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The Question That Has Confused Humanity Since The Dawn Of Time

Compensation, Inspiration, Recruitment /

The compensation topic has been a point of contention between recruiters/HR and candidates since the dawn of civilization. The compensation conversation typically plays out like this: Recruiter: How much are you presently making? Candidate: How much can your client pay? Recruiter: It’s flexible depending on… Recruiter: What are your salary expectations? Candidate: How much can they pay? Recruiter: Can you provide a range? Candidate: $100,000 to – $200,000 annually Recruiter: Would you take $100,000? Candidate: No …and the game of ‘show me your hand’ continues until both sides are worn out and frustrated with each other… The foundation of this conversation is a lack of trust. Recruiters want the best available talent at the cheapest cost; candidates want the highest number from the available range; hiring managers want to pay the lowest salary and expect candidates to produce to the level of the top end of the range. My approach to this topic is evolving and will continue to evolve until I officially retire. It’s for certain that compensation continues to be the primary motivator for a career change. Instead of haggling and wasting precious time, wouldn’t it be far better for candidates to disclose what they need in order to make the career move? NEED and WANT are distinct and should be treated as such in this context. Hiring managers would be far more receptive if they were told what a candidate NEEDS to earn versus what they WANT to earn. When a company hears “want”, they associate that with greed or an unrealistic demand, and that typically creates unnecessary hurdles to the end goal. “What do you need to earn” bleeds empathy & compassion. For years, we’ve heard executives talk about their budgets, what they’d prefer to pay, or what they think a person is worth, and recruiters often manipulate this to their own advantage. Let’s replay the same scenario above, this time framing the question a new way: Recruiter: What do you need to earn? Candidate: What? Recruiter: What do you need to earn to make this career move? Candidate: Well, I’m currently making…(Recruiter Interrupts)… Recruiter: Irrelevant. You’re not looking for something new. You’re a high performer in your current role, and I contacted you about this opportunity. What do you need to earn to justify the move to yourself and your family; leave the seniority that you’ve built up with your present company; drive an extra 25 minutes which will make you 25 minutes late for dinner time every night & start over with a new company in a role that could be considered a gamble? What do you need to earn? Candidate: I never thought of it like that. Recruiter: Think about it and get back to me. The result of this is a sober & honest answer to this question that a recruiter would then communicate to their client with all the relevant context. Approaching the salary question in this way will eliminate negotiations, put the onus on the customer to meet the expectations, and put pressure on the candidate to deliver. Try this and let me know if it works for you.

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Accountability

Career Insight, Inspiration, Leadership, Recruitment /

Good leaders hold themselves accountable. Sweeping things under the rug does not magically make issues go away, and moving dirt to another location is not real cleaning… Thankfully, I have a Wife who will call me out if I’m wrong, and I appreciate her for that… The problem can’t always be your followers… If they’re leaving, it could be that you failed to provide the direction and safety they needed… Rather than directly addressing their concerns, they were villainized for raising their concerns to begin with… This is hardly the foundation for sustainable growth that can foster future leadership… People should be taken care of at all times and your message should align to your behaviour… Any misalignment will jeopardize the integrity of your stance as a leader and create more confusion in the environment… This is precisely why recruitment cannot afford to operate transactionally… Its purpose is too important to the health of the corporation… Too many in the profession see turnover as an opportunity to backfill and cash a cheque, reducing themselves to scavengers who prey on dead corporations with terrible cultures… Recruiting for a good leader is far better than recruiting for a bad leader… I owe it to the people’s lives that I’m temporarily disrupting, and leading to what I’m selling as a “land flowing with milk & honey”, to make sure that the environment is one where they can see a progression of their career… This all starts with good leaders who create the policies, systems, and culture that facilitates career development… Anything less than this means that we’ve missed the mark and have done those in our care a disservice.

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Recruitment Was Not Designed To Help People

Career Insight, Inspiration, Leadership, Recruitment /

My understanding of the recruitment industry has evolved… There is a lot circulating in the marketplace about the state of recruitment… A common misconception being that recruiters help people – WRONG! Recruiters serve the corporate entity by finding talent for them. Recruiters have confused these two things, have sold this message to the marketplace, and are getting exposed when their actions don’t align with “helping people”… People are hurting and rightfully so… As noble as helping people is, and this is certainly a people driven business, there is more to this… It’s in every recruiter’s best interest to treat people well, but stop lying to yourself and misleading people in the process… Physicians help people. Recruiters help the corporation and drive economic growth… The disconnect started when recruiters thought they had a runway to success that absolved them of their humanity. We forgot that people respond favourably when they are treated with respect… Historical thought dictates that once you get the business, the candidates will come! No. Secure the business, treat people well, and you’ll enjoy success and longevity in this industry… Recruiters for years have built with one hand and torn down with the other… There is a trail of scarred job seekers and passive candidates along the way, yet we have the nerve to boast about advancements in technology and how that will improve our service… We’ve made the service offering more sophisticated without addressing the character flaws within our ranks… The key question that every recruiter must answer is, how do you want to be remembered? If your aim is to be successful in this industry, then you cannot build sustainability on the backs of the most vulnerable in the market… Recruitments value is far greater and has global impact… Matching talent to great companies is how you get paid; treating people well is how your legacy is created.

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Dominion

Inspiration, Leadership, Recruitment /

When you master something, you dominate in that area and conveniently woven into dominion is effective leadership. Amazon dominates e-commerce… Chick-fil-A dominates fast food… Starbucks dominates beverage… When you think of these brands, you think of market mastery… What you personally feel about these brands is irrelevant; they dominate their industries and the quality they provide is second to none… They dominate because they serve the needs of their marketplace better than their competitors… When you dominate, you don’t need to advertise or compromise. Mastery Precedes Dominion Amazon does not need to offer discounts or special offers, yet retailers are doing everything possible to get consumers back into their stores… They’re offering you something more valuable that consumers are willing to pay for… Time & convenience. That’s the mark of a good product or service – it’s ability to give you a return on your time. This is how you dominate and become a staple in many people’s minds. Consistency Precedes Mastery You cannot master something until you’re consistent… Chick-Fil-A is consistent across all of their chains. You get the same level of service no matter the location or time of day. They are faithful to delivering a superior service and they’ve also remained closed on Sunday’s since their inception. Mission Precedes Consistency Starbuck’s mission is to inspire and nurture the human spirit—one person, one cup and one neighbourhood at a time. Consistency is the product of knowing the mission and working towards it in one accord. Once you know where you are going and you’re convicted, you will then work consistently towards achieving that goal… So, how do you experience dominion? Every company wants to dominate, but the average company doesn’t know what they stand for, they don’t know where they are going, and they haven’t done it consistently over an extended period of time to master it… The goal is not money. It’s dominion over your marketplace. Dominion attracts money.

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Come in…

Career Insight, Human Resources, Inspiration, Leadership, Recruitment /

Troy, another member of my team has resigned. What’s going on with the market? The market is fine. You’re the problem. When you hired all of these great people, you were the prize in their minds. They wanted to work for you and with you because of your passion and compassionate approach to leadership. You were promoted, and that’s great, but while you were evolving and moving up in the company, the people who were attracted to you are no longer exposed to you. That dotted line into you and your knowledge, no longer exists. If they hear from you, it’s the occasional staff meeting or company outing. Don’t feel guilty for your ascension, but you underestimated the positive impact you had on those who worked for you. The appeal of the company was strengthened by the prospect of working for you. How do I keep my best people, while still pursuing my own personal ambitions within the company? Well, make yourself accessible through your direct reports who directly manage those who once reported to you. Your mindset, character, passion, & spirit must be replicated and felt by your direct reports and conveyed to their reports. They must never lose sight of you. You will lose your best people if they continue to feel disconnected from you, the asset.

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Morally Deficient Leaders

Inspiration, Leadership, Recruitment /

The Foundation is Cracked Interests are selfish, meanwhile pockets are growing bigger. We spend so much time discussing the financial deficit and we’ve neglected our growing leadership deficit… Some advocate for increased spending to eradicate the debt. Some are lobbying for more frugal tactics; yet hidden in all of this is a growing marketplace of morally deficient leaders… People are hurting, and the scars run deep… Our employees have been reduced to convenient resources that we bait with incentives, and callously let go of when they no longer fit the long-term agenda… This has created a marketplace rooted in distrust, which has produced widespread paranoia… We boast of advancements in technology and all of the possibilities that come with that, mean while our people are looking over their shoulders, wondering if they’ll be employed 6 months from now… That is no way to live, and this explains the decrease in productivity. Recruitment Has Been Compromised On a talent level, I’ve heard the grievances, and the cries are unanimous – we need better leadership. This is why the world needs external recruitment. If we only knew the power we possess and the influence we can have on organizations and the global economy… We’ve been distracted due to the carrot that’s been dangling in front of the industry for years – the money carrot that is predicated on “earn today at any cost.” Even if that means engaging in behaviour that you fundamentally don’t believe in. Pressures from our leadership have forced many to compromise… This is why we need good leadership… Bad leadership bleeds through organizational hierarchy, into our society, penetrating our homes, with many in the household wondering what version of their family member will be coming home that day (…stay tuned for more on that). My Heart’s Condition I care. My tone is one of frustration, but also deep care for people who deserve a better experience that leads to better outcomes… I am highlighting what is, while challenging us to strive for what can be. If not me, then who? If not now, then when?

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The Haircutting Experience

Career Insight, Inspiration, Leadership, Recruitment /

I learned over the weekend that my Cousin who is a Barber by trade, has mobilized his business. He invested in a mini truck that he converted into a barbershop and drives around to various locations, parks, and cuts hair (see pictures below). Traditionally, you had to visit a salon and Barbershop to get a fresh cut. Now, the cut comes to you… The Pain Point Barbershop’s historically have always had retention issues. The path towards being a shop owner typically starts with finding a physical location (usually in a densely populated strip mall). From there, you’d recruit other barbers to work in your shop and rent out your chairs to them (typically 3-4 chairs in a standard barbershop). Each barber is essentially operating as a solopreneur under the banner. The Idea He was inspired by a tattoo company that is entirely mobile. His vision was to mimic the tattoo model by mobilizing the haircutting experience. With the proof of concept already in place, it was full steam ahead from there… Talk about addressing the needs within your market segment in a simple and elegant manner. Naturally, I thought about recruitment… Recruitment On Wheels? “Recruitment on wheels” sounds catchy, but doesn’t have the same degree of credibility… Firstly, we’re already a ubiquitous service…perhaps to a fault (maybe some scarcity would improve our public perception)… Secondly, the issue is not our mobility or availability. The elephant in the room when I talk to decision makers is entirely tied to trust… Can I trust you to do what you’re saying you can do? What makes you different from everyone else? Recruitment is not suffering from poor technology integration or lack thereof… Dressing a pig in a tuxedo does not change its nature. It’s still a pig… Similarly, technology won’t magically transform a poor recruiter into a good one… Decision makers don’t care about your tech stack. They care about their time not being wasted and you delivering the right people who can move the needle for the organization… How you get that talent over the finish line is a cherry on top. Some of the best recruiters I’ve witnessed were not tech savvy. In fact, their submissions to clients were anything but aesthetically pleasing… The resumes were not properly formatted, and emails were poorly written or lacked depth… Yet, what they did very well and what made them successful was their ability to address the needs of their clients… Their relationships were built on them keeping their word and delivery within hours (not days or months)… They did not waste time… That’s what recruitment must return back to, and automation should only facilitate what’s already working well. Summary My Cousin found a gap in the industry, met the need, and carved out a place for himself in a crowded marketplace… …he addressed some of the primary struggles that are prevalent in the barbering industry (owning a shop/renting out chairs/retention), and his future goal is to have a fleet of trucks that can be deployed to different locations. He’s definitely on his way.

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Rebuilding the Recruitment Industry – The Pillars

Inspiration, Leadership, Recruitment /

The foundation of recruitment has been compromised by pressure and greed, and this has been strengthened by managers who have placed profit over ethics. A corrupt foundation will only produce corrupt professionals… I believe the issues that plague the recruitment industry are directly tied to leadership. You can’t fix something until you’ve identified that a problem exists, and you’re willing to make the changes necessary to restore it back to its original – the state that was once respected & treated like a partner, and not a vendor. We’ve taught tactics and best practices, but we failed to groom character & integrity. Character is vital if you’re going to have any success in the profession. We’ve become enamored with the unlimited earning potential, but neglected the ethics that made the service a credible extension for a company looking to scale. I’m hopeful because I believe that the restored state of recruitment has the potential to be more valuable than what was originally created… The present state of the recruitment industry is flashy and boasts a great deal about their offerings, but most recruiters vanish under pressure, leaving a trail of disgruntled people along the way… I’m hard on the industry because I care, and to who much is given, much is required. Today, we call that paying it forward… We’ve confused talent with character… We’ve encouraged entrepreneurship without ensuring that our professionals go through rigorous training. I was fortunate to grow where I was planted, and while difficult, I was faithful to the process, and the results have produced good fruit… That’s why the industry is no longer valuable… A candidate who I placed over 10 years ago into a role that catapulted him to a great career in his field, reminded me that I am more than a resume pusher… “Troy, I have a home today because of you…” Sobering to know that I could be used to help build a family’s future through what I do as a profession… The pillars of this industry are human built. Advancements in technology serve to enhance the human experience. Those who understand this will leverage it appropriately… This only happens when your foundation is strong and you are fully self aware… What do you want to be remembered for? What sort of legacy are you creating? The foundation of every legacy is a compilation of your daily interactions with people… The placement is the by-product of treating people with respect… Too many recruiters focus entirely on the carrot.

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The World Needs External Recruitment

Artificial Intelligence, Employer Insight, Human Resources, Inspiration, Leadership, Recruitment /

Demand is soaring for talent globally, but enrolment in recruitment best practices is declining, and younger people are deciding not to pursue a career in the sector. How can the industry do a better job of attracting & retaining talent and changing negative perceptions? The disconnect is alarming – 1 in every 4 recruiters will leave the industry after their first year, and demand for competent professionals has reached an all time high. Add to this a persistent talent shortage across key sectors, and I would definitely report to Houston that we have a problem. Current & Future Challenges Within engineering alone, we are seeing a rise in enrolment into areas like Artificial Intelligence, Renewable Energy, and Biomedical/Healthcare. Understandable given the surges we’ve witnessed in digital transformation, concerns about climate change, and a population that continues to age coupled with the integration of technology. Recruitment has never been more necessary for the challenges we face as a society, and there is strong correlation between (good) recruitment and a sustainable economy that can compete globally. The priority remains to connect good people with good companies, and this is where recruitment can be a difference maker. An average position vacancy can take anywhere from 3 to 6 weeks to fill, but we’ve seen this number increase over recent years with roles being left open for upwards of a year. Factors such as applicant volume, internal approvals, poor screening practices, and an inability to decide on the part of hiring executives have extended this process to the frustration of job seekers. This talent conundrum is being felt globally by decision makers who are facing the reality of not being able to deliver on production targets and strategic objectives. It has never been more complex to hire and retain talent over recent years, and recruitment must step up to alleviate the challenges that organizations are facing and will encounter in the future. Our ability to compete as a nation is directly tied to how we groom, stimulate, place, and retain our best and brightest, and this starts at the ground floor level – a better trained and more competent fleet of recruitment professionals who understand current market pressures, can connect with people in meaningful ways, and lead them into favourable situations. Future Recruitment Professionals The lack of appeal to younger professionals is due in part to misconceptions around recruitment. A train of thought that positions recruitment as a sleezy and ubiquitous career choice with no real guardrails to protect the professions integrity. Recruitment is not an aspirational industry for young people to join. “When I grow up, I want to be a recruiter,” does not exist in most households since there are hardly any good examples for our young people to emulate. You sort of stumble into the sector and make it work. If you catch on quickly, you can experience real success. If not, then it’s unlikely that you’ll remain in the industry beyond a year. This is supported by the fact that there is no direct pathway into the field through formal education or training. Anyone can be a recruiter – great for someone at a career intersection or mid-life crisis, but detrimental to the credibility of the industry. Furthermore, the focus on hitting quotas and punishment rather than support & rehabilitation for underperformers have increased the revolving door or forced recruiters to engage in short-sighted, unethical behaviour. Even though organizations continue to rely on “recruitment practices” to meet their targets, very few have the internal resources & expertise to enter the marketplace, engage in conversations with the top percentile of talent, & bring them over the finish line. The distance between that hiring requisition and filling the position is vast, and there is a misunderstanding of where recruiters actually add value and how they work. The recruitment industry has to do a better job of demonstrating its legitimacy to its marketplace and to future professionals. Void of a better marketing campaign with appeal beyond just earning potential, recruitment will continue to face attraction & retention problems within its own ranks, and those problems will undoubtedly be transferred to job seekers and hiring executives. Rebranding as a Mechanism of Change Recruitment needs to be rebranded to the marketplace, but this starts with making impactful changes internally. This starts with improving our leaders, more formal training that builds character and resilience, compassion during periods of drought, and incentives that actually reward performance. Recruiters will continue to be the drivers of growth for our economy, but they must reposition themselves as an essential service in the marketplace by first changing their own self perception. You cannot allow others to dictate how you work and what you work for. Any rebranding campaign that does not emphasize the human experience & time savings will not gain traction in the market. Automate as much as possible, but the human connection can only come from a human. This cannot be replaced, nor mimicked.

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Stop Promoting Yourself

Career Insight, Inspiration, Leadership, Recruitment /

Too many leaders advertise themselves. One lengthy bio after another… We’re more informed about the qualifications of these people then we know about what they & the organizations they represent stand for… (…truly stand for.) Everyone is a servant, thought, or compassionate leader these days, yet employee disengagement is at a record high… People are depressed & facing severe career malnutrition, yet leadership advice has littered every social media platform, and it’s only becoming more prevalent… If leadership quotes could help us, then we wouldn’t be experiencing widespread layoffs at all levels within an organization… We’re drowning under leadership best practices and Sunday night is still a source of anxiety for many professionals… The issue with advertising a leader is a matter of unpredictability. That individual could leave the company, be demoted, pass away, or change… Then what? If you’re attraction to an organization is solely based on the person leading it, then it’s possible that you could be disappointed in the near future… I love Texas! Every time I’m there, I feel like I’m at home. There’s something in the atmosphere that puts me in a safe zone. I love the food, the people, and the hospitality that I feel from the locals. I love the Lone Star State, yet I’ve never met nor had a conversation with Governor Greg Abbott. In fact, I know very little about the man… Despite my ignorance of who their leader is, I’m strongly attracted to the State of Texas; so much so that we’ve discussed owning a home out that way… My interest in Texas has nothing to do with its leadership. It has everything to do with the culture that has been created by those in charge… I fell in love with Texas before I ever knew who their leader was… We’re promoting the wrong message to people, and the connection to the environment and its values have become an afterthought… People want to grow… They want financial freedom. They want control of their time. They want flexibility to prioritize things outside of work when it’s necessary. They don’t want carrots dangled in front of them, and they definitely don’t want to feel like slaves to someone else’s ambitions. Stop advertising yourself and start promoting the values, ethics, and attributes of the environment you represent to people… People are attracted to culture & perks; they leave leaders who are defective and lack character… Create the right environment with an unshakeable set of core values, and you’ll never have to advertise your leadership… I wrestled with the idea of posting a Christmas picture of my family around the tree last night… It’s of course seasonally appropriate to do so, and I’ve been inspired by the many lovely photos I’ve seen posted… While tempting, I opted not to post a picture… Trying to ingratiate myself to you is a high that many leaders feel that fades away quickly. People and circumstances are changing every day, and I’d rather you fall in love with the thing that will remain long after I’ve passed on.

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