Q. We are a successful architectural engineering consulting company in the North Bay area with plans for expansion into Sacramento and the greater Bay Area. In order to meet our goals, we need to hire experienced sales professionals with industry experience. We’ve been advertising our positions on the popular job boards and newspapers but have not received a good response. The majority of people who are qualified for these positions are out there but are working for the competition. What can we do in addition to placing ads to attract the talent to our company? We have run out of time, patience and ideas.
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A. Congratulations to you and the team for developing a successful architectural engineering company. Attracting professionals with specific industry experience to your company is a process and takes time and resources to accomplish. Placing ads will attract low hanging fruit, the unemployed and unhappy job seekers. Be aware that it is unprofessional and unethical for your company to directly approach the talent from your competition. I encourage you to outsource this project since you are out of time, patience and ideas. First make a list of all the companies that are your direct competitors. Make another list of companies that are considered to be indirect competitors in related industries. Make one more list of companies that have recently experienced significant growth. Hire an experienced recruiter to contact the companies on these lists to turn over the rocks and shake the trees to locate these sales professionals and present your opportunity to them. Before the recruiter goes to bat on your behalf, it is imperative that you put together your company pitch. What’s that? A great story about an opportunity so compelling that it will motivate someone to leave their present company to work for your organization. In addition, make certain that the recruiter working on this project is very knowledgeable about your company: type of business, products and services, history, milestones, current and projected revenue, current size of team, plans for growth, environment, culture, leadership style, career development opportunities and – most importantly – the compensation package (salary range, medical benefits, bonus and stock programs, retirement plans, PTO, etc.). You only have one shot to make a great impression.
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Q. I’ve been operating as an independent consultant providing high-level business services to clients nationwide for the past five years. I’ve been reasonably successful, but of course there are lean times and on average work nine months out of the year. For personal reasons, I need a consistent income and seriously am considering going back to work full time. For the past six months I’ve been applying for full-time positions that are well suited for my skills and experience but am not getting any bites. Do you think that my consulting experience is hindering me?
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A. I want to acknowledge you for being a successful independent consultant for the past five years. This is a great accomplishment and says a lot about who you are. Making the decision to go from consulting to full time is a big step. I’ve spoken to many people over the years just like you who desire to make the transition for one reason or another – you’re not alone. Whether you work as a full-time employee for a company where you receive a base salary and benefits or you work as an independent consultant on a project basis and are paid hourly or a flat rate for the work performed, remember this important message: We are all temporary workers. Companies are constantly changing, and their need for resources will vary annually or sooner. People change too; the career you’ve developed today may not fit your needs in two to five years or sooner. Some companies will discriminate against consultants who are applying for full-time positions. They may view you as a career consultant who is applying for a full-time position because you are unable to find consulting work in your field or looking to break into a new industry or develop new skills and, once you’ve accomplished your goals, off you go to the next opportunity. I suggest that you develop a resume that outlines your accomplishments, knowledge, skills and experience applicable to each job opening you are applying for. You must pitch to the reader in less than 10 seconds why they should call you. I recommend working with a professional resume writer, well worth the investment. Good luck. •••
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Jennifer Laxton is a senior partner with Executive Search Associates in Santa Rosa, www.esa.com. ESA is an executive search and consulting company. You can reach her at 707-525-1010 ext. 101 or
jklaxton @esa.com. If you have questions with regards to your situation, send an e-mail to askjen@esa.com.
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