Stay Ahead Of The Rising Demand For Talent

Stay Ahead Of The Rising Demand For Talent

Be Ready To Make The Hire When The Right Talent Is Presented

Don't Let Talent Slip Away

recruiting Needs To Be continuous

Keep networking. Keep the process moving forward.

 

We read it, hear about it and of course live it…. the war for talent is on. We are at the point where companies need to make hiring decisions fast and or faster than they have been accustomed to in order to compete for talent. Companies need to be in a position to make quick hiring decisions while making sure the hiring decisions are smart ones. The unfortunate part for those who act slowly, can result in watching the world-class talent  slip away go to the competition or simply become unengaged.

Hiring should not be stressful, or minimized by busy hiring leaders. Unfortunately sometimes hiring may take a back seat due to busy schedules, business obligations, the need to meet business goals and objectives. But none-the-less, as of late, we are seeing many hiring managers becoming fully engaged. When they are, the process couldn't be better.

We all recognize that recruiting is not just about the recruiting process or recruiting strategy but really about hiring the right talent that will help position a company to compete and achieve positive results. Therefore when a search for a new employee is launched, it needs to be the focus of all involved. Otherwise it may result in an unsuccessful pursuit or loss of world-class talent.

Good luck to all.

Sheila Greco

sgreco@sgatalent.com

Tips for Recruiting Top Talent....Use The Right Recruiting Email Subject Line!

Identify, Connect, Vet and Present!

Recruiting is all about connecting!

Recruiters need both a great message and a strong recruiting email subject line in order to be successful.

Recruiters have found success using emails to connect with potential candidates. I am sure the results are directly related to having a recruiting email subject line that wants the potential candidate to read more.

As always I like to share email subject lines that have been successful for me. Please note these are the ones I used while recruiting a Vice President of Marketing.

Enjoy!

1. Subject line: We have identified you as a marketing expert. I want to learn more about you, your career and possibly next steps.

2. Subject line: We have identified you as being one of the most talented in your space, lets network.

3. Subject line: As a marketing expert, I am interested in networking with you regarding a role we are working on.

Again be sure each email is personalized and has enough information regarding the role and the responsibilities. Having this information helps the professional with making the decision to learn more, refer or decline. If they decide to move forward and schedules a call, I make it a practice to send along the job specification and ask for their resume or biography prior to the upcoming discussion. I believe this results in having a productive conversation for both parties.

What recruiting email and recruiting email subject line works for you? Please share with us so we may use it too.

Happy Hunting.

Sheila Greco

sgreco@sheilagreco.com

Join Us May 9th for a Free Webinar! SGA ExecutiveTracker the Other Great Recruiting Tool

Recruiting successes comes from proactive recruiting using name generation/passive candidate research & other tools to assist with getting to the right candidates. On May 9th, we will be offering  (3) free webinars that will show how we and our customers use SGA ExecutiveTracker as a resource. Thought we would share with you the wonders of SGA ExecutiveTracker because it seems to be a tool of choice amongst the customer base that is giving us a 93% renewal rate year over year.

We will also be showing examples of recruiting emails as well as effective voicemail messages, examples of research, tricks on how to do research, the value of passive candidate research and the value of quality data. Our goal is to help you, help your clients.

May 9 9:00

May 9 1:00

May 9 4:00

Sign up today at a time convenient for you.

Remember as recruiters, proactive ones, it is important that we use every channel available to reach out and connect with  potential candidates. Hope to have you join us.

SGA ExecutiveTracker - offering names not found on the internet.

Oops We Did Not Connect Recruiting Email!

Recruiting emails can be very effective when looking to connect with potential candidates and networking resources. It is also a great way to send a message to say, I  missed connecting with you!

Over the years I have had great success connecting via email during the recruiting process. As a proven vehicle used to reach out to  potential candidates and networking resources, it can also be used to close the loop with those who you did not connect with!

As recruiters we usually try to reach out to potential candidates and others at least 4 times during the recruiting cycle and if there is no response, it would be safe to say there may not be. There could be a number of reasons for not connecting to include but not limited to timing,  the opportunity may not right, the professionals are very busy, and possibly can't think of anyone to refer. Therefore as mindful recruiters it is okay to move on, while at the same time let everyone know you are doing so. One way I like to do this is with the, "We Did Not Connect Recruiting Email." If you prefer to call, that is fine too, but I do recommend closing the loop. Below are a few examples of the emails I have used.

Subject line examples:

Subject line example #1: Still looking to network with you on the Vice President/General Manager role.

Subject line example #2: Still looking to connect regarding the Senior Buyer role.

Subject line example #3: We are still looking for the Talent Acquisition Director and I was hoping to connect.

Subject line example #4:  As a thought leader in the HR Industry  I was hoping to connect, but maybe next time.

First Paragraph examples:

1. Good afternoon Andrew, I tried reaching out a few times, however with no success. If you wish to connect that would be wonderful, otherwise I understand you are very busy and just not interested in networking at this time. However, there is always next time. Lastly, please note that if there is ever anything I can do for you, don't ever hesitate to ask. I would welcome it! The opportunity I am speaking about remains open, see below for details.

Good afternoon Andrew, sorry we didn't connect this time regarding the Talent Acquisition Director role. Please keep my information on file for future reference and feel free to reach out to me at any time. As you are aware, I recruit in your space and would be very interested in learning more about you, your career and ultimately your future career aspirations. Look forward to connecting when the time is right for you.

Good afternoon Andrew, hope all is well with you. I tried reaching out several times regarding the Director of Tax position, but without success. As you can see we recruit in your area of expertise and would be interested in learning more about you when you are ready. Please keep my information for the future!!

Good afternoon Andrew I was hoping to connect with you regarding the Vice President/General Manager role, but was unsuccessful. I did want you to know that as an industry expert I am hopeful to connect with you next time, even just to network. If you ever need me or would like to just chat, please feel free to call or email and I will make every effort to get back to you in a timely fashion. Have a great day and look forward to future conversations.

Again these are just a few examples of recruiting emails used to close the loop on potential candidates and networking professionals. Feel free to use them!

Have a great day everyone and happy hunting!

Sheila Greco

Proactive Recruiting - Passive, Happy Where They Are Candidates, Need to Be Recruited!

Passive, Happy Where They Are Candidates Need to be Recruited!

Proactive recruiting requires seeking out the best of breed candidates for each search assignment as set forth by the client.  Recruiting needs to be the direct result of contacting people who are sitting at the companies of interest, in a role that may be similar to the client's, are quite happy where they are and are not even thinking about making a move.

Until.....contact has been made! The opportunity has been presented, the conversation begins, the professionals are engaged,  interests are peaked, questions are being asked and the once "passive candidate" is becoming an active one for the role the recruiter is recruiting for.

Passive candidates are not looking therefore in many cases don't even know about  opportunities simply because no one has told them about it. They need to be recruited! So having said that, passive recruiters not proactive recruiters can be missing out on great candidates.

What is wrong with this picture? Recruiters need to be proactive. It is up to the recruiter to make the introduction regarding the opening.  Proactive recruiting efforts can result in recruiting passive,  happy where they are candidates. Makes sense.?Of course!

A major piece to proactive recruiting is getting the message and opportunity out there to the right people! Passive candidates are not thinking about looking for a new job, they are working hard for the next internal promotion! They want to be rock stars where they are!

My advice to recruiters, hiring managers and anyone looking to upgrade their team, and company, proactively recruit.  It is irresponsible to rely on sitting back hoping the right, qualified, best of breed candidates will come to you.

My advice today is to proactively recruit the top recruits before the competitor does!

Once again, Keep It Simple Silly! Recruit proactively!

Thanks for stopping by!

Best regards,

Sheila Greco

sgreco@sheilagreco.com 518 842-4611 ext 221

Recruiting Similar Talent & Skill Sets Can Be Done Efficiently and Cost Effectively

She is a one of a kind Fashion Super Star!

Whether a company is Rebuilding, Adding, or Upgrading

Recruiting Similar Talent & Skill sets can be done efficiently and Cost Effectively

In some cases companies are looking for a super star like the one in the picture and other times, there exists a need to rebuild, add or upgrade a team. In such cases where there needs to be multiple hires, there are a few ways companies can do this and do it cost effectively. Recruiting today is about efficiency, uncovering quality top talent and its related cost.

Recruiting is a process and when recruiting similar talent and skill sets it is even more important than ever to use a methodical research/name generation step as part of the recruiting strategy.   Research/name generation can be done internally or outsourced.  Either way be sure this step includes a comprehensive target list, targets specific talent (architect, developer, buyer, product manager, sales representative/territory manager, auditor) and the recruiter must have the mindset that in order to begin recruiting there must be at least 50 names on the list (exception: when recruiting tax, audit and consulting talent I recommend a minimum of 100 names). It is a goal, it helps with the process, it keeps the recruiter organized, it can be referenced as time goes on and recruiting continues. It has many great uses.   Now that the research is done and done well, it needs to be followed by a proactive recruiting process.

The proactive recruiting process starts with connecting which can be any way the recruiter wishes; telephone, social networking medium, emailing , texting whatever but you need to connect with all on the list, otherwise the research step is for naught.

Staying organized is a must. It creates efficiency.  A good recruiter can double the size of the list or even triple it.  Now you are humming.....As the connections are being made, potential candidates are being vetted, the best are being presented and those not making the cut are being told it is just as important an activity to create a network of professionals in this space.  The best way to do this is by getting your information (the recruiter's) out to as many people as possible while the recruiting is being executed. Even to those who are not interested. Who knows this could change.

Long term, recruiters want professionals to know who they are and what types of positions they recruit for. Professionals need your contact information! How do you do this? It is easy! Just ask everyone how they would like you to deliver your contact information to them and also ask how they would like to be contacted next time.  What does this do? It makes you part of their professional network and he/she is now part of yours. You are now connected.

Additionally by having your contact information these professionals can connect with you when they are ready to make a move, want to refer or just chat. You now have a professional friend as well.  Oh so easy......just recruiting, building relationship and becoming a monster networker. It doesn't get any better than this.

Recruiting multiple professionals with a specific skill set can be considered easy, difficult and scary to some. But by knowing and using the recruiting process it can be made simple and cost-effective.  Once again being organized creates efficiency and efficiency creates less effort which saves time and saves money as well.  This is music to everyone's ears. Yes, recruiting multiple talent and skill sets and utilizing an efficient process can and does uncover top quality talent and creates a cost-effective way to recruit.

How can it be cost-effective? Companies have an option to negotiate the fee, suggest a flat fee if the recruiting is outsourced.  If it is done internally efficient recruiting efforts and filling the pipeline with all "A" Players who can all do the job, obviously results in awesome ROI.

Remember talent is a company's greatest asset. So when recruiting, it is important to hire the best, most qualified player who can fit in the company's corporate culture and whose long-term and short-term goals match the company's .

Thanks for stopping by...

Sheila Greco

Looking for Retail Talent? Take a look inside of SGA ExecutiveTracker

 

SGA ExecutiveTracker has many strengths to include retail talent. Our retail clients have hired hundreds of buyers, merchandisers, store managers, store operations, planners and corporate management professionals.

SGA ExecutiveTracker is more than just a research & recruiting tool.   It is a compiled database of  names, titles, emails, biographies and direct dials.   It complements many Daas competitors and LinkedIn.

SGA ExecutiveTracker is not a technology company and does not use web scraping or data dumps to obtain contacts. All our contacts are verified  exclusively by one of   Sheila Greco Associates in-house research teams.

SGA ExecutiveTracker can be segmented by functions, industries, Fortune rank and has many frequent highlights as part of the solution. We track over 14,000 Companies that are part of such lists as  Fortune, Forbes,  Fastest Growing Companies and those that are leaders in their industries. We do not track every company, but many of major ones. We go deep into companies with information that is difficult to obtain and maintain!

In addition to SGA ExecutiveTracker retail strength, one of SGA's  core strengths in the retail sector and our ability to map out many retailers top to bottom, (customized research).  Our clients have the opportunity to use this for recruiting, benchmarking and talent management.

Top Retailers - Let's look inside SGA ExecutiveTracker

Wal-Mart, Kroger, Target, Walgreen, Home Depot, Costco, CVS Caremark, Lowes, Best Buy, Sears, Safeway. We cover corporate management and many, many levels below.

Below we highlighted some great merchandising talent that can be found in SGA ExecutiveTracker.

Linda Hefner Wal-Mart

Michael Donnelly Kroger

Kathryn Kathee Tesija   Target

Timothy L. Rose Costco

Grant Pill, & CVS Caremark News from DrugStore.com

Bob Gfeller Lowes

Kelly Griffith Safeway

Thanks for stopping by and I do hope you check out SGA ExecutiveTracker .

Sheila Greco

Building Relationships help with recruiting!

Sheila Builds Relationships

It doesn't Matter Where I Go or What I do.......

I love the art of conversation and building relationships.

I enjoy getting to know people and who they really are!

As a recruiter and Monster networker, as I was most recently referred to as being, I believe every conversation counts.  Why? The reason is that at any time I could be recruiting for my company or for a client.  I also don't want to forget about others who may be looking for talent tomorrow and will be calling me to ask me who I know. It is beneficial on multiple levels to build long-lasting relationships and it’s also my personality to try to help people.   I can’t help it - it's just my nature! Should this be yours? Many of my conversations have deeper meaning and yours should too.

Like some professionals who are trained to understand who we are or profile us, I am trained to match people with companies and people with people.  How do I do this?  I have achieved this through conversations.   I get to know the person.  I ask lots of questions about who they are, who they want to be, what they like to do, and try to stay clear of who they think they are. Sometimes this is not so easy.

I believe that conversations and engaging people can lead to many recruiting successes. Whether these conversations take place on the golf course, dinner, event, or any type of face to face social interaction, you never know it could be a great time to put on your recruiting hat and if you are looking to further you career, it could help you get the job you are looking for. For me, the truth of the matter is that once people know I am a recruiter, many, almost always will start off the conversation with, "how is the recruiting business?"  Many of these conversations center around the job market, the people themselves, how they may be able to better themselves, position themselves for the future and many other topics that relate to their careers.  Will these conversation turn to a recruiting one? Maybe yes - Maybe No. At a minimum it is a networking conversation. In order for it to be a good one for all, you need to listen and engage. 

 Building Relationships help with recruiting! Remember it is not what you know, but who you know! The continuous effort to network and network with the right people can always be a benefit. Don't be afraid to network....Don't be afraid to start a conversation.  Don't be afraid to ask questions.  Just do it!

Let's not let recruiting or networking ever get in the way of having fun, developing friendships or making it an obnoxious passion.... you must know the art of networking and conversation. You will know when the time is right...

Just thought you would like to know...

Thanks for stopping by!

Sheila Greco

http://sgatalent.com/

Role Of A Recruiter. Are You Really A Recruiter Or Just Playing One On TV?

You know you are a recruiter when you...

1. Recruit- Not a recruiter that limits their efforts to just posting, tweeting,  and just taking whomever comes along. Real recruiters naturally and actively seek out the talent required.

2. Network- Speak to all who can help you connect with the best of breed talent. Continues to keep the networks they developed active. Networking work both ways! Always return calls and emails.

3. You become the expert - Regarding the position, the company, the hiring manager's needs and wants.

4. Really know the talent you recruited - Of course you need to know the background of the candidates, but you also need to know what make them "tick", gets them excited, what their long and short-term goals may be, and of course WHO they really are to include what they do in their spare time.

5. Only present on target candidates that fulfill the needs of the hiring managers and  are a match with the company's corporate culture. 

6. Have a sense of urgency- Feel everything needs to be done today! Nothing can wait until tomorrow. Do it now!

7. Organized- Being organized helps with effectiveness and efficiency.

8. Understand recruiting is a process - Willing to do what is expected during the recruiting cycle.

9. Overcommunicate - Follow through with the candidates that make the cut and those who do not. Always be available for the clients and candidates.

10. Always  ready to do #1.

There are many recruiters out there. There are many people who think they are recruiters and fewer great recruiters. If you are passionate about recruiting you can certainly be a successful one if you really care. Know the role of a recruiter before you take on the challenge.

Thanks for stopping by!

Sheila Greco

Sheila Greco Associates LLC, your research and recruiting resource! We look forward to hearing from you!

http://sgatalent.com

Recruiting Top Talent & The Importance Of Creating A Solid Target List

Top Talent can be hiding within the walls of the competition.

But don't stop there!

After reviewing numerous 2012 recruiting predictions and trends,  there seem to be 2 predictions that make every list.

1. The importance, need and desire to recruit directly from the competition.

2. Finding the much-needed talent with mission critical skill sets specific to an organization.

As I begin to think about this and how I can help my clients with these two trends, it has become obvious to me the need to emphasis the importance of a solid target list. The solid target list acts as a roadmap, a plan, as to where the talent may be sitting and poached. So by taking the time to creat a solid target list, long-term will help with identifying and recruiting the hard to find top talent needed by the organization. It is important to know that each target list needs to be specific to the requirements of each specific job. There could be some homework that recruiters may need to do to put together this solid target list, but it will be well worth the time and energy.

When creating a solid target list, I usually divide it into categories:

1 Target List, 5 Potential Categories

1.Competitors- Direct Competitors, same size, similar brands and services. (J&J)

2.Best Of Breed - companies with critical mass, best and brightest management teams, (companies may include  P&G, General Mills,  Apple, Google, Goldman Sachs, General Electric etc)

3.Back Yard Warriors - Great companies with great talent where recruiting top talent would not require relocation.

4.Small To Medium Companies On The Rise, but in  your space - Since 2008, great talent has been recruited by these companies and they have benefited greatly so great places to investigate and definitely not ones to overlook.

5.Specific teams within organizations - Those that have been recognized or known to have solid management and team players. (Human Resources Awards, Marketing Awards, Retail Creative teams).

If you need help with putting together a target list, call me at 518 843-4611 or email sgreco@sheilagreco.com. Glad you stopped by sgatalent... Until the next time enjoy!

Sheila Greco

Guest Writer George Bradt on Sheila Greco's Blog...Awesome Stuff! A Must Read

Pause to Accelerate Onboarding Impact

Everyone starts out wanting to make a difference.  Then they get sucked into the day-to-day routine.  Their schedule fills up with meetings and stuff.  Soon they are so busy doing busy work that they don't have time for the things that really make an impact.

Don't let the things you have to do keep you from getting done the things that make a real impact

This is particularly tricky when onboarding into a new organization or role.  You don't know what you don't have to do and don't want to get off on the wrong foot with anyone.  There's a tendency to jump in and try to do everything, saying "yes" far more often than you say "no".

Don't do it.

Pause to Accelerate

Instead, pick a point of inflection.  For some it will be sooner.  For some it will be later.  For most, it should be sometime inside the 30 day mark.  (More on why in our book, The New Leader's 100-Day Action Plan.  For the moment, just accept that.)  Before the point of inflection, focus on building relationships and learning.  You don't know enough yet to make any decisions or to push your point of view.  After the point of inflection, focus on the few things that will make a real impact on what's most important.

George Bradt

200 West Hill Road, Stamford, CT, 06902

+1-203-323-8501 Office

+1-203-253-1569 Cell

gbradt@primegenesis.com

Sheila Greco

518 843-4611

sgreco@sheilagreco.com

http://sgatalent.com

Organization Mapping - A Great Way To Learn About The Competition And Be Aware Of The Talent

Where Is The Talent? Who Is On The Team?

The Latest Trend Reveals Much Needed & Wanted Information

There are tools such as SGA  ExecutiveTracker,  LinkedIn, Google,  Passive Candidate Research, Social Networking and niche ones that assist with peeling back the onion, but the best way to Map an Organziation and capture this information is by speaking with people on the inside and those in the "know."

Mapping competitors, best of breed organizations and back yard warriors are super hot right now. Organization Mapping provides a cross functional picture of an organization. Pictures speak in volumes (organization charts) and can help with making recruiting decisions, talent management strategic planning and is widely used for competitive intelligence purposes. Today, smart companies are moving toward strategically aligning recruiting with competitive intelligence teams. Should you be doing the same? Or have you been using recruiting as a way to gain information about your competitors for quite some time. If you have you are not alone.

Where Is The Talent

Organization Mapping  shows how  the target companies are organized, where the teams fit within the organization, the size,  unique titles, if there are any,  and much more.

Who Is On The Team?

Now you know where the team is, you want to know about the players.   You want to know who are the stars on the team, their backgrounds, education, years with the company, diversity, greatest accomplishments. What you can do with this information can be endless! Can this help with current & future challenges!

Building competitiveness these days requires more than just your brand name, your product/services, and customer service just to name a few. It's about talent too. You need the right people, doing the right things! You need the best talent on the market. You need superstars. As you continue to build your teams you need to be aware of who is out there. We have heard the phrase, "people are our company's greatest asset,"  I agree! There is a lot of truth to this, but  I sometimes wonder if companies really mean this and believe enough in this that as they recruit they sincerely look to hire the best available.  If you believe in this you need information that helps get you there. Please read this interesting article written by Jennifer Blanchard | HRTools.com Business Writer.

Organization Mapping is the current trend. I believe in it and can see the value it has.  Be in the know! Know your competitors, know the talent and create the strongest team you can so you can win!!! Having top talent on the team creates at a minimum competitive teams and often times winning ones! But you can only do this if you are aware of the best players out there.

Passive Candidate Research Finds Them, Recruiters Recruit, Evaluate & Present, But Candidates Are Who They Are!

Passive Candidate Research & Organization Chart Development Uncovers Potential Candidates and Reveals The Potential Talent Pool

Recruiting, Evaluating & Presenting With Knowledge Is Another Step

But Candidates Are Who They Are....

www.SGATalent.com & Sheila Greco Welcomes Colleen Alyward

Let’s talk about Age Discrimination for a minute. By Colleen Aylward

An excerpt from the book “from Bedlam to Boardroom” by Colleen Aylward

My clients are executive level job seekers who are completely lost in this new world of job search. They often complain to me about age discrimination as the reason they are still unemployed.

Maybe so. But there is another angle.

People like to hire others who are just like them.

If you don’t match the high energy, excitement, and passion of the rest of the company, the hiring managers perceive you as having no energy, no excitement, and no passion. Most likely, this is not the case. Most likely, you have learned over the years to think before you speak, but sometimes this asset can be a liability, given the age and perceptions of an interviewer. Yes, you’ve gained wisdom: You consider alternatives before making quick decisions; you do research on solutions; and you always consider the downsides of each. You call this prudence. They may call it slow. Strike one.

If you have let yourself go physically, many hiring managers may feel that your mental agility has atrophied as well. Seriously. It’s not age discrimination. It’s their perception of your overall energy and stamina, especially in a highly taxing position and/or one with a lot of travel and activity. Strike two.

If you don’t use the language, the acronyms, the newest industry buzzwords, they may think you are outdated. Or that you have lost the drive to keep up with new things. I knew an executive who was one of the first brilliant architects of the client-server age. He went for an interview with a large software vendor, but he didn’t describe his work in the newest language of distributed technology – “cloud computing.” Strike three.

So be careful when you start to think age discrimination is taking place. That will just make things worse. You’ll be defensive during your interviews without realizing it. And what you might perceive as “age discrimination” might be a hiring manager’s response to what you project in the areas of energy, influence, and atrophy.

Recruiting Women In Technology SGA's 2011 Study Sneak Peek Preview

Since 1993 we have been specializing in recruiting and conducting passive executive research in the I/T World

The fact is that there are still fewer Women than men In Technology to Recruit!

Our results for just the Fortune 100 are in.  For 2011 there are 17% Women In Technology Leaders in comparison to 15% in 2004 and 12% in 2007. Finding top notch women in technology is becoming less difficult, there are just fewer out there.   No wonder why women in technology continue to encourage young women in high school and college to major in technology. These professionals are mentors and active in multiple related associations and organizations.   As most technology recruiters are aware, recruiting technology professionals can be challenging within itself and women in this space are considered "a hot commodity".

For the next few weeks my staff and I will begin to once again analyze women in technology and release our findings to all of you and the world.  FYI it consists of 1000 Companies.  Stay tuned for the results of SGA's Women in Technology Study.  This particular study is so much fun!

The 17 We have identified from The Fortune 100

1. Charlene Begley President and CEO of GE Home & Business Solutions and Senior Vice President and CIO for GE

2. Linda Sanford, Senior VP, Enterprise on Demand Transformation & Information Technology, IBM

3. Patricia Morrison EVP & CIO - Cardinal Health, Inc.

4. Beth M. Jacob, Executive Vice President, Target Technology Services and Chief Information Officer

5. Kim Hammonds, Chief information Officer of The Boeing Company

6. Nancy Davis, Vice President and Chief Information Officer UTC

7. Maria R. Morris,Executive Vice President, Technology & Operations MetLife, Inc.

8. Linda Gooden is Executive Vice President of Lockheed Martin’s  (IS&GS)

9. Diane M. Bryant,Vice President and Chief Information Officer (CIO) of Intel

10. Rebecca Jacoby Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer Cisco

11. Barbara G. Koster Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer for Prudential Financial

12. Susan O'Day, Senior Vice President & Chief Information Officer The Walt Disney Company

13. Twila M. Day, Vice President and Chief Information Officer at SYSCO Corporation

14. Eileen Slevin, Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer, New York Life

15. Linda A. Mills Corporate Vice President and President of Northrop Grumman’s Information Systems

16. Theresa Wise  Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer of Delta Air Lines

17. Noel Brown Williams Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer HCA Information Technology & Services

This is it for now, but stay tuned..

If you are interested in this full list feel free to contact me at sgreco@sheilagreco.com.

Thank you for visiting  www.sgatalent.com

World Class Recruiting

Recruiting Top Talent and Creating World Class Recruiting Organizations Were The Common Threads in SMA's Event This Year.

The day began early as usual, with a gracious opening from Chloe Rada.  The day went by quickly as the speaker line up had many top-notch Industry Thought Leaders, Talent Acquisition & Sourcing Experts.  The Keynote was Andres Tapia, who provided us with compelling insights and practical information on why recruiting and retaining diverse talent is a business imperative for any organization.  Among the speakers, as always a crowd favorite Gerry Crispin who was a great moderator with a five star panel of experts such as Annie Chae, Chris Gould and Tito Magobet.  This session proved to be very informative.  Each speaking openly about their background's,  experiences and shared with us a few of their successes. I am sure everyone learned something from this session.

What a great day for LinkedIn!  The company went public, how exciting for many. Another great panel joined Kevin Krantz, Enterprise Relationship Manager, LinkedIn and discussed the many uses of LinkedIn as a tool for recruiters.  The panel consisted of Suzi Edwards, Diane Hughes and Michele Portfilio.  The day ended with a session on Recruiting Metrics, nicely presented by Steve Lowisz.

This powerful professional community was warm, and friendly, often sharing their own experiences with each other during  sessions, in private and during the event's breaks.  The evening cocktail party  sponsored by us, Sheila Greco Associates was very joyous one.  The room was filled with laughter, buzz around the topics discussed and it was quite obvious people really enjoyed being there and with each other.  This Chicago SHRM is one of a kind we really enjoyed it since it gave us a chance to reconnect with clients, friends, and develop new relationships with future clients.

Again we want to thank Michele and Chloe for giving us the opportunity to be part of this event.  We were a proud sponsor and look  forward to being part of this community.

If you work in Human Resources, Recruiting, Talent Acquisition, and/or Executive Search in the Chicago area you need to be part of the SMA of Greater Chicago organization.

Executive Recruiting Trends

The Importance of Human Touch and Pipeline Development are Center Stage for 2011's Executive Recruiting Trends

The Top 5  SGA has Heard Lately………

#1 In-sourcing vs. RPO:

This trend is toward selective, not full, recruitment process outsourcing. We will see outsourcing occur more often in the recruitment of high-volume, repetitive roles, and for the function of candidate sourcing only. There will be more RPO growth in the U.S. than Canada; more Canadian markets are focused on building internally. More executive recruitment functions are moving in-house, which is reflective of a growing transparency in the market. Increasingly, candidates can go online and see for themselves who holds which recruiting or leadership positions at a company, for example, rather than being forced to stay in the dark or play the guessing game to get in contact with the correct person.

#2 Talent Pipelining:

The importance of building a talent pipeline, as it helps employers get more return out of their recruitment efforts using the fewest resources, build a stronger employment brand, and create better relationships with candidates. Talent pipelining needs to be built into the recruitment process for key roles, as the push of relevant content and information to “nurtured” candidates helps build a company’s employment brand and increase passive candidates’ engagement and trust.

#3 Human Touch is Needed:

A poor or lengthy recruiting process can really hurt your organization’s chances of bringing the best talent onto your team. Just as candidates must sell themselves to you, you must sell your company to candidates. What’s your employment value proposition; how are you attracting, engaging, and retaining quality talent?

Begin to create a more candidate-centric recruitment process by adding more of a “human touch” to your process. Communicate with candidates when at all possible, and let them know where they stand as the process moves from phase to phase.  View all candidates as a customer or potential future customer, client or employee.

#4 Social Media for Recruitment:

Social media: It can be really overwhelming. Most of us are familiar with the major social media platforms — and they are playing an increasing role in recruitment as companies realize they must diversify their recruitment efforts to stay on top. Mobile technology is emerging as a recruitment channel, as companies are also realizing the power of texting and mobile apps for recruitment. Even location-based social networking sites like Foursquare have growing possibilities for businesses and recruitment. Tablets like the iPad are also becoming more popular for work use as these devices increase the business applications offered, and companies are beginning to examine the power of tablet applications to help strengthen their employment brand and company profile.

Video interviewing is a trend that more and more businesses (and candidates) are starting to pick up on, and platforms like Skype, the largest network on the Internet, are also becoming more popular for use in interviews or for virtual meetings.

Using these mediums can be powerful — but the content you put out and the messages you are sending to candidates and employees must be relevant.

#5 The Demand for Experienced Recruiters:

Recruiters today are being asked to do more with less, making it increasingly difficult for them to be successful. The demand for experienced recruiters is high — and the recruiter of yesterday has changed to reflect a demand for those who have an in-depth knowledge of the company for which they’re recruiting.

What are you hearing?

Presenting Passive Candidates With Knowledge

Successful Recruiters Are Knowledgeable Ones!

Having Knowledge about The Candidates & The Potential Target Universe Makes You The Expert!

Chapter 5

Presenting With Knowledge. It says it all. You are totally aware of the potential talent pool! You sourced, networked, recruited and can say with confidence to your clients, we recruited the best from the companies you wanted! As you present the candidates you present the knowledge you gained during the recruiting process. You share with your clients the passive candidate research, organization charts, the top 7 and the 3-5 you believe are the best. Having the knowledge allows you, the recruiter to show that you listened and you are the expert.

Happy Hunting!

The Art Of Listening & Learning!

The Art of The Conversation!

Do We Really Listen & Learn When We Converse!

You need to.  In Chapter 4 we take you through the Evaluation & Selection process.  As we begin to make decisions as to who the "A" Players are, conduct deeper dive interviews, have the candidates tell us why they should be considered, it is also important to compare and contrast the potential candidates to each other.  The only way we can do this well is to really understand who the candidates are and how they will not only perform in the role but how they will do as a whole within the organization, with the team and will it be a win-win situation for all involved.  I cannot emphasis enough how important it is to listen to what the candidates are saying. Conversations will take you back to college, learn about where they grew up, why they went to a certain college, chose the career they did, and the moves they made in their career. Then you talk to them about their own long and short term strategies, where they see themselves in five years, seven and ten years in the future. Learn about what they do when they are not working. What are their hobbies and interests just to name a few. As you are doing this you need to listen, digest, understand and learn about each  candidate. This in turn will help you the recruiter to make the tough choices as to who you will be filling the pipeline with.

Have fun and learn, listen, evaluate and select!

Knowing who you are looking for is the first step in finding them…

Recruiting Top Talent Requires Knowing Who You Want & Knowing Where You Need to Go to Find It!

Executive Research & Passive Candidate Recruitment

Chapter 1 Who

Who are we looking for? We start by creating the Profile/Job Description. The description should be simple and include such things as title, reporting relationships, overall role & responsibilities, qualifications such as particular skill sets and experience, and education. You also need to know who the client is really looks for and needs & wants. What makes he or she tick.  Remember, likes like likes so you need to know as much as you can about the hiring manager, the team, what the team is good at and what the team is not so good at.You can use this information as you begin to think about the research & recruiting strategy. Why? As you fan out from the target list you have other places to look for potential talent Stay tuned. As you go through this exercise you will now begin to understand the talent you need to find, recruit, and present

Chapter 2 Recruiting and Research Strategy

This step is very process driven and simple. This will include such things as creating the target list, the appropriate level or title we are seeking, favorite companies that the hiring manager or company has had success recruiting from, not the mention the ones that have not been so favorable. Discuss direct competitors, industry leaders, back yard warriors, best of breed companies, just a few categories that need representation when creating the target list.  Keep in mind, this step is the foundation of every successful assignment and is the starting point of finding and identifying top talent and uncovering the potential talent universe.

As the target lists are created, edited and finalized, the research phase begins. This includes building organizations charts around the talent of interest at each of the target companies. As the research is being conducted, it is imperative to not only obtain the names, titles and complete organization charts, but you must also be sure names are spelled correctly, titles are exact, emails gathered are verified and direct dials are confirmed. This makes reaching out to these folks easier and with a variety of ways.

Below is an example of an organization chart used for recruiting.

Intelligence is Everything....

Hiring Intelligently is the Only Way to Hire.

Being aware of the potential talent pool is critical to your success.

How do you know you recruited the best just because you made the hire?  Well, the truth is you don't.   You need the intelligence to be sure you did.  You do this by being totally aware of the potential talent universe.  You need to have the "inside view" of the talent pool of the professionals on your target list.

Time and time again we have proven there are significant benefits of knowing where to find the best talent, who they are and how to obtain access to them.  This is all available by using passive candidate research when you recruit.  This is done by building organization charts centered around the talent you are seeking.  This process does not necessarily need to be expensive but any cost involved is well worth it.

Successful companies have the intelligence on their competitors, back yard warriors, best of breed companies and the talent within each.

In order to be competitive you need to have the best talent.  Today a company's best asset and competitive edge is its people.   Having said that, when you are recruiting and/or looking to upgrade internal talent, become aware of whom the best players really are.

Follow my SGA Playbook and come back daily for information regarding recruiting the best with knowledge and intelligence.

Monday - Chapter 1 Who

Tuesday Chapter 2 Recruiting & Research Strategy

Wednesday Chapter 3 Recruiting Campaign

Thursday Chapter 4 Evaluation & Selection

Friday Chapter 5 Presenting With Knowledge & Intelligence