No Use November! Use November As The Month To Pick Up The Telephone To Source And Identify Candidates - Please Sharpen Your Telephone Skills & Techniques

No shave November!

No use November!

What is No Use November? It is simple. It is my way to introduce or build awareness around stealth research and the benefits of using the telephone to map out the potential talent pool. What better way to grow awareness around this talent and lost art than by using the internet to spread the news. However this of course it not the only way I do this since I still call people. So get off the internet, start mapping and use the telephone......PLEASE!

Recruiting is more than just using tools. It is scary to think recruiting has come to this. I may be old fashion but stealth research and mapping the potential talent pool is a must when recruiting mission critical talent. Truly stealth research needs to be part of every recruiters tool bag as does the use of the telephone.

No use November means giving up time spent with research tools, shaving the time spent on the internet and use the freed up time on the telephone! You will not be disappointed.

I challenge the many recruiters who solely recruit by using tools and the internet to source/recruit to stop or slow down such efforts this month. I want all of you to learn how to use the telephone for accurate research and name generation. If you haven't been taught how to do it call me and I will try to help. Better yet I can train you if you wish. Please, try it!

No Use November is your time to focus on enhancing your mining talents by using the telephone to map out the potential talent pool. And of course to connect with potential candidates. Try not to rely solely on technology and sources that you may think are the end all be all. By using the telephone and mapping methods you will quickly discover, I promise increased efficiency and quicker results.

Join the many recruiters and sourcers who use the telephone to accurately map out the potential talent pool. Let me be the first to shout it out, the trend is to map it, org it learn it, and use this data to recruit from it. It is fun, exciting, rewarding and it keeps you learning!

You need the telephone so at least try it this month, No Use November!

Just saying.....

Happy Hunting!

Sheila Greco

sgreco@sheilagreco.com

Organization Charts of Competitors Can Be Used For Recruiting & Diversity Data

Recruiting from competitors and best of breed companies often times results in identifying great talent. Once again it requires stealth research, organization chart development, mapping, identifying passive candidates, call it what you want, but it is a necessary step in the recruiting process. Another benefit of this activity is that it can also identify diverse talent within those organizations of interest. This often times requires another step in the process, but none the less, it results in obtaining critical information. Below is a simple process to follow when identifying talent that can be used to recruit and identify talent within the companies. Depending upon the assignment, the information can have as little as just a name, title and telephone number but it can also contain, emails, direct dials, biographies and more. The results are priceless! Again this information needs to be part of your recruiting process.

Think about the possibilities of having access to such data. Having organization charts of the companies that matter most to your organization provides such insight and can be used in many ways. If you are not taking part in this activity you should because your competitors probably are....just saying!

If you wish to learn more, I would be happy to speak with you.

Happy Hunting!

Sheila Greco

Candidate Pipeline Development Is A Process - Take A Look Inside

Clients want quality candidates.

We want our recruiters to be efficient.

Together we want the most qualified and of course  we want them yesterday.

In order to achieve a quality candidate pipeline recruiters need to follow a process. No shortcuts please!!! Clients want quality and expertise, we hear this every day and of course this cannot be denied. Therefore by having a process to follow is one sure way to stay on course and create efficiency while hunting for the most qualified.

We exploit the process because our results show that it works. Our clients come to us because at a minimum over 90% of the candidates we present get an interview and over 90% of those hired are on average among the first 7-10 presented. It is not about the number of resumes presented any more, instead it is about the quality of candidates. The pipeline development process below is one that is routinely used in our organization. We do not skip any steps and of course we start with mapping the potential target pool. This process, I can attest to creates efficiency and more importantly the pipeline is the direct result of the recruiters' ability to connect, vet and qualify. This always talks to the quality of the candidates who are part of the candidate pipeline. Yes as you can imagine recruiting I believe still requires the human touch.

As a leader, educator, practitioner in the recruiting world, I wanted to share with all of you our pipeline development process.  It is not proprietary, and I am hopeful it is similar to the ones that others use. If you wish, I welcome you to make it your own or at a minimum use it as your guide.

Don't be afraid to show the mapping results when you present the candidate pipeline. At a minimum I suggest that you show each candidate's organization chart, which by the way is another way to compare and contrast candidates.

Now may I suggest that you stop reading and go create the candidate pipeline your client deserves....... or if you wish share with all of us your candidate pipeline development methodology and strategy. Look forward to it.

Happy Hunting.

Sheila Greco

518 843-4611 ext 221

Recruiting Email....Statistics Show The Email Is A Reliable Way To Connect With Potential Candidates

Connecting with potential candidates requires having an email

Over the last year I have been shouting out to the recruiting world the importance of having access to a corporate email when attempting to reach potential candidates. Part of why I am so compelled to continue to share this with you is based upon statistics! People have cell phones, people have their emails attached to their telephones and people read their emails almost instantaneously or at a minimum the subject line. What does all of this mean, recruiters need corporate emails to recruit and connect. And please don't forget you still need to pick up the telephone and call.

Check out these statistics:

1. Cell phone ownership hits 91% of adults according to an article written by Pew Research Center

2. 49 percent of the entire U.S. population uses a smart phone according to previous research from IDC. By 2017, the percent of smart phone users is expected to reach 68 percent.

3. the #1 most popular app on smartphones is Email.

There you have it, the email is a smart choice for connecting with potential candidates. Oh my gosh, you don't have a corporate email? Need to go get it or you may lose out!

Obtaining emails of potential candidates need to be as part of the research and recruiting strategy. This is recruiting 101 people.

While on the subject, be sure the subject line is interesting so that the email is read....my favorite email subject line for the day is; Heard you are a superstar, I am a recruiter so let's connect. Lastly be sure the email is specific to the person you are sending it to. DO NOT USE A GENERIC ONE!

To Recruit a recruiter needs...

1. Research - Smart recruiters have access to data to include a comprehensive list of potential candidates. I create and use organization charts to uncover the potential talent pool.

2. Telephone numbers -  office number is fine, direct dial is great and a cell phone is even better!

3. Emails - Corporate and or personal email but an email is necessary.

4. Recruiting Tools - If you have LinkedIn recruit use it too, but don't use it exclusively. Internal tools as well.....

Just saying....Happy Hunting!

Sheila Greco

sgreco@sheilagreco.com

Org It - Map It! Create Recruiting Efficiency

It's all about creating efficiency and cost effectiveness. How often do we hear this when we recruit. Whether you are part of an internal team or a company like ours, our clients are looking to us to quickly and cost effectively present qualified candidates that can be hired. We discovered along with many major industry leaders that having access to the potential talent pool creates efficiency. Call is what you want, it is all about having detailed information on potential candidates the clients wishes to hire. The best way to have this information is to Org It, Map It! Create organization charts around the candidates at the companies of interest.

What does mapping do for the recruiter?

Identifies who the recruiter needs to call.

It provides real time information, not found in a database.

It provides direct dials, emails and when requested profile information of the individuals, which in many cases can be found on the internet or matched to information the recruiting team has access to from internal sources.

In many cases it provides the data where the recruiter has 3 ways at a minimum to connect with the candidate; email, call and in-mail. If a cell phone is provided, not quite there yet with this, but yet another way to reach out.

Such data helps when it comes time to present the pipeline of candidates because the recruiter can present the organization chart along with the candidate to the hiring manager which as we all know can be powerful.

What else does this information provide?

Creates In-depth real time knowledge.

A look inside of the competitor's talent.

Diversity review.

Information that can be used over and over again.

How does all of this create recruiting efficiency? By allowing the recruiter and the team to quickly have access to connect in an organized manner. Recruiting is a process, once again I profess and utilizing the process yields cost-effective recruiting.

Yes tools can be a great place to start, but if these are your only resources, recruiting efficiency in my eyes cannot be met. I have trained those who think recruiting is just sending an in-mail and once they see the results of having organization charts and such data, they too become believers. Take notice! Become a believer in research/mapping, call is what you want, but in all reality it works.

The fact is that having this data can speed up the recruiting process 3-4 times faster than just relying on databases and tools. We tested it! Therefore when you are getting ready to recruit mission critical talent, Org It - Map It!

Just saying...

Happy Hunting.

Sheila Greco

Madonna's Decades Of Success & Her Career Plan

 

Only Read This If Success Is Part Of Your Plan

And Realize Change & Career Evolution Need to Be Part Of It

Decades of success requires determination, the ability to recognize change and the need to evolve as part of a long-term plan. Understanding that complacency and standing still can result in being left behind. As a successful individual it is necessary to know success can come and go if we allow it to. But it doesn't have to. Success just does not happen, it includes a plan that often includes change as situations change, may need to be tweaked periodically and it must include the plan that realizes change needs to be part of the plan.

Madonna had a career plan and still does, it includes to do whatever needs to be done to be #1. Do you have a solid career plan in place?

Do you have a career strategy in place to follow as you navigate through your career journey? If not it is not too late to create one. You need to set and have goals in order to achieve them. As simple as some goals may be, setting goals help people succeed and not having goals may cause failures or stumbling blocks which can stall or disturb one's career. My advice is if you don't have a career plan, do it now.

Madonna wanted super stardom right from the start of her career and still does. She originally created her brand, continues to maintain it  and is not afraid to reinvent herself/brand to stay on top. Yes, she may have done a few things that were "borderline" unacceptable, but we cannot argue the fact that she is still recognized as one of the greatest successes in the entertainment world today. Are you the next star to be born?  What career legacy are you looking to leave behind while creating your brand in this very competitive ever-changing world? Are you willing to learn, build and continue to do whatever it takes to enhance your career skill sets and build upon your knowledge base so that you too can continue to grow professionally for decades?

Many agree that one's career defines them, who they are and how they are perceived by others not to mention yourself. Therefore your career should be one that makes you proud and of course without regrets. However building one's career is not an easy task. There needs to be a plan and it needs to be followed, tweaked, and full of goals that may change as the landscape of the playing field changes. But you have to work at it, set goals and do what is required to stay on course so that as you navigate the sometimes tumulus waters, you continue to reach the goals you had set out to achieve. Down for a moment or two, just get back up because anyone can be successful if they want to and are willing to do what it takes.....

Why is Madonna so successful after so many decades? Her passion and desire to be #1 was and remains her ultimate goal. She continues to evolve and reinvent herself as new stars enter into her space. Part of her success is her ability to recognize that complacency or just maintaining her foothold in the entertainment world would not sustain nor yield continued success. Instead she continues to take control of her career, her brand, and is not afraid to personally make changes in areas she can control. For example, in order to sustain her success she needed to appeal to broader audiences, which at times required creating new types of music, choreographing new moves, making changes, sometimes dramatic ones to her live stage shows, basically doing what she needed to do to continue and advance her successful career. Can you say that about yourself? Do you take the time to look around to see what you may need to do to sustain or advance your career? It doesn't matter what you aspire to be in life, it is important that you need to have a plan and strategy in place so you can achieve your personal goals.

She is not one to settle for second best. Are you? Are you looking around your company and recognizing others' talents, potential threats to your advancement, your strengths and weaknesses compared to others? You should be evaluating where you are currently and decide your next steps to achieve your goals. Out of a job? Don't let it get you down. Dig deep, reinvent, find what you like. Put a plan in place and go for it. But of course you need a career plan even after decades of success.

Relationships matter. Do you use your relationships to help with your career advancements? How good are your business and personal networks compared to others? Take a look to see and if needed increase your networks. Madonna knows about relationships and how to exploit them for sure. Madonna knows the importance of surrounding herself with the right people to advance her career and help her succeed. She knew and continues to know how to get out of people what she personally needs. Are you surrounding yourself with people who can make you better professionally? Do you have a mentor and support system to help with navigating your career? Of course hard work almost always pays off, but you also must know how to play the game and be in the right circle so to speak. Yes you need to be determined, focused, not to mention flexible and open to change but you also need a bit more, a network, the right network of course.

Blaze the trail. Madonna set the trends she did not and will not follow them. Part of her plan was to become knowledgable as to what was selling, what the fans wanted and played to their wants, needs and desires. Of course, that was part of her plan. What is part of yours? Creating a successful career plan is not a random act. To help with your career plan ask yourself a few of these questions; What do I want my brand to be? How do I feel about coloring outside the lines? I am ready to take control of my life/career and ready to take action to achieve my career goals and aspirations. Am I ready to be challenged? Ready to lead not be led? Do I need to reinvent myself and evolve? Who is my competition? How can I exploit their weaknesses? Do I have someone I wish to emulate?  Am I passionate about what I do? Don't be afraid, you only go around once so make it a good one! Make a foot print in your organization, the world and create a legacy for yourself. Make a plan, make it your own, follow the plan and be sure to recognize when it is time to change/evolve you are ready to do it.

Enjoy!

Sheila Greco

Use The Corporate Email To Recruit - It Works!

Don't just post, recruit! Use the corporate email to recruit. Don't just tweet, recruit! Use the corporate email to recruit.

Using the corporate email to recruit gets results!

Use The Corporate Email to recruit, to get the results you are looking. Recruiting and connecting with emails seems to be in the best way to connect with recruits according to a recent study conducted by SGA Talent.

It was discovered that recruits respond quicker to a recruiting/networking email via a corporate email versus personal, text, twitter or making a connection via an in mail. But don't forget the phone call either for over 50% still like the phone as a way to communicate. Our findings are the results of a study we conducted with 100 of our most recent recruits! Enjoy!

1. Corporate emails are traditionally read and responded to within one business day therefore the recruiting email is probably read within this same time period. Often times a response to this recruiting email for the active/interested recruits can be within hours of the email, yes hours. Otherwise it is typically the next business day. For the networking professionals it can be delayed a bit, but at least it is read.

2. Workers are always at work - Who do you know that is not constantly checking their emails these days? It is a given since there are a variety ways to remain connected, not to mention it is almost EXPECTED by many leaders that their work force be accessible. Over 90% of our respondents said that it has become a habit to check emails when they are away from the office. Many said they are obsessed and wished they could walk away, but can't.

3. Texting a candidate is okay, but texting someone you don't know is not! According to 68% of our respondents this way of an introduction can be annoying and intrusive.

4. Once connected, many candidates prefer an email 83% while 17% prefer texting.

This study was conducted with the sole intention of discovering the best and most efficient way to reach and connect with a potential candidate quickly. With our findings we will certainly continue to use the corporate email to recruit and you probably should too! Let us know how you do when you use the corporate email to recruit!

Happy Hunting!

Best regards,

Sheila Greco

SGA Talent

Recruiters Need To Know How To Play The Game!

It has been a while since I have written, but it is because I have been training recruiters, both experienced and those just learning the game. So I figured I will share with all of you what I have been sharing with my recent recruits and students. Enjoy! Mediocrity does not exist in our industry. Recruiters are expected to be fast, efficient and dead on with results! If you are not a "performer" you will not be long for this profession. Therefore I suggest to all in our industry to know the rules, learn how to play the game and do it well.

We also understand that every one of our clients request is a priority and expectations are to be met, now! Yes we need to get to the exceptionally good candidates fast but the quality of the these candidates must be outstanding too. Therefore one will quickly see that speed, efficiency and results driven professionals succeed in our industry.

As I begin, I first explain that recruiting is a process and the importance of keeping it simple and never take any short cuts. Again, I explain the need to learn the game, know how to play it well, exploit it and make it your own.

I also spend some time talking about the need to be competitive in our industry, the need to want to win and most importantly do what it takes to be a winner! It is not a 9-5 job simply because we are dealing with people.  It is also about your passion! Those who are passionate often times are just more successful compared to those who are not. Lastly, arm yourself with all the resources that produce results; stick to a clear-cut method and process that produces results and efficiency while keeping your eye on the prize.... the great hire!

Let's begin!

a. Know the job - Before you pick up the telephone, send out the first email and/or text, be sure you have anticipated almost every question a candidate or referral may ask. It is up to the recruiter to get this information from the client, BEFORE you begin working it. Clients want us to be armed with information, it creates efficiency for all, helps vet out the candidates and not to mention puts you "in the know!"

b. Know the client - This is a no brainer. How can you recruit for a company you don't know? You can't! When I was taught to recruit, my mentor taught me to say, "our company is looking to identify ......., meaning I not only represent the company, but I am a "member" of the recruiting team, the company's recruiting team so to speak. Now I own it, not to mention that this also forced me to really learn about the client so I could professionally represent them.

c. Know the hiring manager and the types that succeed on his/her team - Part of recruiting is knowing who you are recruiting for really well. You need to know who this person really is. Get to know them either directly or through the contact at the client company. Don't be afraid to ask such questions as; What types of people succeed on this person's team and what types don't? Tell me how he/she manages? What is their style? What does this person do when they are not working to include hobbies, interests, just to name a few.

d. Know where to look and who you are looking for - Recruiting 101. Put together a target list and list of titles of those of potential interest, so you know how to proceed with the research phase of the search. Compared to years past, today the first place recruiters look is LinkedIn. I must say I do it too, although sometimes it takes much longer then I would like, and does not always get me exactly who I am looking for with emails and direct dials, but none the less  I can't argue the fact that it is a great resource. But not the only resource! Know this please and believe it please! Of course as you can only imagine, I am a big user and believer in customized research that includes going right for the jugular. It requires going right to the companies on the target list, obtaining the names of the appropriate professionals while obtaining emails and direct dials. That to me is "priceless" and creates recruiting efficiency second to none! Not to mention it forces the recruiter to proactive recruit. Unfortunately not as many are proactively recruiting these days, but this is changing, thank goodness!

e. Follow the process - Recruiting is a process, I caution all not to take any shortcuts. You can think about it, but don't! I can recommend starting with the low hanging fruit, which are those who are in your network, but great recruiters need to have a process that they follow, all the time. Part of the process needs to include calling, texting, emailing, connecting any way you can with those who you believe would be a great fit for the job you are recruiting for. This again is recruiting 101. Don't limit yourself to just in-mails, it might be fine for a quick fix, but long-term, it can be dangerous. I recommend having a minimum of 3 ways to reach each person to include, company email, direct dial and in-mail. Lastly it is okay to reach out 3-4 times before calling it quits and when you do, let them know this is your last attempt to reach them.

f. Set the date - The goal of presenting the first slate of candidates to the client. I recommend setting a realistic goal and a second one that pushes you. Mark it on your calendar, share it with the client and be sure you hit it!

g. Partnerships create successes - It is important to have a partnership with your client.

h. Do not just be a social recruiting recruiter. Sure use these resources but please don't solely depend on them. You can quickly become a one trick pony! Just like job boards were 3-5 years ago, social recruiting has its own set of limitations and I am encouraging all of you to learn a variety of ways to recruit.

i. Don't ever give up - There is someone out there to do the job. Of course there are variables that may get in the way, but for the most part the jobs we take on are viable and can be done successfully and efficiently.

Recruiting can be fun, exciting, and rewarding on many fronts. Good luck and remember recruiters need to learn from each other, share and play as a team. There is more than enough work out there for all, so be open to share what you know with each other. I will be there for you if you need me!

Happy Hunting!

Sheila Greco

sgreco@sheilagreco.com

518 843-4611 ext 221

SGA ExecutiveTracker is growing again!

 

SGA ExecutiveTracker continues to add content, emails, biographies and contacts. In the last four months we increased our database by 134,000 contacts while cleaning the data to the point where it is 87-90% accurate. Don't worry, when our clients find an outdated contact our internal team supporting SGA ExecutiveTracker will clean it up, provide the new contact name and send it off within 24 hours. We are all about quality not quantity. We invite you to sign up for a free trial today.

SGA ExecutiveTracker supports hundreds of recruiting teams, and continues to tout having 93% renewal rate since 2005. It is all about who we know! Not who you know! Not everyone is found on the internet and SGA ExecutiveTracker can prove it! Our mission is to identify professionals and their teams, showing reporting relationships and offering granular titles describing what the person does within an organization not just a generic title. Really it is worth a look!

Happy Hunting!!!

Sheila Greco

SGA Talent & SMA of Greater Chicago a Wonderful Event!

Thank you so much for such a wonderful event! There were many terrific speakers and panelists that made this event one to remember. John Vlastelica was an amazing as the Key Note Speaker. Gerry Crispin, Co-Founder of CareerXroads closed out the event and as always provided us with fantastic information regarding the importance of candidate experiences for companies.

A few great people to remember were; Carl Kutsmode, Managing Partner talentRise, LLC, Mellissa McMahon, Senior Director of Talent Acquisition CDW, who is amazing LLC, Laura Luzan, Recruiting Manager Sears, and Lori Carlson, Associate Director Experienced Recruiting KPMG.

Thanks again and see you all next year! A nice group of people -  SGA Talent & SMA of Greater Chicago!

Happy Hunting

Sheila Greco

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.

What's In Your Recruiting Bag?

Not all jobs are created equal.  Not all tactics or methods are created equal.  Building relationships and talent pipelines are still critical to reaching out to passive candidates and engaging them effectively. Building talent pipelines, conducting research and sourcing will not be disappearing any time soon, due to social networking or utilization of the Internet. Technology along with tools that utilize smart technology is not replacing people or high touch recruiting techniques. SGA Talent believes there are limitations to all of these and a mixture of the resources produce the best results.

And yes certain methods and tools work better for some roles while others not so much.  Make sure you track and know which sourcing strategy and tactics will get you the best talent in the most efficient way. We agree some roles are in multiples and transaction oriented while others require a personal touch and require building relationships while networking. Know the difference and choose the method that is most successful to complete the task.

Data remains king.  There are many methodologies on how to collect and access data.  Data can also create blocks as time is of the essence and sometimes sorting through too much data slows the process.

SGA Talent clients utilize a number of our solutions to assist with their sourcing strategy, which include products that are not part of SGA Talent!  We agree LinkedIn, Sendouts, social media connections and networks are key to any sourcing strategy.  Including your own ATS  But the personal touch and effective communication still is a key role for any recruiter.

Therefore, don't take to heart some of the recent articles/writings indicating that sourcing and research is no longer needed.

What worked yesterday might not work tomorrow but identifying talent utilizing all sourcing strategies (remember employee referrals!!)are still on the mind of our clients.The goal remains the same:  identify, engage, communicate, market, sell, assess objections and close the talent.  It’s a journey.

Happy Hunting and I look forward to your comments.

Best regards,

Sheila Greco

Infusing Diversity Into Your Candidate Pipeline

Diversity Within Your Organization

Make It Real – Create A Company With Diverse Talent

As more and more companies find themselves in a position where Diversity may not exist or is limited within their organization a mandate to change this may soon be on the horizon.

However, finding diverse talent is not an easy task. It requires a thorough understanding of the potential talent pool, by company, by function and location. In order to successfully create a continuous candidate pipeline, especially one that consists of diversity candidates first requires knowing the entire potential talent pool. It often begins with knowing talent at  competitor organizations as well as other companies where exceptional talent is known to be.

—The benefits of inclusion go beyond the workforce. Studies have shown that in order to have a diverse customer base it is important to hire, promote and retain one.

—

—Although it may take longer to produce a diverse potential candidate pool, today, more than ever many companies are now insisting upon it.

—

—Make it your company’s mandate. The efforts will speak volumes today and well into the future.

How do your teams stack up to your competitors and other is your industry? You only know how if you have the access to the data.

Infuse Diversity into Your Talent Acquisition Strategy.

We can help you achieve and create a diverse candidate pipeline.

Happy Hunting

Sheila Greco

President SGA Talent

sgreco@sheilagreco.com

518 843-4611

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

Don't Judge A Potential Candidate Just By Their Public Profile

Just like the old adage, You can't judge a book by its cover, the same holds true for a potential candidate's public profile.

Decisions to connect or not to connect should not be solely based upon a potential candidate's public profile.As we look for talent to fill positions, the goal is to always identify, recruit and present the ideal candidates for each role. As part of the process many recruiters now have a habit of visiting a potential candidate’s public profile and making decisions based upon what they read. Not a good habit to get into since information can be out dated, not detailed enough or too detailed, thus resulting in a recruiter quickly eliminating potential talent. Having access to such internet information can be helpful, but I caution one against solely depending on it. Profiles as we know it are created by the "owner" and in many cases not validated. As we have come to find out, there are many who exaggerate their accomplishments, as well as their current and past responsibilities. And we only find this out when we connect. Not a waste of time, but we may have been fooled!A quick to judge decision could result in overlooking someone who could be the ideal candidate you failed to connect with, so please don't be afraid to take a second look at professionals who appear to have a solid background and career history who may not be exactly on target.

Happy Hunting!

Why Do Companies Like to recruit from the Competition.

 Raiding the Competition!

Unemployment is high, but companies are hiring. Those that are hiring could eventually have the competitive edge long-term. It has been proven that when competitors are retreating it is a great time to raid and recruit their talent.

Yes, of course, stealth research is how many of the companies are raiding the competition (which we obviously love)! But, don't be fooled, everyone is doing this in some form or another. The process of researching, identifying and tracking talent at the competition has become the norm.

In the course of doing business I began to ask our clients why they like to hire from the competition? Here are a few of their answers.

SG: So why the competition?

Client #1: "We believe that having the best talent in the industry can help us be more competitive. Our hiring managers and executives find it necessary to hire someone from the competition to stay ahead of them or to beat them by having the strongest talent in our industry! This goal continues to ring throughout the halls of our company and has for years."

SG: Can't argue with that if it works! But I did express my concern that not all talent at the competition may be considered "A" Players, right? Yes, it is true that not all players at the competition are best-of-breed so it is important to get to the ones that are.  Build organization charts, back them up with profiles and evaluate. This helps with determining the "A" Players from the others.

SG: So why the competition?

Client #2: "The competition cannot be ignored! Ever! We would be crazy not to look at our competitors and recruit talent from them! We analyze our competitors products and services so why not do the same by understanding their talent and carefully plucking out the ones we want. When top talent comes to us from the competition, it becomes another win for us”

SG: So why the competition?

Client #3: "We want to deprive the competition of their best assets, which of course can be their best talent. We want the smartest and the best!  We always look at the competition and then the companies that have the best training and reputation of hiring the best right out of college. For years we targeted the competition first, the best of breed companies (Goldman) second and no complaints yet. We must be doing well at hiring, since we get targeted all the time by our competitors. But, in my role as a talent acquisition leader, my goal is to hire the candidate that best meets our requirements and needs, but that is not to say that on occasion we do hire others outside of what we call the normal suspects.

SG: So why the competition?

Client #4: "Right now our hiring manager is interested in a bit of a change and wants to hire someone directly from the competition to possibly enlighten the team. She wants to see how others employ different processes, and possibly add the best practices to her own. She wants to know how the competition is doing things! So she wants us to focus strictly on the competition."

SG: So why the competition?

Client #5:  " We don't have time to train. We need candidates who know our space and can hit the ground running. Not to mention we need the candidates to know our client base for the sales position we are recruiting for. That is why we like recruiting from the competition."

Many hiring managers believe  that recruiting from the competition is necessary but top talent is ultimately who they desire. Therefore, as far as a target list is concerned, the competition almost always makes the list, whether is be our clients' top priority or not. However, not so fast.

Not everyone agrees which this philosophy. There are the others who are not so high on hiring from the competition. Why? Some believe hiring from the competition can make companies weaker. Others believe recruiting from the competition can be more of the same and change can be a good thing and finally, others may think it is unethical. All this being said, we can't argue with the fact that the on-boarding process for a new employee can be drastically reduced if the professional is from the competition or from within the industry.

Do you make it a practice to hire from the competition?

Happy Hunting!

Sheila Greco

sgreco@sheilagreco.com

What is Trending in Recruiting?

What is Trending In Recruiting?

The latest game changers in recruiting are Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and many will say these resources or as I call them tools have revolutionized recruiting! So what lies ahead? "What Is Trending In Recruiting?"  It may only be for the moment, the day, the month and may or may not make the list next time.

Years ago there were limited options when it came to recruiting talent. Today there are many choices and resources so try to make it a point to explore the different choices and choose the ones that best fit our needs.

So, what is Trending  in Recruiting now?  Yes literally right now? Because Times They are a-Changin. Click on it, Bob Dylan's YouTube Song....

So what Is Trending In Recruiting?

1. Corporate internal recruiting functions are growing.  These teams are often led by seasoned, ex-Executive Search professionals.  Year over year these teams are becoming more sophisticated, efficient and cost-effective.

2. Executive Search firms are experiencing a year-on-year fall in revenues of a -6% from Q2 2011 to Q2 2012, the quarter-on-quarter data highlighted an upward trend (+8.6%) for the first time since June last year.

3.  Recruiting from the competition is stronger than ever. Stealth research is needed to do this.  Many agree that although social networks have proven to be great resources, a limitation is their ability to show a complete picture of the potential talent pool without further investigation. Traditional research is mostly used for this method of identifying the players at the competition.

4. Passive Candidates Only Need Apply! Still rearing its ugly head.

5. Transactional recruiting is on the rise. Can hires honestly be made without the human touch?

6.  Debates over the effectiveness of social networking recruiting continues and how ROI can be measured for such resources. LinkedIn is very very effective but the jury is still out with regards to Twitter and Facebook.

7. Not sure if the current corporate recruiting process can handle the upcoming demand.

8. The use of social media as part of the recruiting process will continue to be a trend for some time.   Recruiters and hiring managers use these tools for recruiting, researching, networking and verifying.

9. Too much data! Too many tools! When the demand for talent heats up will some of the social media tools survive? Ask yourself do the use of these tools actually help a lot, so-so or very little. Rate them now!

What are the trends you are seeing? We would be very interested.

Happy Hunting!

Sheila Greco

sgreco@sheilagreco.com

The Value of Hiring Best-Of-Breed Talent!

Retailers Want Best-Of-Breed Talent!

The Importance of  Best-of-Breed Talent To the Retail Industry!

There is no question about it; there is a difference between good talent and best-of-breed talent.  My focus today is on the retail industry. Why?  Keep reading to find out! 

The retail industry as a whole is in the midst of a talent war.  Faced with high turnover, access to mediocre talent, the cost of training and trying to retain talent continues to rise thus negatively affecting the cost per hire for some retailers.  Similar to other industries, retailers are now finding it necessary to create a cohesive relationship between the talent management and talent acquisition teams. Many retailers now believe that In order to be successful on a long-term basis, recruiters need knowledge, access to best-of-breed talent and a process that allows the recruitment of these individuals to be in place. It has been proven that great companies are made up of great people; therefore it makes it very important to find and recruit best-of-breed talent at every level.

Where do recruiters get this knowledge?  They get it from the competition and companies who have hired previous employees from these firms.  The knowledge comes from knowing who the talent is and having access to that talent. The nice thing about knowledge like this is that it can be shared with  talent management professionals and used in a variety of ways.   Let me tell you that retailers who employ these strategies have very low-cost per hire numbers.   I know because we continue to help them.  This strategy does work.

For years my firm has assisted retail clients with identifying top talent.  As the assignments roll in, I continue to preach that there is talent and there is best-of-breed talent. What is the difference you ask?  Well, for starters qualified talent can do the job and perform its day-to-day tasks. Okay you may say.  Best-of-Breed talent is different! These professionals can excel within the organization and have high potential to grow and advance, as well as positively affect the productivity of their team(s) as a whole.  Hiring this type of talent can also lead to lower turnover if continued internal growth occurs.

Retailers have come to understand the importance of a process driven recruiting strategy and how critical it is to be sure there is a strong candidate pipeline of best-of-breed candidates to choose from.  Beyond contrary belief this is even occurring at a variety of levels to include store managers, buyers, not just manager levels and above.  The result is hiring “the right professionals” while hiring the “right candidates” who want to be part of a winning company.  This in turn can and will reduce employee turnover over time.  Retailers are not any different from other industries. In fact because most retailers do have such heavy turnover that maintaining and hiring the best talent can be at times more difficult. But now understanding the value of hiring best-of-breed talent at every level, will long-term have a positive impact throughout the company in a variety of ways.

Many believe turnover can be reduced by creating a work environment that offers career growth, continuous learning, development, having a career nurturing superior, team support, receiving recognition, respect and having a feeling of autonomy.  All of these things are true, however I continue to believe that none of these things matter if you don’t start with hiring the best-of-breed talent at every level. 

Don't stop now! Each hire needs to be looked upon as a great hire, not just someone filling a role.  Great hiring also starts with having access to great people.  We advise our clients when hiring not to just focus on filling the current role, but to find future leaders, those who can be part of the company for a long time. As we all know, this strategy can positively affect the talent management needs too. It allows great talent to have continued growth within the organization. 

I believe that talent management is no longer a luxury to be focused on senior leaders and managers, but must be viewed as essential and integral part of corporate sustainability and long-term growth.

Why retail? The exciting news for everyone in the retail industry is that SGA Talent, A Sheila Greco Associates Company has created a private retail networking community where best-of-breed vetted out talent (passive candidates) can have access to opportunities as they become available before they even hit job boards. Over the next few months we will begin reaching out to many best-of-breed professionals to join our exclusive community.

If you would like more information on our invitation only retail network, please contact me at (518) 843-4611 ext 282 or via email at sgreco@sheilagreco.com

Happy Head Hunting! 

Sheila Greco

Making Smart Recruiting Decisions - There is Great, There is Better ....

There is Great!

There is Better!

You only know you recruited the best when you know the potential talent pool. When you are in the know, it will assist with making smart recruiting decisions.

Making smart recruiting decisions can make or break the team, the company, market share, competitiveness  and much more.  Whether a company is recruiting a college graduate, experienced professional or senior level executive, each hiring decision needs to be a smart one.

When a company talks about branding they need to take into consideration that their people are their brand.  So as a company recruits talent,  it is imperative that they bring in the right talent, each and every time.   This means you need to know who is out there. You need to find greatness!

Yes, many will argue there is vast number of great people. Alexander the Great is a perfect example of that, however, would he really be the best fit for the particular job you are recruiting for? You don't know until you compare him to the others, based upon your company's requirements and needs.

Making smart recruiting decisions depends on knowing who makes up the entire talent pool.  Recruiters need to know who these people are. As I always say, you need to know where you are hunting for these professionals. This means taking 10-15 minutes to determine where you want these professionals to come from. Many companies do this for college graduates by recruiting from particular schools carefully chosen by the company.  This should hold true for companies as well.

So how do you know you have uncovered greatness? Or there may be someone else out there who is better than your top candidate? You don't unless you have  accurately mapped out each company and people of interest in the specific group. Once this is complete determining greatness is easier and making smart recruiting decisions can be done.

How do you do this? You recruit, network and build a pipeline from the potential talent pool and compare and contrast  these professionals that you believe are on target. Then I suggest scrubbing the list again and choose the best of the best who closely  match the job specification, company culture, needs, wants and desires of the hiring manager.  How? Begin with their background.  What makes them so great? How does he/she compare to the others in the talent pool?  Does this person deserve merit as an individual contributor, team player, leader or all three? If managing a team, is he/she  great at assembling a successful team and a great leader or is it  a combination of both?  Recruiters and hiring managers need to be in the know. Making smart recruiting decisions requires information,  that can be obtained by mapping out the desired companies of interest. Remember the list will grow as you recruit purely by networking. When this happens it further confirms that the recruiter is in the right space. So recruiters know your targets, know your potential hires know who you are looking for and take the time to know the pool and the talent within it.

Let me repeat if I may. In order to obtain your next “Alexander the Great” you need to know where he is hiding and the talent pool he is competing amongst.  Great talent is out there, so is the better talent, be sure your recruiting decisions are based upon information.  Recruiting is a process and a major part of the process is knowing who to recruit and having access to the right talent. Not just talent.

Thanks for stopping by. I look forward to speaking with you and your comments on this topic.

Sheila Greco

Admit It, Investing In Passive Candidate Recruiting Practices Is Where It Is At.....

Investing In Passive Candidate Recruiting Is The Only Way To Recruit!

Don't Be Shy About It- Go After The Top Talent You Want From Where You Want!

Investing In Passive Candidate Recruiting if done correctly, tells the story of the competition's talent, the entire potential talent pool, assists with current openings, exploratory openings, talent management and can  hands down increase the time to hire when this information is used to proactively recruit.

Stakeholders involved in any type of recruiting need to be aware that this investment can drastically reduce the cost per hire while yielding the game-fully employed, possibly over performing talent you and your competition may wish to recruit. But you need to get to them first! You need to invest!

How can you reach this super talent?

1. Carefully choose an internal professional with previous research experience (picking up telephone and developing organization charts) or outsource to a reputable, results driven research company to do the work. The objective is to thoroughly break out the companies and teams at the companies of interest. Focus the efforts on comprehensive organization charting.

2. Find biographies of those uncovered by step 1. This again which will help you understand who is in each role, their backgrounds, education and the responsibilities of each.

3. View it, use it and cultivate it! Implement a system where someone in your organization connects or stays in front these professionals every 30, 60, 90, 120 days.  This can be done either internally or externally. We offer this service.

Today especially, we all know the passive candidate seem to be the recruiter’s best chance of filling critical roles, but they also can be the hardest talent pool to win over. You need to engage and build relationships with this talent pool.

4. Implement a strategy that creates a proactive recruiting methodology as part of the recruiting strategy. Remember everyone company want top talent just like you. Don't be shy go get them.

It has been proven that organizations that only use recruiting to fill current and immediate talent needs will often time miss out or be one step behind those that act proactively. So you need to stay in touch with the professionals who are on your radar screen as well as those you want to be on your radar screen.

Investing in Passive Candidate Recruiting & Research can be well worth it. We know. We have over 21oo clients doing this on a variety of levels.

I am on the road now creating awareness about the value of understanding the talent pool and the benefits the recruiting teams can have when utilizing the recruiting strategy that centers around passive candidate recruiting from a specific talent pool. If you are interested, just let me know and I can come visit or set up a web-ex meeting.

Thanks for stopping by.

Sheila Greco sgreco@sheilagreco.com 518 843-4611 ext 221