About Danny

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So far Danny has created 77 blog entries.
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Keeping the Faith

Hi Danny, I'm a 20-year veteran of the business and have had a fair amount of success ($5+ million in placements). However, I specialize in IT and, as of late, find myself rethinking whether I'm still capable in this field. I've zipped two months in a row and am having a very hard time staying positive and pounding the rock. I find myself disgusted by 2 p.m. and indulging my own personal "Weapons of Mass Distraction." I've worked my way out of slumps before and weathered the recessions of ‘82 and ‘91/92 but am finding this recession even more frustrating. Other than increasing my confidence through success (placements) which obviously works, is there another elixir of confidence out there? What should I be reading, listening to, drinking, smoking? Hey, trust me; I'm keeping all options open on this. Danny's response, If this were 12-18 months ago, my advice would be the same that I gave the two IT recruiters in my office, and the two IT recruiters I had working virtually for me on the West Coast. That is to say: “Stick a fork in it. You’re done in IT. Move on. Let’s try Biotech.” In the case of the people in my office - one does pharmacists, the other [...]

We’ll Never Be Royals or Loyals

Hi Danny, For some reason I am finding old clients going to new sources although our candidates are staying, no one left, and I can’t find any issues. Without seeming desperate how can I ask them what happened? I have asked one and they said it wasn’t their call and they don’t know why. We don’t work on exclusivity so I can’t understand what happened. At the same time, for some reason some companies are still signing contracts, giving us a mandate then not replying although I know they are working with other recruiters on the mandates we were asked to work on or they leave me in the dust. What am I doing wrong???? I feel like the market is picking up yet I had the two most terrible quarters imaginable…H-E-L-P Danny's response, The world you want, and think you have earned, one in which whenever there is an opening or staffing need at the clients you’ve done quality work for, they all sit in a meeting, sign off the req and then send out the Bat Signal into the night sky with your company’s logo, doesn’t exist anymore, if it ever did. One of my big “aha” moments in business and life was when I realized [...]

Should I answer or ignore?

Hi Danny, It seems like all the training, etc says to block out hours of time to execute - do not answer the phone during these times. Here is my question - I am calling and leaving voice mail after voice mail - both marketing and recruiting - don't I want to answer the phone to see if it's one of these people calling me back? Yes, I have caller ID but sometimes it's hard to tell who is calling. I have tried leaving specific blocks of time when I can be reached for callbacks on voicemail messages but often people don't pay attention. How does it work with your top producers? Danny's response, There would be zero shoplifting, a billion dollar problem in America, if we installed X ray machines and hired Bar Bouncers at the entrances to beat up anybody caught doing it. But then nobody would go in the store. So “Retail Reality” is you are going to take the risk of some loss in order to have an overall “flow” to your business. I feel the same way about your issue. Once in a great while you might miss a call back of someone you wanted to talk to. And like our retail brethren [...]

Not Enough Parking

Hi Danny, There aren’t enough parking spaces for all of us here. The boss has a reserved spot – so he is not affected. Do I just suffer? Danny's response, I thought briefly of recusing myself since I have a space right outside our office door and would beat anyone who tried to park there to a bloody pulp, but let’s assume for purposes of discussion I earned my spot and your boss didn’t. What is it you are angry about? The fact that there are not enough parking spots or that your boss is not affected? If it is the former, GET TO WORK EARLIER than those who get the spaces that are available! If it’s the latter, work your butt off, become the top producer, rise above the petty concerns like this, and before you know it… there’ll be a space that no one else can park in but you. And then, I promise you, the system will seem very fair.