This month marks Jeff Allen’s 25th Anniversary with TFL.
I first met Jeff in 1982, shortly after I took over the helm of TFL. I had heard of his reputation as one of the few attorneys who specialized in the field of placement law, but we had not been formally introduced. I was looking for a columnist to cover the myriad of legal landmines that confront practitioners on a daily basis and asked Jeff to submit some of the things he had written during his long tenure as legal counsel for the American Employment Association and the California Association of Personnel Consultants.
He did . . . and I was overwhelmed by not only his knowledge of the legal issues facing our industry, but also the fact that he had been a successful placement practitioner and a human resources manager for some of the country’s major corporations. This was supercharged with a unique, understandable, and easy-to-read style of writing. It turned out to be a perfect alliance, not only for TFL but also for the myriad of readers we service every month.
Since that time, Jeff has contributed over 300 insightful columns for TFL and has addressed individual reader and general industry issues with special articles on subjects of concern. His razor-sharp legal mind has made him a trailblazer in areas previously not addressed in courtrooms throughout America. He has drafted legislation protecting our industry and has won case after case that advances our profession. Jeff dismisses it as just “making the world safe for placement.”
His personal knowledge of working a desk, managing a search business, and understanding how a hiring authority thinks comes from having “been there, done that.” Ultimately, that is why almost every successful practitioner in our industry has sought his advice at one time or another and has called on Jeff from that time.
Over the years, Jeff has sent me articles, updates, and cutting-edge techniques regarding every facet of our business. Whether you are a searcher, a placer, or a hirer, the breadth of his wisdom in his writings and his understanding of day-to-day problems has earned him an honored place at the pinnacle of our profession.
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Jeff and I authored The Placement Strategy Handbook and Placement Management. Both of these books outsell all others among practitioners and are in daily use worldwide. Jeff also authored The National Placement Law Center Fee Collection Guide (with Case Citations), which has enabled readers to collect millions of dollars in otherwise lost fees. In his media life as a best-selling author, Jeff has written more career books than anyone else.
Congratulations on 25 years, Jeff!
Editor’s Note: In the interest of precision, I sent this plaudit to Jeff to make sure the facts were accurate. What he sent back to me is under his usual PTL column. Ours is a friendship and partnership that spans an industry.
