Achieving Your Optimal Greatness!

Watch this AMAZING video on achieving your optimal greatness!

Being In The KNOW

Knowledge is POWER and when it comes to job hunting and interviewing, “being in the know” is essential. How you convey and leverage what you know, throughout your recruitment process will separate you from the pack. Here are a few helpful hints on how to do just that.

Know Your Assets – YOU!
What is your best asset? YOU are! Far too often candidates are unaware of the overall value they can bring to a potential employer. They drone through their interviews giving basic answers or dropping “buzz” words and phrases into their conversation. (I’m a synergistic team player whose core competencies are mission critical to enhancing the overall strategy of the bottom line!) Say what? Prior to an interview write down several key value propositions you can offer a company based on your specific skill sets, the requirements of the role, and your overall experience. You want to stand out positively in your interviews, to make a statement and leave the hiring managers thinking about you long after the interview is over. Be confident without being arrogant and present your total professional package.

Know Your Potential Employer
Time and time again, candidates are ill prepared when it comes to knowing the landscape of who they’re interviewing with. In this technological age when even dogs have blogs, there should be no excuse for not doing your homework and research on the company you’re interviewing with. Be sure to review their website, know their products and services, identify key players, know their mission/values statements, and if possible review press releases and/or newsworthy articles. Being well informed goes a long way with hiring managers. It shows your willingness to go the extra mile and you’re readiness to invest and be committed.

Know How to Ask Insightful Questions
Ask questions beyond what the scope of the job and benefits package. Ask the hiring manager what he/she finds to be most challenging about their role. What separates them from their competitors? Where do they see themselves in the marketplace over the next few years? What new products or service offerings do they anticipate rolling out in the near future? What are the key indicators that make their firm/company successful? Asking insightful questions that relate to the company vs. just your role, signals the hiring manager that you have a big picture mentality and understand how your work contributions affect the bottom line.

Know to Stay Abreast of Industry Trends
By staying in tune with industry trends, both from a skills perspective and your prospective employers, you add tremendous value to your process, your conversations with hiring managers, and have the potential to provide valuable insight that shows you’re truly dialed in. It also affords you the aptitude to speak your potential employer’s language and will garner you more credibility. It also shows you’re a visionary hungry for knowledge and more importantly, willing to share that knowledge

Helpful Tools to Be In The Know

• LinkedIn
• Company Websites
• Industry Blogs
• Press Releases
• Network Events
• Social Networks
• Alumni Groups

copyright 2009

Funny Video:Recruitment Recession in the US

I just love this video. I found it on a fellow bloggers blog. It's a humorous look at the state of a candidate rich market in this awful recession. Enjoy!

http://www.ere.net/blogs/video_20/ACF3D5CDBDD042F5AFCF779A71D006B3.asp

Lighting Your Professional Pilot Light

About two weeks ago, while my son was taking a much needed shower, the pilot light on my water heater went out. My son is 12, so pretty much any shower he takes is much needed. For the handyman/woman inclined, this is clearly not a huge problem; however, when you have a paralyzing fear of imposing, fire laden objects as I do, this presents a huge problem. I’ve always been deathly afraid of large boilers, industrial ovens, pretty much anything that breathes fire. Given I didn’t want to take a cold shower that day, and “Joe the Plumber” was too busy with his new found fame, I decided now was the time to confront my fear and attempt to light the pilot on my own.

I drove to my local neighborhood hardware store and spoke with the Methuselah of the place, Roger. Roger has been there since 1927. I figured he would have the sagest advice on lighting my pilot light without blowing up half a city block in the process. I returned home, read the directions on my water heater (per Roger’s wise counsel), double checked that my insurance policy was paid up, prayed to the God’s of Fire that they not pour out their wrath up me, and armed myself with a flash light and candle lighter. The inside of the water heater was this collage of eerie looking, dark iron plates and tubes. I reached inside with my candle lighter and clicked on the light. Nothing happened. Click. Nothing again! Click, a third time. Then, suddenly the pilot light had lit and the water heater roared with the sound of fire rolling back into its belly. Mind you my heart was in my throat the entire time, but now it was beating with a sense of pure triumph. I screamed out “I DID IT! I DID IT!” and then proceeded to do “The Happy Dance” around my garage. OK… like none of you have done “The Happy Dance”? My only audience was the dog, who seemed equally excited but clearly had no clue what I had just achieved. I had overcome the creepy looking insides of the water heater, past the cobwebs, dusty tubes and grates and lit my pilot light.

What drove me to overcome this fear; to grab the water heater by its horns and face this beast head on? Necessity! The necessity to take a hot shower, have hot water for the dishwasher, washing machine, and cleaning. All too often we’re thrown into a situation that pushes us outside of our comfort zone; that completely terrifies us. Frequently we go kicking and screaming, knowing deep inside it’s the best thing for us.

I’ve recently been challenged by my client to hire an R&D Director. Mind you, R&D Directors are few and far between. I’d probably have better luck finding a leprechaun with a pet unicorn. As part of my sourcing strategy it became necessary to call R&D experts in major organizations in an attempt to network with them; and if the Recruitment Gods saw fit, even hire one of them. I have no problem cold calling candidates, but to call experts and try to get a few minutes of their time to network with me, when there’s truly nothing in it for them, made me shy away from the task. All I could think about were the hang ups or irritated, brusque responses from those I had to call. Knowing the deep necessity to fill this position, and because I like having money to pay my mortgage, I knew I needed to overcome any silly fears I had about being rejected by the R&D experts of corporate America. Much to my surprise as I started making calls I came to realize that the R&D experts were truly that, experts; experts at networking. They were professional and courteous and didn’t make feel rushed. I was able to speak their language and garnered not only their attention, but their respect. One gentleman spent 30 minutes on the phone with me going through his rolodex. At least 7 people I spoke with said they wanted to forward the job description on to their networks. I noticed that I was actually enjoying speaking with my contacts. I was learning more about the R&D industry as a whole, I was able to brand my client and they now had my name and contact information. The best call was when I was speaking with the president of an R&D firm and at the end of the call he informed me that he was good friends with my client’s National R&D Partner and that he’d put in a good word for me. I told him it wasn’t necessary, but was thrilled to know that by overcoming my fear of calling such high level experts I was making headway in filling my opening.

I’d like to challenge you over the next month to face a professional fear you have. Maybe it’s the fear of cold calling, networking, taking on a new project, or perhaps, the fear of failure. Whatever it is, push the negative thoughts prohibiting you from getting your professional pilot lights lit. Face your fear head on and then do your happy dance once you’ve set that baby ablaze.

copyright 2008

Going For The Gold

With the Summer Olympics racing hot on our well pedicured heels it seems fitting to talk about what it takes to be a champion in our business.

A gold medal is the Olympic hallmark that announces to the world that you’re the best. A gold medal means you’re an outstanding athletic professional. You have garnered the respect and admiration of your peers. People aspire to be like you.

To be champion requires several key attributes. Here are just a few.

ASPIRATION
All great athletes have a desire to be the best in their field. When they first get the bug to perform they are consumed with perfecting their skill. They eat, sleep and drink their sport. In interviews you often hear athletes talk about who their athletic mentors and heroes are; the seasoned athletes whom they model themselves after and want to become. A well rounded athlete also knows that it’s a privilege to have the physical and mental capability to compete. As such they are committed to go the distance for the privilege of being titled “The Best”.

Being the best is an integral part of human nature. As professionals we all have a desire to be the best at what we do. We strive to be at the top of our game. Not from an ego standpoint but from a quality standpoint. We train, educate ourselves, and strive to be the best in our field. We look to internal and external leaders in our industry and learn what makes them so darn good at what they do. We study and apply their techniques. We look to the day when we can become masters of our craft. To be considered one of “The Best”.

DEDICATION
If an athlete is anything it’s dedicated. You hear story after story of athletes who got up at the crack of dawn every day and worked through bone crushing, grueling training sessions. Despite the tired muscles, exhaustion, blisters, failures etc, they remained committed to their sport with a laser like focus on the ultimate prize. A dedicated athlete is always in “The Zone”.

A champion recruiter is without fail dedicated to their trade. They are committed to the process, their colleagues, industry, clients, and candidates. They are ready, willing and able to go the distance. Whether it’s working long hours, undergoing years of training, using outside of the box strategies, or overcoming countless obstacles, they remain steadfast in their dedication to seeing the job through to the end. A champion recruiter stays focused on his/her goal, shows up each day with their game face on and is always in “The Zone”.

MOTIVATION
Athletes are motivated by many factors. I’ve often heard that it’s the drive to meet the challenge and know you have the capability of accomplishing something great that motivates an athlete to go beyond their comfort zone and reach for what others would deem impossible. Athletes are often quoted saying “It’s only difficult after it’s done”. How true this is.

As such, a champion recruiter is motivated by the drive and challenge to go beyond meeting their clients’ and candidates’ expectations. To reach beyond what they thought was impossible. It could be taking on a role in un-chartered waters only to realize (or maybe even be shocked to know) you truly did have what it takes to accomplish great things. Being properly motivated allows you maintain your composure during difficult situations, having a good attitude during the repetition of the job, and not letting your failures overcome you but rather to stretch you beyond your limits. It’s having a healthy, competitive drive and the desire to win; win at getting your candidates to say “YES” to an offer and your clients to say “Well done”.

JUBILATION
Experiencing “That Moment”. A dedicated athlete dreams night and day about making it to the Olympics, and more importantly, standing on the coveted middle box to accept their well deserved gold medal. The struggles, pains, and frustrations all fade to the background as the crowd’s cheer, the anthem plays and they bask the sweet taste of victory.

I’ve had the opportunity to experience professional victories in my life and the joy of taking in that “that moment” is priceless and well worth the journey to get there. No matter what the obstacle, a difficult client, a weak market, hard to find talent, or going weeks without seeing a placement, it’s vitally important to use your champion attributes, stay the course and apply your years of training. Use your mentors for guidance and most importantly, don’t deny yourself the win. There’s nothing like having “That Moment” when you’re standing in the winners circle. Now… on your mark… get set… go!

copyright 2008

The "F" Word -- FLEXIBILITY

This past week, I returned from four days of visiting my family in the tiny but great state of Rhode Island. Yes, my boss actually unlocked my ankle bracelet and allowed me leave the state for a few days – lol. One of the highlights of my trip was showing my eleven year-old son the tree I had purchased and planted when I was seven years-old. Like me, the tree has many rings and shows its history; however, she (yes, she) stands tall, proud and elegant and has many great stories to tell.

After several days of partaking in delicious Atlantic seafood, watching the Bostonians drink themselves silly over the Celtics, and visiting the church and house I grew up in, it was time to get back to the West Coast. My flight was due to leave on Monday at 3:00 p.m. After I had checked in, gone through a detailed weapons search (I kid you not), and was reveling in a cup of Dunkin Donuts coffee, Delta Agent Debbie announced that due to electrical storms, our flight would be delayed three hours. OK… I thought; better to arrive alive then to elect my own death via electrocution in a flying tin tube. I could certainly handle a three hour wait. As we neared 6:00, Delta Agent Debbie informed us that our flight would not be leaving for yet, another two hours. A slight anarchy was brewing amongst the less tolerant passengers. It’s quite comical to watch how rude and childlike people can become as a result of their inflexibility and lack of manners. As 8:00 came and went, and I was up to date on all of the celebrity mags, Delta Agent Debbie, now clad in a bullet proof uniform, announced our flight would not depart until 10:00. Fast forward two hours, Delta Agent Debbie, now opting for the witness protection program, sheepishly informed us that our flight was now completely canceled and we’d need to rebook for first available flights in the morning. Great! A seven hour delay and I wasn’t an inch closer to my intended destination. The morning was even worse when I had been bumped twice before finally boarding a 1 p.m. flight. Close to 24 hours after the fact, I was at last, homeward bound. Unfortunately, Delta Agent Debbie has since been reported missing.

As I sat in the exceptionally tiny seat of 33A, I couldn’t help but think of how important it was that I had maintained a good attitude, humored the situation and strived to exude flexibility and patience throughout my epic of delays. I’m always running at 100+ miles an hour and here was life graciously handing me time to relax, catch up on my reading, do some writing and just simply… be.

Many times, with our clients, we’re required to make an unexpected change. A change we may not like; a change that may inconvenience us greatly; a change that in the absence of looking through the right lens, we might miss great opportunity. The critical factor in embracing unexpected change is our ability to display FLEXIBILTY. It’s easy to get frustrated, lash out at the cause, quit, or announce our entitlement to not have to yield to the change. Staying the course, exhibiting professionalism, being flexible and keeping a laser like focus will bring insurmountable success to your projects and ultimately, respect from your clients. Although the process and timing of my trip home had changed, I still ended up with my intended result; a safe journey home. Sometimes the journey will require a different path or approach, but the destination and end result is the same. The next time you’re confronted with an unanticipated change with your client; don’t hesitate to use the “F” word… “FLEXIBILITY”. I guarantee this is one time you won’t get your mouth washed out with soap.

copyright 2008

CREATIVE THINKING

I’m always fascinated by brilliant, small inventions that make our lives easier in an amazingly huge way. I came across one such invention about a month ago at my local Starbucks; or as I like to refer to it "The Mecca of life giving fluid." The coffee dude… excuse me "Barista" handed me my quad shot venti vanilla latte and kindly asked "Do you want one of those green stick thingies"? "A green stick thingy" I asked? "Yes", he said, "So you don’t spill your coffee while walking around". He then showed me how the green stick thingy went inside the mouth part of the lid and locked, thus preventing my coffee from spilling while speeding down the highway and dashing into work, out of breath, but albeit, on time; all the while, never losing one single drop of my caffeine beverage that required a small loan to purchase. Throughout the day, every time I looked at my green stick thingy, which I later learned through intensive research on Google it is officially called a splash stick, it made me chuckle. Something as simple as a splash stick would now bring ease in transporting my coffee from the countless places I bring my coffee to. Let’s face it, our cell phones and Starbucks containers are pretty much the new appendages of the millennium and anything that allows their transfer from one place to another hassle free, I’m all for it.

This got me to thinking about how small, positive changes in our work processes, attitude, thoughts, how we deal with our clients, and our creativity can have a huge impact on our overall work product. One such example came last week when one of my associates, Christine Semana and I were attending the LA Chapter Ascend Networking event. Our competitor firms were going to be in attendance and offering valuable raffle prizes. Unfortunately, we had a budget of about $1.14 to work with to supply an equitable raffle from our client. Not that they didn’t want to give us more, but, with a global recession, the monies just aren’t as easily available right now. Christine got the brilliant idea to check with the firm’s partners to see if they had some sports tickets they could donate to the cause. As a result she was able to score two tickets for the coveted Rose Bowl game in January, a PGA golf bag and a $200 Godiva chocolate gift pack. All because she thought outside of the box, put her creative thinking cap on and utilized the resources around her. This simple gesture of creative thinking had an amazing impact when it came time for the raffle. Our raffle prize rivaled all of the other firms, including each of the Big 4. Our raffle was the prize everyone wanted.

I challenge you all to have a splash stick idea, to think of ways you can re-engineer your process, thinking, or use your resources in ways that may seem small at the onset but will have a positive, profound effect in the long run. Now if only someone could invent an easy, fool-proof way for me to program my DVD player.

copyright 2008