February 2009

Storm Wear
I just finished reading a great article in the February 2 issue of Fortune which featured a conversation with Jim Collins (Built to Last, Good to Great) titled "How Great Companies Turn Crisis into Opportunity". In this article, Mr. Collins discusses the importance of values and the quality of people needed in tough times. Here's an excerpt from the article relating to companies that lived through the Depression:

"What we have found is that what really matters is that you actually have core values – not what they are. The more challenged you are the more you have to have your values. You need to preserve them consistently over time. The other thing worth mentioning is that these companies, when they went through the Depression, really understood that it was the caliber of their people that would get them through. If there's a storm on the mountain, more important than the plan are the people you have with you."

These comments made great impact with me because they echo our focus in aligning companies and candidates based on shared values and fit. More than ever, talent alone isn't enough to weather the storm, and it's why we work with clients to articulate what they believe in and then align candidates who fit. Our 10 Simple Truths of Finding Great Marketing & Advertising Talent that Fit discusses this and other important issues.

Compromise for What?
Beyond a career core belief and some pretty good anecdotal evidence that "fit" is what creates endurance in work relationships, I was curious to see if this would stand the test of a tumultuous, churning job market. To satisfy this, we turned to a new resource through LinkedIn, Polls, which allowed us to create questions and distribute them across the LinkedIn network. We asked a sample of LinkedIn users a simple question referring to what compromises they would be willing to make in looking at a job opportunity. Here are the results:

Fit was the criterion least mentioned as a compromise. Interestingly, C-Suite and VP level respondents replied with 0% for Fit.

Buying or Selling?
If I asked you as an employer if the search process was a buying or selling process, you might pick either. Right now a lot of companies have adopted a view of "It's a buyer's market with so many people looking for work". Our view is no, it's never a buyer's market for the best talent, not even now. Noticing the number of resumes ramping up for an open position doesn't equal a buyer's market. Our experience in the market the last few months is actually that many people are holding tightly to what they have if they are employed, and if they have lost their job, they are looking at next steps very carefully. The best talent looks even harder because they expect more. Again, we turned to LinkedIn Polls to explore input. We asked another related question again related to looking at a less than ideal job opportunity vs. one year ago.

The results indicate a polarized view of looking at job opportunities less than ideal. Hardly a buyer's market, and seemingly, a more balanced environment especially when you consider top talent likely to have a more discriminating view.

Scratch Harder
I was recently talking with a good friend who I often use as a sounding board. We were discussing Brick House Partners plans for 2009 and I got carried away telling him all the great strategies revealed in our business plan. He listened and then said: "Ralph, I think the strategy you need this year is scratch harder! Do it against your business' vision and values, but just scratch harder". My translation is: Work 10% harder in a focused manner. I believe his advice is good for many businesses this year.

Positive Thinking: Less is More
Owning a business that is hinged on the hiring trend line is a pretty scary place to start off 2009. But, here's how I look at it. Generally the highest percentage of hiring mistakes are made "in the good days" when warm bodies are thrown at initiatives and growth in a frenetic quest to keep pace. So often, hires are made without a depth of vetting or without that critical gut check "fit" conversation which can reveal troublespots. Many times the hiring process is largely about replacement inertia. Conversely, right now there isn't much replacement inertia and it's more important than ever to pass hires through the most critical filter that always loops back to one or two questions like: "Will this make us a better company?" or "Will this help us grow and improve our performance?" And the fit issue is more front and center. Smaller stage, better directed show, customers who expect more...I like this play.

In March
Figuring out "Fit"
DWYSYD – An acronym for better partnership
A win-win compensation model for executive search

Ralph A. Cutcher