Year after year, in challenging economic times, the mantra of cost down is bashed out across almost every business stream and the recruitment world is not immune from it. Those of us who have been around the block once or twice understand the need for businesses to cut costs but also see the number of times that it can actually do you a disservice.
In my best Max Bygraves; let me tell you a story.
Three years ago I won my first retained assignment from a client that I had been pursuing on and off for a couple of years. Good job and an interesting assignment to get my teeth into. As I approached finalising the shortlist they signed off a second role at a slightly reduced fee. I’ve no problem with as it makes sense, so much so that in fact I filled both roles and they recruited a third from the first shortlist. Hurrah!
However, last year as the sector tightened HR & Procurement decided to implement a European PSL and would only work with agencies/recruitment firms/search firms that would agree 10% success only fees.
I declined.
In December they signed off six roles in a new division which went out to their preferred agencies. Much to their surprise eight weeks later they hadn’t received a CV, let alone interviewed a candidate and senior management were jumping up and down on the line managers because the roles were still empty and the projects now really needed the staff.
So why has this situation happened?
Rightly or wrongly recruitment is seen as an overhead cost rather than an investment, with little or no understanding from the procurement and HR teams as to how the agencies operate.
The consultants in the agencies lead very regimented lives in the way that they work and are very heavily revenue targeted, which is why there is such a high turnover of staff in agencies.
Once you send them the 10% fee based job description they will work on it briefly until another client (maybe only hours later) asks them to work on a role with a 20% or more fee, so day by day your role slips remorselessly down the pecking order until quite frankly you’re forgotten in the desire to produce revenue and not be fired takes over. And then there is the other side of the equation. Let’s say that by chance the consultant does find a candidate who matches your brief; are you going to see the CV? Well not necessarily no. Why? Because the consultant’s manager will ask where the consultant is going to send “send out” the CV to and once again the need to satisfy revenue demands takes priority. The manager will ‘encourage’ the consultant to service the 20%+ fee clients rather than the 10% fee client.
Result? Eight weeks later the vacancy still hasn’t be serviced.
To return to my client: Eventually I agreed a 20% fee and in one month had the first three roles in order of priority at offer stage with a one role/one candidate success rate and yes they’re still waiting to hear from their agencies!
Not having people in place for key roles is as every bit, or more, expensive on the bottom lines as paying for the right recruitment firm to find those people.
Invest in expertise and specialist knowledge and it will deliver accordingly.
If you would like to talk with a Director or Consultant about how we can work with you then please contact us at www.chestertongray.com
Showing posts with label client relationships. Show all posts
Showing posts with label client relationships. Show all posts
Friday, 13 April 2012
Friday, 16 March 2012
Signs you're burnt out -- and what to do about it
As we approach the end of the first quarter of the year a recent conversation about the “desperate need” for a holiday made us re-appraise how we view our work. There are a number of warning signs that you are burning out on your business or your job:
1. You see weekends and holidays as R & R. If you look forward to a holiday because you want to do nothing and just veg out... you're burned out. Time off should be fun, adventurous, stimulating -- we all have chores to do, but if all you can think about is sitting on the couch and escaping from the grind you need to make changes.
What to do: Plan something for this weekend. anything; just make sure it's active. Go for a ramble or go cycling. Go to the cinema or the theatre. Do something you normally don't do. Don't worry about the household stuff, because an uncluttered mind beats an uncluttered home any day. Then try to plan (yes, plan) at least one thing you'll do each day just for yourself. Every day is the same when you have nothing to look forward to. Sameness is the mother of burnout.
2. You leave work thinking, "That is all I can handle today." We all have to go home at some point (even if "home" means walking up a flight of stairs.) But how you leave work means everything: If you leave because you've reached your limit then you allow too many headaches, problems, and crises to occur on a regular basis.
What to do: Save one fun thing and do it just before you leave work. If you run a business, choose something gratifying: Checking daily receipts, reading online feedback (hopefully positive), chatting briefly with employees, planning your next move... always leave on a positive note. The same applies if you work for someone else. Never save the tough stuff for last; how you leave work sets up your next day.
3. When you're home you think about work -- but not in a good way. We all take work home with us, even if only in our minds. What do you think about? Do you worry about what might go wrong? Do you dwell on interpersonal conflicts or the lack of opportunity? Some aspects of work are fun; the key is to think about them.
What to do: Don't wait for someone else to help you find the fun in what you do. Think of something you want to do differently. Then whenever you think about work force yourself to think about what you want to do instead of what you have to do. The "have to" stuff will find you whether you think about it or not; you are the only person you can rely on to find and do the stuff you want to do.
4. You hire or promote just about anyone. Hiring or promoting an employee should be just as exciting for you as it is for them. Think about it: You get new skills, new attitudes, new points of view... you get to leverage the skills and experience of others. Pretty cool, right? Not if you're burned out; then you see every new employee as a warm body and every promotion as an open slot filled.
What to do: After you select the best candidate, take a few minutes to reflect on why you chose them. Pay particular attention to the specific skills that put them over the top -- that's what you should seize on first. If an employee is great with people, have them start by repairing damaged or neglected customer relationships. You hired or promoted them for a reason; turn them loose! Your business wins, and so does your attitude.
5. You've stopped thinking about winning. Face it. We all try to win. We all want to succeed, to get promoted, to build a bigger business... we're all competitive to some degree. If you've stopped thinking about the next level then mentally you're stuck in a rut -- and your career is stuck, too.
What to do: Take a step back and think about what you once wanted to accomplish. Are those goals still realistic? If not, create new goals and targets. If there truly is no way "up" for you in your current business or profession it's probably time to move on, painful as that may be. But be objective: The "ceiling" you perceive is rarely impenetrable, only seeming that way because you've given up. Don't.
6. You think everyone else has it easy. Perspective is the first casualty of burnout. Lose perspective and you think the people around you get all the opportunities or the businesses around you get all the breaks. Deep inside you know that's not true, but you let yourself dwell in "woe is me land" because to accept that others have it just as rough -- and yet somehow are succeeding -- means the problem is you.
What to do: Accept the problem is you -- not in a depressing way but in a liberating way. Accepting that you are the problem instantly gives you control to find a solution. (When everyone else is to blame, what can you do?) Everyone has it rough. Everyone struggles. Everyone is impacted by forces outside their control. No problem: What will you do about it? No one has it easy, but people who accept responsibility for their future have it a lot easier than those who don't. You're in charge -- and that's a good thing.
Hopefully these thoughts will help you over the next few months and give you fresh impetus.
1. You see weekends and holidays as R & R. If you look forward to a holiday because you want to do nothing and just veg out... you're burned out. Time off should be fun, adventurous, stimulating -- we all have chores to do, but if all you can think about is sitting on the couch and escaping from the grind you need to make changes.
What to do: Plan something for this weekend. anything; just make sure it's active. Go for a ramble or go cycling. Go to the cinema or the theatre. Do something you normally don't do. Don't worry about the household stuff, because an uncluttered mind beats an uncluttered home any day. Then try to plan (yes, plan) at least one thing you'll do each day just for yourself. Every day is the same when you have nothing to look forward to. Sameness is the mother of burnout.
2. You leave work thinking, "That is all I can handle today." We all have to go home at some point (even if "home" means walking up a flight of stairs.) But how you leave work means everything: If you leave because you've reached your limit then you allow too many headaches, problems, and crises to occur on a regular basis.
What to do: Save one fun thing and do it just before you leave work. If you run a business, choose something gratifying: Checking daily receipts, reading online feedback (hopefully positive), chatting briefly with employees, planning your next move... always leave on a positive note. The same applies if you work for someone else. Never save the tough stuff for last; how you leave work sets up your next day.
3. When you're home you think about work -- but not in a good way. We all take work home with us, even if only in our minds. What do you think about? Do you worry about what might go wrong? Do you dwell on interpersonal conflicts or the lack of opportunity? Some aspects of work are fun; the key is to think about them.
What to do: Don't wait for someone else to help you find the fun in what you do. Think of something you want to do differently. Then whenever you think about work force yourself to think about what you want to do instead of what you have to do. The "have to" stuff will find you whether you think about it or not; you are the only person you can rely on to find and do the stuff you want to do.
4. You hire or promote just about anyone. Hiring or promoting an employee should be just as exciting for you as it is for them. Think about it: You get new skills, new attitudes, new points of view... you get to leverage the skills and experience of others. Pretty cool, right? Not if you're burned out; then you see every new employee as a warm body and every promotion as an open slot filled.
What to do: After you select the best candidate, take a few minutes to reflect on why you chose them. Pay particular attention to the specific skills that put them over the top -- that's what you should seize on first. If an employee is great with people, have them start by repairing damaged or neglected customer relationships. You hired or promoted them for a reason; turn them loose! Your business wins, and so does your attitude.
5. You've stopped thinking about winning. Face it. We all try to win. We all want to succeed, to get promoted, to build a bigger business... we're all competitive to some degree. If you've stopped thinking about the next level then mentally you're stuck in a rut -- and your career is stuck, too.
What to do: Take a step back and think about what you once wanted to accomplish. Are those goals still realistic? If not, create new goals and targets. If there truly is no way "up" for you in your current business or profession it's probably time to move on, painful as that may be. But be objective: The "ceiling" you perceive is rarely impenetrable, only seeming that way because you've given up. Don't.
6. You think everyone else has it easy. Perspective is the first casualty of burnout. Lose perspective and you think the people around you get all the opportunities or the businesses around you get all the breaks. Deep inside you know that's not true, but you let yourself dwell in "woe is me land" because to accept that others have it just as rough -- and yet somehow are succeeding -- means the problem is you.
What to do: Accept the problem is you -- not in a depressing way but in a liberating way. Accepting that you are the problem instantly gives you control to find a solution. (When everyone else is to blame, what can you do?) Everyone has it rough. Everyone struggles. Everyone is impacted by forces outside their control. No problem: What will you do about it? No one has it easy, but people who accept responsibility for their future have it a lot easier than those who don't. You're in charge -- and that's a good thing.
Hopefully these thoughts will help you over the next few months and give you fresh impetus.
Monday, 22 August 2011
Networking Advice for People Who Hate Networking
I’ve been to a pretty diverse selection of networking events, from breakfast meetings to one held (only) in the corridors between offices and I know from a number of these that a lot of people dread networking events. Too often, they end up standing in a corner, chatting aimlessly with people they already know.
It seems to me that I receive an email invitation to yet another one almost every day. So are they a waste of your time? Yes if you don’t utilise them properly. No, if you’re strategic in your approach, you can actually gain new contacts, and even clients, from networking.
I don’t believe that there are many groundbreaking tips that that haven’t been mentioned by one expert or another, but here are five tips that I’ve collated for people who hate networking:
1. Make people come to you. There’s automatically a power imbalance when you approach someone and say, “I really wanted to meet you.” So why not turn the tables? Take a leadership role in your business or your organisation (Chamber of Commerce, trade association, women’s business network). That way, you wield the power because you dole out invitations to speakers - and everyone always wants to meet the person in charge.
2. Set a numerical goal. Rather than chat to the same old people as you did at the last networking meeting, vow that you’ll talk to at least three people you don’t know. That concrete goal will remind you of the point of attending – to meet some new contacts – and it will help push you out of your comfort zone, so you don’t spend most of the night chatting with old friends.
3. Get their card. I know that some people measure their networking success by the number of business cards they give out. But the fact is no one is going to keep your card safely tucked away until the need arises. You’re lucky if it actually makes it past the bin that evening. You simply can’t rely on other people to remember you, or even email you their contact info, regardless of whether they promise to do so. You need to collect their card - because only you can be counted on to retain their contact information.
4. Follow up. This is where many or even most people blow it. Despite a great initial conversation, they never take any steps to keep in touch, and so a year later the person no longer remembers them. Make it a point during your conversation to identify something that you both have in common that will allow you to keep a relationship alive, even as a casual one. Maybe it’s a shared music or sport passion, or perhaps a business challenge and you promise to send them an article that you read about how to solve it. However you do it, make sure to stay in touch.
5. Be realistic. There are really very few people who leave a networking event with a new contract in hand. Initially that shouldn’t be your goal, because a relationship developed that quickly is quite often shallow and easy to break. Your aim should be to meet interesting people whom you can get to know and then - eventually - turn into good, long-term clients.
And that starts with making the effort to introduce yourself - and of course stay in touch.
It seems to me that I receive an email invitation to yet another one almost every day. So are they a waste of your time? Yes if you don’t utilise them properly. No, if you’re strategic in your approach, you can actually gain new contacts, and even clients, from networking.
I don’t believe that there are many groundbreaking tips that that haven’t been mentioned by one expert or another, but here are five tips that I’ve collated for people who hate networking:
1. Make people come to you. There’s automatically a power imbalance when you approach someone and say, “I really wanted to meet you.” So why not turn the tables? Take a leadership role in your business or your organisation (Chamber of Commerce, trade association, women’s business network). That way, you wield the power because you dole out invitations to speakers - and everyone always wants to meet the person in charge.
2. Set a numerical goal. Rather than chat to the same old people as you did at the last networking meeting, vow that you’ll talk to at least three people you don’t know. That concrete goal will remind you of the point of attending – to meet some new contacts – and it will help push you out of your comfort zone, so you don’t spend most of the night chatting with old friends.
3. Get their card. I know that some people measure their networking success by the number of business cards they give out. But the fact is no one is going to keep your card safely tucked away until the need arises. You’re lucky if it actually makes it past the bin that evening. You simply can’t rely on other people to remember you, or even email you their contact info, regardless of whether they promise to do so. You need to collect their card - because only you can be counted on to retain their contact information.
4. Follow up. This is where many or even most people blow it. Despite a great initial conversation, they never take any steps to keep in touch, and so a year later the person no longer remembers them. Make it a point during your conversation to identify something that you both have in common that will allow you to keep a relationship alive, even as a casual one. Maybe it’s a shared music or sport passion, or perhaps a business challenge and you promise to send them an article that you read about how to solve it. However you do it, make sure to stay in touch.
5. Be realistic. There are really very few people who leave a networking event with a new contract in hand. Initially that shouldn’t be your goal, because a relationship developed that quickly is quite often shallow and easy to break. Your aim should be to meet interesting people whom you can get to know and then - eventually - turn into good, long-term clients.
And that starts with making the effort to introduce yourself - and of course stay in touch.
Wednesday, 20 July 2011
Should I resign?
Most of the time when we meet candidates it is for a specific assignment that we have approached them about, rather than for a “chat” and yet although the majority would ostensibly claim that they are happy in their roles we are surprisingly frequently asked this question. After a little probing it tends to transpire that in fact they’re not very happy in their current job because it doesn't seem like there is much opportunity for movement or promotion at the company.
Whatever you do don't start clearing your desk just yet – at least not before you've fully evaluated your current situation. You should determine if the problem is really with the job and the company or whether there's something else at play such as your energy level or dissatisfaction with other areas of your life.
Changing companies or roles may not be enough to make you happy. There are a number of important questions you'll want to ask yourself. For example: Have you explored all of your options at the company? Have you taken the time to fully evaluate your development and career path with your manager? Could there be other non-work areas affecting your level of engagement and fulfilment? What do you like and not like about your current situation? What do you want in your career moving forward?
Even if you already know the answers to these questions and still feel like you're ready for a move, there's no need to rush. Start by contacting people in your various networks to explore what opportunities exist and consider making a strategic move. If you want to explore another kind of work, it may be wise to stay put for a time while you evaluate your next steps.
It is equally important to evaluate what you can offer a new company. Take a hard look at your “brand”, professional reputation and any other qualities and skills you bring to the job. If you can, forget for a moment that you are a company employee and instead picture yourself as a "business-of-one,” Businesses who decide to 'fire' a client that gives them the majority of their income must make sure they have a strong brand or reputation they can market, know their ideal target audience and the best way to reach them, and be certain there is enough of a demand for their services.
Now you should identify at least 25 companies where you would want to work and ensure that they employ people with your types of skills. Then you should try to network with individuals who have been hired at these companies to see if they can shed some light on what is valued by the organisation and the best way to get considered for a position. Networking often leads to learning about 'unpublished' jobs. If you can't or are unwilling to do these steps, then you're not ready to move on. Over the years most of us here have seen too many people jump out of a bad job and into a worse one.
Naturally we would very seldom advise any candidate to resign without having a new role to go to, unless there were significant mitigating circumstances.
If you would like to chat over your career options then please feel free to contact one of the team at www.chestertongray.com
Whatever you do don't start clearing your desk just yet – at least not before you've fully evaluated your current situation. You should determine if the problem is really with the job and the company or whether there's something else at play such as your energy level or dissatisfaction with other areas of your life.
Changing companies or roles may not be enough to make you happy. There are a number of important questions you'll want to ask yourself. For example: Have you explored all of your options at the company? Have you taken the time to fully evaluate your development and career path with your manager? Could there be other non-work areas affecting your level of engagement and fulfilment? What do you like and not like about your current situation? What do you want in your career moving forward?
Even if you already know the answers to these questions and still feel like you're ready for a move, there's no need to rush. Start by contacting people in your various networks to explore what opportunities exist and consider making a strategic move. If you want to explore another kind of work, it may be wise to stay put for a time while you evaluate your next steps.
It is equally important to evaluate what you can offer a new company. Take a hard look at your “brand”, professional reputation and any other qualities and skills you bring to the job. If you can, forget for a moment that you are a company employee and instead picture yourself as a "business-of-one,” Businesses who decide to 'fire' a client that gives them the majority of their income must make sure they have a strong brand or reputation they can market, know their ideal target audience and the best way to reach them, and be certain there is enough of a demand for their services.
Now you should identify at least 25 companies where you would want to work and ensure that they employ people with your types of skills. Then you should try to network with individuals who have been hired at these companies to see if they can shed some light on what is valued by the organisation and the best way to get considered for a position. Networking often leads to learning about 'unpublished' jobs. If you can't or are unwilling to do these steps, then you're not ready to move on. Over the years most of us here have seen too many people jump out of a bad job and into a worse one.
Naturally we would very seldom advise any candidate to resign without having a new role to go to, unless there were significant mitigating circumstances.
If you would like to chat over your career options then please feel free to contact one of the team at www.chestertongray.com
Thursday, 7 April 2011
The things that make you go aaarrggghh!!
There are a thousand and one hurdles in business, most of which at one time or another make you want to retreat to a quiet (sound proofed) corner and scream in frustration!
I was approached earlier in the year by a client to recruit an important role for one of their global business streams which needed some specific difficult to find skills, without which the candidate would be out of their depth. The global Head Office in the States had been looking internally for a year for this person and given up, finally tasking EMEA to find this mystical candidate.
Which is where I come in!
Three weeks after being briefed I had a shortlist of five candidates from three countries, all of whom had proven track records and reputations in their field. My client and his boss started to put some diary dates together for the five candidates to be either interviewed in person or by video conference: at which point the States announced that they had transferred one of their spare Project Mangers across on a contract so that he could learn on the job!
Yup, it’s the things that make you go aaarrggghh!!
Wednesday, 5 January 2011
What’s in a name?
The eagle eyed amongst you who have struggled into work after the Christmas and New Year holiday period will have noticed that whilst this blog retains some of the traits that we’ve all come to know and love, there has been one significant change.
Yup, we’ve changed the company name. Which begs the question, why?
After eleven years as the UK partner of InterSearch we made the decision in December that it was time for a change. The boss and I have spent several weeks’ soul searching and scratching our heads whilst debating the pro’s and con’s of the change before setting up the new name, which we believe has a certain ring to it and reflects our beliefs in the way search should be delivered.
We’re not alone in leaving InterSearch, as a number of other countries have also terminated their membership and gone their separate ways. The team here remains unchanged and has proved over the last twelve months that it has the capability to successfully deliver global searches based purely on its own abilities.
Far from looking back with any form of regret, we are looking forward to a New Year with considerable hope and expectation. The vagaries of the global economy in 2011 will ensure that the year will be a challenging one, but one that with the right people in place yours and our businesses will be well positioned to take advantage of the market as it recovers.
If you’d like to discuss the name change or how we can work with you in 2011 then don’t hesitate to contact us at www.chestertongray.com
Yup, we’ve changed the company name. Which begs the question, why?
After eleven years as the UK partner of InterSearch we made the decision in December that it was time for a change. The boss and I have spent several weeks’ soul searching and scratching our heads whilst debating the pro’s and con’s of the change before setting up the new name, which we believe has a certain ring to it and reflects our beliefs in the way search should be delivered.
We’re not alone in leaving InterSearch, as a number of other countries have also terminated their membership and gone their separate ways. The team here remains unchanged and has proved over the last twelve months that it has the capability to successfully deliver global searches based purely on its own abilities.
Far from looking back with any form of regret, we are looking forward to a New Year with considerable hope and expectation. The vagaries of the global economy in 2011 will ensure that the year will be a challenging one, but one that with the right people in place yours and our businesses will be well positioned to take advantage of the market as it recovers.
If you’d like to discuss the name change or how we can work with you in 2011 then don’t hesitate to contact us at www.chestertongray.com
Friday, 26 November 2010
Can problem leaders ever change?
Being a relatively sporty person I don’t watch very much TV, but one Saturday morning I found myself channel-surfing for about 15 minutes. I was amazed at how many of the ads were about getting in shape. Some of the “promises” they made were:
“Six-second abs.” “Easy shaper.” “Incredible — a miracle!”
“Quickly turn your flabby abs into that sexy six-pack!”
My favourite was one that claimed that “visible results” could be achieved in two three-minute sessions. Excuse the language, but a phrase from my childhood captures my feeling for these claims: “What a load of c**p!”
If you want to know why so many goal setters don’t become goal achievers, you can pore over a bunch of enlightening academic studies about goals, or you can watch webinars for hours on end. Where did we ever get the crazy idea that getting in shape is supposed to be quick and easy? Why do we think that there will be almost no cost and why are we surprised when working out turns out to be arduous?
In the search industry we see the impact of this kind of thinking all the time. We recently received a call from a HR Director who was dealing with the integration of people and systems after their company had made a large acquisition. They had concerns over one of the senior Directors and his management style and the CEO had suggested they get an executive coach to work with the Director. They hoped to see a dramatic change in him within a couple of months. Could we help us and when could we start?
Like anybody who buys miracle products to help them get in shape, they wanted a miracle coach to immediately change the Director.
It was pointed out that he was a 56-year-old executive and just as with diet and exercise, his behavioural habits took years to develop and wouldn’t go away overnight. We all set goals to get some aspect of our lives in shape. All too often, we fail to meet them. Why? There are five major challenges that we usually underestimate:
Time: “This is taking a lot longer than I thought it would. I don’t have time for this.”
Effort: “This is a lot harder than I thought it would be. I’m tired. It’s just not worth it.”
Distracting events: “I had no idea I would be so busy this year. I’ll just have to worry about this later.”
Maintenance: “After I got in shape, I celebrated by drinking beer and eating curry. Now, for some unexplained reason, I’m back to where I started. What am I supposed to do? Go on some kind of diet for the rest of my life?”
Rewards: “After I lost weight, I thought that everyone would fall in love with me. I still can’t seem to get a date, so why bother?”
We often confuse the words “simple” and “easy.” The changes we help people make are generally very simple. However, they are never easy. Just as with diet and exercise, changing behaviour involves hard work and takes time.
During the next year, he will be barraged with distracting events that will take him away from his efforts to change. He needs to realise that lasting leadership development is a lifelong process. A temporary change in behaviour to “look good” in the short term will only create cynicism if he doesn’t stick with it. We can help if he is willing to put in the time and effort. If not, hiring us would probably be a waste of everyone’s time.
Look in the mirror. Not just at how you look, but at who you are. If you want to be a better leader, a better professional, or just a better person, don’t kid yourself. To achieve meaningful goals, you’ll have to pay the price. There’s no product, no diet, no exercise program, and (I hate to admit it) no executive coach who can make you better. Only you can do it. If your source of motivation doesn’t come from inside, you won’t stick with it. This may not be good material for a Saturday morning infomercial, but its great advice for any real achievement.
“Six-second abs.” “Easy shaper.” “Incredible — a miracle!”
“Quickly turn your flabby abs into that sexy six-pack!”
My favourite was one that claimed that “visible results” could be achieved in two three-minute sessions. Excuse the language, but a phrase from my childhood captures my feeling for these claims: “What a load of c**p!”
If you want to know why so many goal setters don’t become goal achievers, you can pore over a bunch of enlightening academic studies about goals, or you can watch webinars for hours on end. Where did we ever get the crazy idea that getting in shape is supposed to be quick and easy? Why do we think that there will be almost no cost and why are we surprised when working out turns out to be arduous?
In the search industry we see the impact of this kind of thinking all the time. We recently received a call from a HR Director who was dealing with the integration of people and systems after their company had made a large acquisition. They had concerns over one of the senior Directors and his management style and the CEO had suggested they get an executive coach to work with the Director. They hoped to see a dramatic change in him within a couple of months. Could we help us and when could we start?
Like anybody who buys miracle products to help them get in shape, they wanted a miracle coach to immediately change the Director.
It was pointed out that he was a 56-year-old executive and just as with diet and exercise, his behavioural habits took years to develop and wouldn’t go away overnight. We all set goals to get some aspect of our lives in shape. All too often, we fail to meet them. Why? There are five major challenges that we usually underestimate:
Time: “This is taking a lot longer than I thought it would. I don’t have time for this.”
Effort: “This is a lot harder than I thought it would be. I’m tired. It’s just not worth it.”
Distracting events: “I had no idea I would be so busy this year. I’ll just have to worry about this later.”
Maintenance: “After I got in shape, I celebrated by drinking beer and eating curry. Now, for some unexplained reason, I’m back to where I started. What am I supposed to do? Go on some kind of diet for the rest of my life?”
Rewards: “After I lost weight, I thought that everyone would fall in love with me. I still can’t seem to get a date, so why bother?”
We often confuse the words “simple” and “easy.” The changes we help people make are generally very simple. However, they are never easy. Just as with diet and exercise, changing behaviour involves hard work and takes time.
During the next year, he will be barraged with distracting events that will take him away from his efforts to change. He needs to realise that lasting leadership development is a lifelong process. A temporary change in behaviour to “look good” in the short term will only create cynicism if he doesn’t stick with it. We can help if he is willing to put in the time and effort. If not, hiring us would probably be a waste of everyone’s time.
Look in the mirror. Not just at how you look, but at who you are. If you want to be a better leader, a better professional, or just a better person, don’t kid yourself. To achieve meaningful goals, you’ll have to pay the price. There’s no product, no diet, no exercise program, and (I hate to admit it) no executive coach who can make you better. Only you can do it. If your source of motivation doesn’t come from inside, you won’t stick with it. This may not be good material for a Saturday morning infomercial, but its great advice for any real achievement.
Tuesday, 16 November 2010
Life on the roller coaster!
In a market that can’t seem to work up whether it’s shackled down by lead weights and sinking to the bottom of the ocean or bobbling along on the surface; everyday seems to bring a new discussion.
For much of the early part of the year our clients put us on pause until we had had the election, and finally once that was out of the way we saw a distinct upturn across all of our market sectors. However, like a candle with a damp wick, the announcements of the budget cuts and the Spending Review soon snuffed out that initial post election optimism.
Fortunately for us, we have little exposure to the public sector and now that the business world has finally digested what it believes the full impact of the spending review to be, we have again seem a shimmer of cautious optimism from clients.
Why cautious? The VAT rise in the New Year will again hit much of the construction and retails sectors although many expect the rise to be spread across the supply chain before reaching consumers. Talking with my colleagues across Europe has shown that many of the CEE states, Germany and Scandinavia are bucking the trend and performing well, giving rise to business opportunities for UK companies in those markets, whilst Ireland’s problems are well documented.
Putting a wet finger up in the cold early winter air to offer you a prediction for 2011 is a mugs game and one which for the moment I will pass on, but many clients feel that the UK has many of the fundamentals in place to deliver a slow growth economy and improve upon previous year’s performances.
If you would like to talk with one of the Directors about how InterSearch in the UK can work with you then please contact us at www.intersearchuk.com
For much of the early part of the year our clients put us on pause until we had had the election, and finally once that was out of the way we saw a distinct upturn across all of our market sectors. However, like a candle with a damp wick, the announcements of the budget cuts and the Spending Review soon snuffed out that initial post election optimism.
Fortunately for us, we have little exposure to the public sector and now that the business world has finally digested what it believes the full impact of the spending review to be, we have again seem a shimmer of cautious optimism from clients.
Why cautious? The VAT rise in the New Year will again hit much of the construction and retails sectors although many expect the rise to be spread across the supply chain before reaching consumers. Talking with my colleagues across Europe has shown that many of the CEE states, Germany and Scandinavia are bucking the trend and performing well, giving rise to business opportunities for UK companies in those markets, whilst Ireland’s problems are well documented.
Putting a wet finger up in the cold early winter air to offer you a prediction for 2011 is a mugs game and one which for the moment I will pass on, but many clients feel that the UK has many of the fundamentals in place to deliver a slow growth economy and improve upon previous year’s performances.
If you would like to talk with one of the Directors about how InterSearch in the UK can work with you then please contact us at www.intersearchuk.com
Wednesday, 27 October 2010
Making life easier for whom?
Following last week’s blog I received a number of comments and a link to a vociferous debate which was taking place on another LinkedIn forum. It too was intrinsically linked to the PSL debate but had been expanded to take in CV management systems. Rather than repeat the debate chapter & verse, I’ll tell you a brief tale of our experiences of them.
Following a number of major presentations to a global infrastructure group a couple of years ago we were selected to join their PSL as the sole recruiter at senior (non Group) board level. Terms were agreed and we were set up on their CV management system and following a few minor teething problems (clerical vacancies!) we started on our first assignment for the company. When it came to presenting the shortlist reports along with the candidate’s CV’s their system wouldn’t accept/recognise anything other than the CV. Presenting that shortlist to the line managers resulted in a swift telling off by the recruitment team. The line managers selected those that they wanted to interview based upon the reports, which were then rejected by the system as the CV’s didn’t match the recruiters key criteria template for the role.
Eventually we negotiated a way around this for other future assignments but after a year working with them we decided not to renew the agreement when we were asked to. The CV system is still in place but the number of firms who have passed through the same PSL process is a worrying sign of their view on their recruitment suppliers.
Our role is to work with companies and recruitment teams to deliver a service that goes beyond CV shuffling, but when so many companies these days use comparable systems, we have to ask who they are being implemented for? At senior level they negate the value that we add by running search processes but at the high volume end of the market their value becomes apparent.
If you are interested in talking with any of the heads of our practice groups then please contact us at www.intersearchuk.com
Following a number of major presentations to a global infrastructure group a couple of years ago we were selected to join their PSL as the sole recruiter at senior (non Group) board level. Terms were agreed and we were set up on their CV management system and following a few minor teething problems (clerical vacancies!) we started on our first assignment for the company. When it came to presenting the shortlist reports along with the candidate’s CV’s their system wouldn’t accept/recognise anything other than the CV. Presenting that shortlist to the line managers resulted in a swift telling off by the recruitment team. The line managers selected those that they wanted to interview based upon the reports, which were then rejected by the system as the CV’s didn’t match the recruiters key criteria template for the role.
Eventually we negotiated a way around this for other future assignments but after a year working with them we decided not to renew the agreement when we were asked to. The CV system is still in place but the number of firms who have passed through the same PSL process is a worrying sign of their view on their recruitment suppliers.
Our role is to work with companies and recruitment teams to deliver a service that goes beyond CV shuffling, but when so many companies these days use comparable systems, we have to ask who they are being implemented for? At senior level they negate the value that we add by running search processes but at the high volume end of the market their value becomes apparent.
If you are interested in talking with any of the heads of our practice groups then please contact us at www.intersearchuk.com
Thursday, 21 October 2010
So just what is the point of a PSL?
The Preferred Supplier List (PSL) has been around in one form or another for as long as anyone in this office can recall - and that’s actually quite a long time!
Over the years InterSearch in the UK has been on a few and come off a few, both through clients and our own choice. Interestingly there is a vast difference between those sectors where all the companies seem to have them and others where they are few and far between. The pharmaceutical sector falls very firmly in the former camp and making in-roads into these companies appears on the surface nigh on impossible,
My colleague who works in the sector has found that once you delve a little deeper invariably there is a difference of opinion between the line managers who are becoming increasingly frustrated by their roles being unfilled, whilst those charged with recruitment refuse to go outside of the PSL, which patently isn’t delivering the expected results. The subsequent request to us to “just send us some CV’s” is met with a polite decline.
So, back to the original question; What is the point of the PSL?
The simple answer in most cases seems to be cost. We were recently asked to complete a long PSL application by one of Europe’s largest distribution/logistics firms that focused solely on lowest cost without a single reference to delivery methods, quality standards or relationships between our two firms.
For many companies they are a great idea and if created and managed properly they can work to the benefit of both parties, but equally many companies have scrapped them and decided to focus on closer less formal and more successful relationships with their search firms.
If you are interested in talking with any of the heads of our practice groups then please contact us at www.intersearchuk.com
Over the years InterSearch in the UK has been on a few and come off a few, both through clients and our own choice. Interestingly there is a vast difference between those sectors where all the companies seem to have them and others where they are few and far between. The pharmaceutical sector falls very firmly in the former camp and making in-roads into these companies appears on the surface nigh on impossible,
My colleague who works in the sector has found that once you delve a little deeper invariably there is a difference of opinion between the line managers who are becoming increasingly frustrated by their roles being unfilled, whilst those charged with recruitment refuse to go outside of the PSL, which patently isn’t delivering the expected results. The subsequent request to us to “just send us some CV’s” is met with a polite decline.
So, back to the original question; What is the point of the PSL?
The simple answer in most cases seems to be cost. We were recently asked to complete a long PSL application by one of Europe’s largest distribution/logistics firms that focused solely on lowest cost without a single reference to delivery methods, quality standards or relationships between our two firms.
For many companies they are a great idea and if created and managed properly they can work to the benefit of both parties, but equally many companies have scrapped them and decided to focus on closer less formal and more successful relationships with their search firms.
If you are interested in talking with any of the heads of our practice groups then please contact us at www.intersearchuk.com
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