Living on a Prayer - Recruiting Advice from Bon Jovi

Alright, hope everyone is doing well.  As some of you know...I’m on vacation back east.  Spending a bunch of time off the grid in Maine or New Hampshire.  We did however venture out to see Bon Jovi in concert.  It was pretty awesome, nevermind the fact that the J. Giles Band opened....it was great to see Bon Jovi and relive my 80’s metal days.  As such, I wanted to write a quick blog with a few recruiting/career inspiration from Bon Jovi.  Now, before you make fun of me....most of the lyrics are from older tunes in the catalog...what can I say, I’m getting old.

Ok, here you go....

Rainy night and the worked all day, We both got jobs cause there’s bills to play, We got something they can’t take away, Our love, our lives - Born to Be My Baby

We’ve all had these days right?  Rainy day?  Daylight Savings Time?   Let’s face it, everyone has a day that just sucks.  But at the end of the day, remember.....work to live, not live to work.  It’s really important to walk away, get home and enjoy life.  If you can’t do that...its time for a new job.  Trust me, it’s happened to me and I’m a better man for it.

Take you higher than you’ve ever known - In and Out of Love

I’m pretty sure this lyric is about sex in the original song....but that’s not the topic here.  This line really makes me think of mentors....at your job or externally a great mentor will help you get higher than you every dreamed in your career.  Don’t have a mentor?  Find a few immediately....

Faith: you know you’re gonna live thru the rain

Lord you got to keep the faith

Faith: don’t let your love turn to hate

Right now we got to...Keep the faith - Keep the Faith

Pretty simple message here....through the tough times and rough days...keep the faith and focus on getting your job done.  If you can’t....maybe it’s time to look around for something better.

Right now the rules we made are meant for breaking - Lay your hands on me

This line is definitely about sex but I guess this is what I get for a Bon Jovi themed blog....honestly though..this is a great line.   Rules are meant for breaking....sometimes, not all the time.  The key is knowing when to ask for forgiveness or permission.....great employees bend rules or break rules when the need to do the right thing for the business.....just think twice :)

Tommy used to work on the docks

Union’s been on strike, He’s down on his luck...it’s tough, so tough

Gina works the diner all day, Working for her man, she brings home her pay

For love - for love - Living on a Prayer

Obviously a great song, one of the best.  The moral here?  You’ll have ups and downs through your career but you’ve got to keep working to bring home the bacon for the family (or retirement, or whatever)

Never say goodbye, never say goodbye

You and me and my old friends

Hoping it would never end - Never Say Goodbye

Insert “Jeff Moore always tells me to network in his blog” comments here......

Well now that we’re together

Show me what you can do - Raise your hands

Great line here, and a great moral for your career.  Once you get the job...you’re like 10% done.  Once you are there, you’ve got to produce.  Get it done.

It’s all the same, only the names will change

Everyday it seems we’re wasting away

Another place where the faces are so cold

I’d drive all night just to get back home - Wanted Dead or Alive

My favorite Bon Jovi tune by far, so good.  This one made me think of having a long commute.  Man, nothing sucks more than a long commute.  I’ve got a short one now so I’m spoiled but meh....I’d drive all night to get home.  Think of that next time you take a job, go on an interview or transfer locations....a crappy commute can ruin your job.

Ok, that’s it for tonight.....I might write a few more this week, we’ll see.....lots of ideas the question will be motivation!

Good luck out there

My review of Team Geek.....a shout out to Ben and Fitz

It’s been a little while since I’ve done a book review...this time it’s written by people I actually know..awesome.  Ben and Fitz wrote Team Geek as “a Software Developer’s Guide to Working Well with Others”.  What’s great about it, it’s a very good read for everyone...not just technical folks.

I’m not going to get into how awesome Ben and Fitz are....you should know that by now or just go watch one of the videos I’ve linked below.....you’ll get the idea...

Anyway, I’d highly recommend you buy the book (from the link below!) and with that here are a few thoughts/insights I drew from my read:

The Genius Myth - Great point here in the book about people wanting to find idols in the industry and worship them.  The believe that there are these mythical engineers (or coworkers) who can do superhuman things....not true, the Genius Myth.  These great people are great....NO doubt but they do amazing things working with a team.

There is no substitute for human experience - In the age of social media and video conferencing...we still need to interact as humans.  Working alone, in a silo might sound nice but really being on a team and interacting with others who make you better...that’s the stuff.

Humility, Respect, Trust - These are the three pillars of social skills.  Great pieces of advice here especially when you think about using these skills within your team, the organization and even more importantly the users.  Great advice.

Fail Fast, Learn, Iterate- This is probably my favorite piece of advice in the book.  Do I even need to get into any detail here?  It’s great advice and frankly finding companies that encourage and embrace this mentality are the kinds of places you want to work.

People are like plants - Love the image this creates...especially the image in the book.  People really are like plants thought when you think of it.  Each one requires different things to grow....attention, motivation, encouragement whatever... Your job as a lead or as a teammate is to identify what makes people “grow” and feed them until the bloom.  Simple stuff right?  um, right...

If you can’t take the path, make the path - Last insight I drew from the book....if you can’t take the path, make the path.  Hell yes.  I’ve tried to really work this way in my career and appreciate when folks can identify a problem and then hammer through a new solution.  In other words....get it done.

Ok, obviously this was a quick review...but this is a great read.  Very good advice for not only engineers but also for anyone working in a team environment.  Grab a copy here and if you ever get a chance to meet Ben and Fitz....make it happen, they are some of the best guys I’ve had the luxury of working with and you’ll learn a ton.

Finding a job in a foreign country...you can do it.

Ok, sorry for the lack of content lately.  Ten days of vacation and the following dig-out has put me WAY behind.  Regardless...I’m back, I’m rested and ready to write.  This week's post comes at the request of Alexey Tokarev and I really appreciate it as I think writing posts via request is my favorite thing kind of blog.

Anyway, Alexey asked me to give a few thoughts on networking for a for a job in a foreign country.  Here we go:

1) Understand the visa or work requirements - This might seem like overkill but honestly, this has to be step one.  You need to be an expert in how things work and what you need to do to legally work in the country.  Why you ask?  Because you’ll want to be able to articulate how easy or difficult it will be to get there.  Some places it’s easy to work....some it’s impossible and you need to know that before you start.

2) Go local - You’re going to need to do some hardcore networking to find a gig in another country.  Start be networking with local offices and use those relationships to to leverage connections in your target location.  

3) Know your, um stuff - Take time to really understand the country/location you are targeting.  Having a solid understanding of the language, culture, traditions and job market will show potential employers that you’re serious and interested in trying something new.

4)  Visit - This one is tough because it costs money...potentially a ton of money but if you really want to show people you are serious about going to another country...take a trip.  Set up a ton of networking meetings, cups of coffee and hopefully interviews...and do them in person with a little luck.

Ok, hope that makes sense.  Getting a job or internship in another country is TOUGH stuff...but people do it all the time you just have a to be diligent, have a plan and execute.  Good luck and if anyone has other tips I’d love to hear them.

Get a second opinion

Quick post this week, I’m working on a couple of big ones but you don’t care about that.....the topic, a “second opinion”.

It’s interesting, when you are diagnosed with a disease or something you frequently are told or ask to get a second opinion.  Makes sense right?  You don’t want to have your arm cut off only to hear you could have just popped an aspirin.  

The question is, why would you ask for a second opinion with your health but not with your career?  Most people, not everyone, but most people go through their job search in a cone of silence.  Bad idea.

Now, you have to be careful with confidentiality and the whole “too many chefs” thing but really, when you’re looking for a new job you HAVE to be crowdsourcing your way to that new role.  here’s why:

- Your friends know people...who know people...who know people.....networking wins in when you are trying to find a new job

- Experience matters.  Some of your friends are interviewing pros...tap into their expertise so you can get better and score a great job.

- Two brains are better than one.  That’s right, even the smartest person needs a sanity check.  Talking to a friend, colleague or spouse can help you make sure you don’t do anything stupid and take a crappy job....because let’s face it, it can happen.

Hope this helps, good luck this week and keep an eye out for a few new posts soon

It's time for a recruiting Trafalgar

Ok, crazy busy week for me but I had this weird inspiration and wanted to share....so, hang on.  As you know, I’m a History dork.  I’ve got a degree in History and pretty much only read historical books....very little fiction.  This weeks inspiration comes from Lord Horatio Nelson and the Battle of Trafalgar.  

If you aren’t familiar w/ Nelson or this battle, I’d highly recommend giving it a little study (I can even recommend a book in comments if you’d like!).  The moral of the story here is that Nelson won this amazing battle due to dramatically changing normally accepted tactics....and revolutionizing the art of battle.

For me...I’m feeling like it’s about time for a whole new take on looking for a job and hiring top talent.  A “Recruiting Trafalgar” if you will.  Here’s what I mean:

Nelson Bucked the Trends - At the time, opposing fleets would basically sail next to each other in parallel lines and blast each other to pieces.  Although this sounds manly and tough....it’s pretty dumb.  Rather than take his smaller force and face certain death...Nelson rethought the problem won via innovation.  If we are going to truly change the way people get hired we need to stop lining up in parallel lines and blasting away.  It’s time to think outside of the box, get nimble and build innovative solutions that work for you (or your organization).

Maximizing Fire for Maximum Results - To defeat the French and Spanish fleet, Nelson took his fleet and attacked them perpendicularly...thus allowing his fleet to maximize fire and devastate the enemy.  See below:

The analogy here is that if you’re looking for a job or trying to hire a bunch of folks...you HAVE to maximize fire and generate as much activity as you can.  The only way to “win” the battle is to focus your attention as much as you can and develop overwhelming activity.

Hindsight is 20/20 - Ok, last point on this and it’s a good one.  Hindsight is 20/20 in recruiting and history. Nelson died in the Battle of Trafalgar and became a national hero.  So, if you are on the edge and pushing the boundaries of hiring/recruiting/job search you may not even know it....but, history will look back on you.  Whether it’s a good new job, a great new team or amazing advice to a friend/colleague who’s looking around....it will be easy for you to see your success with the benefit of hindsight.

That’s it this week, my daughter put a copy of my favorite Nelson book in my laptop bag today and told me I’d need it for work....ironically, she was right.  I’m pretty sure in 1805, Lord Horatio Nelson had no idea he’d be inspiration for a recruiting blog in 2012.

Good luck out there this week.......and keep thinking outside the box.

How to explain being fired

Tough topic this week but one that most people at some point will have to deal with...unfortunately.  This topic came in as a request but we’ll keep the source confidential.  Being fired is one of the hardest things to explain to a potential employer and how you explain it will be critical to your future career search.  There is no silver bullet on this kind of thing but hopefully these few tips will help:

Be honest - Obviously, right?  I mean, lying about being fired is THE worst thing you can do in your career (well, one of the worst...) so you want to make sure you are being upfront and honest with any future employers about what happened.

Don’t be emotional - Being fired is an emotional thing, I get it.  But when explaining what happened to another company you want to check the emotions at the door.  Trust me, no one wants to hear your side of a story that they can’t verify.  They want the details, the facts and a chance to form their own opinion.  Getting overly emotional and freaking out will make you look defensive.....and unhirable.  

Learn from the experience - LOTS of people get fired, seriously, it happens.  But the people that recover take the experience, get introspective and learn from it.  Being able to look back at your experience and get better....now that’s a winning approach.  Take some time, be honest with yourself and get better.

Move on - This might be the most important tip.  You’ve GOT to move on and get yourself back together again.  Dwelling on the experience will get you nowhere.  Take time to digest the experience, learn from it...and move on.

That’s it this week, tough topic but one that I think if you handle it properly can lead to some great growth opportunities and really allow you to search deep inside and get better.

Good luck out there, more soon!

How to navigate a job fair

Ok, so this post is via special request....it is awesome to have ideas coming in from people so if you have one...let me know.

The idea of going to a job fair can be pretty intimidating.  Honestly, they are like huge speed dating events for people and companies looking for work.  Scary stuff. You know me, I'm a believer that your job search should be about 90% networking and 10% applying online...however, a job fair can be an important tool in your search.  With that, here are a few tips on how to be successful:

Don’t be “that guy” - What does that mean you ask?  Well, “that guy” is the dude in a 3 piece suit, the guy who looks like he just rolled out of bed and also the dude who kinda smells like peppermint schnapps.  Don’t be that guy.  Show up dressed professionally (not in a suit unless you are TOLD to wear one), well rested and ready to speak with people.

Have a plan - So, these things can be huge right?  I’ve seen job fairs with over 200 companies....if you have no plan, you have no hope. Figure out your “must” companies and be sure to stop by their booths.  Have another list of “yeah, maybe” companies that you want to hit but if you miss a few you’ll survive.  Finally, have a list of “no way” companies so yo know that you don’t want to stop by and be sucked in by their cool schwag.

Elevator pitch - You absolutely, positively need to have your little pitch down.  What you want to do is walk up to the booth, and boom, drop your elevator pitch on people to explain clearly and succinctly what you are looking for in a role.  Show up with a rambling answer and the recruiters in the booth will immediately tune you out, they have 100 other people to talk to and you just horrified them.

Follow up - It’s unlikely that you will just get a job or an interview on the spot at a job fair...so, your follow up is critical to your success.  Get the card of the person you spoke with and if you haven’t heard back from them in a few days...send an email to follow up and express your interest in the role.

That’s about it, the speed dating reference is actually a good one. You’re looking for work and the companies at this event are looking for workers...so you need to be networking and building relationships with people.  Keep at it, and eventually you’ll score a new job.

Good luck!

Oh yeah, we'll keep your resume on file....

Ok, so by now most of my readers realize this is my personal blog and not that of my employer.  Right?  Ok, got it?  Because this post is absolutely positively 100% Jeff here...nothing more.

With that shameless C-Y-A...I will now discuss the famous (infamous?) “We’ll keep your resume on file” line you hear from many recruiters.  A lot of people assume that means it’s off to the trash...not entirely true.  It’s actually pretty complicated so I’ll address the potential outcomes for you when a recruiter tells you that they’ll keep you on file.

1) They actually do and they call you - I’ve done this SEVERAL times.  Meet a candidate and for some reason the timing is off so we have to pass....for now.  I’ll usually tell the person “I’m not just saying this, we’ll call you back.  I might not be for two years but we’ll call back”.  So, obviously this is the best outcome and it does happen.

2)  They like you but don’t know where you fit - Again, this happens all the time to recruiters and they are keeping the door open for you.  Now they might not be thinking their current company or even an unnamed future company but they want to keep in touch.  Take it for what it is, and hope for the best.

3) They have a really good ATS - Some companies have awesome Applicant Tracking Software...as such, they have great databases of candidates and when they say “we’ll keep you on file”  they mean it.  A new job opens up and the FIRST thing the recruiter does is search the database and call people.  Don’t I always tell you to apply online?  This is why.

4)  They don’t know what else to say - Another common one.  Lots of recruiters hate conflict and don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings.  So, rather than just giving you the straight dope and telling you it’s not a fit they come up w/ some lame excuse that ends with keeping you on file.  It sucks, but it happens.

There you go, next time a recruiter tells you they’ll keep you on file ask if you can connect on LinkedIn.  That way you can build a connection beyond the resume, network a bit and maybe if you are lucky move from #4 to getting #1.......

Mumford Recruiting - Advice for your job search from Mumford and Sons

Ok, it had been a little while since I did one of my musical posts and this one will be a little different.  It’s a pretty new album and it’s decidedly NOT metal.  If you look on wikipedia Mumford and Sons are described as a “British Folk Rock Band”...whatever that means.   Regardless, they totally rock and I’d highly recommend if you are looking for something cool.  This post is dedicated to them and will hopefully share a few recruiting/job search advice from their album “Sigh No More”.

Love that will not betray you, dismay or enslave you, - Sigh No More

I’m not really sure the recruiting hook here but I love this line and this song.  I’m sure you could make some snarky joke about Corporate America or who companies will always dismay or enslave you but I’m trying to start this on a positive note.


And I'll find strength in pain
And I will change my ways
I'll know my name as it's called again - The Cave

This song pretty much rules, check the video here.  I really like this line for people who are having a hard time finding a job.  Interviewing sucks, and it’s very difficult.  The trick, is to take all these interviewing experiences good and bad...and get better.  Next time your name is called for an interview, be ready and kill it.

And my head told my heart
"Let love grow"
But my heart told my head
"This time no
This time no" - Winter Winds

Another quote that aligns perfectly with my recruiting thoughts..trust your heart.  Doesn’t matter if you are a hiring manager or a job seeker.  If something tells you “this is off” it probably is.  Now, I’m not sure you’re head should ever tell you to “let love grow” in a work setting but we’ll leave that to the HR folks....for now, trust your heart when looking at a new job.

It seems that all my bridges have been burned - Roll Away Your Stone

Have you burned bridges?  Not sure?  Think about it.  The second to last thing you want to do is burn bridges....the LAST thing you want to do is burn bridges and not realize it.  Take time every now and again to think about your networking and former coworkers and if you’ve burnt bridges try to repair them.  If you can’t repair them....that’s fine, just make sure you don’t ask them to be references!

Lead me to the truth and I will follow you with my whole life - White Blank Page

This quote makes me think of mentors and people I’ve looked up to in my career.  Mentors are hugely important.  A mentor is with you for life and if you are a mentor to someone...be there for them when they need you.

I really fucked it up this time - Little Lion Man

Little Lion Man is probably Mumford and Sons most popular song...it’s awesome.  The recruiting link?  Well, we all f it up sometimes....it’s inevitable.  So, when you f it up....don’t avoid it.  Embrace the experience and grow from it.

And you have your choices
And these are what make man great
His ladder to the stars - Timshel

I REALLY like this quote for people looking to do great things.  There are times in your career when you have choices and those choices will make your career.  Some of them are HUGE and some might not be as big.  But the fact is, the choices you make in your career will be your ladder to the stars.  Are you up for the challenge?

My weakness I feel I must finally show - Awake my soul

If you honestly, truly want to grow as an employee...you have to expose your weaknesses and grow.  In order to become great, you have to focus on those things and turn them into strengths. Find a mentor, talk to them about your weaknesses and grow.

That’s it for this one, I’m on the road this week for work so I’ll try to post again but it might be a busy week.  Good luck out there this week, more soon.

Your cover letter is dead...

Ok, I’ve spoken a lot about resumes lately and so I wanted to quickly hit on the whole idea of a “cover letter’.  Here is a fact, the cover letter as it’s commonly known is dead.  D-E-A-D.  Do you know why?  Because no one, and I mean no one sends paper resumes anymore.  If you do, they probably end up in the trash.  It’s true, sorry.

So, if the cover letter is dead in it’s traditional form what are you supposed to do?  Here are a few ideas.

Send an email - um, duh.....email is the new snail mail (well, it’s not that new) but send an email that would kind of look like a cover letter of old.  You’ll obviously want to be less formal, and word to the wise----craft an email that shows up is only as big as the “preview pane” so recruiters like me can quickly review it and not have to scroll through a ton of text.

Send a resume - You know, apply online.......if you need more than that, nevermind....

Network for a job - This is my favorite and one of the most important.  The BEST way to get a job...networking.  So, do some networking and meet people by leveraging your LinkedIn profile so that you don’t NEED a cover letter.  All you need to do is have a few informational or informal chats about the role...follow up with a resume later....interview.....take the job.

That’s it for now, I should have another post later in the week.  Special thanks to David Rosenthal for the topic...Thanks!!

Jeff

Lessons from the Scott Thompson story

Usually I avoid talking too much about “current events” in recruiting but I think I’ll start doing more blogs that give my views on such things.  So, here we go...first try.

By now you should all know the story of Scott Thompson, the former CEO of Yahoo who resigned because of a discrepancy on his resume.  If not, you can read about it here.  Crazy story, but honestly I think there are a lot of lessons for anyone either looking for a job or involved in hiring.  In no particular order:

Don’t lie on your resume - OBVIOUSLY!!!  Come on man, don’t like on your resume!!!  This is like being a decent human 101.  And while I’m at it...lying about the kind of degree you have?  Really?  I mean, come on people this stuff isn’t hard....

Blaming the recruiter is for jerks - Apparently Thompson blamed the recruiting agency who placed him for the discrepancy...please!  This whole part of the story makes me sick.  Seriously, this kind of thing gives recruiters a bad name and it shouldn’t.  If you get busted doing something shady, suck it up and admit it.

Background checks matter - I’m pretty horrified that neither Yahoo nor Heidrick & Struggles did a background check to confirm degrees on Thompson.  Frankly, what was Ebay doing too?  Now, some of my Exec Search friends might chime in with a “finding a CEO is different” response but I’m sorry...if you’re going to do a background check on a $35K a year entry level hire you’d better be doing it for C-level hires too.

Know your candidates - If you’re a recruiter out there reading this, you have to know your candidates.  Spend the time to check references from when they were in school and get to know them.  Companies are going to pay you big bucks for the service, do them right and take the time to know your candidates.

Admit it - Thompson was outed by AllthingsD.com and then proptly went all Watergate and tried to blame everyone involved....rather than take the blame.  The moral as always here, the coverup is frequently worse than the crime.  When busted, suck it up and admit you were wrong.  People love a comeback and are likely to forgive you.  No one like a lying jerk who digs a deeper hole.

That’s it, sitting here I feel like this could be a REALLY long blog so I’ll cut it short.  Now, I don’t know all the facts (clearly) but from what I’ve read (see the link to the WSJ story) we can all learn a ton from this story about recruiting, HR, a job search and working with an external agency.

Thoughts on relocating for a job...

Alright a few weeks back I asked for some recommendations on blog topics, so this weeks is the first in the series.  It comes from my buddy Greg Schwan, so Greg...this one’s for you.

Ok, so you’re considering a job and that job will require you to relocate.  Relocating where you live is a big deal, one of the biggest decisions you can make frankly.  In order to honestly consider a job that will require relocation you’ve got to, and I mean GOT TO consider a few things.

1) Can you actual work in the location - There are visa issues you need to consider as well as potential language issues.  Consider this stuff before you even apply.  I once applied for a job in Zurich...first question of the interview was “Do you speak German?”..um nope, interview over.  

2) Can you afford it? - Don’t expect your new company to buy you out of an underwater mortgage or give you a 50% bump in pay.  Understand your target location and know if you can actually afford to move there.  Additionally, if you are moving from say New York City to Pittsburgh...don’t expect MORE money than you make now.  Typically moving from an expensive city to a less expensive location you should expect a CUT in your compensation. When taking a role that requires relocation, be realistic about compensation before you start interviewing.

3) Have a timeline - Companies want to hire people yesterday, you know something about business needs.  As such, they really don’t like it when you get a job offer and tell them “Great, I’ll start in four months”.  When you looking to relocate, people realize it takes time...just be upfront and communicate it to your future employer.

4) Ask your spouse - You’d be surprised how many people I talk to about taking a job and they call back saying “My spouse doesn’t want to move right now”....um, thanks for that.  Like I said up top...this is a huge decision and you HAVE to talk to your spouse before you get started.  If the whole family isn’t onboard...you’re not going anywhere.

5) Have a target location - You’d be surprised how many people I talk to and they say things like “I’m looking at opportunities in Boston, NY, Austin Tx and the Bay Area”...um what?  Seriously, moving a HUGE life decision don’t be all willy nilly with it.  Find a location you like, and target it.  You’ll waste a ton of time if you “think” you’d like to work in Texas but you find out that you really only wanted to work in Boston.

Ok, that’s it.  Would love to hear from you guys what you think.  Hopefully more soon, trying to crank out a second post this week!

Jeff

Thinking about a career in Recruiting?

Recruiting is one of the careers you don’t aspire to when you are a kid, you just become one. Not really sure how or why to be honest. For me, it was an opportunity to try something new and come to find out I was pretty good at it (well, maybe?). A lot of people see recruiting, especially when the economy is strong as a way to make a ton of money...and you can, but the fact is, to survive as a recruiter you have to love it and realize that it’s an up and down kind of career. Another thing about recruiting....it’s hard, like really hard.

If you are thinking about a career in recruiting here are few tips that will serve you well.

1 - If you bat .300, you’re an All-Star - My first boss in recruiting told me that the hardest thing in recruiting is dealing with rejection. He’s right. In baseball, if you hit .300 you’re in the All-Star Game....same is true for recruiting. If three out of ten people take your call, you’re on you way to being a good recruiter. What makes this hard? That means at best, 70% of your calls will be either voice mail or “Leave me alone”. It can wear on you, trust me. I once had a day where I made 140 calls, and spoke with zero people. Every single call went to voicemail or I was hung up on. What did I do the next day? Pounded the phone and tried to make 150 calls.

2 - Changing jobs is an emotional decision - This same boss explained to me that changing jobs is one of the most stressful things people can do (along w/ buying a house, getting married or losing a loved one). In order to be a good recruiter, you have to realize this is stressful and be prepared to coach your candidate through the decision and be respectful of their situation. A good recruiter listens to their candidates and helps them come to a decision as it relates to their career. Why is this hard? People will make decisions that don’t make sense to you. And they won’t make sense because at the end of the day, your candidate won’t share EVERY detail with you. Sound crazy? It’s not, it’s just part of the job you have to learn to embrace.

3 - Stars don’t align - This one drives me crazy. I’ve had great candidates, people I KNOW are good and for some reason I just can’t find them a job. Lots of factors go into this but as much as you try there are times that the stars don’t align and that superstar candidate finds another gig before you can help. Frustrating...

4 - When the going gets tough..you’d better be good - Recruiting in a down market is tough stuff. Companies slow down or stop hiring and the first folks to go are the recruiters. Fact, not opinion on that one folks, sorry. So, how do you survive? For starters be REALLY good. A good recruiter is worth their weight in gold and companies will keep you around for when things change. Another key to survival is to find great companies. Corporate or agency, doesn’t matter. Great companies are always hiring and can use a good recruiter.

I hope this helps you looking to get into recruiting, it’s a great gig if you are into it. Work hard, keep networking and you’ll be fine. Until next time....