Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Do Personality Tests Really Determine If You're a Good Fit For a Job?



From what I've seen more companies are having applicants take personality tests. The question as always still lingers however, do these tests actually help figure out whether a person is a good fit for a job?

According to a 2011 survey completed by SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management), nearly 20% of employers use personality tests to help with hiring.

The tests are designed to measure attitudes, emotional adjustment, interests and interpersonal skills. For example, they might include questions about whether an applicant likes parties and social events or dislikes being told what to do.

Some critics say personality assessments disqualify candidates for the wrong reasons. Others raise the question, is the test being used by the hiring company the right test. For example, the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) is not meant to be used in selection situations. The technical manual even goes so far as to say this and it is generally used for team-building.

There are multiple factors that can impact a person’s performance and a hiring company needs multiple steps in the hiring process to make an informed decision, keeping in mind there are no sure bets. The selection process is an attempt at identifying the best candidate to the best of the hiring teams’ ability given the information they have at hand at that moment. 

The typical process could include: resume; application; interviews (minimum three, including initial phone interview); employment and credential verification; background check if required; reference check (minimum two); income verification; assessment tool; team meeting.

I’m all for the use of assessment tools if they are used to help identify areas to focus on during the actual interview.  I admit, however, that I’m not a big fan of the all or nothing process used by some companies with the assessments. Testing can be a tool used to ask more informed questions that help you dig deeper. I believe that testing should be a guide and not a fixed label.


There seems to be a trend where these assessments are being used to rule people out without even an interview verse using them as a tool. What are your experiences?


Scot Dickerson, CPC
President
Capstone

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Wednesday, December 4, 2013

How to Stand Out at This Year's Holiday Party... In a Good Way



Here we are headed towards the end of another year. And December means that it’s that time of year for the company holiday party. My resident staff expert on fashion, which definitely is not moi, shared some advice on what to wear that will help you stand out (in a good way, not in a, “I drank one too many glasses of holiday cheer!” way).  Great piece that is always worth referencing: Eat, Drink and Be Classy: Do's and Don'ts for the Office Holiday Party, by Emily Gladnick:  http://www.thedailymuse.com/lifestyle/eat-drink-and-be-classy/


I would also like to share a fun article (below) from Businessweek that gives some solid advice on dos & don’ts as you head to that company event. Happy holidays!


Scot Dickerson, CPC
President

Capstone Search

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Sitting at the Computer Is So Much A Part of Our Daily Lives




My goal with my blog posts is to hopefully provide readers useful information as it relates to insurance industry staffing as well as job seeker insight, tips and advice. This post is a different twist to my usual tidbits, but if it helps anyone, anyone at all, it serves its purpose.

For years I've suffered with eye strain & excessive dry eyes. Sitting at a computer for hours every day and then a mobile device when I’m out and about (home) certainly has not helped my situation. And I know I’m like many professionals out there; sitting at the computer is so much a part of our daily lives. We are all finding it increasingly difficult to break away for a well-deserved and needed break. Or maybe just an eye break.

A couple weeks ago I actually had to take some time off one day as I was having a pretty nasty headache caused from eye strain. That following Monday, on the front page of our local paper I read an article about dry eye. There is a new technology in Iowa only available at one provider in Des Moines. I figured enough was enough and scheduled an appointment for an evaluation. They actually had an opening for the actual procedure so I took advantage of already being there, and when they told me I was a candidate for the procedure based on the evaluation, I jumped at it.

So the dry eye treatment is only a piece of the overall problem. There is still the eye strain that accompanies the dry eye issue. Again, realizing this was all an issue I still procrastinated. My excuse: just not enough time to make the adjustments needed to give me a better quality of life. Oh my. Saying that out loud really sounds ridiculous.

Don’t be like me. Improve your quality of life at work immediately. Here is a very informative article by Gary Heiting, OD, and Larry K. Wan, OD entitled: Computer Eye Strain: 10 Steps to Relief


Scot Dickerson 
President 
Capstone Search Group




Wednesday, October 23, 2013

What’s the salary range for this position?



Question:  “What’s the salary range for this position? You won't tell me the top amount they're willing to offer?”

Answer:  
I've been doing this for a very long time, here is the reality of the scenario.  Some companies have very specific ranges. Some companies have a rough idea. Some companies simply let the market tell them what they should be paying for a job. Some companies ask me to help them arrive at a fair range. Some companies will flex to a degree on what they are targeting for the hire. So as you can see there are numerous scenarios. No two situations are exactly the same.

It always depends on a person’s experience and how directly applicable it is to a company’s needs. Is the person more junior in experience? Is the person more senior in experience? How does the person’s experience compare to other people already on staff?  And how is internal equity kept in line?

So there is never a real easy answer as there are so many variables. In the many years of doing this, my opinion of the best approach is to be certain that a company’s ideal number for the hire and a candidate’s ideal number on what they’d expect are in line. Do they have to be spot on? No. Sometimes there is flexibility on the company’s end, sometimes there is flexibility on the candidate’s end. Sometimes if the company feels the candidate is the person they want and the candidate feels that this is the opportunity for them there are creative ways of bridging possible gaps as well.

Last but not least, it is human tendency to always gravitate towards the top of a stated salary range. It never fails. The moment a range is thrown out in conversation the candidate will gravitate towards the top number. Right or wrong, consciously or unconsciously, I've seen it happen time and time again where a recruiter will tell a candidate a range, $65,000 to $80,000 for example, and when the offer comes and it is at $70,000 the candidate protests, “Hey Mr. Recruiter, you told me the job paid $80,000!”

The best way to avoid this, just be certain the candidate’s expectations and the company’s expectations fall within the “okay place.”

The bottom line:  If I do my job correctly and all parties are forthcoming with information, then the hiring manager has an idea where they want to hire in, and the candidate has an expectation of where they need to be.  Based on what I know from the candidate and from the hiring manager, if the situation were to move in a positive direction the candidate’s expectation will be met.


Scot Dickerson, CPC
President

Monday, October 14, 2013

Should a Recruiter “Sell” an Opportunity to a Candidate



Should a recruiter “sell” an opportunity to a candidate? The other day a candidate criticized me for not “selling” an opportunity to them. I've never favored “selling” a candidate. I've always believed that a recruiter’s job is to provide accurate information and be a resource for discussion. But a recruiter should not “sell” a candidate on a job. In this situation I had contacted the individual whom I've known for a number of years. This person had told me at various times over the years that they wanted to stay in a certain region of the country. When I called with the opportunity they again said that while it sounded like an excellent opportunity and something they would otherwise be interested in, they wanted to stay in the region where they were at and their family would not be interested in moving to that area. I followed up a few weeks later only to find out that they had interviewed for the position. I contacted the candidate and they told me that I had not done a good job selling them.

Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines the word “sell” as: 
to persuade or influence to a course of action or to the acceptance of something

As a recruiter am I to persuade or influence the candidate into interviewing? Okay perhaps it is a fine line, but I still like to think of my job as providing information about an opportunity. Provide information as to why the opportunity could be something that would be a logical career move based on their interests and expectations. If I have to convince someone to explore an opportunity that to me is selling them. And if you have to sell someone on a job, my belief is that the odds are it won’t work out. More importantly perhaps, if you have to sell the candidate and their family on moving to an area of the country they have never been interested in previously, my experience is that in the long run it typically does not work out.

Now a discussion about the benefits of exploring an opportunity based on fact seems perfectly fine. But, if I have to influence someone, that in my opinion is selling them on the job or a location.


What are your thoughts?

Scot Dickerson, CPC
Capstone Search

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Bringing Your Parents to Your Job Interview?



There is a lot of buzz around the new iPhone. Everyone I know that is talking about it is excited to see what the latest and greatest features & functions will be. Not to mention the colors. I on the other hand never even knew it was coming out until I visited with a wireless provider over the weekend seeking a better way to monitor our kids’ text & voice activity. Yes I’m involved in my kids’ lives. Technology has created more opportunity for kids to get into trouble and no doubt be bullied. It is a huge problem everywhere. So I learned about the new capabilities of the new iPhone operating system that allow me to create an allowed list of phone contacts and allows me to block web sites.

So I’m concerned about my teenagers, but when I saw this article on WSJ Online I had to do a double take.

Should You Bring Mom and Dad to Your Job Interview?

I recall years ago I had a candidate that brought their mom along to an interview. The candidate didn't bring her with the intent of her being part of the process, but instead to just accompany her on the drive as it was a couple hours. That decision cost her the job however, as the company did not view that favorably upon her.

Oh how times seem to have changed. Check this out….

Employers Are Embracing the Involvement of Millennial Parents to Attract and Hold On to Talent
By: Anita Hofschneider
Scot Dickerson, CPC
President Capstone

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Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Small Fish, Big Pond or Big Fish, Small Pond



My daughter has been in a great school district since kindergarten through her 8th grade year. This school district is ranked at the top in our state. Needless to say we have been very pleased with the quality of education she has received. It has, however, been growing rapidly. In fact, if I’m not mistaken it is the fastest growing school district in our state. Because she has always been a kid that tends to feel more comfortable in a smaller environment we decided to explore options for her for this upcoming school year. We toured some different schools and found one that seemed like a good fit. The school Administrator asked her, “Do you like to be a big fish in a small pond or do you like to be a small fish in a big pond?”

Small schools offer certain advantages, as do big schools. The bottom line, each individual must weigh out all these things and make the decision based on what is best for them.

This whole process reminds me of a question I often ask a candidate that I've met for the first time. That is, "Do you prefer a smaller company environment or a larger company environment? Or do you even have a preference?"  To be best positioned to assist someone on their search, understanding their interest only helps us better help them.

It is strictly a personal preference but there are, no doubt, things to be considered.

In a small environment you can often have more opportunities. More opportunities to take on responsibilities that perhaps in a larger organization you would not. In a smaller environment you are often challenged to push yourself outside your comfort zone. Not exclusive to a small environment, but often more frequent. In smaller environments often you can move more nimbly. More opportunity to put your thumbprint on something.

In a larger organization, on the other hand, sometimes you have access to more resources. You can have opportunities for more advancement simply because there are more positions in the organization and often more layers. You can have opportunities to steer your career in different paths that may not be available in a smaller company.


I could certainly take both of these lists much further. And many people certainly will have their own thoughts on how those lists should look. The thing to think about from all this is that this is simply another piece to the search equation that should be addressed. 



Scot Dickerson, CPC
President

Capstone Search

Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Should a Recruiter “Sell” an Opportunity to a Candidate





Should a recruiter “sell” an opportunity to a candidate? The other day a candidate criticized me for not “selling” an opportunity to them. I've never favored “selling” a candidate. I've always believed that a recruiter’s job is to provide accurate information and be a resource for discussion. But a recruiter should not “sell” a candidate on a job. In this situation I had contacted the individual whom I've known for a number of years. This person had told me at various times over the years that they wanted to stay in a certain region of the country. When I called with the opportunity they again said that while it sounded like an excellent opportunity and something they would otherwise be interested in, they wanted to stay in the region where they were at and their family would not be interested in moving to that area. I followed up a few weeks later only to find out that they had interviewed for the position. I contacted the candidate and they told me that I had not done a good job selling them.

Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines the word “sell” as: 
to persuade or influence to a course of action or to the acceptance of something

As a recruiter am I to persuade or influence the candidate into interviewing? Okay perhaps it is a fine line, but I still like to think of my job as providing information about an opportunity. Provide information as to why the opportunity could be something that would be a logical career move based on their interests and expectations. If I have to convince someone to explore an opportunity that to me is selling them. And if you have to sell someone on a job, my belief is that the odds are it won’t work out. More importantly perhaps, if you have to sell the candidate and their family on moving to an area of the country they have never been interested in previously, my experience is that in the long run it typically does not work out.

Now a discussion about the benefits of exploring an opportunity based on fact seems perfectly fine. But, if I have to influence someone, that in my opinion is selling them on the job or a location.


What are your thoughts?

Scot Dickerson, CPC
President
Capstone Search Group
 

Monday, July 15, 2013

Times Have Changed...Not Getting Any Feedback After an Interview?



Times have changed. How many times have we heard that? We have all heard this in reference to all sorts of scenarios and at different times throughout our lives. For example, when I was a kid my parents would tell me, “times have changed.” I don’t even recall why at the time that was said, but I say the same thing to my kids now. Mostly due to social media concerns. Also in regards to how dangerous it is for kids to even ride their bikes a block from home. The list goes on. Because frankly, times have most definitely changed.

When speaking with candidates I also often find myself saying to them “times have changed.” Times have changed because the process has changed from what it once was a few years ago. There was a time when we worked directly with the decision maker. Not so much any longer. Most of the contact goes through a talent acquisition department. There was a time when a resume was sent directly to the decision maker or even a Human Resources recruiter. We still present directly to these individuals today, but to a lesser extent than we once did. Instead today there are a also a host of portals that many referrals are required to be submitted through.

When it comes to feedback after an interview, or after the selection process is completed, again - times have changed.  We very infrequently get any type of feedback these days. Ever wonder why? Most candidates want feedback. As part of my job I like to be able to provide them feedback. It could be helpful to them in preparing for anther interview. Perhaps they could do something different. But just as with anything if we can’t get feedback, how are we supposed to improve? Think about students progressing through school with no feedback on how they were doing. How ineffective would that be?

So why have times changes in regards to gaining feedback after an interview or selection process?  Here is an excellent article from WSJ.com that speaks to this very topic.




Scot Dickerson, CPC
President
Capstone Search Group

Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Careerbuilder Survey Suggests Social Media Might NOT Be Getting You the Job



Right or wrong. Good or bad. Social media has changed our lives in many ways. It has become a headache and challenge for parents. It has created more opportunity for kids to make mistakes. And unfortunately these mistakes are not like the mistakes people my age made that were largely simply forgotten and never seen again. The mistakes made within the internet & social media world live on forever, only to potentially come back and haunt our kids later in life. The challenge: getting them to understand this.

A similar challenge exists in today's job market with job seekers. We talk about it frequently. At our recruiting firm it has become standard procedure to discuss no different than discussing proper interview attire, non-verbal communication during the interviewing, being prepared, etc, etc. Social media has crept into the hiring decision making process everywhere. According to a recent Careerbuilder survey more than two in five (43 percent) hiring managers who currently research candidates via social media said they have found information that has caused them not to hire a candidate, up 9 percentage points from last year. Given the recent release of this survey it seems a good time to again hit this point home. You simply have to be careful about what you put out into social media because it will be seen. Oh yes, it will be seen. Which could prevent you from landing your dream job. Or any job. This cannot be stressed enough. Adults and kids alike. Think, think, think before you post for the world to see.

Here is the article regarding the Careerbuilder survey: http://www.cnbc.com/id/100844354



Scot Dickerson, CPC
President
Capstone Search


Monday, June 17, 2013

What Is the One Thing You Should Do in Every Job Interview?




An online article by Dave Kerpen, CEO of Likeable Local and NY Times Best-Selling Author, was brought to my attention the other day. The article is titled, “1 Thing You Must Do in Every Job Interview,” and I found it to be  interesting and definitely worth reading for anyone in a job hunt. Here is a link to the full article:

http://www.linkedin.com/today/post/article/20130606153931-15077789-the-1-thing-you-must-do-in-every-job-interview?trk=tod-home-art-large_0

In a nutshell, this article discusses the importance of having questions prepared for the interviewer. As stated in the article, well thought out questions demonstrate the person’s interest in the job and company. I completely agree that a candidate that is prepared with well thought out questions will come across more interested in the position they are interviewing for verse someone that simply states that they have no questions when asked. When preparing a candidate for an interview I always talk to them about this very topic.

What I found even more interesting than the article was the comments from readers. For example:

Comment: Why would I wait until after the interview to ask "who is the ideal candidate for this position?" Good point. I believe this is something the candidate needs to work into the beginning of the interview. Hence allowing them to highlight their experiences that are obviously most important to the interviewer.

Comment: I disagree with this article. The one thing you must do in a job interview is sell yourself and convince the interviewers that you are the best person for the job. Period. True, however I often hear from interviewers about a candidate not showing passion and enthusiasm.  Asking well thought out questions is just one more way to demonstrate this interest. A great candidate will take the interview past their applicable skills and why they are the best candidate, they will also show the company that they are ready to do the job.


Overall, there are some very good comments that are just as useful as the article itself. There are some negative comments as well, and some are valid. Others are just people being negative. Right or wrong, interviewers are often looking for ways to determine a candidate's passion for what they do and about the job they have available. And whether you agree or disagree with the author’s decision not to hire the candidate, being prepared is always a good idea. And for me, that is the bottom line.



Scot Dickerson, CPC
President
Capstone Search

Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Career advice from radio personalities?



As I was headed from the gym this morning I was listening to a local radio station. Every weekday morning they have what they call the Morning Mind Messer. This morning’s question was, "What is the number one thing people lie about on resume?"  The answer….Salary.

I actually found that surprising as I don’t know of anyone that actually puts their salary on their resume. That went away along with the days of putting your DoB, hobbies, pets and favorite flavor of ice cream. Perhaps it was actually regarding an employment application. So my first recommendation is to never include salary on a resume. Okay the next thing that struck me was that the radio personalities suggested lying to be a good idea. Their justification for actually padding the numbers was to try and get a better offer. No, no, no, no. Wrong, wrong, wrong. Many times employers require salary verification. How would it look getting caught in a lie. You can rest assured any thought of giving you an offer is gone.

Bottom line, any company you’d want to work for should be giving you a fair and equitable offer based on your experience and skills right? And if a company is going to low ball you and pay you below market for what you bring to the table, do you really want to go to work for them anyway? Things rarely work out if you enter into a new relationship on the wrong foot. Feeling you were low balled breeds feelings of distrust and certainly doesn't give you a warm and fuzzy feeling.

There is no competitive disadvantage to putting down your current salary. The real key is your salary expectations anyway. You can dream big numbers but your expectations need to be realistic, too.

So what do you take away from all this?  Don't take career advice from a radio personality.

Scot Dickerson, CPC
President

Capstone

Monday, May 13, 2013

Lunch interviews and spaghetti.




My kids took my wife out for Mother’s Day for supper. They traditionally do the Mother’s Day brunch but due to an out of state basketball tournament my daughter competed in, we broke tradition and went out for supper instead. Naturally I tagged along to play chauffeur and pay the bill. My daughter orders spaghetti and my son gets pizza. In the middle of eating a roaming magician stops by our table (on Sunday night this particular restaurant has a magician). So here is my daughter and son trying to eat and interact with the magician. It wasn't before too long that my daughter was wearing spaghetti sauce on her sweatshirt and my son was wearing pizza sauce on his face & shirt.

This reminded me of a conversation I would typically have with candidates that were scheduled to participate in a lunch interview or a dinner the night before a day of interviews with a company representative. This is what I’d tell them, and please keep the visual in your head of my kids.  If you are scheduled for a dinner or a lunch interview be certain to order a food item off the menu that can be eaten in small bites so that you may comfortably converse. Also, order a food item that has no sauce. And without a doubt, absolutely never ever order spaghetti.

So let’s say you do have a dinner scheduled with a company representative prior to your actual day of interviews. Let’s say you accidently get a food stain on your nice, white shirt. Now what? Do you go to the interviews the next day with a stained shirt? Of course not, you plan ahead. You bring an extra shirt because it is always best to be prepared for the unexpected. Nothing kills an interview like a food stain on your shirt or tie from dinner meeting the night before. 


Scot Dickerson, CPC
President
Capstone Search

Monday, May 6, 2013

Tell Us Everything! Everything!




Remember Chunk from the movie The Goonies?  Here’s the scene... The Fratellis are interrogating Chunk. They say, “Tell us everything! Everything!"

Chunk responds, "Everything. OK! I'll talk! In third grade, I cheated on my history exam. In fourth grade, I stole my uncle Max's toupee and I glued it on my face when I was Moses in my Hebrew School play. In fifth grade, I knocked my sister Edie down the stairs and I blamed it on the dog... When my mom sent me to the summer camp for fat kids and they served lunch I got nuts and I pigged out and they kicked me out... But the worst thing I ever done - I mixed a pot of fake puke at home and then I went to this movie theater, hid the puke in my jacket, climbed up to the balcony and then, t-t-then, I made a noise like this: hua-hua-hua-huaaaaaaa - and then I dumped it over the side, all over the people in the audience. And then, this was horrible, all the people started getting sick and throwing up all over each other."


This is funny stuff, and for me, the most memorable part of the movie. And it reminds me of how an interview can go. The interviewer is one of the Fratellis. Chunk is the person interviewing for the job. The interviewer asks the question, “Tell me about yourself.” The person being interviewed, Chunk, responds, “In third grade, I cheated on my history exam. In fourth grade, I stole my uncle Max's toupee….”

Where do you start? What is the best way to handle a question such as this during an interview to avoid being like Chunk??

Here is what I suggest. When asked an open ended question such as, “Tell me about yourself”, respond in such a way as to draw from the interviewer what it is they really want to know. So you can hone in on what is relevant and important. Surely they really don’t want to know about how you cheated on your history exam in third grade. So respond to the interviewer by saying, "I’d be happy to tell you about myself. What is it that you would like to know?" 


Scot Dickerson, CPC
President
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Wednesday, April 24, 2013

50 Ways to leave your employer




Just slip out the back, Jack. Make a new plan, Stan. You don't need to be coy, Roy. Hop on the bus, Gus. You don't need to discuss much. Just drop off the key, Lee
And get yourself free.

Paul Simon could have easily been talking about the resignation process with these song lyrics. When you’ve accepted an offer of employment and are preparing for your resignation with your current employer you experience all sorts of emotions. While it should be an exciting time often it creates a bit of anxiety.

What will the reaction be of your boss? Well, typically you can expect three different potential responses.

The quilt trip: “How could you do this to me?”
The angry boss: “Get your things and get out of here.”
The good boss reaction: “Hey congratulations. I’m very happy for you. I wish you the very best.”

Just like anything if you know what could be coming you can best prepare yourself. So just knowing these are the likely possible reactions you can be prepared on how to handle. But experience has shown over these years that  there is a certain way to approach the resignation that will help the process go smoothly for you.

First, prepare a resignation letter. For example, I suggest this wording:

“Mr. or Ms. (Name):

I respectfully submit my resignation to be effective (Day and Date).

The reason for my resignation has nothing to do with you as my supervisor or with (ABC Company) as an organization, but rather it is due to an exceptional opportunity, which I have accepted, that is more in keeping with both my personal and professional goals.

I have enjoyed my association with (ABC Company) and wish all those employed by the organization much future success.”

You hand the letter to your boss. They may ask, “What is this?” You simply say, “please read the letter.” The letter diffuses the situation by not making it personal regardless of whether it is. The reason for my resignation has nothing to do with you…. These are powerful words. Telling your boss that they nor the company have anything to do with your decision. Instead, it is all about… an exceptional opportunity.  In addition, an exceptional opportunity that “I have accepted”. You've committed to this new opportunity. That often helps defuse the opportunity for your boss to propose a counter offer. Not always but it can give them the message that you are committed to this new opportunity.

So remember, you called the meeting. You don't need to discuss much. Just drop off the key, Lee and get yourself free. It will feel as though a heavy weight has been lifted off your shoulders once you’ve resigned.


Scot Dickerson, CPC
President

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Do People Plan Their Vacations Better Than Their Careers?



Well spring is in the air here in Iowa. Temperatures in the low 60s. Nice gentle rain has turned the grass green overnight. When I arrived to the office this morning the parking lot was covered with earth worms. Wait….is that spring I smell? Or the literally hundreds of earth worms! Well, here in Iowa I guess it is one in the same. I don’t mean to dwell on these earth worms, but it was a like a scene from an Alfred Hitchcock movie, except worms instead of birds. Should we be fearful?  Will they attack?  Our parking lot was a fisherman’s dream come true. Or some entrepreneurial kid with a dream of setting up a bait stand.

Spring is also a time when I’m printing off local community summer recreational program offerings to fill in my two teenagers’ days with activities to keep them busy during their summer break. I create a calendar for each child with their respective activities clearly documented for each day of the week. Coordinating & planning.

Someone once said that people plan their vacations better than their careers. While not true of everyone, naturally there is certainly truth to that. In fact I was just speaking with a candidate the other day and we were discussing why they were exploring the market. They had recognized that previously they had not put a lot of thought into their career. And now they wanted to do a better job with that going forward.

So as you make your plans for your summer, whether it be what your kids will be doing or your family vacation, take some time to do some planning for yourself. Set short and long range goals. Make them realistic but goals that will keep you on track. Some of what happens to us in our careers is no doubt about timing and circumstances. However, there is something to be said about having an active involvement in how you plan things out as well. Maybe it’s about positioning yourself. Perhaps take a course or two that would be relevant to where you want your career to head. But the key is to carving out the time to make the plan. And then follow through with it.


Scot Dickerson, CPC Capstone Search Group

Monday, April 1, 2013

Great Opportunity?




Great opportunity in……

Why? Why is this a great opportunity?

Every morning I start my day by going through email. Within these emails are LinkedIn Group notifications. I scan the notifications for interesting discussions, and pause and chuckle to myself every time I see a job posted as “Great Opportunity”. Seems like a very subjective word, “great”.

Michael Jordan was a great basketball player. Joe Montana was a great football player. Mohammad Ali was a great boxer. Describing these sports legends as great seems very legit. Each of these individuals was assigned the prestigious title of “great” based on a defined set of criteria generally agreed upon by sports analysts, other sports legends, and fans alike.

To the best of my knowledge the insurance industry has not created a defined set of criteria to establish what is a great opportunity. Therefore, the term is subjective and simply becomes an overused and meaningless word.

Truth is that this will be a great opportunity for someone. But that’s not why the recruiter posts as such. They are attempting to draw attention. But can every job opportunity be a great opportunity? Can you honestly tell me you have a great opportunity for me without knowing what my interests & expectations are? Perhaps a better way to tell the story is by briefly describing what makes this a desirable opportunity. Maybe it is with an A+ AM Best rated carrier. Maybe the company is experience significant growth. Maybe it is a newly created position. These are no guarantees that the opportunity is great, but at least the term “great” is not being overused.

Recruiters are using marketing 101 when they use terms such as “great” by trying to catch attention. But if you answer one of these, ask them what makes this a great opportunity. Because the reality is, if they don’t know about your interests and what’s important to you, then “great” is just an overused word. 


Scot Dickerson, CPC
President

Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Is Your Relationship with your Recruiter/Recruiting Firm a True Business Partnership?



Interesting experience the other day... There is a company I've done business with for years. This has been the true definition of a business partnership. When they had a key hiring need they’d call me and invite me to come out on site, and then meet with those involved in the hiring decision. I would sit down at a table and we’d go over the particulars of the search. We’d discuss target companies, we’d even discuss specific people they would be interested in. Again, this is how I define a true partnership in a recruiting assignment. I was successful in helping identify and secure their hires for each of those searches.

When I work with a company I really work with them. I will continue all necessary activities, including assisting in coordinating interviews, follow-ups, whatever it takes even when I’m on vacation with my family, etc. I enjoy what I do and I figure that is just part of the job. I have no problem in dedicating whatever it takes to help a client fill their critical needs. I will stay with a search until it is filled as well. I am quite persistent when it comes to that. In one search with this same client I stayed on the search for well over a year, dedicating an enormous amount of time and effort seeing it to successful conclusion. All in a contingency arrangement. Most recruiters would have lost interest a few months into the search.

A couple years or so ago I was informed that this client’s parent company was going to use a different process. I won’t get into specifics, but basically they had a vendor company become somewhat of a go-between, if you could call it that. The local HR staff that I had once so very closely partnered with dove into the new initiative breaking ties with me. These are folks I had worked with so closely before. Meeting face to face on each search. Devoting family time to see that each search kept moving forward. Yes, it was very disappointing.

With the new system/process/procedure several recruiters are put on one search. This company operates in a small niche segment of the industry. So you have nine recruiters, for example, contacting a very small pool of potential candidates. Everyone stumbling over each other. Though the real concern to me is what message is being sent into the industry about this company’s recruiting strategy? I believe it sends the wrong message, personally. And how do you control the message being delivered to the market? Many of the recruiters have no experience even recruiting within this company’s niche, let alone insurance. Again, I ask what is the message being delivered to the community? If your recruiting partners don’t know your business, don’t understand your business, don’t know your product, how can they represent you?

If this system really works for this company and others like them, great. I personally see a lot of holes in it. But I’m not criticizing, only illustrating a point. If you are really wanting a sincere business relationship with a recruiter who is only trying to assist you, let them help you by you helping them. A recruiter should be viewed as a business partner. An extension of your own recruiting department. Their success means your success in making a hire. Withholding information or being non-communicative does not aid towards the successful conclusion of a search.
Scot Dickerson, CPC
President
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Monday, February 4, 2013

Super Bowl XLVII - A Little Something for Everyone In It




I have to say that I was actually looking forward to this year’s Super Bowl, and I can’t say that about many of the bowl match-ups. Typically I’ll watch but can easily be distracted by other things. So I arranged my day so I could watch the game. I can say I was mostly neutral about the outcome, but if pressed I’d admit that I favored the 49ers. I think largely because I grew up during their dynasty days. And I always felt as though Joe & Steve did a nice job of presenting themselves as role models.

After the first half and the opening of the second I was less than hopeful for a 49ers win. The power outage provided an opportunity to help my daughter with studying for a test, and then when I returned to the game much to my surprise the 49ers were right back in the game!  They almost pulled out the greatest comeback in Super Bowl history, but instead it is being called by some as a controversial ending and a win by the Ravens.

This Super Bowl definitely provided an “on the edge of your seat” comeback bid. Record setting performances.  A half-time performance largely free of controversy. Some pretty entertaining commercials. This bowl match-up also brought us an opportunity to extract real world lessons that can be applied to everyday work life. These lessons are nicely outlined in the article below.  A good read as there is a little something for everyone in it.


Scot Dickerson, CPC
President
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Thursday, January 10, 2013

Email Addresses and Phone Greetings...Why Take Chances




While I may not be the most creative writer and my blogs may not pose thought provoking questions on relevant hotly debated events, from time to time I appear to hit on useful tidbits that people find beneficial. And, ultimately, that is my true goal; simply providing tidbits of information that others may find helpful. Recently a contributor to OnlineMBA.com contacted me about a couple of my previous blogs regarding Business Casual Attire and Interview Attire. She had composed a more expansive piece which I felt was very well put together. It can be found here: Building a Business Wardrobe From the Bottom Up.

With all the focus on social media these days and advice on how to be certain your Facebook page is “potential employer” friendly. Or the dozens of plus pieces regarding how to build a LinkedIn profile for job seekers. Often overlooked are the old school items that once were part of our standard “advice” talk we gave to job seekers. I was reminded of this subject just the other day as I listened to my daughter recording an incoming greeting message on her new cell phone. Now she is not in the job market so her message was fine, but it caused me to reflect on when I used to counsel job seekers on both their email addresses as well as phone greetings. Of course back then before the days of “Saved by the Bell” and  Zack with his huge mobile phone people used home answering machines.


So here’s my daughter all giggly over her newly created greeting where she is, as she put it, tricking people into thinking they actually reached her live when instead she is just a recorded voice. And how many of us have heard similar tricky messages or the greeting with music jamming and so on? My advice to anyone who is currently in a job hunt mode, re-record your greeting to make it very straight forward and leaves no question regarding if you are or are not someone that should be considered for a hiring manager’s open position. Keep it simple. Keep it neutral.

Now the email address. If your email address is:


Or something along those lines and you are in a job hunt, change it, or better yet, simply get another account used solely for business reasons. 

Can’t get any more straightforward and any simpler. Like it or not, why take the chance of alienating one possible potential employer. And it really is not as simple as, “well I wouldn't want to work for someone so stuffy anyway.” You just never know what will catch someone wrong. That someone could be the most open minded person you’d met but they could be turned off by something that seems so innocent to someone else. Why take the chance? I’d be interested in your thoughts on this. Or your stories about phone greetings or email addresses.


Scot Dickerson, CPC | President
Capstone Search Group