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Hobson Associates Launches ‘Renewable and Clean Energy’ Search Practice

Carbon-neutral alternative energy sources are being developed and promoted at an ever-increasing rate. Solar, wind, biomass, geothermal and tidal energies are projected to lead the world power market for the foreseeable future. In timely response to this growth and demand, Hobson Associates is excited to announce the launch of their San Francisco Bay Area office specializing in the Renewable and Clean Energy sector.

Leading the new practice is Stacey Karpel, Managing Director. Stacey brings many years of successful search experience, resulting in a strong West Coast and National Renewable and Clean Energy book of business.

Stacey is internationally-recognized as a top achiever. She successfully manages a team of loyal professionals matching her high standards of integrity, honesty and dedication to build a practice specializing in Renewable and Clean Energy. With more than 15 years of experience, her insider knowledge spans the Renewable and Clean Energy, Investment and Financial Services, and High Technology industries.

Providing support to Stacey’s recruiting efforts is Jody Davis, Recruiting Manager. Jody is a versatile recruitment professional with over a decade of experience within Renewable and Clean Energy, Big 4 Accounting Firms, High Technology and Biotechnology sectors. Throughout her career, she has successfully placed “in demand” and highly-specialized professionals on a national basis.

“Stacey has always been ‘renewable energy personified’, I know how well her intensity and drive matches our Client Centric corporate commitment, how seriously she takes the work, and yet does so without taking herself too seriously!...” said Danny Cahill, President and Managing Partner of Hobson Associates, “…We are thrilled to have her on our management team and to support her as she builds an energy practice that is already the envy of the industry.”

If you’re an executive or sales leader looking for a new challenge, or looking to hire new talent, click here to learn more and connect with Stacey and her team.

ABOUT HOBSON ASSOCIATES

Hobson is an industry leader in many areas of recruitment, including specialist areas of Technology, Life Sciences, Manufacturing/Industrial, Contract Staffing, Insurance, offering:

40+ years of Executive Search success.

An unparalleled database of contacts.

A world renowned process methodology.

A matchless speed of response.

A deep knowledge of technology.

Learn more about the specific advantages we offer clients and candidates.

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Inside a Large Tech Search Firm – What I’ve Seen in 2015

By Bill Tomek- Senior Partner, Technology Practice

Inside or outside of work people who know what I do for a living always ask me: “How is it out there?”, “How is the job market?”, “What’s hot these days?”

I tell them in the markets we work in, it’s been a really good year. After being over our goal last year, as I’m writing this, I’m told we are one deal away from retiring the company’s quarterly goal – and will be well over when we close December. So it’s definitely good out there…

Here are a few other things I noticed in 2015 –

1) More jobs open, but companies are still selective. We did notice a rise in open opportunities, but we have not seen the flexibility and opening of specs that usually follow. This market still seems like “round peg, round hole”. Companies still want people from their direct markets that can make an immediate impact. This may change in 2016.

2) Compensation is moving. This is something we have been waiting for and are now seeing companies raise comp on hard to fill positions, or to retain talent. The largest shifts seem to be happening in base salary. The good news is it has worked and as a result, we have filled positions that would have otherwise been left open. We are living in a candidate-driven market and expect compensation to continue to rise in 2016.

3) More interest in retained searches. For people that have worked with us you know that we work both Contingent and Retained. Every time the market tightens our retained billings go up, clients want dedicated resources and a larger percentage of time spent on their searches. We have seen more retained billings and this includes searches that have an engagement fee to start. This will most likely continue in 2016.

4) LinkedIn. Reading this on LinkedIn? Yup, LinkedIn continues to accelerate the growth of its platform and its impact on hiring. This year I’ve seen deeper tools available from them, a deeper commitment to original content and greater adoption of LinkedIn messaging. Is it ok to send a note on LinkedIn instead of a thank you email after an interview? If I update my profile will that alert my employer that I’m looking for a job? LinkedIn plays really well on mobile were many candidates live, between meetings and on the run. So get your LinkedIn “A” game ready, because this is just the start!

5) Everyone’s a recruiter. Sorry, we know you’re getting lots of calls and messages from recruiters, but that’s the trade off of a great job market. When the market gets hot, it’s not long before word spreads that there is a ton of opportunity in recruiting. Be patient and qualify quickly who’s worth spending time with, because we know you can’t possibly manage all the inbound activity.

On a personal note, in 2015 I’ve seen the visit from the Pope, “Pizza Rat”, and low gas prices… It’s a great time for companies to grow and for candidates to make substantial moves. We hope to be able to help both lots in 2016.

- See more at: http://www.hobsonassoc.com

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Top 4 Lies Heard From Salespeople During the Holidays

By Don Tinker, CPC -Senior Associate, Life Sciences

People tend to spend time with their families this time of year. Throughout my life, my mother has always called me on my BS. And boy has there been a lot of it (thx for that, ma). It’s our families that know us the longest – more so than your spouses – and call you on the crap usually because they love you. So get ready to hear some of these beauties the next 2 weeks…

1. “I’m fine.” This one is year-round. Face it, no one is “fine” – there’s always something more that you could want. Call a recruiter, we’re your ‘Work Therapists’. And we’ll tell you if your concerns are valid or to grab some cheese with the w(h)ine.

2. “I killed my quota.”  3 out of every 4 people miss their quotas. If you know 4 salespeople in your family, only 1 of them probably hit their quota. Want to spot them?: Your kids got ‘Call of Duty 4’, that annual pass to Six Flags and new motorized Razor Scooters from Uncle Dave in 2014. This year, they got a bouncy ball, Pokemon trading cards and a gift pass to the Dinosaur Museum in Rocky Hill, CT (Don cautiously fends off Ross Geller with a stick).

a. What to do– Send Dave a text message with the contact info of a great recruiter in his niche. He’ll get the subtle hint. Chances are that things were out of his control: split territory, new product/service, jacked up pricing and the recruiter will understand.          i. TIP (@Dave)–do NOT lie about missing quota. Be honest with the recruiter and potential employers. Much easier to play offense than defense.

3. “The economy sucks. No one is buying.” Since the low of March ’09, S&P 500 is up 200%, NYSE up 165%, NASDAQ up 260% and the Dow Jones Industrial Average up more than 165% and the unemployment rate is around 5%; translation – companies are hiring, people ARE buying. In fact, the biggest complaint we recruiters who place Sales professionals hear at the C- and V- levels are “I need more talent”.

4. “2016 will be my best year ever!!” Really? 75% of you missed quota. Your effort level suddenly increased? Your prospecting got better overnight? That new tie from your wife increased your Closing Rate?

Call a recruiter tell them why you didn’t max out in 2015, and change your 2016 now.

Happy Holidays!

- See more at: http://bit.ly/1T4ssL6

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The “Cloud”- Disrupting the Role of the Marketing Executive

By Beth Schneider, CPC- Senior Partner, Technology Practice

Marketing mostly used to be an art and it was tough to prove its value quantitatively. It was a guessing game and simplistic- not overly reliable from the business perspective. Today it has changed into a data-driven science; dealing with savvy customers who have been radically empowered. The Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) is at the center of this renaissance and over half of CEOs say the CMO is well positioned to become the new CEO. All of this has come about due to the Cloud, and we are just at the beginning of this transformation. Is your business ready?

All about Digital and Data… Most of the 1500+ marketing tools today are cloud based. The next decade will see tremendous growth in the use of these tools. Whole new capabilities continue to arise: artificial intelligence to increase the conversion of sales leads into revenue; acquiring media placement as if through a stock exchange; creating true mass personalization, and more. The new marketing demands a new kind of talent who are experts in digital tools and techniques.

Digital

According to a report from BCG: “The scale and nature of the skills gaps suggest that companies need to do much more than tinker with their recruitment and training programs. Most require a transformation in their marketing functions: making the development of digital capabilities a top business priority, rewiring the organization accordingly, and significantly boosting L&D programs to produce the needed skills.” In addition to championing digital engagement, marketing management must deliver resources, support for new initiatives, and investment in capabilities and platforms that capitalize on the opportunities these digital technologies offer.

Data

Marketing is now a science and data driven. We don’t sample. We can measure the impact of every marketing decision by examining the data. Interactions with customers are frequent and in real-time. The customer is knowledgeable. We shape brands through social media.

The Cloud is disrupting the business world and it is exponentially true with digital marketing. As a result CMOs must innovate and accelerate – providing answers to changing consumer demands, increased technology needs, and marketing talent challenges. Bringing in the right chief marketing talent to your team is therefore imperative.

READ ORIGINAL POST HERE:

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Can’t Beat ‘Em? Kill ‘Em with Kindness!

By Emily Audibert- Consultant, Technology

As a “rookie” Recruiter here at Hobson, I have been trying to develop my own personal brand and style to stand out in the ever-competitive recruiting world. I have been taught my entire life to always be kind to others, and have tried to carry this mantra over into my work life. It is certainly not the easiest approach, especially when people tell you things like: “You sound like a robot”, “Don’t insult me by reading a script”, or “No offense but, I can tell you’re really new”. Once I was even told that I am too nice!…I have found that by using the following tactics, you really can “kill them with kindness” and build genuine relationships and trust -even if sometimes I feel like I’m still learning and finding my way around! =]

1. Be Considerate – Always be considerate of the person on the other end of the phone. They might be having a bad day/week/month (or life!), and you are probably one more person they don’t want to deal with. Show them compassion, as everyone is fighting a battle and dealing with different situations, some that you will never know or understand. There are also people who are just generally grumpy-  be the one person who isn’t affected by their bluntness, but rises above it and still treats them kindly.

2. Listen – Listen to not just the words people are saying, but the way they are saying them. Reply with empathetic phrases such as: “I can appreciate your thoughts on that”, “I see where you are coming from”, or “Thank you for sharing that with me, which helps me paint a better picture”. You will show them that you are truly listening, and will begin to chip away at their walls, resulting in more impactful conversations.

3. Be Optimistic – Treat every call as a new one, and don’t let any lash backs or hang-ups affect your next one. When someone is rude and abrupt, I just tell them “I’m glad that you are happy and don’t need my services- best of luck. My goal is to find someone who is unhappy in their career and to make their day! “ Keeping that type of optimistic mindset really sets the tone of the conversation, and your overall day.

4. Be Relatable - Remind them that you are a person too. Always be yourself and be completely open and honest with whoever you are talking to. Authenticity is refreshing and makes the conversation overall more enjoyable.

I have learned a lot of these call tactics through trial and error. Since day one I have told Joanne, our in-house recruiting trainer, that I learn best by “messing up”. Since implementing this new style, the quality of my calls has drastically improved. I may still have occasional terrible calls, hang-ups or nasty responses, but at least I know I did my best- and killed ‘em with my kindness!

-Emily

Read original post here

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Time Is Money: Qualify Your Recruiter!

By Jonathon Palmieri, Consultant, Insurance Practice 

Do you make 100s of calls a week to industry professionals? Do you go on 5+ interviews a week? Do you stay up late at night staying current on job market trends and insurance industry forecasts?… Welcome to my LIFE. If you have ever dealt with a good recruiter, you probably know that we pretty much eat, live and breathe this stuff. I get it though, sometimes it can be an unsettling idea to place a task such as your career or your company’s success in the hands of a “headhunter”. What if they try to pull one over you?

Let me quiet any fears you may have by asking you “WHY?”… Why would a good (operative word is ‘good’) recruiter want to take advantage of their clients or candidates? Why would we, after having invested countless hours building relationships, time developing prospects, and even more time researching and developing strategies, throw that all away?!  

Actually, I know why you might have reservations: 1) The stigma recruiters or “headhunters” may sometimes have.  2) The mental scars caused by past bad experiences.

Here are some ways you should “qualify” your recruiter, and use our skills to your advantage:

Qualify, Qualify! If you have qualified your recruiter (and I highly suggest you do your due diligence), you should know all about their processes, history, and company. Check out their LinkedIn profile, online presence and company. But also talk to them and ask lots of questions.

Utilize Our Most Powerful Skills Embrace recruiters’ ‘salesy’ attitude, because we are using those same strong-pitched negotiation tactics on your behalf. We are wielding our sales skills to showcase our candidates’ backgrounds and value-add, using them to sell your company’s brand and story to potential candidates. We also apply these skills to manage the interview process and close the deal. But you already know that, right?…because you have qualified your recruiter!

Partner with Us Accept the fact that we are experts when it comes to matching talent with great jobs and, dare I say, are better at this than you or your HR team. So go ahead, ask us for the salary ranges in your industry (I bet you’ll never get another offer turned down again!)  Ask us for our strategy, script, and selling points. But most of all, know that your recruiter WANTS to help you find the right candidate/job just as much as you do!

My time is money, and your time is money…let’s not waste any of it by working against each other!

-Jon

P.S. Connect with me, and I’ll show you how to qualify YOUR recruiter!

http://linkd.in/1BDEve8 

https://twitter.com/PJonathonp

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Job Relocation is Easy! (?)

By Tim Flanagan, CPC, Senior Partner

“Relocation is easy!”... As a headhunter, that is what I tell my job candidates every day, and has been my opinion until I have had to recently do it myself. I put my home in Connecticut on the market and purchased one in South Carolina, where I will continue to recruit for Hobson Associates. I honestly never had the foggiest idea just how complicated or expensive it could be! Here are a few of my reasons why:

Finding a (good) Realtor. First, you have to find a good realtor. You would think that in my line of work this would be easy. Nope! I met with four different realtors, and each had a different opinion of value, target audience and how best to market my home. Then comes the “got to make everything neutral and modern.” $28,000 later, it no longer feels like my house and I really don’t like living there.

Getting a Mortgage. The mortgage process is much more complicated than it was the last time I bought a house, when all the banks needed was my last two W2s and a letter from my employer stating that I work here and that they don’t plan on firing me anytime soon.

Selling the House. Now come the showings- every one of which needs to happen at or after dinner time, while I’m in the shower or in the middle of a Patriots game. So, like the good home seller that I am, I oblige – turning on all the lights, putting on some soft jazz and making the house cleaner than it’s ever been. I then pack up the dog, kids and spouse and circle the neighborhood like a stalker.

b Now it’s time to actually make the move. I thought I was a do-it-yourself kind of guy until I took a test drive last night and felt like Keanu Reeves driving the bus in the movie ‘SPEED’. Fourteen hours of that will turn me into a basket case! So, I’m going to go ahead and spend $2,000 to have someone else do it for me.

Dealing with Miscellaneous “Stuff” Then there is the little stuff, such as: changing drivers’ licenses, voter registrations, dog tags, mailing address, etc.

So guess what? This recruiter’s opinion now is that relocating is NOT easy, but if the job or situation is worth it, then you can get there from here!

-Tim

- See more at: http://www.hobsonassoc.com/news/story/job_relocation_is_easy

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Is Your Company “Millennial-Ready”?

By Taylor Ives – Consultant, Insurance

Propertycasualty360.com released an article accompanied by the infographic:“Millennials and the Future of Insurance.” As a millennial, I was expecting a Cat Meme, a two-liner I could double-tap, a comment with an emoji, or perhaps a half-flirt with the aspiring Insta-model who commented before me, and then wipe it all from my short-term, instant-gratification memory. However, I mustered the few brain cells I had that weren’t distracted by the 8 iMessages and 12 Snaps that came in since I started typing, and read through the thing.        

Overall the infographic is great, the young ‘uns pictured in the top left corner are wearing sunglasses, and are probably hanging out inside a ‘Dunkin-Bucks’. The guy is holding what seems to be an iPhone (you’re not supposed to know it’s an iPhone, as the logo is half covered, but c’mon, we recognize product placement when we see it!). And the girl is obviously wearing a pair of TOMS, so I know she cares about sustainability.

The graphic goes on to define the millennial, as if our $1.5 trillion annual spending power is anything you can define. Have you seen how many followers Dan Bilzerian has? THAT’S the definition of spending power. Literally, I think he uses joules of energy as his currency!

But I digress…Back to the infographic:

It also mentions that 74% of millennials believe technology makes life easier and will look to the internet to make purchasing decisions.  No, I would say that 99% of us millennials look to the internet to make 100% of our decisions. Ever see a couple almost break up over where they want to eat? If it wasn’t for the 4.7-star Vietnamese place around the corner, I’d still be with Miss-3.5 star “No-You-Pick, No-You-Pick”

What does any of this have to do with the Insurance industry? Millennials are mobile, well connected, and we need to be contacted in the same fashion. Quick…name a real life State Farm Agent! Jack? No, his late-night pleated khakis aren’t going to sell me Commercial GL insurance for my GoPro sporting Alpaca Farm on Kickstarter. Now, an all-digital claims app with rewards points to Amazon? Swipe right and let’s chat!

Click HERE to view the entire infographic.

-Taylor

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Contract Staffing: Changing up the Employment Game

By Jennifer Millea, Consultant, Contract Staffing

Fact: Contract Staffing is one of the fastest growing industries.

Another fact: According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, by 2020 more than 40% of the workforce will be contract employees.

Why? As operational costs creep up, more and more companies are looking for alternative solutions that provide them with a decreased burden or responsibility, i.e.: NO Worker’s Comp; NO Benefits; NO Unemployment= NO (or less) HASSLE. This lessened “burden or responsibility” occurs with Contract Staffing because the company is not the employer of record.

THE LONG TERM CONTRACT EMPLOYEE…

Traditionally, contract employees have been and still are hired for temporary positions to cover vacations, medical leave, short term projects, seasonal employment, etc. But the hiring game is definitely changing, especially with the advent of The Affordable Health Care Act. Laws such as this have definitely impacted the rise in long term contract hires. Companies close to reaching the threshold of 50 employees feel added pressure to maintain their existing employee counts, which can be counterproductive to growth, and are discouraging bringing on additional employees needed to meet rising demands. The solution to this issue can come in the form of a long term contract employee. Keeping in mind that the average length of employment is 2.8 years, a 2 year contract employee with the option for renewal is a smart option.

TRY BEFORE YOU “BUY”…

Contract-to-hire is also an increasingly popular option for the “try before you buy” solution. Companies are contracting employees for 3 to 6 month durations to make sure they are the right fit for their company before bringing them on full time to their payroll and benefits plan.

DON’T MAKE ASSUMPTIONS…

The Contract world is changing the interviewing game as well: The next time you are reviewing a resume, remember to dig deeper-and do not dismiss a candidate as a job hopper without asking and determining whether they were a contract employee! Chances are they might have had a contract stint or two in their career.

The employment game has definitely changed in the last few years, and will continue to evolve. Not only is now the hottest job market we have seen in years, but there are more creative ways than ever which employers can choose to run their businesses.

-Jennifer

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Sir Change-Jobs-A-Lot…the Good & the Bad

By Nick Averna, IT Recruiting Consultant 

The “Job Hopper” debate has been a long-standing one, especially in the technology industry, and continues to be a notorious concern for companies and recruiters looking to find quality talent.

So, what exactly is “job hopping” and why do professionals continue to do it? Dr. John Sullivan, an HR thought leader from Silicon Valley, states that “a ‘job jumper’ or ‘job hopper’ is a recruiting prospect who has had short tenures with several employers.”

Historically speaking, job hopping has been looked at as a “No-No” in most industries. Employers have passed on talented candidates regardless of experience once they are categorizes as frequent job changers. In recent years, the job hopping debate has morphed in the sense that some companies, especially in the technology sector, find it to be advantageous – if done for the right reasons. For example, I have noticed that many of my clients are somewhat specifically looking for architects and engineers who have bounced around every few years. Their reasoning for this is that the frequent changes allow these professionals to gain valuable technical knowledge and expertise within different cultures and environments, which technologists need to keep current in today’s highly competitive market.

Ryan Kahn, the founder of The Hired Group (and star of MTV’s Hired) agrees with today’s theories of job hopping, “In the past, this would have been something that would deter employers – but because of its frequency today, job hopping is replacing the concept of climbing the corporate ladder.”

Below are some pros and cons to job hopping.

PROS:

1. A Diverse Background -Spanning from experience with different industries, company size and culture, management styles, and job specific challenges.

2. A Growing Network- And access to a vast amount resources and information.

3. Higher Salary- Loyalty does not always equal more pay- most job hoppers move because of higher salary potential.

4. More Open to Change- With new opportunities comes varying amounts of flexibility, risk, and versatility as well as the opportunity to show off some of a candidate’s best attributes.

CONS:

1. Hesitancy to Hire- Some employers continue to be hesitant to invest in a job hopper, since it seems to infer to future employers that this person will continue to jump. Career Builder published a survey in 2014 that found that “43% of employers will not consider a candidate who has had short tenures with several employers.”

2. Job Security – History has shown that job hoppers have been the first to get laid off given their track record of short tenures. This is because employers fear that a hopper will leave after a short period of time and question their long-term value and reliability.

3. Burned Bridges- Job Hopping potentially leads to burned bridges, damaged relationships, and trust issues.

4. Not “Seeing it Through”- A technologist that moves often never truly experiences the satisfaction of finishing the product or service he or she has been working on due to the longer life cycle.

My honest opinion? There are advantages and disadvantages that come with job hopping- if you do it for the right reasons, then it is justified and probably a good life choice! A family member of mine has taught me that the most important thing for a professional to know is that regardless of where you work, or how long you have been there, you were in some way or form a critical component to the success of the project and/or company… and that “sir” (or madam), is something to be proud of!

-Nick

- See more at: http://www.hobsonassoc.com/news/story/sir_change-jobs-a-lotthe_good_the_bad3#sthash.aZNrB5Xr.dpuf

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Rashly Madison

By Danny Cahill

“The hacking and posting on the Dark Web of 32 million users of the cheating website, Ashley Madison, whose tagline is ‘Life is Short, Have an Affair,’ is expected to cause marital turmoil, breakups and even extortion…”

knew before we sat down. She had that look in her eye. I thought she must have gone in the garage and seen my third $400 Callaway driver this season, but that would have warranted a nasty text and a withering review of my rising handicap. A sit down? On a Tuesday? I was in trouble. This was bad.

“Let’s not waste time, I have to meet with my lawyer in an hour. You’ve read about the hacking. That must have made you pretty nervous. I found your name and email. And I got into your account.” 

“How did you know the password?”

“Child’s play. You combined your birthdate and One Direction. What other grown man listens to them?”

“I don’t know what to say. Something came over me when I turned 45. This overwhelming dread of the desultory, this fear of living without passion day after day.”

“I get it. It’s been a long time. I don’t blame you a bit.” 

“Really? That’s very kind of you in an eerily calm, freaking- me -out- here –way.” 

“You think I haven’t filled out a profile? But I just wasn’t ready.” 

You did? Well that’s not cool at all. That is unacceptable.”

“Oh, but it’s okay for you? Wanderlust is a “guy” thing? You hypocrite.”

“No, you shouldn’t have told me, that’s uncool. The whole biz model is that it’s anonymous, so nobody knows, nothing in your world changes. I didn’t tell you I was on it, you found out because they got hacked. You told me! That’s much worse. And I didn’t do anything anyway. I never even got a response.”

“That’s because you don’t have an engineering degree and you’ve only been in one industry.”

“What?”

“And I just hope your boss doesn’t find out. They said they’d have it secure within a few hours.”“My boss…okay you lost me.”

“I lost you? Keep up, the job site you posted your resume on without telling your wife you were unhappy at work was hacked… They posted everyone’s ID online. Millions of workers their companies thought were secure are now exposed. I hope your boss doesn’t access the list on the dark web.”

“Oh…yes. Yes the “Job Site.” Yes, I sure hope he doesn’t see that. Uh, not to go all ADHD on you, why are you going to a lawyer?”

“Why do I bother syncing our calendars? My Uncle’s Probate hearing is at 2 pm. I have to go.”

Oh I’m so relieved. I mean…grieved, I miss your Uncle so much. So are we good? I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.”

“Honey, how many times have I told you? You want to make a job change? You want it to be confidential. Use a good headhunter. No one hacks a headhunter.”

- See more at: http://www.hobsonassoc.com/news/story/rashly_madison#sthash.jX9jnOre.dpuf

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What’s Your “Lost Opportunity Cost”?

By Bill Tomek- Senior Partner, Technology Practice

Who can criticize a company for growing at 30% a year? … A few that know it could be growing at 50% a year.

Who would support their spouse to leave a job during their best year ever? …The one that knows that they could be leaving $100K/yr on the table by not being opportunistic.

Whether you’re a company on the hunt for talent or a candidate in search of a better job, you know that the current employment market is in major growth mode. So I urge you to wake up and recognize the opportunities which abound and begin calculating your “lost opportunity cost”.

Candidate Lost Opportunity- For candidates, it’s all about measuring what else you could be doing with your time, skills and talent. You know this market won’t last forever and you want to take full advantage of it. You probably fit into one or more of the following:

Movers’ market – This is a movers’ market and your chance to let the market do some of the career heavy lifting for you. TIP: Be open to next step positions. Many companies are recruiting down a level, looking for people who are ready to take the next step up.  Also be open to “bridge jobs” that could enhance your skillset, readying you for that next big job in the future.

Are you being paid what you’re worth? I know, this is a loaded question. The reality is you’re worth what someone will offer, and candidates are seeing some strong increases in compensation. TIP: This is a great time to look at a base salary and stock equity.

Move into a hotter space – A market like this could also give you an opportunity to move into a hotter space. Right now companies are more willing to recruit outside of their sandboxes, so this could be your chance to break into a new hot sector.

Company Lost Opportunity- Companies doing well have typically been slow to evaluate their “lost opportunity cost” as it relates to talent. If you’re a hiring manager, here are some things to think about:

Waiting for the “perfect fit” – In a market like this, your wait could be twice as long as it was a year ago. While you’ve been waiting, your competitors have scooped up yet another account or moved a product closer to being market-ready. TIP: Review and adjust your openings in 20 day chunks.

Turnover– This is what I call the “double-lost opportunity”. This means disruption of business along with the time to refill the position(s). Not to mention the additional burden on team members trying to fill any gaps. TIP: Pay more attention to your talent on the bubble, the “about-to-turnover” people. Some will be worth saving and some will be doing you a favor.  

Hiring below the need – We see a lot of companies hiring below what is actually needed for the long term. This is mostly driven by compensation limitations. If you have to fill a position twice in a few years, it would be more cost-effective to elevate the role the first time around. TIP: Evaluate what would be possible if you raised the compensation and caliber of candidates.

I urge you to calculate your lost opportunity cost. You have much to lose by not taking a hard look at your current situation, and a lot to gain by taking advantage of the job market. So when I call and you tell me you’re “happy” or “have no hiring needs”, my reply will be: ”That’s EXACTLY why I called!”

-Bill

- See more at: http://www.hobsonassoc.com/news/story/Whats_Your_Lost_Opportunity_Cost#sthash.LJh8X47C.dpuf

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Happiness is the Key to Your…Happiness?!?!

By Don Tinker, CPC -Senior Associate, Life Sciences

A few months ago a colleague told me, “I don’t know how you do it – you’re chipper and upbeat every single day!”

According to researchers at Germany’s Aachen University, only 27% of people are in fact “morning people” – and I’m NOT one of them. I’m just…HAPPY, and it makes me a better Recruiter,Teammate, Friend and Husband.

When Norman Vincent Peale published ‘The Power of Positive Thinking’ in 1952 (a must-read), it set off an exponential tsunami of business about happiness. And recent studies conducted by Harvard researcher Shawn Achor cemented “Your brain at positive performs significantly better than it does at negative, neutral or stressed.” Here are a few of his observations: Nuns with more joyful entries in their diaries lived longer; happier doctors made the right diagnosis twice as fast as other doctors; cleaning crews told they were getting lots of exercise by simply doing their jobs lost weight, but co-workers who were told nothing lost no weight; 4-year olds told to think of something happy completed tasks faster and with fewer errors; and many more.

Here are some tips for you to becoming more, happy:

Understand what makes you happy – happiness, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder – unique to each person

List your goals to achieve happiness – and your mood will likely improve.

Surround yourself with happy people – ever heard of the phrase “you’ve got a contagious smile?”

Dedicate time to thinking about what makes you happy – I close my eyes and do this before EVERY call I make.

If we’re to believe the evidence supported above, as well as in the article written at Guardian Unlimited ‘The recipe for success: get happy and you will get ahead in life’, we would then deduct that:

In closing, I will share with you one of my favorite songs… the one which my beautiful wife Lindsay and I walked down the aisle to, after the Pastor introduced us as Husband and Wife for the first time:

CLICK HERE

Don- 

See original post HERE

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Yours is Not as Big as You Think

By Danny Cahill  

Calm down, and definitely don’t send me any pictures, that’s not what I was referring to. (And if it IS that big, why so testy?!)

What I mean is we recruiters hear this all the time from our Clients: “Why should I pay you a search fee? I am very well connected. My Network is HUGE!”

Settle down. I work for a search firm with 40 years of networking and state of the art technology designed specifically for recruiting. On a bad day we have 50,000 people we can access for your search, and not to mention the training we get on how to leverage those contacts for referrals.

You, according to Columbia University, (speaking of large endowments), if you are an average American, know 600 people. But I’m feeling generous and you’re sensitive, so I’m going to say you’re gregarious and live on Facebook/Twitter/Instagram, and give you 800. Columbia also found that of those 600, you only know 10-25 people “well enough to say they trust you.”

Here’s why that’s a problem: When a person is not happy at their job, they don’t run out and tell the other 599 people they know. They suffer for a while first. “Should I move, will it disrupt my family, will it scare my wife/husband? Do we have enough $$ in the bank if I make a mistake and get fired?”

Then they get so miserable and tell their 10-25 trusted friends. And you might hear about it. But by that time, I (recruiter) have already contacted, evaluated and bonded with that person. And they tell me things they wouldn’t dream of telling you!… Because people want their friends to think they’re fine. Even when they’re not. You see, we recruiters are in the “you can tell me, I won’t judge you” biz, while you’re in the “of course I’ll judge you, that’s part of friendship” biz.

Not convinced? William Moon pondered the question, “How many people do we meet in our lives if we lived to be 90?” He defined meeting someone as “face to face, with clear, mutual recognition.” So a wave on the street, a greeting, standing in line at the DMV and saying, “pretty sure I know what hell is going to be like” to the guy behind you, all count.

So guess how many people you “Meet” by age 90?…

100,000… Dude, that is a simple keystroke for a well niched recruiter. While you read that sentence, I just pulled up 100K people in my database!!!

And you must have heard of the Dunbar Effect?! Dunbar says when a human can only think about 150 people at a time, any more beyond that is too “complex for optimal processing.” So you may know people but you won’t think of them in the timely manner needed when you are trying to find the best person for your job. Dunbar says we get:

-150 casual friends

- 50 close friends (but not true intimates)

- A handful of “close supporters” (the true intimates who know what’s really going on in your crazy head and will call you out on your crap)

The special talent a great recruiter has is to get people he/she hardly knows to open up to us as true intimates.

So maybe yours IS bigger than ours. But it’s all in how you use it.

- See more at: http://www.hobsonassoc.com/news/story/yours_is_not_as_big_as_you_think?utm_content=bufferc46ad&utm_medium=social&utm_source=linkedin.com&utm_campaign=buffer#sthash.MQAhIgeZ.dpuf

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The Rule of Threes

By Meghann Grant- Partner, Life Sciences

Life is pretty good at the moment. I have some really fun things planned for the summer (my FAVORITE season), and things are great at work. I’m currently at 266% of goal for the month and 137% of goal for the quarter. So why do I feel a bit melancholy?… Oh, I remember now (Should I even be admitting this?!)…The three job offer turndowns I’ve had from candidates over the last few weeks!

After the second job turndown, I talked it over with a co-worker who said to me, “You know Meghann, bad things typically happen in threes.” Ugh! That should have probably prepared me for the third one, but I was still surprised when it happened, because this does not typically happen to me…Am I doing something differently? Were the offers just not compelling enough? Is it the companies/jobs? After some reflection, I realized that job offers are turned down for a variety of reasons, but the indicators are often there all along.

No Verbal Acceptance, No Go: If a candidate has not verbally accepted a job offer, there is no need to send them a written one. Period. I know that many people reading this will disagree with me, but I do this for a living every day-so they’ll have to take my word for it. Candidates are not making decisions based on the official offer letter (They probably knew when they walked out of the interview whether or not they wanted the job). As long as they have all the details (i.e. title, compensation, benefits, PTO, etc.), they should be able to make an informed decision with no issues.

If the candidate needs to think about the (verbal) offer, they should communicate what it is that they are pondering. Do they need more information that can be gathered by a phone conversation with the recruiter or hiring manager? Or talk with an industry peer? Or is it just a stall tactic while they wait for another offer?

I don’t want candidates reading this post to feel that I would pressure them to make a decision- anyone who has worked with me can tell them that’s definitely not my style. I understand that a career move is a big decision and they need to be 100% sure. However, they should know that there are other candidates who would jump at the offer they’re sitting on.

Recruiters and hiring managers reading this: I hope this post will help you to recognize the signs sooner and make any necessary changes before it’s too late- or at least get the “no” earlier than the deadline day…

…Now on to some really GOOD things to happen in “threes” this summer!

-Meghann

- See more at: http://bit.ly/1HXNl84

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“I Wish My Recruiter Knew” Post #1: INTRO EMAILS -

Welcome to our first post in our “I Wish My Recruiter Knew” series! We polled our clients, candidates and social media followers, asking them to answer a question that most search firms don’t dare ask-- what’s on their minds. Below is the first response we received-

A candidate says:

“I wish my recruiter knew how to write a good intro email. Seriously, they are all the same- insanely vague about the company and position, and way too long.”

… and our reply-

A recruiter responds:

There are 3 reasons why you get such atrocious emails from most recruiters.

#1…We are all self-absorbed. You have no idea how hard it is for us to write an email that is only about you. Really, are we off me already?! Recruiters make 100 cold calls a day, and ask personal questions to people they don’t know. Think anyone with a small ego could do that?!

#2…”They are all insanely vague.” This is for protection. The recruiting equivalent of cybercrime is a candidate being given so many specifics that they ascertain the company’s identity and do an end around. This literally takes food out of a recruiter’s mouth. So we have to be insanely vague, otherwise we are being vaguely insane.

#3…Writing is hard. Not many people are good at it. Twain said, “There is a novel in all of us, and that’s where it should stay.” We say too much because we choose poorly what to say. A good intro email to you should get you excited, with a few salient data points, about the opportunity, and say nothing about the duties or job specs. That’s amateur hour. A good intro email to you should not require a swipe of your phone. Bertrand Russell would have been a great recruiter: “I wrote you a long letter because I didn’t have the time to make it shorter.”

-Danny Cahill

- See more at: http://www.hobsonassoc.com/news/story/i_wish_my_recruiter_knew_blog_series_intro_emails#sthash.q19EVkE9.dpuf

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If You Don’t Ask, the Answer Will Always Be No

By Deirdre Kandalen – Consultant, Life Sciences Practice 

It’s funny how little credit people give to themselves, and others. I recently came across a scenario where I was on the fence about reaching out to a past business connection regarding an opportunity I was recruiting on…It had been several years since we had spoken-would they remember me? I mulled it over and over in my mind and finally decided to pick up the phone. I eventually connected with this person and while she couldn’t directly help me, I was referred to someone who could. After I hung up the phone I asked myself, “Why did you hesitate for even one second? People are more willing to help than you think. All you have to do is ASK!”

So it got me thinking: What motivates people to help others?

It feels good Plain and simple, helping others makes you feel good and it capitalizes on the Golden Rule: ‘Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.’ That is, unless you have no soul.

Networking benefits Helping others is a great way to grow your career network. If someone helps you and at some point the tables turn and they reach out to you, you’ll be more likely to return the favor. I call it good networking Karma!

It’s good for business If you make helping others part of your business goals, then the ideal clients will come to you and will refer you to their networks… And we all know referrals are the best way to gain business.

Moral of the story: I won’t hesitate to reach out to a personal or professional contact again, and certainly not when one contacts me…If you don’t ask, the answer will always be no!

-Deirdre

- See more at: http://bit.ly/1JS4y3W