Posted on Mon, Nov 23, 2009
By Cindy Lu
Recently, many
of our clients have been taking proactive steps to hire "hunter" sales
talent to drive the TOP LINE. "Hunters", defined as the sales
professionals charged with bringing in new business, are of the rarest
breed to find, court and hire. After many years of recruiting sales
professionals for fast growth companies, I have seen what has worked
well and not so well. Let's start with some lessons learned:
•
If the recruitment process starts when there is a need it is too late
- recruiting top sales talent is an on-going process and can not be
treated as a single event
• Candidates' past track records
alone cannot predict future success. A thorough review of the
environment where they have been successful should be carefully
examined
• Many companies have a solid understanding of the
sales metrics required to win a new client yet there is little to no
tracking on what it takes to hire top sales professionals
•
When the CEO and Sales leadership are accessible when courting top
talent, recruitment has a powerful hook to get a top performer's
attention
There are many companies doing a great job growing
their TOP LINE through the recruitment function and we have highlighted
some of the most impactful:
• Due to the importance of
courting and selecting sales "hunters" in a growing business,
separating the sales recruitment process from other corporate roles
pays dividends
• Growth companies recognize top sales
professionals make career changes on their time, not the companies
courting them. Know the importance of identifying the "A" players in
their industry and nurturing this "pipeline" of sales talent over time
•
Companies that view "attitude and aptitude" over industry expertise
have reaped great rewards - sometimes the desire and energy to learn a
new field can surpass a track record or a "been there and done that"
attitude. If a professional views their next career move as a step up
they are more likely to pursue it with vigor and a fresh perspective
•
Sales hiring can be one of the most emotional hires; using HR or a 3rd
party to conduct an independent evaluation of your candidates reduces
turnover
The reality is that without people ready in place to
drive revenue your firm cannot be nimble enough to not only survive but
prosper in the long run. Novo can help you set strategy and get people
in place to develop and grow your business – give me a call at
414-727-8755 x123 or email me at cindylu@thenovogroup.com.
Posted on Mon, Nov 23, 2009
By Cindy Lu
Nobody wants to do it... Yes - I am talking about layoffs. When repeated and unplanned downsizing occurs, an organization's effectiveness can come crumbling down. Done with careful planning and the proper experts involved, downsizing can be an organizational lifesaver and an assistant to building your brand. The means by which you treat your transitioning employees truly matters - both to them and the employees that remain. I would like to offer insight on how you can preserve your organization's intellectual capital, maintain morale and retain your most valued asset - high performing dedicated employees, while downsizing.
We all have big changes in our lives that are more or less a second chance.
- Harrison Ford.
What every transitioning employee needs is a second chance to prove that they are valuable - and the best way to do this is show them support following their layoff - helping them find, prepare for and interview for their next career opportunity. In showing support of transitioning employees an employer can effectively build loyalty while branding themselves as a company that cares. As an added benefit to your budget, it can help prevent costly COBRA and unemployment claims. This is where having outside help can really make the difference, regardless of whether or not you have a solid Human Resources Department. Outplacement firms vary in their approach, offerings and of course, cost and should be thoroughly evaluated. The following can be used when evaluating what Outplacement can do - remember this is not just about helping employees move on - it is about how well you will position your firm to the market moving forward. Some of the things you should consider:
• Your outplacement firm should require to be a fully participating member of your strategic planning team
• They should be valued advisors providing critical reality checks during your difficult times
• You should expect honest, real-world answers to your questions - even if they aren't what you want to hear
• They should know or get to know your company well - understanding history, goals, corporate culture, values and employees
• You should plan on working with them as if they are an extension of your team - and that the relationship will be a long term agreement
• Sometimes the employees you displace are not the "A" players you had hoped - outplacement firms should be aware of this and can many times turn those missed opportunities into a new chance for the displaced employee to succeed in a different environment
• They should understand that the relationship is really 3 sided - working with your internal team, the out-placed employees and the company brand
• Plan on disagreeing with your outplacement provider, but also plan on trusting them... they are the experts
Bottom line - outplacement can be a small investment that will give the separating employee an added advantage as they look for their next job or career. I have also included some top reasons why allocating dollars to outplacement will position you, your company and the separating employees for success.
1. Outplacement reduces the cost of separation in the form of soft (employee morale) and hard (potential litigation) costs.
2. The current job market is difficult at best - outplacement helps give candidates a much needed edge in the competition.
3. Today's outplacement programs will cater to the EMPLOYEE needs - and will be highly customized to each individual.
4. Outplacement can protect a company's corporate image as wel as the employment brand when implemented with thoughtfulness.
5. Outplacement helps employees move on, and do so quickly - reducing time spent focusing on perceived negativity with the former employer.
6. Providing outplacement helps employees and managers who are "left behind" feel better about the situation.
Posted on Mon, Nov 23, 2009
We all know that cutting costs is one of the biggest goals of companies in the current recession. But does this mean cutting the quality of talent at the same time? The good news is that it does not have to happen this way! The solution is recruitment process outsourcing (RPO). This relatively new process involves outsourcing your human resources department to an outside party who in turn searches, filters, interviews and presents possible candidates for specific opportunities. Whether you are a large multi billion dollar company looking for a CEO or a mid market company searching for an account executive, RPOs can help you find the right candidate efficiently, effectively, and most important economically.
Pulled from an online source, the following are the greatest attributes of an RPO firm:
QUALITY TALENT: Providers of Recruitment Process Outsourcing have the required processes, expertise and an extensive database of resumes and the networking required to source all types of candidates.
COST SAVINGS: RPO is cost-efficient and helps organizations save up-to 20-30% of recruiting costs. It clearly reflects savings in the per-hire cost parameter in the HR budget.
RECRUITING FOCUS: RPO model allows the company’s managers and human resources staff to focus their efforts on the company’s core business while also ensuring a supply of high-quality staff members for all positions.
SPEED: “Time to hire” is a very critical factor in the recruitment process. A Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) provider will find it much easier to analyze their database and create a pool of candidates that is ready to be interviewed.
ACCOUNTABILITY: The RPO contracts are built on top of tight service levels where the payouts are proportional to the performance of the vendor. This brings accountability and partner approach to talent acquisition, which is essential for the overall success of both the parties.
"
(http://s-2.info/talent-management-in-the-times-of-downturn.htm)
Posted on Mon, Nov 23, 2009
In a global marketplace, where the world thrives on differences rather than similarities, businesses are in constant efforts to diversify their work place. Now, more than ever, businesses are implementing diversity recruitment strategies with the goal of finding individuals that are of different races, ages, gender, sexual orientation, and even religion for hire.
Although the main goal of these strategies is to recruit and hire based upon differences from their existing employees, the ultimate goal is diverse employee retention. The purposes of diversifying the work place are not only to encourage acceptance and better a businesses innovation and problem solving skills, but to also meet the demands of customers at large who demand a voice and understanding.
The first step in any diversity recruiting strategy is to attract diverse talent. Using external networks and forging relationships with different minority organizations is a great place to start when looking to hire diversity. A business must be able to show people of diverse cultures that they are understanding of their differences and embrace the characteristics that make them unique.
By showcasing diversity in advertising, website, promotional brochures, etc. a business is able to highlight their acceptance and bring a sense of comfort and support to potential employees.
The next step is to ensure a proper interview is conducted in order to proceed. It is very important not to make the diverse candidate feel different or excluded during the interview. The major efforts of the interviewer should be towards highlighting an environment
of support and acceptance, while the interviewee will be focused the company's accomplishments
and benefits.
Finally, employee retention is the main goal for any diversity recruitment
strategy. All employees must be aware of their differences in order to take advantage of the diversity of cultures at hand. It is important that all employees recognize the benefits of working in a diverse environment, specifically:
- Better decision making
- Improved problem solving
- Greater creativity
- Innovation
In return, working together and understanding the advantages of doing so, will lead to enhanced product development and successful marketing to different types of customers. With all of the relationships and successful communication between employees, an environment of acceptance and support will build and help to retain diversity within the workplace.