"Live" KITList event September 29th 6pm

Sue Connelly, founder of the KITList, is hosting a live friendworking event in Palo Alto this coming week. Check the KITList blog for details and invitation. If you're a KITList member or supporter, come to this marvelous event. And, as an added bonus, you'll get to meet me, since I'm participating in a short panel discussion with several other KITList supporters. Be there, or be square...

Good News - at last - on Hiring

Yeah!
Finally, we can say we are coming out of the Great Recession.
More companies are hiring new employees than are laying off.
This is a critical indicator, like the various Purchasing Manager Surveys, which indicate business sentiment.

If you're looking for a job, redouble your efforts. Make sure you are not ignoring smaller organizations in your search. If you've given up looking because the prospects were so slim, get our there and start your search again.

http://www.portfolio.com/business-news/2010/07/19/national-association-of-business-economics-issues-hiring-survey

And now for the good news

For a change, there is finally some good news out of an executive survey on hiring.
For the full detail, check out
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37870110/ns/business-us_business/

This means more recruiter calls for those of you who are working, and hopefully opportunities opening up for those of you who are looking for new jobs.

As a Head Hunter, it is good news to know that the mood on hiring is brightening.
No wonder I can't wait for this summer.

All the more reason to use a Real Search Firm!

This article, detailing a suit on non-compete clauses and recruiting by company alumni gives a clear indication of why a 3rd party recruiter may often be worth their weight in gold. Companies can protect themselves by using an outside recruiter.

http://www.webguild.org/site.php?url=http://news.idg.no/cw/art.cfm?id=3E4521DD-1A64-67EA-E4E72980E5530596

Another kindred soul HeadHunter

With some ideas so spot on I thought I'd just copy and re-post.
Wonderful article Richard - you just read my mind.

http://www.recruitingblogs.com/profiles/blogs/jobseeker-tips-when-working

Business Creation should be the goal of jobs bills

I want to refer people to this fascinating article filled with conflicting stats which are finally explained. New business formation should be the real goal of all of us, and of any government action - this is the real deal.

This article also shows how job loss and age of the business correlate.
And that's the problem we have right now - so few new businesses were formed over the last 5 years that it will take years to catch up. And that's where Silicon Valley needs to kick it into gear again.

http://smallbiztrends.com/2010/03/entrepreneurial-job-creation-statistics-are-an-economic-rorschach-test.html

First : Fire all the unhappy people!

This is such a good article, would that every manager could do this - what a wonderful world corporate america would become. How many times have we felt our enthusiasm wane because of the negativity of co-workers?

First, fire all the unhappy people

A worker who is unhappy in his or her job can drag down morale and take a serious hit on a manager's time and energy. Some employees just aren't a good fit with your company, and as a business owner you have a right to surround yourself with people who want to be there and who will contribute positively to the company, Jay Goltz says. New York Times, The/You're the Boss blog (03/09) http://boss.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/03/09/the-secret-to-having-happy-employees/

I haven't blogged because I've been depressed!

A recessionary environment is a depressing time for a recruiter. When the phone doesn't ring with new search assignments and existing clients don't return calls, it gets lonely to be a recruiter.

But enough about me - you knew all of that if you thought about it. You also knew that many recruiters took up other pursuits while the economy was so far down. So last week's unemployment numbers were a particularly nice surprise.

Temporary positions hit a big uptick, and that's good news for those looking for work -
there actually are some of those "temp to perm" opportunities to get your foot in the door. For more detail, check out Perrin Peacock's blog:

http://www.recruiter-talk.com/profiles/blogs/more-temp-jobs-added-in-feb?xg_source=activity

Here's hoping the next report shows what I'm seeing in the willingness to hire measure for employers - they are actually opening new positions! Hurray!

Ready, Aim, Fire!

What's left of the recruiting industry is ready for 2010~
So many agencies have given up the ghost- it is enough to depress even the most optimistic recruiter. But many of us have been shining up ours shoes, so to speak... and investing in our infrastructure, and working on making 2010 our best year ever. And your 2010 much better than 2009!

So, make it your New Year's resolution to :
*As a candidate, reach out to network with recruiters as well as others who can facilitate your finding the next job
* As a hiring manager, reach out for the help of independent recruiters to fill those positions you have been toiling with on your own and not filling (now that you realize it is not as easy as you thought :^)
* As a CEO, recognize how much time your managers are wasting in the recruiting process - they are not getting their own work done because they are not using outside, smarter resources for these activities
* As a Corporate HR Leader, ditto the above - you are in charge of smart resource allocation, so start practicing it!
As a Corporate HR Leader, think about smart ways to leverage your current staff through other use of outside HR Consulting resources (you don't need to hire employees - use a consultant for just the projects that you need completed now)

Lack of Civility Rampant

Here's an article from another blog I read - the point is well made about the rampant lack of civil discourse, basic courtesy, and the ill mannered actions of the week.

http://www.fistfuloftalent.com/

Check it out. And remember that Mom always told you "If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all".

Why Won't That Silicon Valley HeadHunter Talk to Me?

Maybe it's because you are not in the niche or specialty that this particular recruiter works in. Many times, headhunters are quite specialized - they only work a specific niche within semiconductors, for instance, and only recruit design engineers with master's degrees in electrical engineering for that work. Further detailing the specifications they're looking for, the recruiter may only be interested in people with experience in a specific product type, like systems on a chip. If you don't meet every one of these specifications, you are not in their target space.

And they won't call you back, or even respond to your email. Which is bad manners, but understandable... The better headhunter will give you feedback, tell you what you're missing that is on their specification. And in a perfect world, suggest what other experience that you need and how/where to get it.

Why Won't that Silicon Valley HeadHunter Talk to ME?

Sometimes we're actually on vacation, or busy on another project... Sometimes it is just about task interference. You remember that? What happens when you have competing priorities, that you really can't prioritize? You remember those days - everything has a deadline, and it's today.

Be mindful of the fact that the recruiter can be in overwhelm. And the fact that s/he has 150 resumes in the queue to review makes her/him pretty cranky. And that pushy phone call that you made really is annoying. A better way to handle it is a well-written and respectful email - recognize that we have multiple jobs we're trying to fill, and that they may not have read your credentials yet. Especially in sales and marketing roles, I'm always looking for great follow up skills.

Why Won't that Silicon Valley Head Hunter Talk to me - part four

Head Hunters do make incorrect assumptions sometimes - can you believe it? Sometimes we are flat out wrong! We make assumptions that because you've held a bigger job in a bigger organization, you wouldn't really be interested in our smaller, lesser paying job. Especially if you have been in a Fortune 500 company like HP that the start up we're recruiting for can't afford you or you would turn your nose up at the lower profile newcomer in the space.

Sometimes these assumptions on the Head Hunter's part are correct:
* There are issues of "fit" in the transition from larger company to small
* There are issues of rewards, both monetary and other in this transition
* There are issues of influence
* There are issues of support - in most small organizations, you are it

As recruiters, we do need to question our own assumptions. And then ask intelligent questions of our candidates to ensure that we are not presuming some things that are not true. I am often surprised and amazed at the thoughtful answers I get from candidates when I ask. Often candidates have some truly great reasons for wanting to be in smaller companies, and for making transitions that may not look right to us. Often these are the things that make for truly inspired placements.

Why Won't that Silicon Valley Head Hunter Talk to Me? Part Three

There is a measure of civility missing from many of our interactions today - this is just one small example. However it is a big example if you are the candidate seeking feedback and human contact. The biggest reason I need to call you back is self-interest - I will need you some day, if not today. I will be in a position some time where I want you to call me back.

An article in the Jobs section of May 31, 2009's New York Times echoes this theme - "Be Nice to Job Seekers. (They're Shoppers, Too)". Jon Picoult also reminds job seekers to remember to respect candidates when they are in the hiring manager chair.

So keep this in mind wherever you are in the hiring demand chain - your candidates also buy your products. Show them some respect for this reason alone, if not to demonstrate your own humanity.

Why Won't That Silicon Valley Head Hunter Talk To Me? Part Two

It's not really about you at all - it's about the positions that they have job orders for. Think of the recruiter's job orders as a shopping list. If you want steak for dinner and your spouse picks up chicken at the store, neither of you is going to be happy. That's the situation that the Head Hunter is always in. People who come in over the transom as volunteers to be considered are often not what the client wants.

What can you do about this as a candidate? First, read the posted descriptions and requirements VERY CAREFULLY - ensure that you really do:
1. Want the job
2. Actually meet all of the qualifications, or at least 80% of the major ones and some of the
preferred qualifications
3. Have a crisp explanation of why you want the job
4. Are in the right geography - if it says "no relocations" - believe it
5. Meet the other requirements, whether salary, certification or other factors

Don't waste the Head Hunters time - if they tell you that you're not a fit for this position, believe them. They know where they are in the process as well as specifically what the client wants that may not have been spelled out in the requirements. This is true whether you're 50+ or not - there are often additional qualifiers that help a recruiter winnow the pool down. For example, when you're a salesperson selling in a retail environment, your experience in working through distributors may be critical for a particular position and not at all important for others.

Much more on these subjects in the next post.

This is my introductory blog. Check here regularly for topics of interest in HR, Recruiting in the Internet Age, Business in the Web 2.0 world, and other topics that strike my fancy. You'll hear from me on issues that hit my radar and some that haven't hit yours that should.

Core versus Non-Core Business

I wrote on an organizational blog last week (www.womeninconsulting.org) about deciding whether a segment of business really fits in your core competency. GM went through this analysis recently and decided that the 62 year old Pontiac nameplate had to go. Tough decision...
But we all need to do similar analyses in light of the world recession. What may have been working well no longer is based on many factors outside of ourselves. A healthy dose of re-invention is a good thing if you've done your homework and understand to whom you are selling. This is true for consultants, small businesses, and candidates for employment.