The holiday season is so very counterintuitive. Its many traditions demand that we rush around to get everything done in time, yet it also calls upon us to pause and reflect. Whenever I stop for a moment to examine the deeper meaning in our shared purpose as recruiters, I am humbled by the random acts... [full article »]

As much as we in recruiting enjoy the many benefits of LinkedIn, there is trouble in paradise. I’ve been a member of LinkedIn since the early days, to which my user ID (59572) will attest. Because LinkedIn numbers its members sequentially, if you do the math, you’ll find me counted among the first .06 percent... [full article »]

As Occupy Wall Street protesters criticize high unemployment and economic inequality, a little-known diversity mandate embedded in the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (H.R. 4173 / Public Law 111-203) is forcing a different kind of occupation within those very financial institutions. In 2012, Wall Street firms must be prepared to prove they’ve... [full article »]

The longer I recruit for a living, the more I see recruiting inextricably linked to the economy. Our finger is on the pulse and, at any given time, if we’re honest, we can give you a pretty accurate read on whether the patient is thriving or on life support. In fact, the longer I recruit,... [full article »]

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines research as a “careful or diligent search,” a “studious inquiry or examination,” and “the collecting of information about a particular subject.” Why is it, then, that most executive search and recruiting professionals so often think of research as mere “name generation?” “Name gen” is rarely careful, diligent, or studious. More often,... [full article »]

As experts in careers, those of us involved in human capital are well aware that most people usually change careers several times over their lifetimes. That’s a given. This applies to candidates as well as the people who recruit them because we, too, are counted among those with multiple careers. But the really cool thing... [full article »]

There is no shortage of job applicants these days. Rather, what we have a shortage of is qualified applicants. And whenever there’s a severe shortage, posting a job often makes it worse, not better. After all, when you post you waste precious time sifting through candidates who leave you wondering why they’ve bothered to apply... [full article »]

Whenever I am working on a search, I try to identify candidates by using unusual sources of information. I’ve come to appreciate sources I used to access as a journalist that are not typically accessed by recruiters. It gives my recruiting an edge in helping me come across undiscovered executive talent. Internet search engines only... [full article »]

Whenever you are working on a candidate search, a number of potential candidates inevitably come up “missing in action.” The switchboard informs you the executive is no longer with the company, for example. And often, that is where the search for those executives will end. Who has time to find them? Moreover, even if you... [full article »]