Ya know, most of the time, I sit around shaking my head about how the human race has become nothing more than a bottom feeding blood sucking goo of about me, for me, give me, feed me, pay my bills, take care of my children.   Reading the newspaper and listening to talk radio or TV is a quick trip to the quicksand of depression.

 But every once in a while I am just knocked off my feet by a brilliant remark, insight, generosity or just good will from some of our people-kind.   That happened yesterday.  A casual remark from one of our own – a new guy on our block (AND WE NEED YOU TO BLOG STEVE!).   Out of the blue, in the middle of some kind of business discussion this guy comes out with this, paraphrasing here: “The reason I joined this business is because I truly believe that with the exception of the medical field – our profession has the greatest impact on human lives.  Whether it is finding someone the right job, keeping them out of the wrong job – we have the ability to positively influence lives.”  WOW.   What a concept.  We are not just about making money – we actually influence lives.    I had to stop and think about that for a minute. Steve is right.

 Maybe that makes me shallow and a candidate for the blood sucking goo of about me – but I LIKE feeling that we can make a difference and positively influence lives.  It just makes me feel good, and I wanted to share.

The premature passing of CEOs is no longer a rare event. Historically this condition beset only an unlucky few, but we are now witnessing many damaging examples of leadership gone awry. A recent study of CEO succession in the world’s 2500 largest companies, conducted by a top management consulting firm, found that the frequency of CEO succession events increased from 6% per year in 1995 to 11.2% per year in 2000. Perhaps even more telling are findings that in 2001 only 47% of corporate chiefs who departed did so under terms of a so-called regular transition, compared with a whopping 72% in 1995.

How pervasive is dysfunctional leadership? I’ve encountered senior executives who insist on pursuing patterns of dysfunctional behavior — who, even in the face of withering heat brought on by mere lip service to the need for fundamental change; pursue actions that lay wide open the web of narcissism that has engulfed them. Is this seemingly endless line of leadership betrayals we see unfolding before us a legitimate indictment of the majority of leaders currently running (or available to run) our enterprises?

My experience, and that of senior colleagues in the executive search profession, suggests that this is not the case. However, our experience does attest to the fact that while this dysfunction is not the norm; the trend of premature succession is on the rise and is likely to accelerate.
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 In my last BLOG, I talked about the Recession and “is it over?!?”.  Well, the consensus from all the experts seems to be “YES!”.  Does this mean hiring is next?  I do not know about you, but I am tired of all of the monkeying around and I am ready to be so busy that I will not be able to take a break to even peel a banana.  Ok, maybe not THAT busy but I think you get the picture. 

The answer to “Is Hiring Next” is mostly positive with feedback showing hiring in the next quarter. Many economists, corporate leaders, and others supposedly “in the know” seem mostly upbeat about a recovering economy. Also, many executive recruiters are advising employers to “start getting ready to start hiring.”  HIP HIP HOORAY!!!!  I go ape over news like this! Here is some of what I have read condensed to be easy on the eyes, short and to the point:

• Workforce Management magazine (http://www.workforce.com/) recently reported that “Recruitment process outsourcing providers are seeing an increase in interest from employers…now realizing the need to start hiring again in the next few months.”

• The smartbrief.com survey asked this question: “…when would you expect to restore more normal investment in business, including inventory, staffing, expense budgets and capital projects?” More than 1,000 respondents recorded with these results: 44 percent expect to restore more normal investment in the first half of 2010… 29 percent in the second half of 2010… 12 percent in the fourth quarter of 2010… and 10 percent in 2011 or later. Only 5 percent expect to restore more normal investment in business in the current quarter.

• Recently, CNNMoney.com reported the Leading Economic Index (from the Conference Board) “for a fourth straight month, another sign that the recession is bottoming…”  The report quoted Ken Goldstein, economist at The Conference Board, as saying, “The indicators suggest that the recession is bottoming out, and that economic activity will likely begin recovering soon.”

• Recent survey results released by CareerBuilder.com and Robert Half International, Inc., found that 53 percent of employers surveyed plan to hire full-time employees in the next 12 months. Another 40 percent plan to hire contract, temporary or project professionals in the next 12 months. Survey results came from 500 hiring managers. The respondents reported the average time to recruit a new full-time employee was ranged from 4.5 to 14.4 weeks.

In summary, yes, hiring seems to be next; it’s music to my ears.  We just need to get these companies to buy into it and get that consumer confidence up and through the roof.  No more monkeying around…it is time to get down to business! Let the hiring begin!

It’s ALL in the Details – From a Recruiter’s perspective

What do we recruiters need to know to help find that perfect candidate for our clients?  Is more information or less information better? Is just a job description enough?  Well for me, a recruiter at a contract research recruiting firm, partnering with our clients is almost as if we work at their site.  We are actually an extension of their recruitment team and sharing the right information is key to our success. 

Sure, job descriptions are important and yes, all the technical requirements are a must have to find the right candidates, but honestly it’s not enough. Clients need to provide details such as:

-why the positions are open
-team or department structure
-details on hiring manager (his/her management style)
-expectations
-what the team lacks
-how long positions are open
- challenges as to why they have not been able to fill the position on their own to date

I can go on and on; you get my drift, right?  Details!!!  Speaking to a hiring manager is also a bonus; his/her version of the position and ideal candidate provides incredible insight.  Sharing their knowledge, what he/she really is looking for, what the must haves are for this candidate, what he/she is willing to bend on or be flexible on is very valuable.  This type of information can’t be picked up from a job description alone. So yes, hiring managers on intake calls should be a RULE.

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I am sure we have all heard variations of this story, legend, chain emails -  call it what you like. The author is unknown and Snopes makes several references to this story from its association with Royals to our fair neighbor Canada. It is a great tale of heart warming anticipation where you hold on to your fork because pie/dessert is coming next and therefore the best is yet to come.

Nice story and all and some may wipe a tear but what the heck does this have to do with you and me, all the unemployed people who have been despairing over the past months and the entire staffing/recruiting/HR bandwagon that has been hurtling downhill all year? You see, I’m the eternal optimist when it comes to new ways of doing things – Web 2.0, automation, spider technology,  semantic, Boolean, 3G, 4G, Artificial Intelligence  – better, smarter, faster, interactive, more intuitive, streamlined, and the fact that mankind is always improving on things.

Don’t get me wrong, there are days/times when I am down. But in spite of the fact that Nearly 16M People Can’t Find Jobs Amid Claims Recession Is Over  or the fact that U.S. Unemployment Rate Hits 10.2%, Highest in 26 Years I have eternal hope.

I and all my tribe are cheering for a quick end to the bad times. OK so shoot me,<gobble, gobble> but if we all don’t think that the only way out of this is up, we’re all toast, man. It is just a question of time.  Because in the midst of the doom & gloom all we need is more good news like Bay Area Tech Company Needs to Hire 200 Recruiters & Sourcers, One Year Contract .

A past Executive Admin once said to me, “The Universe, my dear, has a way of balancing it all out” as I pulled my hair out on a frightfully annoying, ongoing, “client kept changing the specs” search.  A lot of truth in that as I eventually found out.  So let’s celebrate Thanksgiving (I sure hope the more fortunate, still employed among us will invite at least one unemployed family to share the meal) and be “THANKFUL” for what has been and for what we have enjoyed (granted it’s been a while when the unemployment paycheck has been coming for months). 

The next time you reach down for your fork, let it remind you ever so gently, that the best is yet to come. Count your blessings and here’s to better times for all.  

Happy Thanksgiving y’all!