What do you do when you’ve identified the best candidate(s)
but can’t pull the trigger because your CFO suddenly got cold feet? Hand her a pair of slippers and a breakdown
of what it will cost the company if you DON’T make the hire. There are all kinds of arguments you can make
for why you need to fill this critical position, but a smarter approach is to
talk dollars, and SENSE. Show your CFO
how increased productivity on your team means faster turnaround on
deliverables, a revenue boost, or can result in a less harried and more
balanced group…avoiding burnout and a bigger, more expensive problem; resignations.
With the right approach, your proposal
to hire will make a lot more sense to your cost conscious CFO.
Sunday, October 21, 2012
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Here, hold my wallet, my hands are full!
Hiring a Chief Financial Officer, or CFO, is one of the most
gut-wrenching, anxiety producing and confusing processes you will ever
experience as a hiring manager. Often
times, the harried and inexperienced CEO will hand this process off to their
Investors or Board to make referrals.
Occasionally, they may also task an HR resource to find a talented financial leader. Using any of these approaches alone is a big
mistake! Why? Well, first of all, the person managing the
company money; revenues/profits,
investments, taxes, compensation, budgeting, financial reporting, expenses, and
funding (whether personally or privately
funded by investors) and the key banking relationships will not only have primary accountability, they will also tell you what you can and can't spend money on. This can be a good or bad thing depending on your spending habits. However, any financial failures still
belong to the CEO if something does not go according to plan, and they will be
left holding the bag at the end of the day.
That’s the most obvious concern. Just
as critical, however, is the knowledge and understanding of how financial
resources are being used to grow the business, operate the business, and support
the business. This is where your partnership with the CFO gets interesting.
Many sharp and capable CEO’s fall short when it comes to
grasping the basics of maintaining healthy financial
fitness. That’s why the person making daily
financial decisions is the CFO, the CEO’s most critical co-pilot in driving the
business. While the CEO should know how to interpret complex
financial information, that can alter the overall strategic picture, this is
often not the case. The company’s most
senior executive is focused on myriad other “critical” daily demands. For most
companies, the majority of the strategic financial decisions will be made by the
CFO, and so that person will be either the greatest ally, or the biggest obstacle,
to carrying out the vision crafted by the management team.
When someone else is holding the purse strings, they must advocate for the CEO's vision, implement strategic financial plans and know how to mitigate risk for the long-term health of the company, especially as it pertains to spending. And, sometimes, a good CFO may have to say "No" even if they want to say "Yes"!
So, how does a busy CEO go about hiring a CFO if no great
referrals are offered, or their professional network bears no fruit? There are a couple of different approaches
one can take to ensure proper calibration on technical talent, ethical
reliability, strong caliber and chemistry across the table from their
candidates. The right hiring resource,
such as an experienced Human Resources team or Executive Search firm specializing
in CFO placement is a good first step. An Executive Search firm will have a ready network of passive and active CFO candidates waiting for the right opportunity to emerge. Designing the right profile will depend greatly on the goals, regulatory requirements and the size of the organization. Every company has unique needs and so knowing the growth trajectory and aligning with the experience required to be successful in carrying out those goals, will be important to consider before embarking on a search. Before contracting with a search firm, ask for recent references on how many CFO's they have placed, what company(s) they have
hired for and whether the individuals placed are working out well for their new
employers.
Another approach is to hire an "On-Demand" CFO. This is a strategic
financial partner contracted by your company through an outside resource,
committed on average from 10 and 40 hours per week, until a permanent CFO is
identified and hired. The length of a
typical contract is about 90 days or more, but can actually be a lot longer if
the company decides not to hire a full-time CFO. The
benefits of contracting a consultant CFO or Controller are many and can pay great immediate dividends
if the CEO is interested in learning about what makes a great CFO before they
hire one.
"On-Demand" CFO's are typically
very experienced strategists who have sophisticated knowledge of corporate finance and often with a background in public company auditing. Wherever they may have received their training, their expertise is in big picture planning and route-mapping to
navigate a company through tough or calm seas.
Often they will partner with the CEO to present ideas or insights to the
Investors at Board Meetings, sharing critical details and articulating
complicated financial information with confidence.
The CFO consultant is also a knowledge transfer
expert, able to dig in and assess the company’s financial health and challenges
quickly and efficiently. They are
usually just as fast and effective with the hand-off to the new CFO, and will stay
on as a consultant until the new financial leader has come up to speed.
Hiring a CFO with both the strategic skills and strong
technical capabilities that keep a company in balance is only one aspect of the
search. Their fit with the team cannot be under-rated
either. I have witnessed many CFO’s who’s
brilliant financial performance was downplayed considerably by their inability
to bridge the communication gap with co-workers, or lacked good interpersonal
skills.
A bit of distance between
finance and operations is not uncommon, and can be required to maintain
confidential or ethical boundaries. But
in social situations, a CFO who distances themselves from the team, or doesn’t
take an interest in getting to know their co-workers, is in danger of
alienating themselves from resources and influences governing the political
forces of the organization overall.
Employees who have the CEO’s ears and interests in mind may have a
direct impact on the direction of the company, and that includes decision-making
around financial leadership. If you have
found you are not connecting with your co-workers, never underestimate the
power of a smile and a cup of coffee.
So, before handing your wallet and your company’s financial
reins to someone, make sure you know exactly what you need, how well they share
your vision and whether they can execute effectively. Learning how to identify and hire your most
critical financial partner is a short term investment that offers a big ROI!
To learn more about the advantages of partnering with a
search professional for your most critical strategic hires, contact me directly
at karen@greensearchpartner.com.
*For more information and insights into "On-Demand" CFO’s
and Controllers, please visit: www.nextstagesolutions.com.
Thursday, June 21, 2012
Top Five Candidate Blunders
The ink is not yet dry on the offer letter and you're already having second thoughts about your candidate choice. You can't put a finger on exactly what is troubling you, but chances are you can identify a few exchanges between you and your candidate that resulted in feelings that don't sit quite right. Some of these disconnections can be explained by a lack of experience with the interview process (usually on the part of the candidate), a loss of confidence in one's decision-making (either theirs or yours), or a pure lack of comparative data (not enough qualified candidates, so you settled for first runner up). In most cases, these doubts clear up once the candidate becomes an employee and they've spent a few weeks on the job proving they were the right choice. But in other cases, those nagging doubts can gain strength and new evidence arises to validate your gut instincts. So what do you look for in advance of tendering an offer that are significant signs of a potential problem employee? Here are a few examples I can provide (from experience) and I'm sure anyone reading this will chime in with their own unique early identifiers:
1) No thank you note from your candidate: If you don't get a thank you note from someone with less then five years of experience, you can pass this off as a "Rookie" mistake. Also, the days of thank you notes and "Resume Received" emails are over. With a few exceptions, there's not a lot of common courtesy coming from companies these last few years. Again, we can blame that on a lack of time and resources. But a company receiving a thank you note from a candidate should give that person a second look for another potential position within the organization. You can teach someone good manners, but you can't teach them to have a conscience. Someone who takes the time to hand write a note may be old fashioned, but take a look at their hand writing and file their resume into your "future hire" file. Class never goes out of style.
2) Disappearing after receiving an offer: If a candidate hasn't acknowledged receipt of an offer, avoids emails/phone calls to follow up, or holds onto your offer for more than 48 hours without responding...start worrying. Once a candidate gets hold of an offer, they either get a paralyzing case of cold feet, are using it to get their current employer to counter, or they may be waiting for competing offers to come in the door before making a decision. That's understandable, albeit disappointing....but if they don't have the common courtesy to respond with an email or a call to acknowledge receipt of the written offer, and provide a time frame for when they will give you an answer, you may want to make note of the offer's expiration date and mark it on your calendar. I wouldn't consider hiring anyone that takes any offer for granted. Once that written offer is signed and in their hands, its a binding legal document. Withdrawing an offer can create legal headaches you don't want to create for yourself, so make sure you really want this candidate and put an expiration date on the offer letter.
3) Nitpicking the offer after receipt: I always expect my candidates to negotiate, and I prepare my clients for this well in advance of a verbal offer. I also like to get hard dollars on the table before putting anything in a written format. But if a candidate who has already agreed to a compensation package changes their mind after a verbal agreement and receipt of a written offer, I have to start wondering whether they're going to become a management problem for my client. That's when I experience a numbing sensation in MY feet...brrrrr. Once you've stated your expectations and needs, as a candidate, you need to stick to it. Otherwise, you look like a money focused flip-flopper, and you're one step away from seriously damaging that light tether of trust between you and your new boss. Waiting until after the offer is tendered to negotiate is only acceptable if you weren't given the opportunity to negotiate beforehand. But if a hiring manager or recruiter is telling you "this is your opportunity to tell us what you really want" (even if they're not sure they can get to your number), that's your moment to grab your calculator. If you hear from a candidate three days after they've received the offer that they just can't accept less than X, you have to wonder what else they can't accept.
In the case of a compensation, bonus or equity adjustment in the offer, before you change anything, the candidate absolutely MUST agree to accept in advance if you are to go back and deliver what they need. If they are still unwilling to commit to an acceptance upon learning that their needs will be met in a revised offer, run screaming from the room...and take your offer with you.
4) Pushing back the start date: Generally speaking, this is not a good sign. Unless there are extenuating personal circumstances, if your new employee is voluntarily pushing back the start date, that means they're not ready to leave their current employer or someone else is wooing them. Invite them to meet you for coffee and ask them what's causing the delay if they haven't already told you. If they don't accept, you may want to call up your other top candidate and keep the process going.
5) Changing their LinkedIn profile before starting, or not changing their LinkedIn profile within the first month: If you found them on LinkedIn, and they seem to have an active and current life there, chances are they'll want to "shout out" to the world about their new job. But doing so before their first day (maybe not the Sunday night before, but the day after they give notice is a concern) might send the wrong message and your HR Manager might have a heart attack. If someone is attaching themselves to the company prematurely, is it because they're desperate to get out of their job or because they're just so excited to start their new job? Maybe that's not such a bad thing, and could be considered flattering. However, if your new employee has been in their seat for a month or two and hasn't updated their profile to reflect the change in employment, you may want to prompt them to do so. If they choose not to, you may want to ask them if they're happy in their new job. If they are still looking, but keeping this job as an "insurance policy", updating might chase off prospective hiring managers.
We can talk about the sixth "blunder" in the next post...but just to give you a hint, it has to do with candidates who want to recreate the prior glory of their old company. In other words, why it can be a good and a bad thing to interview a new employee's prior colleagues.
1) No thank you note from your candidate: If you don't get a thank you note from someone with less then five years of experience, you can pass this off as a "Rookie" mistake. Also, the days of thank you notes and "Resume Received" emails are over. With a few exceptions, there's not a lot of common courtesy coming from companies these last few years. Again, we can blame that on a lack of time and resources. But a company receiving a thank you note from a candidate should give that person a second look for another potential position within the organization. You can teach someone good manners, but you can't teach them to have a conscience. Someone who takes the time to hand write a note may be old fashioned, but take a look at their hand writing and file their resume into your "future hire" file. Class never goes out of style.
2) Disappearing after receiving an offer: If a candidate hasn't acknowledged receipt of an offer, avoids emails/phone calls to follow up, or holds onto your offer for more than 48 hours without responding...start worrying. Once a candidate gets hold of an offer, they either get a paralyzing case of cold feet, are using it to get their current employer to counter, or they may be waiting for competing offers to come in the door before making a decision. That's understandable, albeit disappointing....but if they don't have the common courtesy to respond with an email or a call to acknowledge receipt of the written offer, and provide a time frame for when they will give you an answer, you may want to make note of the offer's expiration date and mark it on your calendar. I wouldn't consider hiring anyone that takes any offer for granted. Once that written offer is signed and in their hands, its a binding legal document. Withdrawing an offer can create legal headaches you don't want to create for yourself, so make sure you really want this candidate and put an expiration date on the offer letter.
3) Nitpicking the offer after receipt: I always expect my candidates to negotiate, and I prepare my clients for this well in advance of a verbal offer. I also like to get hard dollars on the table before putting anything in a written format. But if a candidate who has already agreed to a compensation package changes their mind after a verbal agreement and receipt of a written offer, I have to start wondering whether they're going to become a management problem for my client. That's when I experience a numbing sensation in MY feet...brrrrr. Once you've stated your expectations and needs, as a candidate, you need to stick to it. Otherwise, you look like a money focused flip-flopper, and you're one step away from seriously damaging that light tether of trust between you and your new boss. Waiting until after the offer is tendered to negotiate is only acceptable if you weren't given the opportunity to negotiate beforehand. But if a hiring manager or recruiter is telling you "this is your opportunity to tell us what you really want" (even if they're not sure they can get to your number), that's your moment to grab your calculator. If you hear from a candidate three days after they've received the offer that they just can't accept less than X, you have to wonder what else they can't accept.
In the case of a compensation, bonus or equity adjustment in the offer, before you change anything, the candidate absolutely MUST agree to accept in advance if you are to go back and deliver what they need. If they are still unwilling to commit to an acceptance upon learning that their needs will be met in a revised offer, run screaming from the room...and take your offer with you.
4) Pushing back the start date: Generally speaking, this is not a good sign. Unless there are extenuating personal circumstances, if your new employee is voluntarily pushing back the start date, that means they're not ready to leave their current employer or someone else is wooing them. Invite them to meet you for coffee and ask them what's causing the delay if they haven't already told you. If they don't accept, you may want to call up your other top candidate and keep the process going.
5) Changing their LinkedIn profile before starting, or not changing their LinkedIn profile within the first month: If you found them on LinkedIn, and they seem to have an active and current life there, chances are they'll want to "shout out" to the world about their new job. But doing so before their first day (maybe not the Sunday night before, but the day after they give notice is a concern) might send the wrong message and your HR Manager might have a heart attack. If someone is attaching themselves to the company prematurely, is it because they're desperate to get out of their job or because they're just so excited to start their new job? Maybe that's not such a bad thing, and could be considered flattering. However, if your new employee has been in their seat for a month or two and hasn't updated their profile to reflect the change in employment, you may want to prompt them to do so. If they choose not to, you may want to ask them if they're happy in their new job. If they are still looking, but keeping this job as an "insurance policy", updating might chase off prospective hiring managers.
We can talk about the sixth "blunder" in the next post...but just to give you a hint, it has to do with candidates who want to recreate the prior glory of their old company. In other words, why it can be a good and a bad thing to interview a new employee's prior colleagues.
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Avoiding a Harmful Hire
You know the saying “One bad apple can ruin the whole bunch”? Maybe you know that cliche too well. I don't have to explain to you how important each hiring decision is to you and your team. Maintaining a diligent interview and hiring practice is one of the critical keys to retaining your best employees while growing a successful organization. Now more than ever, as hiring manager, you need to be both interviewer and gate keeper. Don’t leave the tactical aspects of a hire to your HR group. Pay attention to the sign posts and make sure you actively participate in reference calls. It takes less time and money to execute a high quality process then properly terminating a bad hire. Here are the top six indicators of a potentially bad hire:
- 1) Lots of movement on the resume: If your candidate has had more than three moves in the past five years, you may want to ask for references early. From 2007 to present, it’s not unusual to see a few transitions on a candidate’s resume given the job market, and gaps in employment are far more likely. However, if their past employers are still in existence, it may be a good idea to check one or two references before advancing to next rounds. During this call you should look or verification of employment (start and end dates, titles and reason for leaving), and to make sure that the candidate’s reason for leaving (or RFL) is consistent with the company’s. If the HR department or hiring manager of the prior employer is not willing to provide you details for legal reasons, you can ask your candidate for 2 peer references. Ask each of them why they thought the candidate left the prior company. See if each person’s perspective jibes with the candidate’s stated reason for leaving. If you receive conflicting information, you may want to ask your candidate for a manager reference with a personal phone number. Setting up a call or meeting outside the normal work day gives you and the reference a longer window to speak and without disruption.
- 2) Difficulty scheduling an interview: Is the candidate’s schedule creating a logistical challenge for you and/or your team? Are they requesting off-hour or off-site interviews to accommodate their schedule? Do they seem inflexible with how much time they can offer for an interview? Sure, perhaps they’re a “hot” candidate with lots of opportunities, and that’s why you don’t want to lose them. But if a candidate makes you feel as though they’re just too busy to be bothered or requires multiple concessions on your time, it could mean they are poor at organizing their calendar…or worse, they really aren’t interested enough to take the time to meet you. After two attempts, ask them pointedly if their interest level is high, medium or low. If your job is a candidate’s Plan B or C, and you hire them knowing this, it’s probably not going to be a long term commitment.
- 3) Discussing Compensation & Benefits questions up front, or too often: While this may be a sign of genuine interest, but it may also mean that the candidate is nervous that your company cannot provide the compensation or benefits plan they’ve become accustomed to, or expect to receive from their next employer. If they’ve gone without a raise for many years, they may need a bigger than budgeted salary increase or more vacation time than your company offers. It’s never too soon to offer benefits information, and allowing candidates to review this in advance of second round can often save everyone time and headaches. But if a candidate continues to pursue compensation conversations, chances are, they’re looking for the top of the range or more. Can you afford them? If so, are they worth the increase, and how will this impact internal equity?
- 4) Inadequate or irrelevant references: If a candidate provides references that are too few in number, too obscure or irrelevant, too old or they cannot produce an adequate reference, you may want to spend more time getting to know them…and perform a background check. If you ask a candidate to provide two prior or current managers, and they balk, it is perhaps because they don’t want to jeopardize their confidentiality. But if they fail to produce any current or recent former references, you may want to end the conversations. In my experience, a good candidate will have people leaping through hoops to provide a solid reference. They should be able to pick up the phone and provide reference materials within a day or two of request. If they take a week or longer, chances are, they’ve got a problem and they don’t want you to find out about it. You can simply ask them what their hesitation is, and ask them if they are comfortable enough to confide in you…if they respond openly and honestly, you can then make an educated decision about whether you want them on the team. If they still are unable to produce a credible reference, it’s probably wise to let them go.
- 5) Over-negotiating or making unreasonable requests: Even the best possible employees go a little nuts during the negotiation process. This is their one opportunity to state their needs and ask for the best possible offer before accepting and moving in to your organization. One of the biggest stop signs for me is when the “Tail is wagging the Dog”. This can happen when a confident candidate realizes that they’re “the One” and begins making a list of demands that the company can’t possibly meet without making significant concessions or altering company precedent. There are normal requests that challenge an organization. For example, a candidate coming in the door with four weeks of vacation may feel that a 15 day PTO policy is too big a sacrifice. They may ask for more vacation time as part of their negotiation process. This is not unusual, nor do I think this is the sign of a greedy candidate. What you really need to worry about is when a candidate requests special treatment…such as a greater percentage match to the 401k plan, a guaranteed bonus or a sign-on bonus, a private office, car allowance or a six month performance raise. Many candidates get preoccupied with asking for a “match” to what they currently have without considering whether anyone else in the organization has these benefits. You can simply state it would be unfair to offer these benefits to a new employee when they are not offered to tenured employees, and then go back to asking them if this is the job they really want. If they are hyper focused on the perks, it may be that the job is not exactly ideal for them and they will seek other forms of “consolation prizes”.
- 6) The Arrogant Employee: The more concerning behaviors a candidate may display before an offer negotiation is a major increase in their compensation expectations, sidestepping or rushing aspects of the interview process, or sitting on your offer for days without providing a timely response. I’ve even had a candidate ask me for a written offer before a “final blessing” interview with the Company CEO…he just didn’t want to take the time unless the offer met his expectations. I cut him loose on the spot. Additionally, receiving an overly solicitous call from someone you don’t know who is advocating for a candidate may sound like a nice gesture, but that would give me pause as well. These are all signs of a harmful hire, an arrogant and high-maintenance employee.
No matter how desperate you are to make the hire, or how stellar a contributor they could be to your organization, if a candidate starts tipping the internal scales in their favor, acting overly empowered or entitled, then it won’t be long before this behavior will start to impact your team…and it will certainly spiral down into a management headache for you. A candidate who lacks humility, thoughtful deliberation, diplomacy and consideration for the whole team is not the kind of apple you want. There are plenty of good ones out there, so don’t settle until you find them.
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Green News Sources and Resources
I polled a few trusted clients, colleagues and friends in the green/renewable industry here in Boston on their favorite daily or weekly news sources. Almost everyone had a unique response, in that there were over two dozen favorites and virtually no duplicates. In no particular order, here they are:
www.offshorewind.com (Focused on Off-Shore wind news)
www.dsireusa.org (Database of State Incentives for Renewable Energy)
www.srectrade.com (Solar Renewable Energy Credit)
www.mass.gov/doer (The Mass. Dept of Energy Resources)
www.masscec.com (Mass. Clean Energy Center)
www.cleantech.com (Clean Tech Group)
www.eia.gov (Energy Information Agency)
http://mnorden.com (Matt Norden's blog)
www.masshightech.com (Massachusetts High Tech Business News)
www.bbj.com (Boston Business Journal)
www.heatspring.com (HeatSpring Magazine)
www.greenlightdistrikt.com (The Green Light Distrikt)
www.environment.harvard.edu (Harvard University for the Environment)
www.greenbiz.com (Green Business News)
www.ceres.org (RSS Feeds)
www.sustainablebusiness.com (Green Business, Renewable Energy)
www.grist.com (Environmental News, Commentary, Advice)
www.umassd.edu/sustainability/news/sustainabilityalmanac/ (UMass Dartmouth Sustainability Almanac)
General Resources w/ Alerts/Feeds:
www.xconomy.com (Local Boston Business)
www.google.com (Google Alerts, ie; "Corporate Sustainability")
www.zite.com (Zite Personalized Magazine "Sustain" section)
www.ap.com (AP Wires)
www.guardian.com (The Guardian)
www.salon.com (Salon online news)
www.offshorewind.com (Focused on Off-Shore wind news)
www.dsireusa.org (Database of State Incentives for Renewable Energy)
www.srectrade.com (Solar Renewable Energy Credit)
www.mass.gov/doer (The Mass. Dept of Energy Resources)
www.masscec.com (Mass. Clean Energy Center)
www.cleantech.com (Clean Tech Group)
www.eia.gov (Energy Information Agency)
http://mnorden.com (Matt Norden's blog)
www.masshightech.com (Massachusetts High Tech Business News)
www.bbj.com (Boston Business Journal)
www.heatspring.com (HeatSpring Magazine)
www.greenlightdistrikt.com (The Green Light Distrikt)
www.environment.harvard.edu (Harvard University for the Environment)
www.greenbiz.com (Green Business News)
www.ceres.org (RSS Feeds)
www.sustainablebusiness.com (Green Business, Renewable Energy)
www.grist.com (Environmental News, Commentary, Advice)
www.umassd.edu/sustainability/news/sustainabilityalmanac/ (UMass Dartmouth Sustainability Almanac)
General Resources w/ Alerts/Feeds:
www.xconomy.com (Local Boston Business)
www.google.com (Google Alerts, ie; "Corporate Sustainability")
www.zite.com (Zite Personalized Magazine "Sustain" section)
www.ap.com (AP Wires)
www.guardian.com (The Guardian)
www.salon.com (Salon online news)
Monday, January 9, 2012
Hiring a Keeper - When Process Matters
"The professional must learn to be moved and touched emotionally, yet at the same time stand back objectively: I've seen a lot of damage done by tea and sympathy."
Anthony Storr "Don't give an afternoon tea unless you've inherited a little of your grandmother's hospitality"--Effie Merriman, Modern Entertainments, 1898.
Second, I suppose I'm qualified because I am usually the first person to receive a phone call after a challenging, odd or painful interview. This puts me in a pretty good position to hear all sorts of stories on the client/candidate exchange. And there are those I cannot share for the sake of confidentiality and protection of those people, but they are shocking nonetheless.
There's nothing you can do for a candidate who fumbles a perfectly good interview. It happens all the time. But as the hiring manager, a little pre-game planning can prevent a big loss for the team. This often happens when one's good judgement checks out during the meeting, when there's a lack of strategy around decision-making, or there is no post-interview feedback loop for candidates.
So, before you go inviting people over, grab your silver polish and a note pad...you may want to jot this down.
Setting the Table:
1) Give yourself a few minutes to prepare before an interview starts, and think about your concerns in advance. You'll want these addressed before they leave the office. If you are running late to the office, let someone internal know so your candidate doesn't take it as a sign of disinterest, or lack of consideration. If they are running a few minutes late, don't hold it against them but do inquire on it. If they haven't been stuck in traffic, fixing a flat tire, or had some other unforeseen circumstance delay them, this may be an indication of how they manage time, their priorities or presence of a bad personal habit.
2) Conducting a thorough interview takes time, so best not to book an interview unless you have ample time to meet the candidate. Starting the interview by saying "I have a hard stop in 30 minutes" says to the candidate "Talk fast, don't ask a lot of questions, and dazzle me while you're at it." I know you're very busy but, realistically, what will you learn about them in 30 minutes? What will you be able to absorb and internalize? Will this just serve to make you seem too busy to be bothered? Worse, if it's clear they are a superior candidate, but you failed to engage, compel or impress them, and no time was allowed for a mutual exchange of questions and answers, you risk losing them the moment they walk out the door. Great candidates ALWAYS have options.
3) Distractions are an occupational hazard. Unplug and connect across the desk. Do your best to avoid taking phone calls, looking at emails or text messages during the meeting. This can interfere with your focus and interrupt the flow of information. If you give the impression your calendar is, or you are, out of control of your professional life then one might interpret this as a lack of balance in the workplace, too.
4) If it is impossible to keep the door closed or cell phone off, at least give the candidate a heads up that you may be receiving a call you must take, then apologize for the inconvenience.
Elbows, Eyes and Ears:
1) For the sake of confidentiality, if meeting at a restaurant or cafe try selecting a place that isn't near the candidate's office, that doesn't pack people in like sardines, or requires you to yell to be heard. Also, if you called the meeting then you should also offer to pick up the tab. And tip your server even if the service isn't great. You may be interviewing someone who will be in a position of service to you, your clients and others on your team. Being kind to wait staff demonstrates respect and compassion for the people serving you.
2) When meeting at your desk be sure it is clear of sensitive material. As a hiring manager, having confidential information on your desk demonstrates a lack of sensitivity and respect for your company and employees. Save yourself the embarrassment of explaining to your HR Manager how the candidate knows the average salary of your whole team. Tuck it safely away in a file folder or drawer.
3) Drinking coffee, water, tea or other beverages can make it easier to talk longer as this will keep you hydrated. It's also a nice touch to offer a hot or cold beverage to a candidate if your office is climate-challenged.
4) Consider the WHOLE person. Look at your candidate objectively. Observe their image, mannerisms, eye contact, body language. Do they seem credible, honest, confident and comfortable with themselves? Can you picture yourself working with them day to day, managing them, sharing a cross country flight with them? If that feels like a stretch, your gut may be tuning into something your intellect hasn't caught up with yet. Write it down, figure it out, then weigh it against all of their other attributes. But, at the end of the day, don't settle. The right person will come along if you are willing to be patient.
Watch Your Language!!
1) Don't oversell your company, let the candidate sell you on why you should hire them. If you are doing more talking then listening, don't be surprised if you walk away from the interview with no insight on how this person fits into this position or organization.
Entrepreneurs/Founders are great at selling the vision, plans and goals for the company, but that's what makes them perfect for the "final blessing" interview. Until this last leg of the process, your candidate of choice should be closing you.
2) Do get to know your candidate, and not just their resume. Strive for a flowing conversation, an equal exchange, instead of an inquisition. And, allow time for their questions. The exchange should be informational and inspirational. Focus on finding both the requisite hard and soft skills represented by the candidate...along with a balance of professional and personal experiences that are relevant and well aligned to the role, and overall corporate culture. Even a little repartee can indicate a comfort level and rapport that separates this candidate from others.
3) If you like someone be sure to let them know they've done well with you, but don't make any promises. Offering premature buying signals, ie., discussing references, start dates, compensation, and using sentences starting with "You will really enjoy working with...." risks giving a false impression of the company's interest in their candidacy. Apply caution and enthusiasm with equal measure, especially if there are other decision makers involved. You may have had a great interview, but your co-founder may have found them lacking in some way. No one on the team should commit to another round, or offer of employment, until you are certain there is internal agreement.
The other risk in tipping your hand too soon may mean surrendering your position of strength in the process. Occasionally I have witnessed a candidate becoming either too confident or somewhat anxious upon receiving premature buying signs. Keep expectations in check and your hand close to your vest until you are certain they are "The One".
Is this A Duel?
1) Look for a challenge! If someone is asking you tough questions, don't take it as an offensive approach. If it's clear they have done their homework, and their questions are relevant and well thought out, chances are they are just being as selective as you. This is a good thing, in particular if you are hiring sales people.
A strong, experienced salesperson will be very thorough in their due diligence process with a customer. They know how to separate a viable lead from a tire-kicker, and their inquisitive nature is a part of what makes them good in a consultative or solution sales role. You want the person driving revenues for your company objectively evaluating whatever opportunities are presented. This means you will be fielding deeper, broader, and sometimes exhaustive questions during the interview. Provided the questions are not repetitive or neurotic, this should give you a sense of comfort that they know how to flush out real clients.
2) When interviewing partner or VP level candidates for your young company, don't be afraid if you don't have all the answers. Chances are, they know you haven't got it all figured out yet, and there are some financial questions you cannot answer until further along in the process. This is also a good time to test a candidate's tolerance for risk. If they are unwilling to commit to the unknowns, likely they will not be able to handle the natural ups and downs of an early stage company.
Bidding Adieu!
1) Follow up in a timely fashion! Giving a candidate feedback or closure is something every candidate deserves, whether it's a first or final round. In the past five years it seems we have all come to expect less from the interview process. Current trends indicate that most people who interview and get passed over have no idea why they didn't get the job, and never hear from the company again. This is particularly confusing if they left the interview thinking they did very well, or received premature buying signals (i.e., a tour of the facility, copy of the corporate benefits packet, deep salary discussion, promise of another round) A complete lack of feedback is not helpful for the candidate and can leave them with a sour taste in their mouth. Giving a candidate some feedback immediately following the interview can go a long way to preventing confusion, multiple follow up calls/emails from them, or an ugly backlash that today's social media can easily assist.
2) The power of networking and "reporting" on bad experiences is not limited to word of mouth anymore. A candidate who was treated poorly during an interview, thought the process was unfair, or didn't receive closure following what seemed like a stellar interview may take their frustrations out on Facebook, YELP or some other social networking site where your other potential clients, vendors or candidates may visit to perform due diligence. If you are an officer of a company trying to hire for a very senior role, but you keep losing top candidates because your company is perceived as having poor hiring practices...well, you can see where this is going, right?
3) Ask your Human Resources department to set up a formal feedback policy, even if it's a two line email indicating the position has been filled, put on hold, or re-evaluated. For those candidates with whom you really enjoyed meeting and struck a great rapport, call them directly and let them know your decision, and why. You never know when you may need them in the future!
4) Look for a thank you note from your candidate. If you don't receive one, think twice about whether this is someone who is tuned into proper social cues and etiquette. Can you trust this person not to offend or alienate your best clients? Will they know how to treat their staff in a courteous and respectful manner? Will they be diplomatic in management meetings? These are all good questions to ask about your potential candidate. If you don't get a thank you note, email or follow up call, maybe there's a good reason...a very, very good reason, I hope.
Anthony Storr "Don't give an afternoon tea unless you've inherited a little of your grandmother's hospitality"--Effie Merriman, Modern Entertainments, 1898.
What do these quotes about Tea have to do with recruiting? And, further, what business do I have offering a blog on hiring etiquette?
Second, I suppose I'm qualified because I am usually the first person to receive a phone call after a challenging, odd or painful interview. This puts me in a pretty good position to hear all sorts of stories on the client/candidate exchange. And there are those I cannot share for the sake of confidentiality and protection of those people, but they are shocking nonetheless.
There's nothing you can do for a candidate who fumbles a perfectly good interview. It happens all the time. But as the hiring manager, a little pre-game planning can prevent a big loss for the team. This often happens when one's good judgement checks out during the meeting, when there's a lack of strategy around decision-making, or there is no post-interview feedback loop for candidates.
So, before you go inviting people over, grab your silver polish and a note pad...you may want to jot this down.
Setting the Table:
1) Give yourself a few minutes to prepare before an interview starts, and think about your concerns in advance. You'll want these addressed before they leave the office. If you are running late to the office, let someone internal know so your candidate doesn't take it as a sign of disinterest, or lack of consideration. If they are running a few minutes late, don't hold it against them but do inquire on it. If they haven't been stuck in traffic, fixing a flat tire, or had some other unforeseen circumstance delay them, this may be an indication of how they manage time, their priorities or presence of a bad personal habit.
2) Conducting a thorough interview takes time, so best not to book an interview unless you have ample time to meet the candidate. Starting the interview by saying "I have a hard stop in 30 minutes" says to the candidate "Talk fast, don't ask a lot of questions, and dazzle me while you're at it." I know you're very busy but, realistically, what will you learn about them in 30 minutes? What will you be able to absorb and internalize? Will this just serve to make you seem too busy to be bothered? Worse, if it's clear they are a superior candidate, but you failed to engage, compel or impress them, and no time was allowed for a mutual exchange of questions and answers, you risk losing them the moment they walk out the door. Great candidates ALWAYS have options.
3) Distractions are an occupational hazard. Unplug and connect across the desk. Do your best to avoid taking phone calls, looking at emails or text messages during the meeting. This can interfere with your focus and interrupt the flow of information. If you give the impression your calendar is, or you are, out of control of your professional life then one might interpret this as a lack of balance in the workplace, too.
4) If it is impossible to keep the door closed or cell phone off, at least give the candidate a heads up that you may be receiving a call you must take, then apologize for the inconvenience.
Elbows, Eyes and Ears:
1) For the sake of confidentiality, if meeting at a restaurant or cafe try selecting a place that isn't near the candidate's office, that doesn't pack people in like sardines, or requires you to yell to be heard. Also, if you called the meeting then you should also offer to pick up the tab. And tip your server even if the service isn't great. You may be interviewing someone who will be in a position of service to you, your clients and others on your team. Being kind to wait staff demonstrates respect and compassion for the people serving you.
2) When meeting at your desk be sure it is clear of sensitive material. As a hiring manager, having confidential information on your desk demonstrates a lack of sensitivity and respect for your company and employees. Save yourself the embarrassment of explaining to your HR Manager how the candidate knows the average salary of your whole team. Tuck it safely away in a file folder or drawer.
3) Drinking coffee, water, tea or other beverages can make it easier to talk longer as this will keep you hydrated. It's also a nice touch to offer a hot or cold beverage to a candidate if your office is climate-challenged.
4) Consider the WHOLE person. Look at your candidate objectively. Observe their image, mannerisms, eye contact, body language. Do they seem credible, honest, confident and comfortable with themselves? Can you picture yourself working with them day to day, managing them, sharing a cross country flight with them? If that feels like a stretch, your gut may be tuning into something your intellect hasn't caught up with yet. Write it down, figure it out, then weigh it against all of their other attributes. But, at the end of the day, don't settle. The right person will come along if you are willing to be patient.
Watch Your Language!!
1) Don't oversell your company, let the candidate sell you on why you should hire them. If you are doing more talking then listening, don't be surprised if you walk away from the interview with no insight on how this person fits into this position or organization.
Entrepreneurs/Founders are great at selling the vision, plans and goals for the company, but that's what makes them perfect for the "final blessing" interview. Until this last leg of the process, your candidate of choice should be closing you.
2) Do get to know your candidate, and not just their resume. Strive for a flowing conversation, an equal exchange, instead of an inquisition. And, allow time for their questions. The exchange should be informational and inspirational. Focus on finding both the requisite hard and soft skills represented by the candidate...along with a balance of professional and personal experiences that are relevant and well aligned to the role, and overall corporate culture. Even a little repartee can indicate a comfort level and rapport that separates this candidate from others.
3) If you like someone be sure to let them know they've done well with you, but don't make any promises. Offering premature buying signals, ie., discussing references, start dates, compensation, and using sentences starting with "You will really enjoy working with...." risks giving a false impression of the company's interest in their candidacy. Apply caution and enthusiasm with equal measure, especially if there are other decision makers involved. You may have had a great interview, but your co-founder may have found them lacking in some way. No one on the team should commit to another round, or offer of employment, until you are certain there is internal agreement.
The other risk in tipping your hand too soon may mean surrendering your position of strength in the process. Occasionally I have witnessed a candidate becoming either too confident or somewhat anxious upon receiving premature buying signs. Keep expectations in check and your hand close to your vest until you are certain they are "The One".
Is this A Duel?
1) Look for a challenge! If someone is asking you tough questions, don't take it as an offensive approach. If it's clear they have done their homework, and their questions are relevant and well thought out, chances are they are just being as selective as you. This is a good thing, in particular if you are hiring sales people.
A strong, experienced salesperson will be very thorough in their due diligence process with a customer. They know how to separate a viable lead from a tire-kicker, and their inquisitive nature is a part of what makes them good in a consultative or solution sales role. You want the person driving revenues for your company objectively evaluating whatever opportunities are presented. This means you will be fielding deeper, broader, and sometimes exhaustive questions during the interview. Provided the questions are not repetitive or neurotic, this should give you a sense of comfort that they know how to flush out real clients.
2) When interviewing partner or VP level candidates for your young company, don't be afraid if you don't have all the answers. Chances are, they know you haven't got it all figured out yet, and there are some financial questions you cannot answer until further along in the process. This is also a good time to test a candidate's tolerance for risk. If they are unwilling to commit to the unknowns, likely they will not be able to handle the natural ups and downs of an early stage company.
Bidding Adieu!
1) Follow up in a timely fashion! Giving a candidate feedback or closure is something every candidate deserves, whether it's a first or final round. In the past five years it seems we have all come to expect less from the interview process. Current trends indicate that most people who interview and get passed over have no idea why they didn't get the job, and never hear from the company again. This is particularly confusing if they left the interview thinking they did very well, or received premature buying signals (i.e., a tour of the facility, copy of the corporate benefits packet, deep salary discussion, promise of another round) A complete lack of feedback is not helpful for the candidate and can leave them with a sour taste in their mouth. Giving a candidate some feedback immediately following the interview can go a long way to preventing confusion, multiple follow up calls/emails from them, or an ugly backlash that today's social media can easily assist.
2) The power of networking and "reporting" on bad experiences is not limited to word of mouth anymore. A candidate who was treated poorly during an interview, thought the process was unfair, or didn't receive closure following what seemed like a stellar interview may take their frustrations out on Facebook, YELP or some other social networking site where your other potential clients, vendors or candidates may visit to perform due diligence. If you are an officer of a company trying to hire for a very senior role, but you keep losing top candidates because your company is perceived as having poor hiring practices...well, you can see where this is going, right?
3) Ask your Human Resources department to set up a formal feedback policy, even if it's a two line email indicating the position has been filled, put on hold, or re-evaluated. For those candidates with whom you really enjoyed meeting and struck a great rapport, call them directly and let them know your decision, and why. You never know when you may need them in the future!
4) Look for a thank you note from your candidate. If you don't receive one, think twice about whether this is someone who is tuned into proper social cues and etiquette. Can you trust this person not to offend or alienate your best clients? Will they know how to treat their staff in a courteous and respectful manner? Will they be diplomatic in management meetings? These are all good questions to ask about your potential candidate. If you don't get a thank you note, email or follow up call, maybe there's a good reason...a very, very good reason, I hope.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)