Insert Recruiter…Backup Bus…Repeat…

Hi Danny, Here’s a question…is it wrong to send other recruiter job postings to clients to say “Look they are posting your job, you can do that? Why don’t you hire a head-hunter?” It’s bold, to the point and kinda throws the other recruiters under a bus…what are your thoughts?? My Response: It crosses boundaries, it is potentially inflammatory, and your phone could blow up with angry calls from competitors and lawyers. In other words, I like how you think. So if you were to employ this technique: (assuming you don’t post jobs and could be called hypocritical) 25% -33% would be genuinely upset at you. They would go down the “you don’t build yourself up by tearing others down” road, they would feel that you should have better things to do than mining other people’s business practices and playing the whistle blower card. They might find this so distasteful they stop working with you. Another 33% (guessing) would be unmoved. They don’t care where the people come from, they just want them, and they’d shrug and say, “I’m sure they all do it.” And then of course, there would be those who 1) find you, as I always do, an inventive and restless mind with a feisty streak [...]

Soap Opera Gold

Hi Danny, We have a candidate Bob in final phases for an executive legal role in corporate governance. The key skills are to provide strategic corporate governance/ Assistant Corporate Secretarial leadership to the company's Board. This role will also be the succession planning candidate for the GC in 5-10 years. There are 3 final stage candidates. We have two of them. The client asked us to perform references. The challenge we ran into with this candidate is that his immediate supervisor, the GC, was under a non-solicitation agreement which expires in March so he didn't want to talk until then. However, the former CEO was willing to talk although our candidate wasn't his direct report. Their company has been acquired. Our guy Bob is still there, but the GC and CEO have moved on. I spoke with the CEO today. His reference was that while Bob our candidate wasn't his direct report, the CEO was at all the Board meetings and saw Bob in that venue. He didn't see Bob as having any strategic skills or demonstrating any visible leadership. When asked questions by the Board, Bob would defer to consulting with outside counsel and would not hazard an opinion on his own. In the CEO's opinion, should [...]

Two Marketing Messages – General and Specific

Scripts Cold Call – General Intro Hi Danny, This is John with ABC Company. I am currently consulting with several of the leading Fortune 500 companies in Atlanta focusing on assisting Tax professionals with advancing their careers. I have a variety of opportunities that I am currently working on that may interest you, and would welcome the chance to learn more about your background and career goals and see if I can be a resource for you. Please call me when you have a few moments to speak discreetly. I can be reached at xxx-xxx-xxxx. Again this is John with ABC Company. xxx-xxx-xxxx. Cold Call – Job Specific Hi Danny, This is John with ABC Company. I am currently consulting with several leading companies in Atlanta, assisting Accounting and Finance professionals with advancing their careers. I’m working on a variety of opportunities, including a Senior Tax Accountant role with a Fortune 500 company that I thought may interest you. This role will lead a variety of projects including strategy development and filing coordination, and the person who was previously in this role went on to be the Manager of Accounting. I would welcome the chance to learn more about your background and career goals and see if this [...]

Retainer End Around

Hi Danny, Got one for ya... Been trying to get new client in my space that happens to be local. Met CEO for lunch before Christmas. He was conducting a CFO search that had been going on since June but had not made a hire yet. He had a firm "retained". Not sure about the details of their "retainer". I bragged a little about the two CFO and 2 VP Finance searches I had filled within the same calendar year - told him we could help if he hits a wall and left it alone for the remainder of the lunch. He had said some finalists were coming in that month and hoped to have a hire. Fast forward to late January...I heard through my contacts position was still not filled. So I MPC an all-star CFO that I have placed in the past and filled many positions for. He had just become available to the market. CEO bites, returns my calls - wants to know more...He verbally agrees to our fee...Acting on your training I send candidate with agreement and don't wait for anything signed. I add verbiage at beginning of agreement "This confirms our agreement made via phone and email on x date. If these terms [...]