Take a step back and ask yourself this question: Who is the most powerful and well-known person with the most contacts and resources in your company? The answer of course is your CEO. Now ask yourself, what have I done to make the most powerful and well-known person in the …

Let’s face it, recruiters are a conservative lot. When it comes to selecting tools and strategies, they rely primarily on the tried-and-true conservative approach. During my many conversations with companies, salespeople, and especially executive recruiters, I have found that there are many exceptional recruiting and selling practices that are currently …

In a highly competitive world dominated by CFOs who want to cut your budget, it is no longer optional to demonstrate your value. Everyone is accountable! If you are in a situation where “charm” has run out as an option, then it’s probably time to consider switching to metrics in …

Not every firm can offer the glamour of a Cisco, HP, or G.E., nor can most firms be lucky enough to be located in great geographic areas like the Silicon Valley. But firms that are located in less-than-glamorous locations still need to attract top talent. Small-sized firms, as well as …

Fortune Magazine’s 100 Best Companies to Work For list came out last week, and if your firm isn’t on it, your recruiting and branding strategy can only be judged as a failure. Why, you ask? It is simply because there is no other action or program that has as dramatic an impact …

One of the hottest books in business right now is the book Execution, by Larry Bossidy and Ram Charan. It’s a must read for CEOs and HR people alike. If you haven’t had time to read the book, I recommend you do. The book highlights the three major processes critical to an …

During economic downturns CEOs and CFOs come to HR looking for ways to cut labor costs. As sales go down, labor costs must also go down proportionately. Unfortunately, HR’s responses to requests for labor cost reductions frequently come well after they can have a real impact. But HR must learn …

There are three parts of all successful workforce plans. It turns out that the three parts are not all equal, however. The first part, which is the workforce forecast, is the most important. It projects company growth and the corresponding change in our talent needs as a result of that …

Workforce planning is currently one of the hottest topics on the planet. Unfortunately, most recruiters see workforce planning as something that occurs beyond their scope. But in fact, it could be their ticket to job security during these tough economic times. Here are a few of the many reasons why …

Ever wonder what happens to the people you recruit after they begin their jobs? Strange as it may seem, most recruiters never actually follow up on the progress of their recruits on the job. I call it “dropping them over the wall and running away.” Why Follow Up? Failing to …