What’s a Hiring Manager to Do?

Monday, February 16, 2009

As you may know, our company sells (among other things) web-based software to help recruiters and hiring managers work more effectively.

I was sitting in a conference room with some of our employees last week, when one person made the following observation:

“I feel like we are selling fly rods to trout anglers, but every time our customers step into the stream, the trout pool around their legs. Maybe we should be selling nets, not fly rods!”

While there are some industries that are healthy and still hiring, there are many others that have pulled back significantly, or have stopped hiring all together.

If you’re a hiring manager or recruiter (i.e. someone responsible for building a team), there is a temptation to take your eyes off the horizon and just concentrate on what’s in front of you. That’s a mistake. Now is your opportunity to get ahead of the game.

We speak with hundreds of candidates every week and have noticed that when people are looking for a job or are concerned about the stability of their employment, they are very open to new information, advice, networking opportunities, etc.

This “openness” is something that can be leveraged for your group’s future success. While you may not be hiring today, you can be building a network of people who could potentially be part of your team in the future.

Can you identify 20 to 30 people who fit this description right now? If not, this is a lucrative task to put your energy toward during a slow hiring period.

The best way to build this network is through traditional “networking” and through the many social networking / Web 2.0 opportunities available. If this does not yield adequate results, now is a great time to run a few job ads because the return on investment (R.O.I.) is so high right now.

For example, our Hot Jobs Account Manager just contacted me this week with “recession specials” in an effort to increase their client base. In addition, the number of candidates who are responding to traditional job ads is quite high right now.

You would be wise to take advantage of these favorable economic conditions and use this time to build your candidate pool. (By the way, be honest in your ads by letting candidates know you may not be hiring for more than 6 months — By doing so, you will gain credibility, attract higher quality candidates, and avoid building false expectations among those responding.)

Tomorrow, we’ll talk a little more about what to say to candidates once they’re a part of your network.

Before I sign off for today, let me throw a few questions out to the group: What are you doing to bring people into your network? What techniques have you found to be effective in developing new business relationships?

Posting Comments: Have you ever posted a comment on a blog? If not, you should try it. It’s a fun way to get involved in the discussion and find out what others are thinking. If you’re a shy person or want to maintain a higher level of privacy, just use your first name or a screen name. Your email address will not be visible under any circumstances. We’ll all benefit from hearing your thoughts. To post a comment, click the comments tab below this posting.

Valentine’s Day Movie: When We Were Kings

Saturday, February 14, 2009

A quick post today that could help you inspire your Valentine…

I know it doesn’t sound like the best Valentine's movie to watch, but my
wife and I finally got around to watching the award winning movie When We Were Kings.

It's more than a documentary about greatest boxer of all time, Muhammad Ali. It is a celebration of the human spirit.

At this point, I
would bet that most of the female readers are about to stop reading.
What could a documentary about a boxer contain that you would enjoy?

Well, I can’t tell you too much, because I’d be giving away
the spirit of the movie. But, I can tell you that my wife said: “that
was a great movie”.

If you like good story telling rent it and send me
a comment about what you have learned because of it.

Posting Comments: Have you ever posted a comment on a blog? If not, you should try it. It's a fun way to get involved in the discussion and find out what others are thinking. If you're a shy person or want to maintain a higher level of privacy, just use your first name or a screen name. Your email address will not be visible under any circumstances. We'll all benefit from hearing your thoughts. To post a comment, click the comments tab below this positing.

The Flip Side of Panic

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Do you feel somewhat paralyzed as a result of the current economic downturn? If you’re an avid reader of this blog, you’re aware that this reaction is normal. In previous discussions, we’ve addressed how to cope with the intense anxiety and despair that many are feeling due to the current state of affairs, lay-offs, etc.

Panic is designed to help us survive. Unfortunately, our nervous systems weren’t designed to manage 24/7 media reminders of doom and gloom. They were designed to help us run from Tigers! As a result, panic can induce an “out-of-control” feeling in many of us.

What if I told you that you could learn to control panic? An overwhelming feeling of panic/anxiety can actually be the beginning of a healthy coping process, rather than result in mounting feelings of helplessness.

How do you tame continuous feelings of panic/despair? The answer comes in understanding that Panic and Reason are on opposite sides of the same continuum. If you can get your mind to organize, reason, plan, and take action, you can control panic.

Take for instance the recent events on the Hudson River. Under extremely stressful conditions, Captain Sully Sullenberger managed to guide his plane to a safe water landing.

Is he really that different than the rest of us? Lets take a look:

“It was the worst sickening pit of your stomach, falling through the floor feeling I’ve ever felt in my life. I knew immediately it was very bad….My initial reaction was one of disbelief. ‘I can’t believe this is happening. This doesn’t happen to me!' ". (Interview w/ Katie Couric on 60 Minutes)

Asked what he meant by that, Sullenberger said:

"I meant that I had this expectation that my career would be one in which I didn’t crash an airplane.”

So far he is exactly like you and me. He first felt tremendous panic and disbelief. If you’ve read my blogs on the Science of Survival, you know that everyone caught in stressful circumstances goes through the grief process. The difference between those who survive and those who don’t, is how quickly they proceed through the stages.

Sullenberger went through them quickly. He panicked, was then in Denial (“This isn’t happening to me!”), then Acceptance and finally Action. He explains:

"The physiological reaction to this was very strong. I had to force myself to use my training. It took some concentration, but I forced calm.”

Sullenberger followed this up by telling Katie that he organized his thoughts and carried out action steps.

This is a good example of how the Panic/Reason Response works. If you can get your mind to organize, plan, and execute, you’ll tip the seesaw toward the healthy side, feel a lot better as a result, and actually do something productive. Helping your employees and clients learn to siphon through their panic will do you both wonders! Take some action today rather than staring blindly at the Hudson.

“A Fool with a Plan”

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Last week, I had the honor of speaking at the same venue as T. Boone Pickens and Ron Peltier, two very inspiring professionals.

Prudential California Realty (Home Services) hosted their Second Annual Conference in Palm Springs, California. The company’s top 150 agents converged with the intention of networking, sharing successful business practices, and conversing over how to address current challenges.

These high-end Realtors (with commissions over 1 million per year) proved to be a group of highly professional, inquisitive, and confident, yet humble individuals. They have clearly practiced the principles of Survival and Resilience in order to thrive as they have.

The kind of income they make is no accident. These diligent agents practice discipline in executing their well-thought-out business plans. They perform tasks hour-by-hour and day-by-day, to arrive at a successful end-result.

Highlights from listening to the other speakers include:

•T. Boone Pickens stated that “A fool with a plan is better than a genius without a plan.” He was speaking primarily of a plan to get our country out of our dependence on foreign oil. He has a great plan that deserves a good look. You can check it out yourself at www.pickensplan.com

•Ron Pelteir reported that in his last meeting with Warren Buffett, Buffett stated, “We are in an economic Pearl Harbor.” As a result, he sees valuable purchasing opportunities and has bought without worrying if we are “at a bottom”. Plain and simple… “value is value”.

During the Q & A part of my own presentation, the discussion focused around my description of the Stages of the Grief Process. I addressed how agents can help their clients move from the Denial, Pain, Anger and Depression Stages toward the Stage of Acceptance.

Only in the Acceptance Stage can clients make decisions to buy and sell without unnecessarily waiting for the most opportune time. Clearly, many clients continue to refuse to accept the reality that their homes are not worth what they once were. Through our discussion, the agents discovered the traits of people who survive and thrive difficult scenarios.

They also learned that educating clients about the Cycle of Grief can have a great benefit. That is, if you can elicit a confession from the client regarding where they are in The Grief Cycle this might provide the motivation necessary to move beyond the stage they are in, and ultimately arrive at Acceptance.

The agents and I learned a lot from the speakers and from each other…there is so much more I could write about. Thank you to all the participants for inviting me to join you. I had a great time.

The Psychology of Being Laid-Off: Effort and Reward

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

As many of you know, we work with a lot of real estate companies. More specifically, we help these companies design their hiring systems to significantly increase the number of candidates they are interfacing with on a weekly basis.

Companies hire us to do this work because, on the surface, it is difficult to successfully attract candidates into an industry that has been so battered and bruised in recent years. To be successful, we must understand and apply the psychology of work.

While there is some complexity to how this is done, one principle we observe continually is that people innately want a connection between the effort they put forth and the reward (compensation, recognition, perks, etc.) they receive for completing the job.

When the effort-reward connection is missing, talented people become frustrated and ultimately, dissatisfied with the companies they work for. We constantly interface with people who have good jobs, excellent educations, and above average competencies, but are deeply frustrated that they are not rewarded for their efforts.

The real estate industry certainly attracts the people who most acutely feel this pain. However, it should be a red flag to anyone who desires to preserve their job and grow their career. Why? Because businesses tend to value people they believe contribute directly to the organization’s success. That value is communicated through a visible effort-reward relationship.

If you find yourself in a role where you don’t frequently get recognized (via compensation or otherwise), it is an indication that your contribution is not viewed as valuable. This may lead to you being laid-off if your company needs to cut expenses.

To combat this situation, look for opportunities in your existing organization where your efforts can be noticed and rewarded. Don’t wait for something to come your way—be proactive and seek out new responsibilities. Like the principle of autonomy, this is a win-win for you and your employer. Your personal sense of well-being will increase if you’re appropriately rewarded for your efforts.

If you’ve already been laid-off and you’re looking for a job, consider positions where there is a direct connection between effort and reward. This may force you to look into some nontraditional areas of employment.

If you’re willing to consider these nontraditional areas, there is a win-win here as well. Lots of people shy away from jobs where their performance determines their paycheck. This means there is less competition for these jobs. If you’re motivated and “wired” to perform the tasks associated with the job, high performance in such a role can lead to job satisfaction beyond what you’ve experienced in the past.

The Psychologyof Being Laid-Off: Complexity

Monday, February 09, 2009

During any recession, there are a large number of people who “need” a job. As Abraham Maslow taught us, when there’s a mortgage to pay and kids to feed, the goal of finding self-actualization at work gives way to the need for security.

An employer who is hiring during a time when there is a surplus of talented candidates may be tempted to select people who are exceptionally qualified for a position. While this certainly makes sense on one level, it is important to understand the need individuals have for complexity in their work.

In past discussions, we’ve explored the principles that allow people to “tap into their best work”. More specifically, we’ve addressed the concept of psychological flow and how it contributes to an individual’s sense of well-being.

Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, the psychologist who studied and popularized the concept of flow, discovered that a balance must be struck between the challenge of a task and the skill of the performer. If the task is too easy or too difficult, flow cannot occur:

“A flow experience has to be challenging. Anything that is not up to par is going to be irritating or ignored.” (Interview with Wired Magazine)

It is difficult for a person who is above the "challenge level" of a job to remain engaged in their work over time. The talented employee, who you thought was perfect for the job, may turn into someone who languishes.

If you are a hiring manager planning to employ someone who is over-qualified, it would be wise to expand the scope of the new employee’s responsibilities to the place where he or she is experiencing a higher level of complexity.

This same principle applies if you have recently been laid-off and are among the masses of people seeking employment. At some point, you may be offered a job that is not very challenging. There is a downside to accepting such a role—it won’t be long before you’re bored.

Certainly, there are situations where an individual can’t make the ideal choice. If you need a job, paying the bills will take priority over landing a job that has the appropriate level of complexity and fulfillment.

If you’re forced to take a job below your ability level, then quickly and proactively seek out ways to expand the job to your level of complexity. While this will be good for you own well-being, it will also make you more valuable to your new organization.