Timeless gems from the sages..

GUEST POST: Which type of wine are you?..By Bettina M.

Long and hard day at work? Been in interviews? In traffic? With the kids? When are we gonna be able to see relaxation no longer as an obscure concept but as a daily reality? And no need to specify “before my retirement age” when only the idea of standing up from my chair will already be painful.

Doctors advise yoga but are they gonna look after my kids when I finish my 15 hour working day? Friends recommend a massage, but until my bank account fills up as quickly as my laundry basket, spending more than 70 bucks for an hour is not an option for me. Taking a bath was a cheap and good option, maybe as long as I was not considered an abuser of the environment, and definitely before my bath was invaded by a non-skid mat, baby seat and plastic ducks..

No truly, I think we would all agree that having a glass of wine is the cheapest, quickest and easiest way to find relaxation at the end of the day. Wine also gives us a priceless outcome: it is adjusted to our own desire. When we buy wine, we choose our own flavour - Red, White, Rose, cold or warm, sweet or dry, sparkly or flat, delicate or spicy. And wine, just like us, also has a long history: the uniqueness of every bottle will depend on what happens to the grapes and their juices from the vine to the glass. At the end of the day, walking into a wine shop is like walking into a company office - at first glance every bottle looks the same. Companies are prepared to bet on our reputation as much as we are keen to spend huge amounts of money on a prestigious wine. They will squeeze us every day as much as we are still enjoying that very last drop of a great wine. In other words, as we all expect the best from our wine discovery of the day, we should naturally understand that challenge and pressure only exist when there is a talent to explore. Some people might think then..and if I fail does that mean that I should rethink my skills? If tomorrow someone brings me a glass of Petrus, I would, without any doubt, hate it. Does that mean that it’s not an amazing wine?

Are you looking for new opportunities, a promotion, an upgrade in your salary? The only advice I can give you is to strive only for the best because mediocrity doesn’t have the potential to build on itself.

GUEST POST: Motivation: What’s that again?..By Bettina M.

Swimsuit and thongs or formal wear and heels…? We all can admit…enjoying the sun and shopping on rainy days sounds more glamorous than sitting 12 hours a day on an office chair… No more early mornings or dangerous flirting with the bus lane to avoid traffic. No more “rush hour human sandwiches” in the train, no more racing to get a car spot and no more needing to dream about having the whole shopping mall to yourself!

One of my friends was made redundant a few days ago after 10 years of loyal work. They told him that it was “a hard but unavoidable choice” and to really REALLY not take it personally. Yes that’s what people say; “work is work, nothing personal about it. I want you to forget any form of humanity before you enter the door of the company but here is a BlackBerry, your new partner in life, even better than a wife, keep it close to you at all times, it will never disturb you”. It reminds me a bit like playing sport at school; suddenly your best friend, captain of the basketball team, turns on you when she has to choose her team member and spits out the name of someone else. But she still looks at you and whispers “sorry it’s not personal” and then in the space of 30 seconds you are overwhelmed by 1000 different emotions; anger, shame, guilt…and so you smile. Smiling again…such a weird concept, everybody smiles but let’s be honest, most of the time it’s far from an honest and frank happy look. For example, when this guy who interviewed me last week smiled while saying “unfortunately we don’t have any suitable opportunities for you at the moment” he was just politely translating a kind of “no you didn’t make it today and don’t ever think that it will be the case if you come back tomorrow!” and in adding “but I will definitely get back to you if something comes up”, it was probably as much of a frank answer as when you meet this stunning guy at a party and then when you ask him for his number he takes yours and says “I’ll give you a call”…

Yes all of these are good reasons to loose motivation while job searching but at the end of the day who are you trying to impress and satisfy? A friend? An employer? Your parents? Or yourself? We are programmed by this world with one goal; making our parents happy and proud (and also sometimes making them mad but only to test their love unconsciously). Sometimes they gave us recognition for any help, good marks or good behaviour and sometimes didn’t. But in both cases, they made us chase it as a natural feeling nonetheless. And as much as people can repeat that work is work and none of your colleagues are your family, and that your boss is not your mum or dad, they are still asking you for the same outcome; satisfy a manager and spend most of your day next to colleagues that are, at the end of the day, still human just like you.

But in all of this there is one person that remains not heard and that’s you. Disappointment after loosing a job or an opportunity is natural but if you stop valuing yourself in terms of a role or organisation and start thinking of yourself as pure value (no substantiation necessary) maybe it would be the first step in the change you’re looking for.

Remember, nothing in the world is ever completely wrong. Even a stopped clock is right twice a day…”

Just believe.

Talent acquisition made easy!! By Darren Saul..

What you have done for the last 10 (or 20) years will not work anymore..

Quality talent is only becoming harder and harder to find. Yes there are always plenty of mediocre candidates – but I’m talking about the true stars – those that you can confidently hang the future of your business on!

And I’m not only referring to technical skills and experience – I’m talking about attitude, ambition, drive, self-motivation, self-development, creativity, inspiration , pride, respect, loyalty, lateral thinking and team-playing. 

Now that’s quite a shopping list..how do you find them?

Don’t think how it’s always been done – think how it needs to be done now and in the future!

• Social Media is one of the most valuable tools we have today to build a reputation, establish a brand, attract and access a target audience. A sophisticated and integrated social media recruitment strategy is not optional – it is imperative! It is also so low cost it’s scary! PLEASE NOTE: along with this comes the need to acquire and exploit the latest in technology (mobile and other) to the best of your ability..

• Build and maintain highly specific candidate networks to further increase your reach and speed – if you go to the supermarket to buy cereal you don’t take a stroll down the frozen section – you go straight to the speciality aisle..

• Candidate Referral Programs – it has always been the case that quality individuals of any kind know and are in constant contact with other quality individuals. Use referral programs extensively to draw those stars to you!  

• Advertising – of course advertising is still extremely useful but it is not enough to hang the future of your business (your people) on anymore. It is now a complement strategy - not THE strategy!

• Momentum! The biggest enthusiasm killer in this business is a lack of momentum ie. a long drawn out recruitment process. I still see this every day. Candidates waiting by the phone while hiring managers take too much time to negotiate their availability for interviews or make decisions. By that time the candidate has lost interest or has simply been offered another job. “Don’t worry – we’ll find another” – better think again..

• Selling! – the balance of power has shifted. Super people have choice and you have to make sure they make it favour of you! You have to sell the role, company, culture, management style, team, career progression path and all the other benefits – otherwise your competition will..

• Personal touch – nowadays (more than ever before) TRUST is king. Building trust with your potential star during the process is fundamental! Trust can only be built personally and this is your opportunity to go way way above and beyond. There are so many ways to do this – I’ll leave that to you to ponder. Example: building strong rapport based on mutual interest during the interview process before getting down to business. One more: for the potential manager to make a call to the chosen candidate (while waiting for a favourable response) to let him/her know how valuable they would be and how much they would love them to accept the role. Simple but very powerful!

Acquiring quality talent is not difficult when you take the time to build a strong, broad and rejection-proof recruitment strategy and process!!  

The 15 most valuable strategies for retaining your key people! By Darren Saul..

The recruitment industry is changing again (surprise, surprise!) and we must change with it. Quality candidates are more savvy, they are not as easily tempted and they are harder and harder to find using traditional methods. A whole new strategy for the acquisition of quality talent based on broad candidate reach is necessary but that is for another day..

RELEVANCE TO YOU: Make sure your people are inspired, proud and excited (not just content) - otherwise your competitors will..

The recruitment process doesn't stop when the candidate is hired. Retaining your key people is just as important (step 2) - otherwise you are back to step 1! More time, energy and money.

Here are in my view the 15 most valuable strategies for retaining your key people!

1. Treat your people better than you treat your customers!! Sounds simple but I interview people all day complaining about exactly the opposite..
2. Delegate wherever possible and empower them to build confidence, develop pride, take ownership and exceed expectations
3. Acknowledge all the great stuff as much as possible - in a genuine way
4. Implement a buddy system to help settle new staff into the new culture
5. Conduct frequent two-way reviews (not too formal) to build rapport and manage expectations 
6. Create a friendly/collaborative/fun atmosphere where people are proud to work - it's called creating a "community"  
7. Invest in training and development - internal and external
8. Understand that everyone's drivers are different and that all can be used favourably with a little creativity
9. Be approachable! Spend some quality time down in the trenches with your troops..
10. EARN respect - don't expect it 
11. Reward them with small treats along the way
12. Choose your battles wisely
13. Pay them well!
14. Keep in regular contact with your chosen recruitment partner to ensure you are across what currently drives quality talent
15. Never think that there isn't any more to learn in this area - the economic and business environment is constantly changing and so are the people within..

Easier said than done to do all this all the time - however if you're not doing it you may risk losing your greatest asset!     

   

Those "stand-out" candidates are becoming harder and harder to find. What you can do to find them and then make sure they say "yes"..By Darren Saul.

Interviews: not suitable. More interviews: they don't accept. Even more interviews: counter-offers..why is this taking so long?

Yes it is very frustrating. Time wasted, energy wasted, money wasted. You have better things to do - like maybe have lunch!

Here are some simple insights to help you find what you need faster and then conduct a recruitment process that optimises your chances of the candidate saying "yes I do!".

• Build a relationship with a recruitment specialist! One cannot be all things to all people. Find an agency that lives and breathes the area you are recruiting in. They understand exactly what you need and better still they are constantly meeting with (and may have already met with) the candidates you need.

• Spend the time to brief your recruiter properly. Before, during and after the process. Details make all the difference. Recruitment is all about the subtleties.

• Conduct at least 2 interviews as part of your recruitment process. 1 meeting is not enough to generate the emotional buy-in you need on the part of the candidate. How they feel is the single most important ingredient to ensure they accept the role. Everything else is secondary!

• Let them meet with a couple of the other team members. The more the better. They need to know who they will be working with and feel that the "fit" is right.

• Give candidates as much insight into the role and your expectations as possible. Give them feedback. Again, details make all the difference.

• Sell the role, team, management style, culture, career progression and the company! The tables have turned -"stand-out" candidates are very much in demand and if you don't make the effort someone else will and you will be back to square one before you know it.

• Keep the momentum flowing! One of the most common reasons for losing great people is a lack of momentum. I see it every day. Interviews weeks apart, taking too long to make decisions, thinking that great candidates grow on trees. They will either lose interest (emotional buy-in) or simply secure another job.

• If you find that star - hire them! Sure take the time to conduct your due diligence process but don't wait to have a few to compare. You will lose them all. Sometimes it's all about timing and you only get one shot.

• Start building a strong relationship based on honesty, trust and integrity during the process - not just at the end. This will go a long long way! You may need to leverage this relationship at the latter stages of the process.

• Go the extra mile to add that special touch. Make them feel needed and wanted. Give them a call to let them know that you want them to accept the offer. If they have accepted, do the same and let them know how excited you are for them to start.

The world of the transactional and sterile recruitment process is over! To recruit in the new world you need to build strong relationships, trust and go that extra mile!       

Recognising special talent when you see it!!..By Darren Saul

Much easier said than done.

I have been interviewing for over 10 years and I am absolutely fascinated by people. In particular I am fascinated by the fact that many people are good while there is a small percentage that are simply extraordinary. You can meet 4 great people in a row and then as soon as that special number 5 walks in your energy level jumps up 10 notches, you build rapport super-fast and you automatically find yourself selling an opportunity instead of waiting for the candidate to sell him/herself to you. You smile, you laugh and you enjoy the interaction entirely. You come out of that meeting feeling like you are ready to just take off and run around the block (if only I actually did this more often but somehow the Thai lunch special down the road always seems to have a stronger lure). 

We've all been there and I thought this might be a great opportunity to further explore 2 areas of interest here -

1.    What are some of the traits and behaviours that extraordinary people share?

2.    What are some of the signs (during and after the interview) that confirm you have indeed recognised quality talent and have not been swept away by salesmanship and false-perception?

I certainly don't have all the answers. It is a lifelong work in progress for me but here are some of my thoughts..

Common traits of quality individuals

• They listen more than they speak - and when they speak they articulate their story with pinpoint accuracy and don't waste words (especially the big ones that nobody understands anyway..)
• They ask loads of intelligent questions - prepared and spontaneous
• You can't help but get drawn in by their enthusiasm - it's contagious
• When they smile they sparkle - and they smile a lot!
• They exude confidence and self-awareness - but they do so in a very humble way - never with arrogance
• Their body language allows you to catch a glimpse of their character - are they poised and in control or are they clumsy and anxious?
• They take pride in their appearance - it's a matter of self-respect and respect for others
• They are always punctual - in fact they usually arrive a little early
• They are open minded - always willing and able to discuss different options and welcome different schools of thought
• They are positive and easy going - never abrasive 

Checklist for confirming your hunch

• They come prepared! They have done their research into the organisation and responsibilities of the role. They may have even spoken to a few people that currently work in the organisation. They are clear about what they can offer in the role
• They don't tend to move from job to job every 6 months and tend to show a clear progression path within their work history
• They have no issues openly discussing the reasons for why they left previous roles for others - and these reasons are sound, verifiable and intelligent
• They have solid and meaningful reasons for wanting to explore other career options - money is sometimes part of the reason but it rarely the sole reason
• They usually have a strong idea of where they want to be - not necessarily in terms of exact time frame but in terms of an identified and strategic career path
• It is easy for them to talk in depth about their philosophies towards building strong rapport, providing strong customer service, managing expectations and priorities effectively
• If asked to provide further information after the meeting they do so extensively and in a very prompt manner
• They seem very willing to partner with you (the recruiter or hiring manager) to ensure a positive outcome ie. they give insightful feedback and they follow up as promised  
• Reference checks are very important - yes it may be true that most candidates provide referees that will be favourable but it is not always what the referees say about them that is the most important but HOW they say it..  

Identifying quality talent is all about subtlety - actions tend to speak louder than words and it is often what is not said that is the most interesting and informative..