You need to keep stuffing your pipeline with potential opportunities. Continue to network with friends and new contacts. Scour the boards for job opportunity leads. Call your recruiter and wish them a Happy Hanukkah or Merry Christmas. Can you let off the gas pedal a bit? i think so, in fact I think you have to. It’s the holidays, and you have to give yourself some time to enjoy them, but you can’t just shut down completely. Remember, although things may be slowing down a bit, there is still activity out there, and you may very well miss out on an opportunity that someone else has taken right out from underneath your feet.

Personally, my candidate pipeline is very active right now. I had someone start on December 1st. Another consultant starts their engagement on December 20th. I have an offer out on a candidate who is likely to start next week. Another offer goes out today for a January 1st start. Beyond that I have candidates who have interviewed recently, and are awaiting decisions regarding their candidacy. Yet more candidates have upcoming interviews, or are otherwise in process and moving towards interviews. I’m blessed with a lot of activity, but I’m not backing off. I can’t afford to, and neither can you.

Nobody hiring during the holidays? I say poppycock!

You know what I’m talking about. It’s that job that just has no appeal to you… even though you’ve never done it before. It’s working in that remote location…. You know, the one that’s a 20 mile drive and takes you an hour door to door in the morning, and sometimes an hour and fifteen on the commute home. It’s working for that company that you’ve heard so much about, and frankly some of what you heard is less than appalling let alone appealing.

I say give it a shot. I can say that because I’m living proof. We all have our comfort zones, and it’s very hard to break out of them. Don’t fall into this trap, because it’s a dangerous one. Now I’m not saying throw caution to the wind, mind you, I’m saying let down your “comfort barrier” and explore opportunities that you swore up and down you’d never explore as you held that glass of wine (the third one, mind you) in your hand and were bending the ear of your buddy at the bar, as you commiserated about how bad the job market is. Sober up and get real all I’m saying.

Again, I can say this because I’ve been there and have almost made the mistake of hiding in my comfort zone. I lost my job as a corporate recruiter at a banking software firm in March of 2009. In the ensuing months, I had sought out employment as a recruiter with very little success. I had plenty of opportunities, mostly straight commission, some of which I tried, most of which just didn’t produced their full potential. When I was finally presented with a suitable contract assignment, I damn near passed on for two reasons:

• 1) My perception of the industry the client company occupied-Insurance. You know, the stodgy, bureaucratic, slow-paced, no accountability, slacker culture.
• 2) The commute was (GASP!) 25 miles each way!

Never mind the fact that the gig paid a rate that was far and above anything else I had been looking at in the previous oh…. 9 months or so…. I swore I was never going to work in insurance, and I sure as hell wasn’t driving to Delaware to work in that no good, such-and-such kinda company. Not me, no way, no how!

What a flippin’ idiot I was.

Thank God I had two very dear friends who I was working for part time at the time who slapped some reality into me. I took the gig, (albeit kicking and screaming the whole way), and guess what? Over the next 9 months, I had the opportunity to work with some of the best HR folks I’ve ever had the opportunity to work for, learned that I didn’t know everything there is to know about recruiting, and was mentored by someone who taught me things I should have learned YEARS ago, and supported a group of managers who were anything but the ne’er-do-wells that I had pegged them as being before I ever even met them. Talk about a humbling, eye-opening and most of all (this is key here folks, so pay attention!) ENRICHING experience it was. Are you starting to get my point? Good, but I’m not done.

Upon the end of that contract I went to work for, and am still employed by, a regional boutique consulting firm. In this case, it was a company that I’ve known about first hand for some time, and have had a respect for. A long standing friend and industry co-worker has been a recruiter for this company for some time, and the firm had actually done some strategic technology consulting for the banking software firm I had worked for. I knew their reputation, and the quality of what they represented. I had, from time to time, discussed the possibility of working for them with my recruiter friend, but nothing ever came of it. You know these conversations. You get a call, your friend says, “Let’s have lunch; my company may have an opportunity for you.” So we’d get together, and talk, but it never came to anything…… until July of this year.

I went through the interview process, and THIS TIME, I looked at the opportunity for what it was, not what I had perceived it to be. I had worked in contingency search before, but I never worked for a contract consulting firm. You know, a body shop. Those guys who call you up about a contract job you’re not qualified for that’s located in a remote part of the world that’s known more for it’s instances of malaria and kidnappings than it’s high tech commerce. But I digress. This time, I didn’t let my perception of the industry they were in get in my way. This was, in part because I knew who they were, but also in part because I knew I couldn’t let myself and my perceptions get in the way of……..

OPPORTUNITY

So, in the end, I accepted another position that was out of my comfort zone. Yes, it was recruiting, but I had to learn a new industry with a completely different model for recruiting. It’s been a challenge, but I’m “getting it”. I’ve stepped out of that corporate recruiting capacity, and into a faster paced, transactional mentality. I’ll emphasize here that we’re not a body shop. We go through an extensive, almost painstaking vetting process, and we actually hire to the bench in addition to the transactional based hires. My point again is that while I was much more excited about this opportunity than the last gig, it was still out of that comfort zone, and ya know what? I’m loving every minute of it.

So come on, do something you swore you’d never do. Do so with a healthy combination of exuberance and caution, and my guess is that you’ll be rewarded. You’ll never know until you try.

Well, I’ve been on the contract for over three months now, and I can’t believe my good fortune. Given my myopic state from 7 years of doing things one company’s way, and dreading walking into an environment that from my own twisted perception would be a bureaucratic nightmare, I sit here amazed that this gig is as good as it is.

Let me first start by saying that the bureaucracy never materialized. Yes we have process, yes we have authorizations that must be obtained, but by and large, the hiring process is what it’s supposed to be. You meet with a manager, get a thorough understanding of the requirement and their preferences in candidates, you put together a sourcing plan, you produce candidates, you interview three or four, and the manager says “Hire Candidate #3″.

Wait a minute. What happened to: “I liked Candidate #3, and yes, he fits the bill, but I want to see if there’s anyone better out there.”? Or the dreaded: “I know I told you I wanted X, Y, & Z, but I think we need P, D, & Q in addition to X, Y, & Z. Go find me a guy with P, D, Q, X, Y, & Z. Oh, and by the way, find him at the same salary as the X, Y & Z candidates you presented.”

For the most part, it’s been straight up, which is a dream. No, it’s not nirvana. There are the typical glitches, and personalities to deal with, but by and large, it’s recruiting 101, and I’m loving it. Tell me what you need, I’ll find the candidate, and together we’ll make a hire. Can it really be that simple?

Pinch me, I must be dreaming.

Well, it’s been seven and one-half months since I was laid off from my last role as a corporate recruiter. In that time, I have gone through every possible emotion as a result of my circumstance. The initial numbness of denial at the loss of my job of seven years. The anger of “Why me?”. The inevitable acceptance of circumstance. The excitement of the prospect of starting fresh and anew. The flattery of people reaching out to you with opportunity. The searing pain of rejection. The glimmers of satisfaction when you know you’ve had a positive impact on someone else’s search for gainful employment. Lastly, that final feeling of elation of the roller coaster coming to its final stop, and disembarking as I accept the offer so generously extended.

Wow…. What a feeling. I’m in that zone right now.  I feel blessed that I’m here, having held on, white-knuckled at times through the ride. The excitement is almost unbearable. The anticipation of the first day in the new office is mounting. Planning for the logistics of the assignment. The new people I’ll meet. The groups I’ll be supporting. So fresh I can almost taste it.

I do feel a certain sadness, though. Almost a guilt. Again, “Why me?” comes into play and rears its ugly head. So many others less fortunate than me in their circumstance, with their perception of a less than break-even chance of finding a job, much less an opportunity. My heart breaks for those I’ve come to know, and who have shared in my struggles since March, yet still have no viable prospects. To you I tip my hat, and say “Hold on to the bar, your ride will come to an end”.  My ride is over, and it’s time for me to move on, and shed any remaining sadness and angst, and for now, enjoy my good fortune, and that final feeling of elation.

Never give up. Fight hard every day. Stay strong and find a reason. May God bless you in your journey as He has mine.

I think job applicants have just had it with today’s protracted hiring cycles. I speak with candidates on a daily basis, and frankly, I can’t blame them for their frustrations.  Companies seem to be in a mode of unspeakable analysis paralysis. There are many factors to this phenomenon and they include such things as a lot of low hanging fruit out there to be plucked easily from the trees, a mode of self-preservation on behalf of the people in the hiring process, and what appears to be an overwhelming fear of making a bad hire in an unforgiving economy.

Let’s state it in simpler terms. There are a ton of qualified candidates out there, and recruiters and hiring managers are terrified of the ramifications of making a hire-be it good one or a bad one.

In this employer’s market, the hiring cycle should be a relatively quick, cut and dry process. With all of the talent on the market, it shouldn’t take long to identify a few high quality prospects, screen them and offer them a job. Unfortunately, that’s not what’s happening. People drag their feet. They blame the overwhelming ad response and the need to carefully screen every candidate to the nth degree (analysis paralysis). They double clutch on moving forward, because if they do, there may not be another job out there to work on (self-preservation on behalf of the corporate recruiter) or the high caliber candidate that has made it to the final round of the selection process, may very well be an overachiever (self preservation on behalf of the hiring manager). Lastly, if you do make a bad hire, you’ve probably burnt the only requisition you’ll be given in who knows how long, and your deliverables may be more adversely affected the new team member who’s dragging the team down, than if you were to just finish the project with the resources you already have in place (bad hire in an unforgiving economy).

Come on, people. Loosen up on the pucker factor.  Man up and do your job.  Screen some candidates, narrow it down to a short list and pull the flippin’ trigger for Pete’s sake.

I just received a rejection letter today. This will be the second rejection letter I’ve received in the past two weeks, and I am absolutely ecstatic! That’s right, I am head over heels excited and want to shout it from the mountain top!

I know, you think I’m crazy. I may well be, but that’s beside the point. Rejection stinks! We’ve all experienced it, and I think most of us would rather have root canal than be told that we can’t have something we want. In this case, we want a job, an opportunity to be productive at a company we like, and to be moving forward with our career development plans. Well, I’m here to tell you rejection is part of those plans.

One of the first lessons I learned in my training as an agency recruiter is that sales is a numbers game. Recruiting is sales, and so is marketing yourself as a job applicant. There is no difference, and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. A good salesman knows that they must make numerous calls before they get a bona-fide lead, and even more calls before that lead becomes a prospect. Guess what comes next? More calls. Those calls will eventually lead to meetings with prospective buyers, many of whom won’t buy your product. But one will. At least one, and THAT, my friends, is the person you are trying to reach. It takes relentless persistence to turn that lead into a prospect, and that prospect into a sale, and that’s why I am ecstatic when I receive a rejection letter. It means that I am that much closer to getting to that person (or people) who will buy my product! (or in this case, offer me a job).

I know it’s not that simple folks, but my point is valid. Rejection is hard to swallow, but you can’t let it eat you alive. Many of us are worn down by our respective protracted job searches. I include myself in that category, and I’ve felt the same pain and anguish many of you have felt when you just KNEW you were going to get that second interview…. Or ultimately, that offer. I’m here to tell you it doesn’t have to be this way. Look at each interview NOT as the job you’re going to land, but the interview that will get you one step closer to the interview for the job you’re going to land. You’ll be pleasantly surprised at how putting things in this perspective will help. Sooner or later your efforts will bear fruit. They always do.

For now, I’m off to make some calls in anticipation of rejection.  I say “Bring it on!”

I’ve had the good fortune of landing a number of interviews recently, and it’s dawned on me that I just don’t care anymore. That’s right, I just don’t care. Oh, I care about my job search. I care about landing the right opportunity. I care about my ability to effectively present myself as a viable solution to my next employer’s problem. I just don’t care about putting up “The Façade”.

You know what I’m talking about. Your game face. The interview identity. “The Façade”. I don’t know that I ever really put one up, but I know that recently I’ve become much more cognizant of just being myself, and not trying to figure out in this chess game we call an interview, what it is the person across the table is thinking, or what it is they’re looking for in their candidate. I just don’t care. Sounds pretty arrogant, doesn’t it? Frankly, I just don’t care.

Let’s put this all in perspective if we can. We can all put on “The Façade” when we need to, and we all need to from time to time. The interview is not the pace to do it and let me tell you why. It sets up unrealistic, and in many instances, false expectations. You are who you are, and I am who I am, and trying to be the “everything to everyone” by morphing yourself, your beliefs, and your posture on a given scenario in an interview is plainly just a lie. Why would you lie to someone who’s trying to hire you? Don’t try to sell an apple to someone who needs an orange. Focus on being the best orange you can be, by letting the real you come out in an interview. More than likely, the interviewer is going to see through “The Façade” of red paint, smooth skin, and stem you’ve put on and recognize the orange colored, textured skin and navel that comprise the orange that’s sitting in front of them.

Imagine the scenario when you get settled into your new job, where your employer expected what they saw in the interview, and you’ve taken off “The Façade” and fallen back into your comfort zone as something diametrically opposed to what was presented in the interview. Well, better dust off the resume again because the clock is ticking on your short tenure in your new job.

Just be yourself. You can’t be anything else, and somewhere out there, someone wants an orange. I’m not even sure what fruit I am, but there is one thing I do know:

I just don’t care any more.

If this job market has taught me anything, I would have to say it boils down to three things:

Patience

Perseverance

Passion

Patience: I have never seen a market that reacts so slow and deliberately in its hiring cycle. It doesn’t matter how many calls you make to follow up. It doesn’t matter if you have other competitive forces driving your need for closure on a given opportunity. It doesn’t matter that you’re chomping at the bit to get back to work. The market is glacial in its speed and you’re not going to change that pace. I’m not saying you shouldn’t be diligent in your efforts, nor have a sense of urgency about your job search efforts. I’m saying that you must be diligent and have a sense of urgency. You just need to keep things in perspective. Be patient my friend, otherwise you will wind up in a twisted bundle of nerves, frustrated and disappointed that the rest of the world doesn’t want to move at your pace.

Perseverance: Never lose sight of the goal, never let up in your efforts, and never cease in believing that the right opportunity is out there. The job market in its current state is disheartening to say the least, but there is opportunity out there to be had. That opportunity goes to those who are creative in their approach to marketing themselves, and who persevere in their efforts. Others who don’t have this level of commitment give up after a few weeks or a few months, and settle for something that does not fully leverage the talent they bring to bear. This is the easy part of your search, people. Those who take themselves out of the race because they don’t see the finish line immediately in front of them with the silver cup, a dozen roses, and a bottle of champagne awaiting them. They settle for a pat on the back and the consolation of “nice try….maybe next time.” The finish line is there. Keep a steady pace, let the others who don’t have the intestinal fortitude drop like flies as you pass them by, and continue to forge your way towards your ultimate goal: A job you’re qualified for, and that has some level of personal fulfillment.

Passion: As frustrating as your situation may be, never, never, never lose your passion. This is what differentiates you from those around you who give up. Show passion in everything you do, even in light of sometimes falling flat on your face in your efforts. Get up, dust yourself off, put the smile back on your face and get back in the race. Passion is infectious. People see it in your efforts, in everything you do. I’m not just talking about your game face for interviews of the networking calls you make on a daily basis. I’m talking about the posture you portray in your posts in social media. It’s how you cheer for your child at their sporting event. It’s the fact that you are out doing the gardening and lawn work, yet stop and take a few minutes to have an upbeat conversation with the mailman or neighbor that stops by. It’s how you interact at the dinner table with your family, folks. Show passion in everything you do, plain and simple. You’ll be amazed at the reactions you get and how it impacts your efforts in your job search.

I can say all this because I’ve lived it for the past few months. Looking back on my experiences in my job search, these are the three basic elements that have helped me maintain a degree of success in my efforts, and keep some level of sanity in light of what at times seems to be overwhelming circumstance. Patience, Perseverance and Passion…. not necessarily in that order…. have proven to be the keys to success in my efforts. I’m turning the keys over to you, now. What you do with them is up to you.

I’ve written before about seizing opportunity in an earlier post that had to do with consulting, but the issue has made its way onto my radar screen again as of this past weekend, and I thought I should re-address it in a more generic way.

I was out on Saturday making the rounds scouring the clearance bins at a couple of big box office supply stores when I came a cross a framed poster that caught my eye. It was in the foyer of the store with a bunch of other items, and I did a double take, stopped myself dead in my tracks then focused in on the item.

The poster was one of those motivational prints from Successories. You remember them. They used to set up kiosks in the mall and sell their inspirational and motivational posters, awards, and desktop accessories. I used to have one of their desktop accessories on my desk. It was a piece of faux granite, and on it was the following inscription:

“In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity”

Often attributed to Ben Franklin or Albert Einstein, those words ring true for me as a recruiting professional. My guess is that some of you reading this might find some relevance in those words too. But I digress, so we’ll go back to the poster that stopped me cold.

The poster was about 24″ x 30″, matted, and framed in a simple but elegant black frame. It was a picture of a lighthouse, alone on the edge of a cliff, its beacon reaching out into the stillness of the harbor. The sky was red and cloudy, a sailor’s indication of either a beautiful night of calm seas ahead, or the impending, relentless morning storm, I can’t tell which. The inscription underneath the poster said:

“S U C C E S S”

“The secret of success in life is to be ready for opportunity when it comes”

I read it again, and the wheel started turning. I turned to go inside the store and stopped again, unable to resist taking another look. Something inside was speaking to me, clearly, distinctively. I turned to walk away and again, I stopped in my tracks. I turned back to the poster, picked it up and looked for a price. There was none, but it didn’t matter, it was coming home with me.

$20.00 later I walk out of the store with this bit of motivational kitsch, and took it home where it now sits in all of its oversized glory in the tiny little corner that has become my home office. It is there as a reminder for me, and should serve as a reminder for you too.

Do you know opportunity when you see it? If you strive to be successful, you damned well better recognize it, and quickly, because opportunity tends to be fleeting at best, and you need to be able to seize it before it slips past you, never to be seen again. Success most definitely lies in the ability to seize opportunity. Whether it be in your networking activities, the interview you’re about to prepare for, or in the negotiations phase of the pending job offer, opportunity will present itself, and you need to recognize it. More importantly, you need to be quick to react and go straight for the jugular. Anything less and you’re left in the dust. Ask yourself the following question: “Are you ready for opportunity when it comes knocking?” I am, I’ve seized it, and am ready to reap success as a reward for my efforts.

Now if I could just get my hands on the Successories poster with the boxing analogy…..