The Perfect Fit

Celebrating 18 Years of Career Fulfillment & Fun!

I'm thrilled to be celebrating my 18th Anniversary of career  fulfillment as an executive recruiter!

This is the most exciting Summer I’ve had since I left home to go to Washington University. There are many similarities with that summer move. Before I write about the move and changes (in the next blog post), I’m over a month overdue in Celebrating the 18th Anniversary of Bishop Partners and my being a Recruiter. That Anniversary was officially July 1.

I want to take the opportunity of this Anniversary to (belatedly) thank everyone who’s helped me or my business over all those years. There's no question that I could not have had the successes without you. As a result of your support or guidance or friendship, I was able to overcome the mistakes, misfires, errors in judgement or maybe just bad luck, that from time to time led to disappointment or outright failure. You helped me learn from those mistakes.

The goal is to be able to grow from those failures and learn from them . . . don’t let them happen again. I appreciate your experience, knowledge and support. It’s been appreciated and valued. I hope it continues. At the same time, I’ve tried to “add value” to every relationship I’ve been involved in, at every level. It’s simple, it’s about that “Golden Rule”, treat everyone with respect and the way you’d like to be treated! It’s also Karma, baby!

I don’t want to try naming all the names over those 18 years, I’ll certainly neglect a name that is important to me. So, let me mention “categories” . . . you know who you are. Without my Clients’ or my Candidates’ trust, there’s no business. The professional support I’ve received from my CPAs, Attorneys, Landlords, other recruiters and related professional organizations helped me learn how to do my business well. Thank you!

Director of Content Marketing Opportunity in St. Louis

General Description:
The successful candidate is accountable for the voice, style, tone, messaging, and thought leadership of our Client’s brand and have overall responsibility for its content output across all mediums. S/he will lead and manage a combination of internal and external content resources to produce all brand related content. S/he will also perform writing and editing work, as needed, including developing brand content guidelines. The Director of Marketing will be accountable for all marketing initiatives to drive traffic, engagement, and leads that deliver revenue. As part of this, s/he will develop and manage the brand editorial calendar and associated organization workflows. They will also perform ongoing measurement and optimization of the program, including oversight of supporting social channels.

Our Client is a high-growth technology company with a demanding work environment, suitable only for self-starters and people who can exercise professional judgment without constant supervision. We strive to create an enthusiastic, close-knit culture that values excellence and over-delivery.

Responsibilities:
• Make sure that company brand copy needs and goals are met in all aspects, including timelines and budget
• Develop editorial governance for all branded content
• Ensure that precise brand content standards are both set and adhered to, consistently producing the highest quality work.
• Make sure that a consistent stream of quality work is created for the brand
• Work with other departments to garner needed resources in order to complete projects

Is There Value in Fractional Talent Acquisition for Marketing and Media?

I had an interesting conversation Friday, with a three year-old digital media start up, that’s been consistently growing, since their founding. Now their growth is starting to accelerate, creating staffing, capacity and velocity issues. They’re having trouble hiring experienced pros with the specific skillsets they require. They understand that some recruiters consistently succeed in hiring support, but it’s an expensive proposition, especially with ongoing multiple hires/year.

During that conversation with the founding partners, we explored new ways of working together, that meet their expense challenges and investor expectations, while still providing the skilled workers they need in a timely way. It was exciting to think about. While attending #MDMC19 last week, it was apparent that there are multiple companies competing for the same employee skillsets. Those who have a dedicated focus on recruiting research, identification and outreach, will win the “War for Talent”. We’ve heard about that War for years, well . . . it’s here Now!

There are fractional CMO, CFOs, CIOs and other senior executives, why not fractional CTOs? (Chief Talent Officers)?

The challenge is finding a recruiter who understands the Client need and has the ability to consistently and quickly identify, recruit and hire those elusive, hyper skilled employees. Beyond recruiting skills and experience, the true fractional CTO should be able to bring an experienced perspective (hopefully, first person) for organizational leadership and management.

This is the sort of relationship that should evolve into a true partnership. I like the opportunity to work with Client principals and help them develop a strategy for growth, Talent Acquisition and Retention . It’s why I named my company Bishop Partners.

I can see how this sort of “fractional CTO” strategy can work for other smaller or medium sized companies, that can’t afford a full time executive focused on Talent Acquisition and Retention. They could have all the benefits of an employee, by developing a trusted relationship with a recruiter/talent acquisition executive/partner. The solution is a fractional Talent Acquisition and Retention employee/leader. The benefits are consistent and plentiful . . . reliable strategy driven staffing solutions, while keeping the expense as low as possible.

Most HR professionals are thanklessly overworked. They have to contend with a myriad of critical issues every day, from questions about benefits and payroll, to being the arbiter in disputes or dealing with complaints of harassment. Their days are frequently and unexpectedly interrupted. They don’t have the time to adequately focus on recruiting additional talent. The former solution of job posting (and praying), is not effective today.

If your marketing or digital media company plans on hiring at least six employees this year, we should talk. There’s every reason to believe that a consultative approach to Talent Acquisition funding will reduce the cost and time to hire, while increasing employee satisfaction and retention at the same time. It’s also likely that the quality of hire metric and retention metric would be much improved, because the new employee was recruited and not a “job applicant”.

The answer to the question posed in this post’s headline is emphatically, Yes! Absolutely!  There could (should) be tremendous value!

I believe that Talent Acquisition, the building of an employee culture that attracts premier talent, is the only way a company will be able to consistently grow into the future. There are simply too few skilled workers with the new media skillsets (including AI and VR) and too much demand. I look forward to the opportunity to help companies with their talent acquisition strategy.

If you have interest in learning more, please get in touch, I’d love to meet or have a conversation.

Thanks for taking the time to read this . . .

Recruiting For That Data-Driven Art of Digital Marketing

The first quarter of this year is the busiest start to a year we’ve ever experienced!  We’re proud to have worked with a diverse Client base ranging from tiny start-ups to Fortune 100 iconic brands.  What’s struck me as most interesting is how the searches have almost all become focused on data driven digital media/online marketing skills and tactics.  Here are searches we’ve worked on or are still working, in the first quarter:           

            Design Director

            Dir. of Digital Advertising Operations

            Experiential Producer

            Graphic Designer

            Marketing Analyst

            Senior Client Success Manager

            Senior Creative Research Strategist

            Senior Digital Media Analyst/Campaign Manager

 

We’ve all known that “Big Data” and the targeting of specific customers, demographics or groups of prospective Clients, has been rapidly growing in use, effectiveness and efficiency.  This is the quarter when I’ve realized how truly ubiquitous digital and data are in customer or client outreach and engagement.  I’ve previously written about "FutureHire" and how digital skills were becoming a critical component of every search we’ve conducted for the past several years, but it seems to have hit a new level.

I’ve historically been as much a consultant as a recruiter to my Clients. My “target Client” is a small to medium sized, privately held company where support (or advice) is needed in marketing, advertising or digital media talent acquisition. In fact, a recent blog post, “Consultative Recruiting” (http://bit.ly/2yCQ6wf), speaks exactly to that.

Earlier this week I met with the CEO of a successful mid-sized agency that’s making acquisitions and expanding across the US.  He suggested that I start to specifically offer a “Consulting” practice to owners/principals of those small-medium sized Clients ($2M-$200M).  He believes that I deliver value during, open and honest communications with owners/principals.  He said “there aren’t many people we’re (CEOs and Owners) comfortable enough with to be truly honest in conversations.  Your communication style encourages that.” 

Bishop Partners provides “Recruiting and Consulting for Marketing, Advertising and Digital Media”.  We practice “Strategic Recruiting”.  We will quickly deliver skilled and experienced candidates for difficult positions at every level of your organization, up to and including succession planning for your most senior roles.  Please get in touch with me and let’s have a conversation about how I can help you identify, recruit and hire the premier talent that your organization needs. EOE

 

The Lines Between Consumer and Employment Branding Are Blurring

As the talent field has made the shift in its employer-brand focus from a “nice-to-have” to a “must-have,” there’s another significant trend that’s reshaping the way high-performing companies are communicating their mission, culture, and career opportunities.  It’s called talent branding.

Your talent brand is the highly social, totally public version of your employer brand that incorporates what talent thinks, feels, and shares about your company as a place to work.  Think of talent branding as employer branding 2.0.

No longer owned solely by recruitment advertising agencies or even human resources, talent branding is moving into the spotlight and sharing the stage with other branding, advertising, and marketing players and tactics employed by the savviest chief marketing officers. And they are applying the same rigor to the talent-brand development process as they do with any other high-stakes marketing efforts.

And, depending on the title on your business card, you may consider that a blessing or a curse.  It wasn’t simpler in the past, just more segregated.

Back in the proverbial day, consumers went to stores and job seekers went to the classifieds or the job boards. But in a digital world everyone is everything and goes everywhere. We are bombarded by content and channels and swayed by predictive technology, and seemingly unlimited options.

Hiring Skilled Employees is Extremely Competitive

1st quarter 2019 hiring trends indicate a robust job market that is highly competitive for talent acquisition. Companies who actively market themselves to attract and engage talent will set themselves apart. Talented professionals are researching the reputation of companies and their teams to determine if it is a potential fit. Further, candidates are paying close attention to feedback on candidate experience prior to applying. According to KellyServices.com and Linkedin:

• 75% of candidates research about firm's reputation and Employer Brand before applying for a job

• 83% of employers say that Employer Brand plays a significant role in their ability to hire talent
• 69% of candidates would not accept a job in a firm with a bad reputation even if that means being unemployed
• 97% of candidates who had a positive experience would refer others to apply
• 90% of global professionals are interested in learning about new job opportunities even though only 36% is actively looking

The Bishop Partners' team is constantly proactively targeting the talent pool to engage dialogue and market opportunities. Our proven track record of success over almost 18 years, brings the best people to the table for our clients while streamlining the hiring process.​​​​​​​  Our goal for acceptance of an offer by a candidate is 45 days.

If you need help identifying, recruiting and hiring critical employees for your company, contact Bob at Bob@Bishop-Partners.com!

St. Louis Senior Event Producer #19024

Overview:
Our St. Louis Client wants you to lead your Clients to help build connections with their customers, by creating powerful brand experiences that are seamless, innovative, immersive and successful! From strategy, creative, and digital to logistics and event technology, you’ll lead teams that place the Client at the center, helping them connect to people in meaningful and personal ways. As a Sr. Producer, you’ll be responsible for the largest projects for the premier Clients.

Principal Responsibilities:
• Partner with the Client to analyze and identify event goals and the event concepts and strategies to meet those goals.
• Identify, manage and report on budgets, timelines and all other logistics related to the production of the show. Write and deliver proposals, contracts, presentations and reports to Clients, as needed.
• Identify, hire and manage third party vendors and contractors, from the venue, to technology, environmental design, entertainment, catering and support staff.
• Monitor and create timely status updates to all applicable teams, regarding project progress against the proposed plans including budgets, timelines, quality criteria and risk management.
• You will participate in the show set-up, run and load out, which often happens at unusual times or on weekends.
• There is moderate travel, as necessary.

Urgent Need: Associate Creative Director for Our STL Client!

Our St. Louis Client has just contacted Bishop Partners for help with their urgent need for an Associate Creative Director.  Here's the job description.  Please contact Bob asap, telling him of your interest and sending a portfolio.  Thank you!

Job Number: 19013
Associate Creative Director

General Description:
We’re working with our St. Louis Client to recruit an in-house Associate Creative Director with the experience and talent to produce engaging visual communications for both internal and external audiences. Strategy, innovative thinking and compelling creative are the foundation. The ACD is proficient in the concept, design and execution of a diverse range of communications materials, including print and digital collateral, video, internal and external communications materials, meeting presentations and experiential.

You should be a well-rounded art director/designer who thrives on contributing ideas, utilizing your earned knowledge of the most current industry standards and trends. You possess exemplary presentation skills to share concepts and final executions with internal clients at all levels. The ideal candidate also has the ability to comprehend diverse and complex ideas and translate them into simple, clear and cogent visual communications.

Primary Responsibilities:
Develop innovative concepts, create compelling design solutions and follow through to final delivery on a wide variety of B2B and B2C marketing projects
Work with Creative Directors and Copywriters to create attention-getting work for consumer lead generation, retention, and engagement initiatives
Provide graphic design support to field force effectiveness initiatives, including; sales collateral design, presentation design and design of internal training materials
Collaborate effectively with internal marketing managers, strategic planners, and product owners/managers from across the organization.

Having Trouble Hiring Experienced Leaders? Use Strategic Recruiting

If you’re having trouble hiring experienced leaders (at any level), recruiters can help. Employer’s Executive; Do I need a recruiter? How do I find one? There must be differences in recruiters, I’m not sure what they are.

There are lots and lots of recruiters out there. Large firms, “boutiques”, contingency, staffing, contract or part time, retained . . . Who’d be the best recruiter for your firm? What makes one recruiter better than another? How can a recruiter do a better job than my company’s existing talent acquisition team? Do recruiters really add any value?   The common perceptions are; recruiters are expensive, they don’t always succeed, the candidates don’t stick around very long . . . Again, “Who’d be best the best recruiter to work with your firm?”

There are some recruiters who are truly partners with their Clients and are considered to be a valuable “strategic asset”. What makes one recruiter more valuable and “strategic” than another? A truly strategic recruiter adds much more value to the Client than a tactical one. Recruiting strategy is more than filling “open roles”, it’s about contributing to the long-term growth of the client.

First and most importantly, strategic recruiting is about consistent success with the recruiting/hiring process; frequent, predictable success, year over year. Does the recruiter consistently succeed in introducing superior candidates that a Client is (actually) excited to hire? Second, does that candidate consistently perform beyond expectations and earn promotions to increasing responsibility over time? Third, does that candidate stay with the Client for more than a year or two? Does the recruiter become a trusted advisor and partner with access to the Executive Leadership Team? Does that Client continue to use that recruiter for ongoing needs?

New STL Search: Senior Creative Researcher/Strategist

Overview:
Our St. Louis client is seeking a Senior Creative Research Strategist to help take a unique, well established and growing Marketing Research Agency to the next level. Candidates should have at least eight years of strategic advertising experience in either agency Creative or Account Planning (the ideal candidate would have both) or with a research agency specializing in research for marketing or advertising.

Creative Research Strategists are the achievers of insight and facilitators of alignment. Creatively-trained problem solvers,  strategic writers, creative thinkers.  Creative Strategists are responsible for research design, execution, analysis and deliverables for all projects. They develop and optimize research processes, identify and curate research tools and always seek ways to enhance offerings. With both Clients and Respondents, Creative Strategists approach every element of their work with empathy and energy.
Strategists should be capable of accountability for decisions related to design, execution analysis and deliverables on their projects.

All candidates should be willing and able to travel (up to 33% at times, including international travel); be self-motivators that need little supervision and who can handle the demands of the workflow.

Who is the Client?
Our Client is a St. Louis based marketing research agency, founded in 1998 which has evolved to have only large, loyal global clients. They are comprised of (among other roles) creative strategists – people with advertising agency creative, planning and/or research backgrounds, as well as senior level client-side marketing experience, who specialize in: