Talent Search Partners, Inc.

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Employer Insight

I Wore My Best Suit!

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I was asked during a networking event this week about some of the things I look for when I evaluate a candidate for a client. My answers were honest and appropriate based on the current marketplace. One of the things I failed to mention, however, is the importance of emotional composure. I can’t emphasize this enough. Let’s bring this home… 👇 Years ago, I had a great meeting with the Director of HR for a well-known dairy company.The chemistry was positive, the role fit perfectly within my wheelhouse, the company had an attractive growth trajectory, and the Director was someone I knew I would enjoy working with. All good signs. I left thinking that the role was mine to fill. But I am reminded that perception and reality are distant cousins for a reason. I proceeded to follow up several times requesting clarity on the final decision (Side bar: always err on the side of moderation). She ended up going with another agency/recruiter for the search. This is normally where self-reflection kicks in. The meeting was a success—so much so that it felt like she was trying to convince me to take the partnership. But my conduct after the fact was not demonstrative of a key partner for an organization with a jet-pack strapped to its back. How emotionally composed was I throughout that process? The answer is: not much. I felt entitled to an answer, failing to accept the competing variables involved on their end. I did not give the Director a chance to do what she said she would do (i.e., follow up with me). After all, she owed me an answer, right? Didn’t she know how far I drove, or that I wore my best suit? Tenacity can be a professional’s greatest asset, but I learned from that experience that emotional composure—or poise during moments of pressure and uncertainty—is what separates the good from the great. I failed to realize that I was being judged at every single step of the process. Your Takeaway: 🎯 Don’t make the decision easy for a leader by allowing your emotions to blur your sound judgment.

The Ultimate Co-Signer

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We’re all familiar with them, but how many truly appreciate their strategic importance? You’ve likely either been one, or you’ve solicited one for a mortgage, a business line, or a car loan. In cases where the primary signer lacks the established track record, the co-signer steps up. They willingly assume legal and moral responsibility for the outstanding risk. It takes financial clout, but it takes something even deeper: Trust. Essentially, the co-signer serves as a badge of credibility and reassurance to the institution and the customer alike. They act as a guarantor of opportunity and security. In the broader marketplace, the co-signer is the ultimate mediator. They are a conduit of capital for the customer, and a gateway to new revenue for the corporation. They unlock doors that would otherwise remain firmly shut—acting as an advocate for those who need it most in the marketplace. Anyone who doubts the power of a strategic mediator in business simply hasn’t leveraged one properly—or they’ve been disappointed by a counterfeit. In my line of work as a Search Partner, I act as that co-signer for both talent and corporations. My endorsement is a bridge of trust, leading to rewarding outcomes on both sides of the hiring equation. When I back a candidate or a company, both sides can proceed with absolute confidence knowing someone truly has their back. How has a professional “co-sign” or endorsement unlocked a major door in your career?

A Heart 2 Heart

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🛑 Disclaimer: The following is only for the courageous. As a leader of a high-performing team of professionals, you should be asking the following question quarterly: 👉 “Have you been approached by another company or recruiter within the last 90 days?” How you set the tone for this question and frame it is important given the underlying condemnation that might be communicated to that employee. These conversations are happening. Knowing is half the battle, and having this data helps you address dormant, persistent issues. Employees are often afraid to talk to their employers about these problems, but they will gladly share them with a potential suitor. Whether that employee is honest with you hinges on how real your “open door policy” is. 📢 The goal is transparency & proactive remediation. Let’s care enough to go the extra mile. After all, everyone matters and how you make people feel will determine your success in retaining your best people. The late Bob Chapman, Chairman of Barry-Wehmiller & co-author of Everybody Matters, advocated that leaders resist the pull to act transactionally and start treating their employees like family members. One of the most effective ways to promote what Bob talks about in his book is by having conversations that truly move the needle and challenge the status quo. For those who need guidance, here’s one way to effectively pose this question: ✅ “Listen Derek, I understand and appreciate the existing market pressures. I’m also not oblivious to the strong demand for skillsets similar to yours in the marketplace. It’s believable that you are generating attention, though not through your own proactive efforts. But with LinkedIn, for instance, making everyone approachable these days, I’m curious to know how these opportunities are being presented, how they compare against the role you currently hold with us, and how we can continually re-position you to get to where you need to be.” Trust begets transparency, and transparency is the only way to govern an organization. If the retention of your best people is the priority, then asking difficult questions that foster open dialogue & continuous improvement will become the standard.

Leaning Into The Standard

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A transformation this big can feel uncomfortable for the marketplace. The answer, however, is simple—and it’s not what most people think. To call something a “comeback” implies that there was a fall; a deviation from foundational beliefs or best practices. Perhaps the nose-dive of recruitment was not an actual nose-dive, but an extended state of dormancy. Fueled by greed that promoted profit over morals. Speed ahead of efficiency. Termination instead of rehabilitation. The desperate chase for commissions and affirmation caused many to act irrationally. The result? The transactional engagements that most have become accustomed to. My competitive advantage is not really an advantage. Does anyone praise a fish for swimming or a dog for barking? No. Those are simply identifiers of a thing’s state of being. The standard is now under a light because, for years, the industry operated in the dark. Hence, the negative perception in the marketplace. Labeling the current shift as a “transformation” or “comeback” is a good PR tactic. But I view recruitment’s pivot as an awakening—a conscious reapplication of the basic principles that should have always governed the hiring process. It was always there. It just needed people willing to bring it back to the light.

Vision

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Courage stems from the leader and can transform any follower. Real courage is fueled by a vision, and without a vision, there can be no courage. How dare we reduce people to a title or job function! How dare we qualify leadership based on a title or job function! The next time you meet with a leader of an organization for coffee, ask them to articulate their vision. This is not to be confused with the organization’s vision statement. I’m referring to their own personal convictions that shape their vision, which dictates direction. A leader without a vision is blind and can only lead the blind. The vision is the spark plug and the team is the battery. What is your personal vision for your organization, team, division, or branch?

The Business World Is Salivating For Authentic Leaders

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Were you the same person yesterday? Are you the same person today? Are you striving to be that same person tomorrow? Are you driven by convictions, or by acceptance? We are surrounded by professional chameleons who are highly skilled at changing their colors to suit the room. While adapting to changing circumstances and environments is a business necessity, changing your core values to people-please is a flaw. True leaders are real, and authenticity is their greatest strength. What if there was a way to authenticate leadership the same way we validate our humanity when transacting online? If we could run a CAPTCHA test on leadership, the single greatest way to pass would be answering one question: 👉 “How many leaders have you produced to date?” Leadership is more than a title and your value extends far beyond your corner office. Your effectiveness is hinged on your consistency, authenticity, and your ability to cultivate the next generation of leaders.

The Benefits Of Unity

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It was a great weekend with tremendous individual and collective performances on display during this years Jane & Finch Classic, a youth basketball tournament. All eyes were on some of the best players across Canada, and it didn’t disappoint with a finale that included a nail-biting end. My reflection last night led me to 2 key factors that separate average from highly effective teams. These lessons cross all team, industry, and seniority boundaries and will undoubtedly conclude in winning outcomes. Here is what stood out to me from the weekend: Playing to your strengths, staying in position, and coordinating across all fronts will allow your team to remain composed and execute in pivotal moments. This produces a winner every time!

The Right Fit

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“Stars Want to Work with Other Stars” – Mark Tatum, NBA COO & Deputy Commissioner Let’s face it, your inaction is eroding your team’s success. Mark recently sat down with Senior Writer at Forbes, Jabari Young. When asked to discuss his greatest failure, this is what Mark had to say: “I’m not sure I would say that there was one event. What I would say is my biggest learning was a pattern of waiting too long to make difficult decisions on people. So early on in my career, I would know that someone wasn’t right for the role, but I would keep giving them an opportunity. I would always coach them and give them feedback, but there were times when I just needed to make tougher decisions on people sooner because what happens if you don’t is other people see it, other people get impacted by it; it starts affecting the team. Stars want to work with other stars. And if it’s clear that someone is not pulling their weight, earlier on in my career, I would sort of hope and give them that one more opportunity that maybe things will change. That wasn’t serving them well. It wasn’t serving the organization well. It’s better to have an open honest dialogue with them, tell them they’re not in the right role, and put them in a right role. In some cases, if they must move on, they will. And I’ve seen that time and time again where someone wasn’t necessarily a right fit in the role, but then they go on, and they thrive in a different role outside.” It’s been said that nothing upsets a good performer more than watching a leader within the organization tolerate a bad one. Caring dictates that you act and good leadership positions people for success. Thank you, Mark!

The Cost of Wasted Time

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You will fill that position, but how long will it take and at what cost? The time it takes to fill that important role is everything. Here’s why making a hire in under 30 days matters: Pressure On Your Existing Team Members: The mandate for that unfilled position becomes everyone’s burden until a hire is made. Employee Perception: Your best people are quietly evaluating whether the key decision-makers can find the right people. Market Perception: The best in your marketplace will question why that role went unfilled for that length of time. Takeaway: Don’t fear the cost to hire. Count the cost of a disgruntled workforce, frustrated customers, compromised projects, and a weakened image of your company in your market. Fear is counterproductive to growth, and time is your greatest asset.

Technical Assessments

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The goal of administering a technical assessment as a first step is to screen candidates and filter out unqualified applicants. The irony is that this approach simultaneously repels the top talent you want to attract. Assessments should complement your hiring process, not act as a gatekeeper. I recommend using them on a case-by-case basis, and only after meaningful conversations have taken place. Relying solely on a test to make critical hiring decisions is risky, as it is rarely an accurate measurement of intelligence, capability, or future success. You’re essentially asking Michael Jordan in his prime to prove he can dribble a ball. My Alternative: Present a technical scenario during an in-person meeting with the applicant as a last step in the hiring process. Provide them with 30 minutes to prepare their solution and have them present it to you on the spot. This feels less transactional, more engaging, and provides real insight into their reasoning, & how well they critically-think under pressure. Your assessment doesn’t need to be eliminated; it just needs to be repositioned in the process with a clearly articulated purpose.