Ask Jen: Recruiting Questions & Answers

Your relationships, involvement are the best assets to your career.

admin — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 15:17:21 +0000

Q. I’m an HR professional with 20+ years of experience in the corporate world and have been searching for a new position for the past 6 months. I’ve applied to more than 100 jobs, have been on a few interviews, but so far I’m striking out and need a home run.
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A. What an exhausting experience, but rest assured you are not alone. I hear so many stories like yours I could write a book about job search nightmares. I also hear success stories about people who are considering multiple offers. Who are they and what do they have that you don’t? They have a diverse network that works for them, specific knowledge and skills, charming personalities, chemistry and passion.
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Why do we network? We network to develop relationships for personal and business purposes. You can never have enough friends in your business or personal life. Most of the people I’ve spoken to who landed a job in the last year, 80 percent of the time it came through their network. What is a network? A network is relationships with people, groups and associations with common interests. This could be as basic as the people in your neighborhood, sports teams, wine groups, church, community service, friends, family and business affiliations.
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■Take the time to walk in your neighborhood and get to know your neighbors. Hopefully you already have relationships with these people, if not, start to get to know them today.
■If you play a sport or are part of a wine group, you already have common interests, work it.
■Explore community service projects; get involved in something you care about. I’ve heard amazing stories about people who landed their jobs through community service time.
■If you have kids, get to know their friends’ parents, good for you and your kids.
■Family and friends can be your biggest fans. Spend time with them, and nurture these relationships.
■Join at least one business group that speaks to you.
Here’s the hitch, I want you turn off your computer and start spending time in the real world. This means you will need to polish up on your communication skills and charm. As a nation we are spending too much time on our computers thinking that our next job will come through the screen.
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Don’t take me wrong, I’m not putting down online social media, it has its place, but the action is out in the field. That means face time with other humans. Have you tried reverse networking? This involves delivering valuable information to people in your network. Play it forward. When you spend time with people, ask them about their lives, what are they interested in. Everyone is looking for something or someone. It’s not all about you.
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■Continue to develop your knowledge and skills by attending classes, seminars and workshops. This is a great way to meet new people with common interests and goals. Never stop developing yourself personally and professionally.
■Polish up on your presentation skills. This means when you are out in public look good, be personable, charming and interesting to everyone you meet. What do you want people to say about you? Always leave a great impression. Become a great story teller, everyone loves a great story.
■Passion is something that you feel about life. What do you feel passionate about, sports, wine, business, community service, the environment? Whatever it is, let your enthusiasm out of the box.
■Chemistry is energy between living beings. It’s something that happens naturally. You either have a positive connection with others or you don’t. People pick up your energy. So do your best to take care of yourself physically, mentally and emotionally. Become a balanced person.
One last piece of advice: build your professional brand. Most recruiters and hiring managers today will search the Internet for information about you prior to the interview. Make certain that your online presence (LinkedIn and Facebook) is information that is presentable to the public. Edit your profile so your connections know you are available for career opportunities.
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Good luck.

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Jennifer Laxton is a senior partner and executive coach with Executive Search Associates in Santa Rosa, www.esa.com. ESA is an executive search and consulting company. You can reach her at 707-217-4535 or jklaxton@esa.com.

Your project canceled? Buck up and get ready for the next one.

admin — Mon, 17 May 2010 21:44:55 +0000

Q. I’m an information systems and technology executive with 15 years of corporate experience and have been working for my current employer for the past five years. I was hired to develop a state-of-the-art technology infrastructure to support growth under the new president. In 2009, that president was let go, and the previous president has been brought back on an interim basis. Since then all projects have been put on hold. The future does not look bright for me here, and I want to make a career change. How do I get started?
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A. It’s always disappointing when you’re hired for a specific role and then projects are put on hold due to executive turnover. This is a global challenge for all workers. If you’re going to continue developing your career in the corporate world, get used to it. These days reorganizations are an annual occurrence, and the sooner you get used to it the smoother your professional life will go. Long-term employment is out, and the flexible work force is in.
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Adopt a flexible attitude, and think of yourself as a consultant. Take off your dedicated full-time hat and put on your consultant’s hat. Start thinking like a consultant who has been hired because of your knowledge, skills and abilities for a specific project, and always do your best. Experienced consultants know that when the project is complete they will be asked to work on additional projects because they’ve proven themselves.
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I’m not trying to talk you out of a career change but I am suggesting that you re-evaluate your current situation and attitude before taking the leap. To make a change, then I recommend the following action items.
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#1 – Define your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats using a professional analysis tool. This is your blueprint to success.

#2 – Define your professional goals, short term and long term.

#3 – Update your resume. If you are not skilled at writing, hire a professional resume writer.

#4 – Write your value proposition and practice communicating this message to everyone you meet.

#5 – Define your network, professional and personal. Reach out to 25 contacts a week. Pick up the phone and make the call. If you do not connect, follow up by e-mail requesting a time to talk. Personal contact is vital to developing and maintaining your network.

#6 – Ask your network for referrals. Be specific. Ask for introductions and follow up in a timely manner.

#7 – Locate the hidden job market through your network.

#8 – Develop a company watch list – a list of companies that you admire and are excited about their products, services or community involvement.

#9 – Use professional social networking tools to help you locate contacts, new and old. Add value by sharing information with your network that interests them.

#10 – Hire a career transition coach to help overcome obstacles.
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Some final advice:

■Never burn a bridge. Your contacts at your current company are invaluable and could you lead to your next opportunity.
■Always behave professionally and take the high road.
■Do what you can to help others succeed.
■Remember it’s all about who you know and who they know.
■80 percent of professionals who land a position in this market do so because of their network.
Two questions to ask yourself: What do people say about you when you’re not in the room? What kind of a lasting impression do you leave on others?
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I wish you a successful journey and hope you find what you’re looking for. Good luck!

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Do you have an effective pitch about you? And is your network working?

admin — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 13:25:31 +0000

Q. I am an accomplished CEO with 20+ years of international software industry experience and find myself unemployed for the first time in my career. The majority of my business contacts are in Europe, and I’m uncertain how to develop a network the U.S. Can you help?
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A. Developing a network takes time and does not transpire overnight. Network development is a lot like planting a garden. What is the goal, to plant flowers, grow vegetable or both? Every great gardener knows that gardens are seasonal; one must take the time to prepare and enrich the soil, plant the appropriate seeds, provide the right amount of sunshine and water and insecticide to keep out the pests in order to have a thriving garden.
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Before you commence on the path to developing a network you must develop a strong business value proposition. Before you start pitching you, identify what you have to offer. This is a great exercise to go through at least once a year whether you’re employed or not. Professionals need to start thinking about themselves as a business entity not just a resource. This can be a tough exercise to engage solo. I recommend that you get help to guide you through the process.
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Strong business value propositions deliver tangible results like:

■Increased revenues
■Decreased costs
■Faster time to market
■Increased market share
■Improved operational efficiency
■Improved customer retention levels
■Decreased employee turnover
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Keep it simple; pare your message down to the essential core of what you do, who you do it for and the results they can expect. Your goal is to get the attention of your audience and to get them to ask you for more information. Below is a great example from an accomplished CFO that you can use to develop your audio message:
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What do you do?
I work with (target market) who (have this challenge).
Example: I work with entrepreneurs who have compelling business opportunities.
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How do you do that?
I help them get (ultimate outcome, the results).
Example: Leveraging off my professional skills as a CPA, attorney and merchant banker, I help them clean up a cute baby, put it into the right carriage and take an engaging concept through appropriate funding channels then liquidation.
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Tell me more (a story about who you worked with, their challenges, the results produced).
Example: In a CFO role, a good example is with my current company. I identified, negotiated, financed, procured, documented and monitored worldwide investment opportunities in real estate, business acquisitions and economical applications for environmentally sensitive technology in the Pacific Rim, Australia, China, Canada, Mexico and Europe with transaction value in excess of $100 million.
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I suggest that you start by re-connecting with your European contacts and build from there. Everyone knows at least three business contacts that they can reference. Be very specific with your current contacts – I am looking for introductions to U.S. business contacts. If you have 100 people in your current network and each person has 1 U.S. contact, that turns into 300 U.S. contacts, which is a great base to start from. The world is a much smaller place than it was 20 years ago.

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Jennifer Laxton is a senior partner and executive coach with Executive Search Associates in Santa Rosa, www.esa.com. ESA is an executive search, consulting and coaching company. You can reach her at jklaxton@esa.com or www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferlaxton or 707-217-4535.

Are you an “A” player or a “B” player? The answer to this question is the key to your next opportunity.

admin — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 14:00:36 +0000

Q. I’m a senior finance executive for a $30 million technology company for the past five years. The company has gone through multiple reorganizations, and over the past five years we’ve had three different presidents. I’m currently reporting to a president who has no respect for the senior management team and does not include us in any of the major decisions for the company. I have decided that it is time for me to leave this organization. What does the market look like for finance execs these days?
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A. I want to acknowledge you for making a tough decision to leave this company that employs a leader who does not support its senior management team. Good for you.
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In my opinion the market is starting to warm up compared to the frigid storm of 2009. Most organizations that are looking to add talent to their organizations want to attract “A” players. On that note, not all companies and professionals are “A” players. So the first step is to conduct an inventory of your strengths and weaknesses.
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Are you an “A” player or a “B” player? Why is that so important? Before you commence a search for a new opportunity, you need to know who you are, your value proposition, what you’re selling and who your buyer is. Ask yourself, “Who will be attracted to me and why?” The answer to this question is your next opportunity.
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Too many people do not give their job search the proper attention that is required to land a position that fits your lifestyle. What is important to you now? Are you looking for career development opportunities, change industries, make more money, travel, relocate, consult?
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To help you get clear about your search, complete the following questions to understand your goals and objectives.
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1) Why are you searching for a new opportunity?

2) What type of opportunity are you seeking?

3) What type of industries interest you and why? What are you passionate about?

4) What type of cultures do you prefer, small versus large, casual versus formal, public versus private, start-up versus well established?

5) What is your commute tolerance? Be realistic.

6) Are you open to relocation, where to? Be specific.

7) Are you open to travel, what percentage?

What are your compensation requirements (base, bonus, benefits, other)? Be realistic.

9) What will you base your decision on – compensation package, environment, culture, product innovation, career development opportunities, business ventures, location?

10) Who will be attracted to you and why?
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This is a difficult process for most people. Searching for a new opportunity today is a process with many layers. In order to successfully land a new position requires introductions. To land just one meeting may involve presenting your information to 100+ decision makers.
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Times have changed. It’s all about who you know and who they know and being referred. Eighty percent of professionals who land a position in this market do so because of their network.
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If you have not been developing and nurturing your network in the past five years this could be like running a marathon without the proper training. How do you train for this event?
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Keep in mind that searching for a new position today is a full-time job and will require great effort on your part. The goal is to move beyond the traditional barriers and arrange meetings with key decision makers. The rest is up to you.

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Making sure your company hires the right executive. From job description to search to screening, traps and dangers lurk

admin — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 18:06:55 +0000

Ask Jen: Recruiting Questions & Answers: Making sure your company hires the right executive. From job description to search to screening, traps and dangers lurk.
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Q. I am the founder and CEO for a $20 million distribution company. Our general manager of five years has informed me that he will be moving out of state in June to be closer to his family. He has recommended the operations manager whom he hired two years ago as his replacement. The problem is that the operations manager is not qualified to be a general manager; he lacks formal education and essential knowledge and experience required to be successful. What are my options?
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A. The good news is that the GM has given you plenty of notice to locate the best candidate for the job and ample time for knowledge transfer and mentoring.
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You are not obligated to promote your current operations manager to the GM position. I’m certain that the company has changed over the past five years, and this will give you an opportunity to update and possibly upgrade the position requirements.
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If the operations manager shows interest in the position, give him or her the opportunity to be a part of the selection process.
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First, it is imperative that you develop a job description that clearly defines the day-to-day responsibilities, required skills, education and experience. Be clear about who this person is, where they come from and create a “best fit” profile. You will need to determine if the best fit is someone who comes from your industry and has deep knowledge about your products and services or from outside your industry who can bring a fresh perspective.
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What are your short-term and long-term goals for bringing this person on board? What problems are you trying to solve? Make certain that the compensation package is market competitive and will attract and retain the best talent. Please do not start the selection process until you have gone through this exercise and have received buy in from all decision makers and key stakeholders.
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Next you will need to decide how you will attract talent to your organization. Do you post an advertisement online and hope for the best? There are numerous places to post jobs today from career sites to social networking platforms to industry niche sites. Ask yourself, do you want your customers and competitors to be knowledgeable about such a critical change to the organization and appear weak? Or do you engage with a search firm to locate the best candidate for the job and keep your business private?
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Online advertisements will produce hundreds of responses due to millions of people being out of work. It is tempting with some job boards charging as low as $75 per posting. Just remember that you get what you pay for. What are the hidden costs of placing an online ad?
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I’ll tell you, they are the lost productive working hours that you and your team will be required to input to review resumes, conduct phone screens and lengthy interviews. How do you know that the resumes you are reviewing are not fabricated? How do you know that the person you are phone screening is not playing you? How do you know that the person you have invited into your company for a full day of interviews and incurred travel costs is the real thing?
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You don’t.
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These are desperate times for people, and survival instincts are in play. People will do whatever it takes to land a job. There is great risk involved in hiring an unknown resource. Because you are an employer legally you are not able to ask those many important questions. I don’t see the point of wasting valuable time interviewing potential candidates for your No. 1 position in the company if you don’t have all the facts.
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Most companies who approach filling a position through their own efforts will turn this over to their human resources department and in some cases the actual hiring manager. Their time, resources and network are very limited, and they lack the necessary expertise. Keep in mind that the cost of a hiring mistake can add up to three times the annual base salary.
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Acquiring talent is not merely a transaction but an extensive process with many layers. Great recruiters take the time to get to know you and your team and understand the company’s history, milestones and challenges. They are knowledgeable about your products and services, your culture and plans for the future. They consider themselves an extension of the client. They focus on developing candidates with the education, knowledge, skills and abilities you need.
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Great recruiters are visionary; selling the dream position, company mission, vision and values. Great recruiters are professional networkers and are able to locate people who might not otherwise be looking for a new opportunity via their own network or referred to them by a trusted source.
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Great recruiters undertake significant screening, assessments and background checks, usually narrowing down the search to three to five candidates. Great recruiters deliver a compelling argument about why someone should consider your opportunity versus their current job or other positions. You only get one chance to hit a home run. Are you and your internal team qualified at pitching a home run opportunity?
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Most companies who engage with a search firm are facing the following challenges:
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A senior-level role is open, and the organization must be represented in a professional, courteous and discreet manner.
A confidential replacement search must be conducted in a timely and discreet manner.
A target search with a comprehensive investigation of the talent pool from your competition
A talent search is required to supplement succession planning and growth strategies.
A new position requires extensive research and market penetration to provide the selection committee with adequate information to define a profile and promote a role.
A high-level executive will most likely explore an opportunity if a company is represented by a search firm with an exclusive arrangement. An executive should feel confident that any dialogue with a search firm will be discreet, confidential and efficient.
Remember, acquiring talent is not merely a transaction but an extensive process with many layers.

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An outpouring of advice from North Bay’s CEOs

admin — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 14:32:48 +0000

Q. I’m a senior operations manager with 10-plus years of consumer electronics industry experience. My goal is to become a CEO in the next two to five years. What are the most important leadership skills one should develop for a C-level position?
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A. Ambitious goal. There are many different types of leadership styles that one can adopt. My initial question to you is how would you describe your current leadership style? You will need to assess your strengths and weaknesses in these areas, set goals to develop and upgrade those skills. Leadership is 80 percent soft skills and 20 percent hard skills. It is a blend of ingredients that make a great CEO.
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I’ve had an exceptional experience in 2009 and interviewed several C-level executives from a broad spectrum of industries ranging in size. There were common themes.
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Following are some of the questions that I asked and a compilation of the many answers received from the CEOs themselves. Perhaps you can find slivers of insight that apply to you and your business.
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Can you describe your leadership style?
Collaborative, empower the team, give them the knowledge and guidance. Set realistic expectations, follow-up and trust. Set high expectations; show me the numbers and metrics. Strategic, visionary, think outside the box, be non-traditional. Take the time to train, coach and mentor, help others succeed.
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Be supportive minus micro-management. I have an open-door policy and am trustworthy. I’m a born leader, not a follower. Honest and clear communication. Show strength but its OK to be human and vulnerable too. Develop strong values. Spend time with your team, communicate and care about people.
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Help other people be successful and find their path. Be honest with others about their strengths and weaknesses. Be value-centric, build trust amongst the team by creative collaboration. Be open, direct, truthful, positive, realistic and optimistic. Be very straight-forward; let people know where you stand good and bad, give constructive feedback. I give credit to others when due. Hold people to high standards. Accountability, be objective, strategic and a quick decision maker. Participative, honest and trustworthy.
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In your opinion what are the main ingredients for a successful CEO?
Be compassionate and very resourceful, disciplined and collaborative. Hire exceptional people and surround yourself with great talent. Be passionate about helping people. Make a contribution and give back. Share values with the team, develop trusted relationships with clients and mutual respect. Ask a lot of questions. Set high expectations. Think for yourself and make decisions.
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Hire slowly and fire quickly. Apply the Golden Rule. Have a competitive nature. Be self-motivated, helpful, caring and tell the truth. Be a problem-solver. Invest in professional development. Set high standards and selective recruiting.
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Never compromise integrity. Create fundamental value. Add value to a business and the community. Develop products that have a purpose in the market and keep evolving. What’s next, find new niches and solve real problems. Develop top level management that works well together with mutual goals, similar management styles and philosophy.
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Complement each other. Employ great people. Be open, trustworthy and communicate. Have fun, maintain a sense of humor. Be courageous, take a stand and be a visionary. Focus on employees. Be passionate about business. Selfless and humble. Give your people the tools they need to succeed. Be driven by the next big challenge.
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What do you feel has been your greatest accomplishment as a CEO?
Gaining the trust and confidence of the team. Hiring exceptional talented people and launching their careers. Growing the company. No layoffs. Providing a service to the community. Staying true to my core values. A commitment to continue to develop myself personally and professionally. Developing a great team of people who are aligned. To hear that people love working for me and value my contribution. Being an executive in a male-dominated environment. My contribution to the world is developing leadership training for people who are working for poor management. Adding value to companies and the community. Launching new products. Being profitable in a downturn economy. Empowering the team.
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Any disappointments?
The government does not support the small business. The unexpected learning curve. Lack of resources and funding for small businesses. My level of risk aversion, being too conservative and missing the opportunity. The difficult, uninspired and intellectually limited mindset of some venture capitalists.
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Move too quickly and make bad decisions. Don’t like to let people down, want to save everyone. Managing my own board of directors and the expectation to romance them and play politics. Passion overcame logic.
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Lonely-at-the-top syndrome. I can’t turn the mind off. Not enough personal time.
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Is there room for improvement?
Self-assessment, professional education and leadership training. Analyzing complex situations quickly. Get involved, be flexible and get outside my comfort zone. Improve communication skills and provide positive feedback on a regular basis. Being more decisive about people’s potential and be more realistic versus hopeful.
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Make more efficient use of time and spend more time with the right people. I’m too optimistic. Be more patient, improve listening skills, delegate and be more adaptable. I take on too much responsibility. Communicate more, tell the truth and be more visible. Sharpen the pencil. Get the team involved.
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What are the most compelling issues you are dealing with?
Growing the company with a lack of resources and cashflow. Execution, marketing and business development. Recruiting the talent. Maintaining quality, culture and growth. Managing clients. Reorganization. Competition for resources. Value proposition to our clients. Being a trusted adviser. Gaining national attention. U.S. economy. Sustainable business growth.
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On a personal note, what are your career goals?
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Retirement. To be CEO of a multi-billion-dollar company. Very satisfied with my current role. Move the company forward. Develop a leadership pipeline. Grow the company. Be a profitable business, help the community and stay in the North Bay.

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Jennifer Laxton is a senior consultant and coach with Executive Search Associates in Santa Rosa, www.esa.com. ESA is an executive search and consulting company. You can reach her at 707-217-4535 or jklaxton@esa.com. If you have questions with regards to your situation, send an e-mail to askjen@esa.com.

Is the Internet the answer when the referrals dry up?

admin — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:32:38 +0000

Q. I’m a senior financial consultant with several years of experience servicing corporate clients throughout the greater Bay Area. I’ve been very fortunate to receive the majority of my business through referrals, but over the past year my clients claim to have no budget to use my services and new leads have dried up. My question to you is about marketing my services via traditional methods versus online solutions, what are the pros and cons?

A. Congratulations to you for developing a successful financial consulting business. Do not use this present time to gauge your overall success. This economy is driving people crazy and causing good people to behave badly. The question is, “What is going to be the best solution for you and your business?” I’ve been attending conferences, Webinars and special interest groups for the past year trying to get up to speed on Internet marketing solutions a.k.a. online social media. What does it all mean?

To be honest I’m just as confused as the next person. We are business professionals who specialize in our practices not marketing gurus. The new market is requiring business professionals to be marketing experts. Are you a marketing expert?

The conference that I attended last week was focused on developing an Internet marketing plan for your business. What I received was information about developing an Internet marketing plan for the food, wine and resort industry.

These companies have developed award-winning blogs, videos and contests to attract fans to their Web sites via Facebook, and the lucky winner will receive prizes ranging from an evening of great food and wine to hiking the Inca Trail to a weekend at a wine country B&B.

This is nice, but people like you and I are in the professional services industry, and our clients are corporations. I don’t see this solution complementing what we do. What are we going to do – launch a contest for our clients to compete for our business and the winner will receive a weeks paid vacation in Hawaii? Is this what it’s going to take for us to land business in today’s economy?

I recently attended another conference where the speaker in his previous life was a successful mortgage broker and for obvious reasons needed to change careers. He started teaching himself how to market a business via the Internet and wrote a book which is designed for small business owners, commission salespeople and self-employed service professionals like us.

The book offers practical step-by-step instructions on how to leverage the Internet to build a business. He is capitalizing off of this by being a keynote speaker, teaching workshops, book sales and selling online content. Good for him, but are you going to do that? I’ve read the book, and what I can tell you is that committing yourself to marketing your business via the Internet can be a full-time job and the return on your investment, which is your time, is not easy to track.

Are you prepared to spend your day blogging, recording videos of yourself pitching your services, tweeting, developing podcasts and Webinars? Not to mention SEO (search engine optimization) for your Web site, blogs, videos, etc. To be successful with online marketing, SEO must be implemented and maintained on an ongoing basis. If you bill $100 an hour and you spend half your day marketing your business, that means you need to work an additional eight hours to maintain your quota, which means you are working a 12-hour work day.

Experts tell us that in order to earn what we made in 2007-2008 we need to work twice as hard to earn 50 percent of our income. Another pain point is that Internet marketing experts are preaching that you must be an expert in your field. It’s not good enough to be good; you must be an expert to be able to add value. Many consultants are attempting to attract new clients by providing their services by setting up Webinars for free or for a nominal fee. Be aware that this is a very time-consuming activity and can take weeks to prepare for.

Another solution you may consider is hiring an Internet marketing consultant to set up your online presence. The prices range from $150 an hour to a $10,000 flat fee to develop your Web site, set up your blog, record your videos and podcasts, Twitter training and SEO maintenance.

Still, I’m a big fan of traditional marketing, connecting with your clients by phone and in-person and being a solid business adviser. Sending news worthy information to your clients by e-mail or newsletters that are well-organized and contain useful content is a great way to stay in front of your clients on a monthly or quarterly basis. Internet marketing can’t replace the value of face-to-face meetings.

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When the CEO reveals his plans to leave

admin — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 14:00:08 +0000

Q. Our company CEO has confided in me that he is contemplating leaving his position in the next six to 12 months. I feel that I am the obvious choice to replace him. I’ve been a loyal and dedicated employee to the company for the past 10 years and have held various positions ranging from individual contributor to management to executive level. And for the past two years I have held the position of vice president of finance and operations. What steps can I take to secure my future with this company without jeopardizing my relationship with the CEO whom I directly report to and is also my friend?

A. You are in a sticky situation that has drama written all over it. The CEO, who we’ll name Bob, is ethically wrong in so many ways for asking you to keep such critical information confidential. My first question to you is, “What type of a working relationship do you have with Bob?” Because it sounds like the lines have been crossed between professional and personal. It sounds like he is using your personal relationship to protect his professional position. Maybe he’s going through major life changes – divorce, illness or a death in the family? Or he may have certain bonuses tied to certain criteria or stock options he can exercise in the next six to 12 months, which is why he feels the need to keep his plans confidential?

I recommend that you schedule some time with Bob outside of the office and have a heart-to-heart conversation with him, one professional to another Take the guess work out of the equation, and try to find out what is really going on his life.

What is his motivation behind his decision to end his employment with XYZ Company – age, health, financial, other business opportunities? Remind him why it is so important to discuss his plans with the key stakeholders of the company.

His decision has the potential to ultimately affect so many – investors, employees, customers, partners and the community. His decision to move on requires careful planning and strategizing, which I’m certain he is aware of. Or is he? Express to Bob your motivation to continue to develop your career with XYZ Company and that you are very interested in being considered as his replacement when the time comes. Discuss with him the potential of working together to develop your knowledge, skills and abilities that may be lacking in certain areas and will be required for the next leader of this company. You are in a unique situation because of your tenure with the company and your obvious relationship with Bob. What a great opportunity for you if you play your cards right.

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An aside: According to industry research, some business leaders spend their whole lives developing their careers by building successful companies but sacrificing their personal lives along the way. After years of battle, they cling to the power and lifestyles they have become so accustomed to.

Too many executives don’t know when it’s time to quit or move and as result fail to put succession planning in place.

According to industry experts, CEOs who have extended stays with companies risk their reputations and the value of the organization. Be astute – you need to know when it’s time for you to move on for your professional career development.

All executives need to have a good succession strategy, too. Companies take the risk of losing top talent when a CEO stays too long, bleeding the organization of the very people it needs if it is to grow.

Investors are known to flee when an all too powerful CEO leaves late and the new CEO isn’t well known to the investment community. People fear that the new leadership won’t be up to task. So it is in everyone’s best interest to develop an early succession plan for the health of the company and investors and their valued customers and employees.

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Implementing sustainability requires buy-in, careful plan

admin — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 14:00:08 +0000

Q. I am the VP of human resources for a 30-year-old, $20 million consumer product company. I’ve received requests from some of our employees about incorporating sustainability programs. I’m all for it, but the president-founder is old school, does not see the value and is opposed to making any changes.

A. I’ve done some research on incorporating sustainability programs over the past six months – studying sustainability programs in the workplace, attending workshops and interviewing corporate leaders. Here’s what I’ve learned so far.

Discussions around sustainability can foster confusion thanks to terms like global warming, carbon footprint, green products and greenhouse gas emissions.

Business leaders must be educated about how sustainability initiatives are a long-term investment and will save the company money, build customer loyalty and build employee retention over a period of time.

Sustainability programs must be evaluated and structured in a way that benefits the company, employees, customers and business partners. Successful programs are championed by a leader who takes responsibility for maintaining sustainability as on an ongoing discussion throughout the organization and community.

Many companies are beginning to embrace sustainability as an opportunity to gain competitive advantage. Some examples of organizations that have instituted these types of sustainability initiatives are:

– Wal-Mart, whose “Sustainability 360” program has reduced annual shipping container use by 500 units, preventing the consumption of 1,000 barrels of oil and 3,800 trees while netting the retail giant $2.4 million in cost savings annually

– Nestle Waters, the maker of Deer Park, Arrowhead and Poland Spring water brands, which has pruned the mass of its plastic bottles by 15 percent, reducing the amount of waste the products ultimately contribute to landfills while also reducing its manufacturing and shipping costs

– Dial Corp., whose development of a concentrated liquid laundry detergent lowers the amount of water needed during the product’s production and reduces packaging material by 40 percent – lessening its landfill impact while significantly lowering the company’s transportation, distribution and storage costs

These and other early adopters gained benefits from their sustainability initiatives by developing organizational structures and talent management approaches designed to minimize the risks and maximize the business opportunities related to sustainability. Rather than treating sustainability as a risk and cost to be managed, early-inning sustainability leaders are integrating sustainability initiatives deep into their processes and cultures and collaborating with a broad range of partners including government and non-government organizations on sustainability initiatives.

There are three stages of sustainability initiatives. “Early,” treated solely as a risk or as a response to regulations that require compliance. “Intermediate,” treated as both a risk and an opportunity, with the program extended into multiple corporate functions. “Advanced,” expanded beyond the organization to an entire “sustainability supply chain.” Opportunities include talent management benefits and use as a competitor differentiator.

Comparing yourself to Wal-Mart or Dial Corp. is not realistic. The obvious wins are reducing your costs by making small changes from turning off lights and electronic equipment when not in use, to alternative packaging, to using one vendor versus multiple vendors for supplies, and by developing a competitive advantage building customer loyalty and employee retention.

“Think globally, act locally” urges people to consider the health of the entire planet and to take action in their own communities. Long before federal and state agencies began enforcing environmental laws, individuals were coming together to protect habitats and the organisms that depend on them. These efforts are referred to as grassroots efforts. They occur on a local level and are primarily run by volunteers (Wikipedia definition). One thing is certain, you must get buy-in from the president-CEO. I recommend educating yourself about how to incorporate sustainability programs into your company and take advantage of the rich resources available at the local level.

Learn from others by reading about corporate sustainability success stories, take some classes and workshops or hire a consultant who partners with organizations to implement sustainability programs.

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Jennifer Laxton is a senior partner and consultant with Executive Search Associates in Santa Rosa, www.esa.com. ESA is an executive search and consulting company. You can reach her at 707-217-4535 or jklaxton@esa.com. If you have questions with regards to your situation, send an e-mail to askjen@esa.com.

Company founder unsuccessful at hiring sales reps needs help

admin — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 14:00:26 +0000

Q. I’m the founder and president of a 20-year-old $10 million publishing company servicing organizations throughout the greater Bay Area. We’ve been very successful over the years but as a result of the current economy our business is down 30 percent. I’m considering hiring a few sales reps to bring in new business but have not been successful hiring sales people in the past.

Can you help?

A. You stated that you have not been successful hiring sales people in the past. Do you know why? Many entrepreneurs who are self-made have a track record of making poor hiring decisions. Why?

Too often they expect everyone to be as passionate and knowledgeable about their business as they are, don’t take the time to train or mentor and lack programs and process.

Turnover is expensive and painful. Replacement costs can add up to three times the annual base salary per position. This fact is based on loss of productivity and the time it takes to get new hires up to speed, which results in a loss of business and revenue.

Before you invest in additional headcount, take the time to investigate what went wrong in the past and make corrections.

The hiring process for any position within the organization is critical and requires an experienced recruiter to manage the process from developing job descriptions to on-boarding. If you do not have a qualified recruiter in-house I recommend that you partner with an experienced recruiter with a proven track record for working with small owner-managed companies.

Why does that matter? It’s the law of attraction theory. You want to attract proven sales professionals who excel at working with small owner-managed businesses versus the hierarchy corporate infrastructure.

The first question you want you to ask yourself is, “What problem am I trying to solve?” The answer to that question will be your objective for hiring. If your answer is, “I need some sales help so that I can focus on the job of building my business,” then focus on attracting someone who can, first and foremost, sell stuff.

Some companies sell complex products (three-to-six-month learning curve), but the best sales people jump in from day one, are eager to get on the phones and schedule meetings as soon as possible.

Successful sales people are quick to admit that they may not be experts on your products or industry but understand that they must develop alliances with their team (president, engineers, sales support) to help them fill in the gaps.

Most importantly, they don’t fake it with customers who can smell a phony a mile away. Great sales people know how to establish relationships and start before they walk in the door for an interview.

They attempt to connect with everyone they meet, starting with the receptionist as they check in for a meeting.

They have researched your company and have knowledge about your history, milestones, products, services, customers, what challenges you are facing and are able to pitch themselves as the solution to your problems.

Great sales people should be successful at selling themselves during the interview, which is an indicator of how they will represent your company and sell your product.

Beware of people who don’t sell themselves well during the interview. If they can’t sell themselves, how are they going to sell your product? If they don’t do a good job preparing for the interview, haven’t researched your company, then they probably won’t do a good job selling your product. Beware of those who are too afraid to make the calls; they may not have what it takes to succeed in your environment.

The biggest failures are obsessed over learning every last detail of the product and industry at your expense. Companies don’t usually let go of their star performers, so be skeptical when a sales person is unemployed, they need to have a really good reason, be thoughtful about this.

Someone once said “Past performance is the best indicator of future success.” Focus on people who have demonstrated measurable sales accomplishments and can sell stuff.

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Jennifer Laxton is a senior partner and consultant 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. 12 or jklaxton@esa.com. If you have questions with regards to your situation, send an e-mail to askjen@esa.com.