The Perfect Fit

The Next Six Months . . . Emerging Employment Trends

I had the opportunity to listen in on a webinar last week, presented by Kevin Wheeler founder of The Future of Talent Institute and respected author and lecturer on employment and recruiting issues.  He made some very insightful comments about where he thinks the employment market is headed, especially in the near term of the next six months.  You can listen to the entire webinar here.  Here are some of the highlights I thought you'd find interesting, with my thoughts interspersed.

We all know that the unemployment rate is currently 10.2%, suggesting that there are loads of potential employees on the market.  While there are in fact too many hard working Americans who can't find a job, there are still going to be shortages of potential employees in many highly skilled positions.  Why?  Because as a result of downsizing, layoffs and the like, many top performers (especially in the marketing community) have decided to start their own businesses.  "Self employment grew seven times faster than wage and salaried employment from 2002-2006."  We're becoming a nation of entrepreneurs.  There are currently over 4% of contract workers, the highest number in years.  Another illustration is www.elance.com has recently passed the $200 million mark for freelance work delivered. 

Women are overtaking men in the workforce.  Manufacturing and construction jobs are down, traditionally employing men.  At the same time, healthcare jobs are up, traditionally employing more women than men.  Women are graduating from college in much higher numbers than men.  Women are moving into more management roles, and as a result will change the culture of work substantially.

Kevin points out that there is a rising "culture of sustainability".  There's more thinking for the future, more thoughts of "sustaining" . . . everything.  Growth rates will slow, including spending.  There will be more savings, the idea that "simple is good" will prevail, "just enough" will be enough.  The focus will turn to Reuse/Recycle/Retain/Refresh . . . instead of more and more, newer and newer.

"The idea of Retrain/Redeploy/Refresh will be the hallmark of employment."  One of the things employees want most from their employer is "training" or "education" . . . professional growth which supports personal growth and happiness in the workplace.  Employers will take existing employees and train them for the future, rather than replace them.  There could be more promoting from the inside (even if they're not the "perfect fit") re-training where necessary.  Retraining will be much more commonplace.  Barriers to internal movement (either upwards or laterally) will be removed.  E.g. Internal candidates will no longer have to "apply" for a position as if they were an external candidate, thus removing a "barrier".

Employers and recruiters will seek fewer, better candidates.  There will be more effort (assessment) to find great cultural fits, then training the person for specific skills.  Once internal recruiters have determined that the right candidate is not within the company, outside recruiters will be used more frequently to find those exceptional performing candidates.

Technology obviously is going to play more of a role in recruiting and hiring.  Kevin believes that social communities will develop and flourish in narrow vertical categories.  There will be video "everything", including as it relates to an employers online "brand identity".  There will be virtual tours, online interviews, video assessment and simulations to help determine degree of fit and skills.  Both employers and employees (candidates) will build online identities and then relationships.  Resumes will be replaced with "Profiles".

The idea will be for the best employers to "attract" the best employees through effective communication of a culture that's supportive and nurturing for the long term.  I started telling my clients years ago that they need to spend more time and effort retaining existing employees. 

The workplace is changing.  Savvy employers are planning for the future, and how to identify and hire those employees who can help them succeed in the future.  Savvy employees are participating, communicating and growing . . . always.  Being content (and complacent) is not enough.  The world's changing, we all need to find a way to keep up with it.

New St. Louis Position: Web Application Developer

Web Application Developer #9105
Location:  St. Louis


General Description:
The Web Application Developer is experienced in the design, development, and support of multi-tiered web applications for high-profile, national clients.  Experience with Microsoft technologies and languages are required with a strong desire to learn new and leading edge technologies a must.  Web Application Developers are expected to work with a high level of autonomy as a development lead on specific projects while reporting to the Director of Interactive.

Primary Responsibilities:
•    Work collaboratively with creative and project mangers during projects.
•    Be self directed in your ability to complete projects on time and within the timeframe allocated.
•    Contribute to each project by proactively making suggestions about how to make it better.
•    Work cooperatively with your peers and colleagues to help solve problems and upgrade your base of       knowledge.
•    Be self-directed, organized with exacting attention to detail, and passionate about doing the best          job you possibly can on every project.
•    Stay abreast of (in front of) industry trends, processes and methodology to contribute at as high a          level as possible

Experience:
We’re looking for exceptional candidates with a related degree and around three to five years of experience in development for the web. And now, the alphabet of qualifications:  ASP.Net 2.0+, ASP.Net 3.5, MVC, and/or AJAX a plus, Query and stored procedure development in SQL Server 2000+, Visual Studio .Net, Visual SourceSafe, Client-side scripting including JavaScript needed with Photoshop and Flash design/actionscripting a plus, as is Windows Server 2003.2000.  If you have “front end” design skills, we’d like that a lot.

Compensation:
There is a significant compensation package designed to support this position, including a salary commensurate with experience, comprehensive benefits package including medical, life insurance and 401K plan. 

About Our Client:
The client is a full service marketing resource.  They have a reputation for succeeding for their clients with creative solutions that other agencies were afraid of (or didn’t think of).  They have financial strength, sensational creative, account service that understands clients and how to keep them loyal, and a national client base and reputation for consistent excellence.  They have an ongoing desire to refine and maximize their value to their clients.  This is a career opportunity.  They hope to fill this position immediately.  If you’re qualified, we want to hear from you now!  You’ll work with a team of colleagues who are proud and consistently strive to be the best.  We love the positive attitudes in our employees, as well as their optimism and can-do attitudes.  They are interested in hiring the best and the brightest for our continued growth. EOE

To apply, please upload a resume to our website www.Bishop-Partners.com.  We'll respond promptly.

Five Ways to Really Tick Off Your Employees

A recent blog by Fast Company expert blogger Roberta Matuson points out that a recent survey from Adecco Group North America, highlights the increased dissatisfaction workers in America have with their employers. According to the survey:

• 54% of employees plan to look for a new job as soon as the economy turns around.

• Sentiment is even stronger among younger workers. Of those ages 18-29, 71% say they are likely to    look for new jobs once the economy turns around.

Further, the blog goes on to say:

These numbers should not be shocking, as most of us know at least one person who will be jumping ship as soon as they can. Employees appear to be getting angrier everyday and their employers keep throwing more wood into the fire. If you really want to heat things up, then be sure to do the following:

1. Daily reminders - Remind employees how lucky they are to have a job. Do this on a daily basis. Tell them how fortunate they are to be receiving a paycheck. Never mind their check is 10% less than what they originally signed up for. Remember to include this reminder at your weekly meetings, when you take them out to lunch to thank them for their efforts, and at this year’s office party.

2. Freeze raises and bonuses – Jump on the bandwagon. Everyone else is doing it, so why shouldn’t you? Doesn’t matter if your profits are soaring or if your employees know you’ve had your best year ever. This is a great time to reign in costs, even if your costs are already in line.

3. Renege on your promises – You told people their reduction in pay would be temporary. However, you now view these changes as permanent. Of course you’ve decided not to tell anyone, until they ask.

4. Put a moratorium on promotions – Ask people to do the work of those who have been let go, and insist on holding back a title change and pay increase. Call this “self-development,” since you are giving people a wonderful opportunity to increase their skills. Something few employers seem to be doing.

5. Send out mixed messages – Tell your employees they are your most valuable asset. Then remind them that everyone is replaceable. Just to prove your point, be sure to replace a highly respected member of your team, with someone who is less experienced and less expensive.

There are several other common reasons for employee discontent.  I hear these on a daily basis from candidates at every level in an organization, whether in an agency, or from executives on the client side.  Those include:

6.  Budget for staff development, professional growth and industry training . . . personal growth doesn't happen without professional growth.  Both are essential.

7.  "Don't micro-manage me!"  You hired me, I know what I'm doing and I'm good at it, let me do it! 

8.  Consistent, open and honest communication between management and staff.  "Tell us the truth and we'll respond like adults who want to contribute and help!"

9.  There is no "goal setting" and consequently, no consistent reward (or even acknowledgment of a job well done) system.  "Performance based" bonus programs are arbitrary and inconsistently distributed.

I could go on . . . you get the drift.  I also bet that you've experienced several of these situations in your career, if they don't exist right now.  The thing is most of these issues are an easy "fix".  It doesn't necessarily need to be expensive.  It comes down to a common sense approach to treating employees with respect and then doing what you say you're going to do.  It's really pretty simple.  It's also pretty inexpensive compared to having to replace the exodus of workers who will leave, as soon as they possibly can!

Account Supervisor in St. Louis for Direct Marketing #9102

General Description:
As a result of growth, our full service agency client needs a Account Supervisor for their direct marketing efforts.  This opportunity will utilize your history of strategic concepting and efficient production skills for national clients to deliver innovative work across a variety of media.  This person will work in partnership with the mass media counterpart, and will have cross functional management responsibilities (creative, production, analytics, etc). The position reports directly to the Executive Director of Direct Marketing.

Primary Responsibilities:
•    Client management including developing strategic relationships
•    Lead while collaborating with the creative team for client satisfaction and successful responses.
•    Work with other members of the creative and account service team to ensure strategically sound           work, delivered on time and within the budget.
•    Be responsible for strategic data analysis of direct programs.
•    Be conscious of and committed to creating high quality work every time. 
•    Present creative work internally and to clients.

Experience:
We’re looking for an account service pro with around seven to 10 years of agency experience.  We need someone who understands the capability and value of communicating directly to the consumer and has succeeded in that task for national clients.  We want a confident, motivated and successful person who needs the challenge of that next level. Ideal candidates will have broad and deep experience across multiple communications channels  We need someone who can show how they’ve collaborated with and contributed to their colleagues and their clients’ success. We want candidates with a high level of motivation and a strong belief in your creative ideas, with the confidence to express that belief persuasively. 

Compensation:
Our client is offering an excellent compensation package with a base salary commensurate with your experience and expertise.  There is bonus potential based on performance.   Additionally, there is outstanding  medical coverage, a 401K with company match, life insurance and disability. 

About Our Client:

The client is an integrated advertising communications agency who is expert in delivering the marketing message directly to the targeted consumer.  They are a modern agency with a roster of national and regional clients and brands you respect.   They have a spectacular reputation and have continued to grow since their founding.  The atmosphere is casual, yet professional with co-workers who love having fun as much as contributing to their clients’ success.  You’ll be supported and be an essential part of the team.  This is an outstanding career opportunity and our client wants to hire this Account Supervisor right now!   EOE

Check out our Bishop Partners' website for additional information.

New St. Louis Search: Copywriter, Direct Response #9104

General Description:
As a result of growth, our full service agency client needs a Copywriter  for their direct response efforts.  This opportunity will utilize your history of strategic and clever concepting and efficient production skills for national clients to deliver innovative work across a variety of media.  We’re looking for  ambitious pros who feels the need and desire to move to a next level in their career growth.  The position will offer the potential for additional responsibility as a result of consistently successful performance.  This is a career opportunity!

Primary Responsibilities:

• Generate innovative concepts across all appropriate marketing media (advertising, direct mail, web, alternative media, DRTV, etc.) to fulfill client needs.

• Develop tactical execution of concept to “touch” the clients’ customers directly, and motivate a response.

• Work with other members of the creative and account service team to ensure strategically sound work, delivered on time and within the budget.

• Be conscious of and committed to creating high quality work every time. 

• Present creative work internally and  to clients.

Experience:
We’re looking for a  writer with around five to seven years of agency experience.  We need someone who understands the capability and value of communicating directly to the consumer and has consistently succeeded in that task for national clients.  We want a confident, motivated and successful person who needs the challenge of that next level.  Your portfolio must show innovation and an ability to concept and sell the unusual solution.  There should be a diversity of work including advertising, POS, new media and direct mail. Experience with DRTV preferred.  We need someone who can show how they’ve collaborated with and contributed to their colleagues and their clients’ success. We want candidates with a high level of motivation and a strong belief in your creative ideas, with the confidence to express that belief persuasively. 

Compensation:
Our client is offering an excellent compensation package with a base salary commensurate with your experience and expertise.  There is bonus potential based on performance.   Additionally, there is outstanding  medical coverage, a 401K with company match, life insurance and disability. 

About the Client:
The client is an integrated advertising communications agency who is expert and award winning in delivering the marketing message directly to the targeted consumer.  They are a modern agency with a roster of national and regional clients and brands you respect.   They have a spectacular reputation and have continued to grow since their founding.  The atmosphere is casual, yet professional with co-workers who love having fun as much as contributing to their clients’ success.  You’ll be supported and be an essential part of the team.  This is an outstanding career opportunity and our client wants to hire this writer  right now!   EOE

Are Employers "Paralyzed by Perfection" in their hiring?

This week I've started wondering if employers are literally unable to hire because of a need for "perfection" in candidates.  Some of the interviewing processes seem so complex with so many interviews, sometimes stretching out over weeks and including multiple senior executives, I don't see how they actually can get anyone hired.  It's like approval by committee, it never works!  There's such a fear of hiring the wrong person, that the company is completely paralyzed by the search for (their perception of) perfection.  They end up not hiring anybody . . . imagine what that costs!

As an example, a candidate I'm working with sent me the following email.

"Wanted to also let you know that I've made it to the fourth round of the interview process with a private company in St. Louis... a Director of Marketing position. After my resume made the cut, I've had three different telephone interviews (HR Director, interim Marketing Director and VP of Marketing). Got the call yesterday for a personal interview. As far as I can tell, they're down to 4-6 candidates so I've got
my fingers crossed. If I can pass this phase, I think there's one more round of interviews with the President for the last 2-3." 

It was about three days later, I received this note from the same candidate,  "So I made it through seven face-to-face interviews and five phone interviews in five different 'phases' with the same company, only to learn last week that they have renewed their search and still haven't found "the right candidate."  Said they'd received over 300 resumes.  Hard to believe they couldn't find ONE candidate they believed could do the job. Oh well, live and learn."  A total of 12 interviews before this company decided this isn't the right candidate?  Wow!  How could it possibly have taken that long to make a "No" decision?  What was everyone talking about for all that time?   Imagine the time and expense in that many interviews with "4-6" candidates?  Does that company have any idea what they're looking for? I think not. 

The same thought of "paralysis through perfection" comes to mind when I hear horror stories about putting candidates through "Personality Profile or Assessment Testing".  You know, the kind of test that's generally taken online (pr sometimes in person) by the candidate?  There are loads of them out there . . . Caliper, Wonderlick, DISC, Kolbe, Myers-Briggs.  Some companies have the candidate complete more than one!  In many cases the current employees of the hiring company haven't even taken the tests, so there's no benchmark for performance in their own culture.  It's a very good idea for those involved in the hiring process to take the same test they're asking candidates to take . . . or why bother?

Testing seems like just one more level of "CYA" on the part of the hiring authorities . . . one more hurdle in the search for candidate/employee perfection.  I understand how some in occupations, testing is a good idea . . . airline pilots jump to mind, but I'm skeptical about it's value in many, many other functional roles.

Thoughts?  Have an interview or job search horror story to share?

"Recruiters are driving me nuts. What should I do?"

I know from being a marketing and advertising recruiter for over eight years now, that candidates rarely hear back from employers.  It's an annoying fact of life that I just don't understand.  I believe that recruiters, especially retained recruiters have to be held to a higher standard.  My job is to develop a relationship with those candidates I'm working with for the benefit of the clients I'm working with.  My job is also to respond to candidates' inquiries and to do my best to manage their expectations.

I also know that most candidates just don't understand how retained recruiters work.  I've blogged about the difference between retained and contingency recruiters in the past and I know I'm going to be doing it again in the future.

I ran across another blog posting in one of the online recruiter forums I stay in touch with.  This blog is written by Sarah Welstead and I think has an interesting approach to answering the question in today's headline.   Retained recruiters should NOT be driving you nuts!  Let me know what you think . . .

"Because I've worked in the recruiting industry for a while now, but am not actually a recruiter myself, scarcely a week goes by that I don't get an email from someone - a friend-of-a-friend, a spouse-of-a-friend, a child-of-a-friend - telling me that they're having unsatisfactory interactions with recruiters, and asking what they should do about it."

via community.ere.net