The Voice

Happy is so yesterday!

2009-06-30T21:23:40Z

As a recruiter with 20+ years of experience I’ve heard the phrase “no thanks I’m very happy where I am at now” more times than I can count, and as recruiters all the world over know this is the equivalent to the brush off “no thanks….I’m just looking” that many of us use with retail sales people. However, what I’m finding as I recruit now is that that very few (and I mean VERY FEW) people bother with such comments as more now prefer to get more details about the job/career path/projects/location & money before making any quick career decisions.

So the good news is that even while they are gainfully employed these passively active candidates are willing to engage a recruiter in a conversation to better ascertain if this could be a better option for their career. The bad news, especially for those recruiters & companies still relying on job boards, is that they still don’t look at job boards, still aren’t actively pursuing jobs and still need to have a better job/opportunity showcased to them to actually recruit them.

Employee Backlash Looming

2009-06-11T21:04:46Z

With the state of the current economy this topic is highly premature, but as a recruiter who is out there speaking with employed people everyday about the limited number of jobs out there I can’t even begin to count the number of them that have gone into detail about how their employer-employee relationship has changed. While they have no other recourse but continue the status quo and keep there jobs, they are certainly of the mindset that as soon as things get better they are out the door. Now the situations that they reference most are the many decisions that companies have made over the last six months in an effort to save money, and they include everything from cuts in salary (5-20+%), reduction or elimination of 401K contributions and finally changes in health bennies or its cost structure.

Now I completely understand that companies have to do what is necessary to stay in business, but some of these moves have either been handled poorly or are simply not playing well with the employees to the point where they are all very interested in leaving. So as we begin to see the market improve over the next six months I think we will continue to see companies’ loose longtime employees who feel that their plates have been broken and simply want to start anew with another employer that they feel they can trust.

Unemployed and Under Employed Candidate Flow is High, but Candidate Pool Still Only Half Full

2009-06-09T19:37:34Z

When it comes to recruiting there are many aspects to focus on in the process. Some focus on the sheer quantity of resumes to provide with an acceptable pool of talent in which to choose from while others are more focused on the quality of the candidates and accessing more than just the individuals that are hitting the job boards to insure they are looking at the highest level of talent available to them.

As we know during a downturn in the economy many candidates that have been impacted through workforce reductions are actively seeking roles and are all too willing to send resumes to companies through job boards and directly through company websites, and this has created the impression within many companies (HR/internal recruiters/hiring managers) that they have a tremendous variety in the selection process. Unfortunately the reality is that they are only accessing a small percentage of the potential candidate pool. So even while many good companies are still growing and adding to staff many employed candidates are simply sitting on the sidelines unwilling to put themselves out there and waiting the economy out and looking ahead to better times. The irony here is that companies want to see these people and have the opportunity to hire them, but have no way to access them without really recruiting and let’s face it if you have 100-200 resumes on your desk how much time do you have to really recruit when you have to screen all of those resumes? Not much! So while the normal tendency has been for companies to run the search first before going outside to 3^rd party recruiters we are now seeing an increase in our clients willingness to engage a recruiter to work simultaneously with the internal staff and so to speak “let them compete” for the placement. Sure companies don’t want to pay fees with such scrutiny on the bottom line, but they also want to insure that they get the best talent and the only way to have that happen is to view all of it at the same time.

You can't always get want you want....even if you think you should

2009-04-23T21:15:48Z

We all know The Stones sang that “you can’t always get what you want,” but in an economic downturn companies just don’t think it applies to them. Face it the few companies that are hiring feel that the streets are littered with strong candidates just waiting to take their jobs, but the reality of the market doesn’t match those expectations.

First of all most jobs that are open in this tight IT market are highly specialized roles lined up with very visible projects and specific technologies (areas include DW/BI, ERP role & security) and needless to say these positions have always been difficult to fill. Secondly with every company (even those hiring) looking much more critically at costs we’re seeing salary offers that are either below the recent market or at best flat. Finally most companies (as noted in our prior blog here) just aren’t hiring candidates that require relocation even if they have the funding available to them.

So to sum up the situation just because some of the talent you want is on the streets and looking for jobs now it doesn’t mean you’ll suddenly see a flood of highly qualified, local and under priced talent at your door ready and willing to accept your position.

The Fear and Mystery of the Job Hunt

2009-04-07T21:48:26Z

We all know that applying to companies directly or over the web during this downturn leaves many yearning for a better user experience as most are left with more questions than answers. Unfortunately the fear and mystery only continues from there, even if they are one of those chosen to be contacted by the company, as sharing information with the candidate is typically not high on their list of priorities.

Unfortunately some 3^rd party/contingency recruiters fail to make the candidate experience any better as many have moved rapidly in this market to focus solely on the needs of the hiring company. Now it is true the hiring company does pay the fee, and they do guide our search from beginning to end, but if I’m not mistaken candidates have to say yes as well so they are every bit as important. So with interview processes getting longer, decisions being delayed and offers being a lot thinner you better be prepared to share as much information as possible with the candidate about the job, the company, the hiring official, environment, etc. as to ensure that you have a good relationship with your candidate or you may be left with offers getting turned down even in this poor market.

No Onions! - A sales story

2009-04-01T17:30:36Z

No surprises here, but we’re in a recession/downturn/what ever you want to call it and as always it doesn’t affect everyone (yes, some companies are actually hiring). The difficulty with working with these companies is that they aren’t looking to fill run of the mill IT positions, but instead high end niche roles (ERP experts/BI/DW/Architects/etc.). Additionally they have requirements for specific technology skills, and with only one or two hires for the entire year these people have to be “spot on”, no and’s, if’s or but’s. To make matters worse is that with all the unemployed people out there looking for work it becomes difficult to explain to companies (and sometimes harder for them to understand) why they aren’t able to locate and attract the people, with the skills they need at their price point.

Now explaining these issues wasn’t always so difficult. When I started in this business 20 years ago I worked for my father who was a long time salesman (started in the Ad business in NYC during the 60’s), and he was able to utilize what some might call bawdy jokes to help deliver the message, and it’s one of these stories he passed along that best sums up this current market situation. Unfortunately political correctness hadn’t yet been invented in the 60’s so I’ve tried to clean it up without diluting the message. Here goes nothing.

A woman goes into the local general store wanting several items and as she lists them off the grocery lets her know that he’s sorry, but they have no onions. Undeterred she continues with the list and again asks for onions to which he again replies that they have no onions. Again she continues and again the request for onions comes. At this point the grocer is getting a little agitated, but knowing the customer is always right simply lets her know that he’s out of onions. Finally she finishes her list and for the final time requests onions. At this point the grocer is beyond mad and in a desperate attempt to help her understand his complete lack of onions asks her how to spell onions. She gives a quizzical look, but does as requested and spells it O-N-I-O-N-S. To which he replies "no" and proceeds to let her know that he spells it O-N-I-F-*-*-K-O-N-S to which she replies “Sir I’m sorry, but there is no F**K in onions” to which he replies “you’re right we don’t have any f**king onions!”

The dual message here is that your clients will continue to ask for everything and you’ll need to continue to let them know the hows and why’s of the market, and that while your patience may be pushed to the edge with perseverance and a consistent message they will eventually come to understand the market and be in a position to make decisions based on those realities.

Contingency planning for the hiring process

2009-02-26T16:41:01Z

Why is it that many companies end a long difficult search process with only one possible candidate and what do they do when that candidate doesn’t accept the offer?

The reality is that most end up back at square one…except this time around the search is more difficult (they just eliminated some percentage of the candidate pool), and they now have fewer recruiters who are not doubt less motivated to spend additional time on a position that clearly will be more difficult to fill than originally thought.

So what’s a company to do? Some contingency planning would help, and it’s not very difficult to do.

The problem is mostly derived from companies that fall in love with their number one and think (most often wrongly) that the #2 just doesn’t compare. More often that not the difference between 1 and 2 is so small that they are practically interchangeable. So why shouldn’t a company increase their odds of filling the job simply by providing the kind of feedback that can keep a #2 in a holding pattern? No reason whatsoever. Of course, the feedback required is straightforward, honest and direct about their status as #2 and a short defined timeline for a response from #1 to the initial offer, because any delay or indication that the company has been less than forthright simply ruins reputations for candidates, companies and recruiters alike.

Taking the Mystery out of the process – companies trying to catch up

2009-02-23T22:05:55Z

As a 3^rd party recruiter I’ve talked with my client companies and candidates about how one of my major roles is to take the fear and mystery out of the interviewing process and to fill that void with information and certainty. Well it now looks like some companies may finally be getting around to understanding the benefit.

In doing some recent marketing research I found one company that actually spelled out their process for candidates on their website, and even explained both the information they are looking to get from applicants at the various stages of the interview and what information the applicants can expect to receive from them as well.

Please don’t get me wrong….I’m still no advocate of posting resumes directly to a company website unless there is no other way in (* see reasons below), but if a company is going to start giving pertinent information that provides candidates this kind of understanding, then maybe a candidate that does present their resume can feel better that an atypical results can be achieved.

Historical reasons why not to post to a company website

Very few companies (as a % of the whole) do a quality job of qualifying candidates, storing the records and later utilizing the candidate pool in which has landed in their lap.
The inability for a candidate once initiating the process to determine if the resume was received, what is the process for consideration, where they sit within the process and who at the company is the point of contact (generic email accounts don’t count as contact)
Reading resumes is highly subjective, so no matter how good yours is it may miss the mark with this hiring official, and you may never get the interview you want and deserve.
Advocacy works: we recommend utilizing a recruiter as your advocate. They have greater knowledge about the job, the company and the hiring official and can help to present your skills so that they are viewed in the best light while also drawing distinctions between your skills and those of your competitors.

We Can Pay Relocation..…Never Meant So Little

2009-02-03T14:32:16Z

I know it’s not my imagination, because I’ve seen it with my own eyes…companies are filling positions with less than ideal candidates (not all of the skills, not the depth and breadth of experience, etc) to avoid paying for relocation.

It’s amazing; companies are still insisting that they are committed to getting the best possible person and are willing to pay relocation expenses to get them. However, as we continue to put candidates in process that would require relocation they continue to be shunned in favor of less targeted local candidates.

So job seekers be aware of how the company is viewing you and be prepared to not get much traction on positions that would require you to move, and if you’re a recruiter trying to fill the job you better deliver your client some local candidates to interview (even if their not 100% targeted) because these are the people getting the offers.

No Pot of Gold at the End of This Rainbow

2009-01-30T21:39:26Z

With more and more companies reducing headcount a trend has emerged that has me baffled. As you might expect we’ve targeted companies that are performing poorly because they are easier to recruit from since logically many more people are looking to “jump ship”, but what we’ve seen is that while many of these potential candidates are expecting to be let go the are actually waiting around for it to happen.

The big reason….the severance package…Huh?

Yes it seems the belief of most is that a severance package and a job search are better than finding a new job now with a career path in a stronger company. From my conversations it seems that they want a security blanket for their search, but it seems like they aren't looking at all the information.

First off severance is provided for two major reasons (1) To pay a debt of gratitude to long term employees as they must massively readjust to a new market place and (2) to provide a short term financial bridge between jobs. (Or if you’re a skeptic like me it’s to control the damage to their public image created by the layoffs). Now if you’re a long term employee this may make financial sense when the industry average is two weeks of severance for every year of service, but the typical IT candidate over the last decade has had at least 2 if not 3 or 4 (if not more) jobs so what’s the payoff for these people? The answer is no much of anything!

In the current job market the average IT pro will spend 6-12 weeks looking for a job before securing their next opportunity. So while that 4 or 6 or 8 weeks of severance looks good on paper it’s either gone or mostly gone by the time you get your next job. So with no financial gain why wouldn’t you look at jobs right now? Benefits of a search now include:

Less competition from your peers as they wait on their severance packages
Control your destiny as you are proactively looking for your next career move and not just accepting whatever job is available once you’re unemployed.
Social stigma still associated with losing your job: Why them? Didn’t they see the writing on the wall? What’s the motivation of a person who waits to be let go? (sorry to say, but these are real questions posed by real hiring officials)

So if you’re one of those candidates in a company where you’re facing the real possibility of losing your job you may want to get ahead of the curve, and be more proactive in your search especially with no real financial gain from any severance package.