

As the chair of a finance executive networking group, I’ve met with about 120 recruiters.  How many of those of recruiters have been CFOs?  One.   How many had worked in the industry for which the position they were recruiting?  Two.

Most recruiters have awareness or familiarity with the positions and industries, but actual work experience.   So unless they have sat in your specific chair – then set your expectations for their ability to translate your skills accordingly.

Sidetrack: “Industry experience required”

This requirement comes exclusively from the client, not the recruiter.

Are we doing things that mutually waste time?

In the spirit of respect each other’s time, here are a few items for you to avoid and where you can politely say ‘I understand…”

Your items

• Describing yourself in generic terms like “I’m a change agent”, etc.
• Spending more than 30 seconds on the background of a situation
• Your frustrations about a job search
• Complaints about your old boss or company

Recruiters

• Explaining either of these items:

o   Difference between a contingency and retained recruiter

o   What it means to be a retained recruiter

• Giving exhaustive detail on their database
• Line by line review of a job description (you can read it)

What’s up with all the rotten recruiters (Like any industry, there are clunkers)

To the delight of a few and the chagrin of many, the barrier to entry into the recruiting field is low.   So you are going to get a pretty wide range of talent

If the recruiter has the job, obviously they are part of the process, but if they are bad news then it benefits you to keep their role to minimum.

My tests of a recruiter’s skill:

How long they have been in business?  Usually the longer the better, as it shows they have kept a client base.

How many firms they have been with?   If they have been with a bunch, I there is generally a reason why.

What types of roles do they recruit?   This is a bit of tricky one, but I found that a long-tenured recruiter who has only done relatively low-level roles, tend to be less savvy when it comes to negotiating, etc.

How well they can explain a clients business?  Obviously, I don’t expect them to match a company insider.  This is test of their general business skills and ability to understand the business model and what’s important.

A Bit of Fun — Interpreting rotten Recruiter’s lines

Here are a few of my favorites.  Usually these types of lines come from the weaker recruiters in the bunch – their tone of voice, inconsistency with other comments, etc. is a dead give-away every time.   On the upside, consider inviting these folks to your next poker game and bet big!

What they say: “Wow! That salary will be tough to match.”

• Meaning: “My client is not paying that much. Lower your price”

What they say: “We have a full slate of candidates”

• Meaning: “You are not qualified, but I don’t have the heart to tell you”

What they say: “The search is on hold, we’re waiting for next steps”

• Meaning: “We have not heard from the client for quite a while – don’t know what the hell is going on”

What they say: “Good idea.  I’ll run it by the client”

• Meaning: “The only thing I’m running to is the biffy after we hang up”

What they say: “I’m not sure that will be a critical factor”

• Meaning: “I don’t have a clue what you told me, but I’m not going to ask you to explain it”

RETURN TO “YOU AND THE RECRUITER – HOW DOES IT WORK?”

Borrowing from world of Texas Hold ‘Em, when applying for open positions – based on the positions you’ve held and industry experience:

1.       Bet: Match both title/experience and Industry 

2.       Draw: Strong title/experience match with limited industry experience (or vice versa)

3.       Fold:  Have not held the position and from outside the industry

Both “Bet” and “Draw” means you should contact the recruiter.

With “Draw” you will need to clearly draw the parallels between industries or duties to the job description.  Remember that you need to do the translation for the recruiter and perhaps the company.

For “Fold”, this is simply recognizing that even if you are really talented, a recruiter is generally not asked to just find talented people.  So do both yourself and recruiter a favor, apply when the odds favor you.

RETURN TO “YOU AND THE RECRUITER – HOW DOES IT WORK?”

• The recruiters will not call me back.
• Recruiters will not meet with me.
• Recruiters will not look at an ‘out of the box’ candidate.
• Recruiters are not considering my talent.

Over time I met with different recruiters (special nod to Marcia Ballinger and Bill Gleason) and understood.   My first thought was that I was really wasting our mutual time!  No need for you to do the same.   Recruiting is a challenging business, the key word is ‘business’ and understanding how this business work will help you understand on how to work with recruiters.   I don’t mean make the recruiters sound cold and it’s all about the fees, they are no different than any of us – they are just earning a living.

It begins with why recruiters are hired

The companies hire recruiters after their own networking efforts have not produced any quality candidates, they do not have expertise/process for hiring (e.g. executive or technical role), or they do not have the time to dedicate to seeking talent in a highly competitive labor market.

• Lesson 1: Recruiters work for the companies that hire them.

Finding Exact Talent versus Talent

Now that the company is going to pay @30% of the salary to find someone, they are going to get their money’s worth.  They may ask for talent from specific companies, departments, schools, tenure at last firm, etc.  They also provide the type of person they want (e.g. process oriented, global view, etc.) to fit their culture.

It’s now the recruiters’ job to try to bring the company potential candidates who fit as close as possible to the requirements provided.

• Lesson 2: Recruiters are not looking for talent; they are looking for exact talent as requested by their client. The recruiter is not blind to our good talent, if it does not fit the client’s need, they need to keep searching.

Identifying potential candidates to present

Putting this in the simplest terms possible, there are three elements to how recruiters present candidates to earn their fees:

1)      Build a ‘call list’ of potential candidates through researching databases (internal/external), working their existing network or public postings

2)      Select candidates who do fit their client’s EXACTING requirements

3)      Convince those who qualify to look at the role and prepare them for the client meetings

Many recruiters offer more services: writing ad copy, writing job descriptions; having assessments performed, managing the scheduling of interviews, etc.

• Lesson 3: Notice that none of these items that earn a recruiter their income include finding you a job, set this as your expectation accordingly when networking with a recruiter. If you match the requirements of a recruiter’s customer, then expect to spend tons of quality time with them.

Lastly, recruiters have two main items occupying their time.   The first is delivering qualified candidates.  When companies come to recruiters, they are ready to hire that day.  So from the 1^st day, despite setting expectations, there is an urgency to get the hire done.  Recruiters may review or connect with 100+ candidates to fill a given role, which is a ton of time and effort to find an exacting match.   The second item is business development, like every business they need to be out selling their services.

Good luck today!

Mark Richards

BACK TO “YOU AND THE RECRUITER – HOW DOES IT WORK?”