I just returned from NAPS and my husband asked me what the takeaways were from this year’s conference. There are several new ideas that I embraced and, as always, I was reminded of some core fundamentals that I need to tighten up. The biggest benefit of attending this year, though, was far and away the opportunity to connect with kindred spirits, to catch up with old friends and make new ones. In times of uncertainty, I think it’s too tempting to hunker down and take up an isolationist policy. We think that if we just work harder we’ll be okay. And there’s something to be said for the necessity of increasing effort and output in a tough market. I know it’s taking me more calls today to generate a job order than it was a year ago. So, I’ve increased my phone time and I’m not planning any long pleasure trips in the immediate future. I get that. At the end of the day, though, there are just so many calls you can make. There is only so much effort and energy you can… Read more
My friend, Joannie, was diagnosed with breast cancer this spring. According to breastcancer.org, every three minutes a woman in the United States receives that diagnosis. Chilling statistics turn devastating when those statistics become personal. The good news for Joannie is that the cancer was found in time and, after a masectomy, she has been declared cancer free. She still faces several reconstruction surgeries but considers herself blessed and extremely fortunate. She’s a survivor. As she was telling me about the journey she’s been on for the past several months she was quick to give glory to God and praise to the medical staff who assisted her, with one exception. The doctor who first diagnosed her delivered the three words no one wants to hear–”You have cancer.” Those three words set off a flood of emotions and send the mind into dark places where angels fear to tread. As Joannie sat there stunned, the doctor explained that she would need to make an appointment… Read more
Stick With a Winner
Aug 14
I recently made a trip to the DMV to renew my driver’s license. I could do an entire post on the joys of an hour spent at the DMV but let’s just say that if the people hanging out in that lobby represent a cross-section of American society, we have much bigger problems than $4/gallon gas. My visit was mind numbing (why didn’t I bring something to read?!!) until it was my turn to have my photo taken. I took my receipt and my soon-to-be expired license to the friendly man at the counter behind the camera. He glanced at the old license to verify that it was indeed me before he snapped the picture and then said, “Do you realize you’re wearing the same suit today that you wore for your picture four years ago?” I gasped and grabbed the old license out of his hand and, I’ll be damned, he was right! He consoled me with, “Well at least you’re wearing different accessories and I like your new hairstyle better.” Are you kidding me!? This had gone from an annoying errand to a critique of my… Read more
Interesting Times, Indeed
Jul 17
I have noticed lately that I’m hearing from a lot of candidates and clients who call just to “check in.” The conversation usually starts something along the lines of, “I just thought I’d check and see what you’re seeing in the marketplace.” More often than not, these calls are for the purpose of checking their perceptions about what’s happening in the market. Typically they are having a tough day and are seeking affirmation that they aren’t the only one getting their butt kicked out there. They’re feeling the pressure of an increasingly competitive and volatile market and they want to know they’re not alone. They’re not alone, but I’m not so sure that’s good news. May you live in interesting times is the English translation of an often repeated ancient Chinese proverb and curse. There is little doubt that the times in which we find ourselves are indeed interesting, but there is a companion proverb/curse that is less often quoted which is equally appropriate for the… Read more
I have a confession to make. I am addicted to a reality TV show called “The Real Housewives of Orange County.” I’m not proud of it, but I feel better now that I have that off my chest. Yes, folks…I even Tivo this show so I don’t miss one juicy minute. I don’t even know when it airs, but Tivo knows and at the end of a long week, that week’s recorded episode is waiting for me. Unlike other so-called reality shows, I love this one because I actually believe it’s real. In fact, a friend of mine who lives in Orange County tell me that it’s tame compared to people she knows in the area. I think I also love the show because two of the five “housewives” they follow on the show are actually top producing sales people-one in real estate and the other in insurance. How two top tier sales professionals qualify for the moniker of “housewife” is beyond me, but I digress. The top producing insurance agent is an intense person. She’s a bit of a stranger to her husband who is more subdued by a… Read more
Listen, Empathize, Redirect
Jun 11
Being a manager is an incredibly difficult job when an organization is going through significant change or challenge. So often I speak to managers, either as clients or candidates, who are worn out by being in a situation where they have to hold their team together, alleviate the concerns and anxieties of their staff and keep them focused on strong performance. As a recruiter I can tell you that many of the candidates who are receptive to my calls and willing to take a look at new opportunities work for organizations in turmoil. Changes in pay plans, product deficiencies, internal fighting, unmet expectations and uncertainty about the future seem to be more the rule than the exception. Why do some companies see a mass exodus of talent during turbulent times when other organizations are able to weather the storm and come out stronger? I had a conversation this afternoon with a senior-level manager with a company going through several significant challenges. He was proud of the fact… Read more
If you’ve followed my blog for more than one or two posts, you know that I think salespeople are pretty special. Maybe it’s because I am one and I have just enough of a narcissistic stripe to enjoy gazing at my own reflection. I had the opportunity to meet a salesperson this week that reinforced my deeply held belief that salespeople have about as much in common with the general population as a bobcat has with a house cat. They’re from the same family, but one’s idea of a “fancy feast” is that their lunch was wearing a Rolex watch. Back to the point of my story…the woman I interviewed had a track record of overachievment in sales and when I asked her what she enjoyed most about selling her reply was immediate, “I love the monkey on my back.” Not the cold calling, the relationship building, the presentation, the post-sales follow up. Oh sure, that’s all part of the sale and she didn’t dislike any of those things, but what really makes her come alive is that she knows her success… Read more
Pull up a chair and let me tell you a very unfortunate story. I share this story with the hope that you will learn from someone else’s mistake. I would love to tell you that I’ve never seen someone make this mistake before, but the reality is that I’ve seen this happen one time too many. A candidate, let’s call him Brian, went for his final interview. The job was “his to lose.” The employer had serious interest in this candidate and barring any major gaffe in this final meeting, planned to extend an offer. They had opened up space on the calendars of several extremely busy executives to meet with Brian one final time. The company in question is THE dominant player in their industry with a market cap of nearly $1 billion. They compensate well and working for this company definitely “blue chips” any candidate’s resume. Since I forewarned you of the unfortunate nature of my tale, you surely have guessed that Brian was not hired. What went wrong? How did the employer’s interest fall… Read more
Don’t Stop. Don’t Start
May 24
Because my search practice is national, I have the pleasure of interacting with people from every nook and cranny (what is a cranny?) of the country. We all make generalizations about people who hail from different places than we do. Everyone in Southern California is tan, people from New York are impatient, folks from the South are just so dad-gum (is that a real word?) nice and everyone from the upper Midwest plays hockey and eats vast quantities of sausage. Sometimes the stereotypes hold up and other times they are completely unhelpful. My friends Brent and Chuck from Indianapolis (they must love car racing, right?!) tell a great story about attending a football game in Seattle and coming completely unglued when the fan next to them snacked on the organic apple and granola bar he brought with him to the game. They assure me that this could only happen in Seattle. Another client from New York called recently and after spending more than 6 seconds on hold (what did I tell you about… Read more
You Know What You Gotta Do!
Mar 19
My dear friend, Tony is full of what I affectionately call “Tony-isms”. His philosophies on life and success are brilliant in their simplicity and simply brilliant. One of my favorite Tony-isms is: “You do what you gotta do, because you know what you gotta do. So do it!” Think about that for a minute. Don’t think about it too hard or the circular logic will make your head spin, but it really is true. Most of us don’t suffer from a lack of knowing, but rather a lack of doing. A friend of mine was in an emotionally abusive marriage for more than 20 years and finally had the courage to leave the man. He was never going to change and she knew it. She suffered for more than a decade and told herself and anyone who would listen, “I don’t know what I should do.” When we went out for cocktails to “celebrate” her divorce she told me that she had known for years that she needed to leave. It just took her time to get the courage. I remember several months ago talking with a wise friend… Read more
![Image of My Life in France (Illustrated Edition)[Rough-Cut Edge] by Julia Child](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/11sXitUpaUL._SL110_.jpg "My Life in France (Illustrated Edition)[Rough-Cut Edge] by Julia Child")