Here at J. Patrick & Associates, we utilize many recruiting models to perform searches. One method includes doing a retained search for the hiring firm.  And when a retained search agreement is in place at J. Patrick & Associates, many things have to happen. 

A retained search is typically executed for upper management, or executive-level positions.  These include CEOs, Marketing Managers, CFOs, etc.  These are lofty hiring decisions; potential candidates must be very experienced and have a résumé to prove it. 

When J. Patrick & Associates initiates a retained search, we dedicate ourselves to a time commitment extending far beyond that of any other type of recruiting model.  Considering that we are searching for an extremely highly-qualified candidate with impeccable credentials, we painstakingly sift through vast quantities of résumés to determine who survives the cut.  Once we’ve found potential candidates, he or she must first undergo a phone interview that usually takes 45 minutes to an hour.

A candidate whose résumé may not be that strong might truly shine during the phone interview and in turn, show that they are a strong candidate for the position.  According to Daniel Sullivan, CEO of J. Patrick + Associates, this happens more often than you would think. This moves them from bottom of the barrel to the top.

The first step in performing a retained search is to negotiate the retainer fee.  The reason for this is because filling a key or c-level position is usually critical to the success of the organization.  The retainer fee is a percentage of the total engagement fee, and is paid up front.  It represents a promise from both sides.  For the hiring firm, it indicates that that they are serious about finding that perfect candidate.  For J. Patrick + Associates, it means that we put the needs of the hiring firm ahead of all other obligations.  Furthermore, it means that we will undertake the retained search with all our available resources.

Many hiring companies wonder how long a retained search will take. Put another way, when can the interview process begin?  While we can’t always say exactly how long the process will take, we can promise that we are most definitely not the bottleneck in the process.  Remember, as long as your firm has the retainer in place, J. Patrick + Associates will work around the clock to source the best candidates available for your organization.

When a hiring firm decides to work with J. Patrick + Associates and elects to conduct a retained search, it takes precedence over all other ongoing operations.  When you need to fill a critical position, rely on the dedicated, experienced, and expert team at J. Patrick + Associates to find the right person for the job.

As early as 2010, telecom experts were predicting a wave of consolidation throughout the industry, particularly in the case of small and medium-sized firms.  As the market continues to improve globally, the pace of mergers and acquisitions has also accelerated.  What has this meant for telecom hiring practices? One might expect the number of job opportunities available for experienced telecom professionals to contract due to the effects of consolidation, as newly merged entities optimize their workforce and seek to enhance profitability.  However, the result has been the opposite.

How are the Hiring Habits for Manager Changing

More Demand for Candidates

In fact, the effects of consolidation have been paradoxical, though they can be explained at least in part by the effects of other forces currently transforming the telecom industry.  Likely driven by an ever-increasing demand for mobile broadband, many telecom companies are trying to fill more positions rather than less.  This is especially the case in the area of sales engineering and sales engineering management.  What we are witnessing is the development of a new set of hiring practices within the industry as firms compete for a limited supply of ‘traditionally’ sought-after candidates.  Does this mean that it’s a seller’s market for the job seeker? Not necessarily, but recognizing these trends can give candidates a distinct advantage in their job hunts. 

Increased Focus on Attitude

What it means for the prospective employer looking to grow his or her workforce is that it is increasingly clear that they are unlikely to find that “perfect” candidate on paper--the person who has earned the degree from the right school, has worked at all the right places, and has built a long track record of work experience--making them tailor-made for the position they want to fill.  Instead, hiring managers are increasingly focused on aptitude and attitude, rather than experience and skill sets, as criteria driving the hiring process.

As a job seeker, how can you take advantage of these new industry trends?

To help answer that question, we caught up with Ben Edmond, an experienced telecom professional and currently the Chief Revenue Officer of Global Capacity, a leading provider of network connectivity.   Mr. Edmond agreed to provide us with some insights regarding the changing employment landscape in the telecom industry.

Since the 2008 financial crisis, what changes have you seen to telecom hiring practices?

We have seen telecom hiring at larger firms go through significant downsizing and change.  However, at the small to midsize network providers such as Global Capacity, we have seen a strong hiring focus that not only seeks to identify whether the candidate has the required skillsets, but also looks to assess whether the candidate fits the firm’s culture, pace and direction. Finding and retaining high-quality, talented individuals remain one of the highest priorities for telecom firms, including Global Capacity.

Do these changes seem to take hold more aggressively in any particular departments?

My view is that IT and sales seem to be the most aggressive departments with respect to seeking talent. In both cases, there is a strong focus on recruiting and bringing aboard the right team members--it’s mission-critical.

How has this affected the metrics used at Global Capacity to assess a candidate’s ‘fit’ for a position?

Increasingly, the hiring practice is a combination of traditional interviewing coupled with validation points to assess whether the candidate has the capabilities we are seeking.  For example, this may be a demonstrated win, and the documented process of how that win happened, or it could be project implementation proof points. In addition to these validation points, we as well as others use tools to test aptitude and personality.  These metrics are then incorporated into the overall candidate fit analysis.  

What advice would you give a telecom job seeker looking for senior or otherwise executive-level employment?

Talk to executives in small, medium and large telecom firms. Seeking employment at an executive level starts and ends with the network of people that you know, either personally or professionally, and leveraging them to help identify opportunities.  Look  not only for positions that happen to be available, but that are suited for your skills.  This helps differentiate you from a large pool of potential job seekers.  In addition to networking strictly within telecom, understand and explore affiliated industries such as data centers, private equity, hardware, IT services, and the application industry.  All of these present different avenues to gain knowledge or identify an opportunity to leverage telecom skills and apply them to a new business.

Here at J. Patrick + Associates, we use many recruiting models to perform searches. One of our methods involves conducting a contingency search for businesses.  In other words, our firm will only collect a fee if our client hires the professional candidate that we have presented to them.

If your firm prefers that JP+A finds your potential candidates through a contingency agreement, we must first see if it makes sense for us to work together.  If you meet all the criteria that we believe will make for a good match, then we can start talking business. 

Many recruiting firms conduct contingency searches, but their preferred candidates often don’t get the job.  This leaves the recruiting firm with an empty pocket.  After all of that hard work by the recruiters, in the end they have nothing to show for it.

Through trial and tribulation, J. Patrick + Associates have become one of the top recruiters in their specified industries.  In the past, J. Patrick + Associates have had their fair share of contingency searches go awry.  As a result, J. Patrick + Associates now charge an up-front fee.  Over time, we have established ourselves very well in the recruiting world, and we are highly sought-after as a top commodity. 

J. Patrick + Associates are definitely worth the investment.  We provide our clients with some of the best candidates available, as well as an incredible amount of experience, expertise, and professionalism.  Once we work out the terms of the contingency agreement together, and the up-front fee is paid, your company becomes our top priority and we push you all the way to the front of the line.  This gives your firm a huge advantage, shortens your flash-to-bang time, and positions you to interview the strongest candidates that J. Patrick + Associates have in the pipeline.

You just had the big interview for your dream job and you did everything you could to prepare for it.  You thought about what to say, what not to say, how to say it, what to wear, and anything else that you could think of.  Now, just like that, it’s all over.  So what’s next?

Firm Handshake

Just because you’ve finished interviewing doesn’t mean that you’re home free.  On the way out, don’t forget to give the interviewer a firm handshake while making direct eye contact.  It shows the interviewer that you are confident and makes a great parting impression. 

Capture Your Thoughts

One useful technique after an interview is to have pen and paper handy.  Capture your thoughts about the interview as soon as possible, while they are still fresh.  Think about what went well and what you can do better next time.  Examples of something helpful to put on paper are questions that you had a hard time answering during the interview.  If you didn’t know the answer to a particular question, write it down and look up the answer so you can be prepared the next time.

Thank the Interviewer

Once you get back to your home/office, do not forget to give the interviewer a call and thank them for the interview.  This is another professional touch that will help to keep you at the forefront of their mind.

Don't Get Overconfident

Also, don’t get overconfident.  A great interview does not always mean a job offer.  Keep applying to other jobs; it will help you keep hungry, focused and sharp. And, in the case that something does not work out, you are going to want a plan ‘B’.

Follow-Up

If you haven’t heard from the interviewer within four to five days of the interview, follow-up with a phone call.  Find out if they have made a decision.  If they are still deciding, this will let them know that you are eager to work and excited for the opportunity.

Make a Decision

Congratulations! You’ve received a job offer!  But hold your horses.  Before you accept it, take a moment and think hard about what you’re being offered.  Is the salary everything you wanted?  Is it a good location for you?  Are the colleagues the kind of people with whom you want to work?  Is it a pleasant work environment?  Are there any bonuses or perks?  How about a pension or health care?   Once you’ve done a thorough analysis, then it’s time to make your decision.

On the other hand, you might not land the job.  Don’t let this discourage you. In fact, use it to your advantage.  Don’t hesitate to give the interviewer a call and find out why you weren’t their top pick.  Take this information for what it’s worth and use it to help improve your performance during your next interview. 

Every day at J. Patrick + Associates, we see first-hand the intense competition in the job market.  Trust us in saying that anything you can do to help your chances is definitely something you should do. 

One of the most important recruiting tools in the JP+A tool kit is LinkedIn Recruiter.  The tool enables our recruiters to find the right candidate for the job almost 100 percent of the time.

Your LinkedIn profile is something that you shouldn’t take lightly--you never know who could be around the corner looking at your profile.  In fact, it could be the employer of your dreams looking for that certain someone to bring on board.

There are many different items you could add to your LinkedIn profile.  But which ones are the most important?

How to Optimize Your LinkedIN profile 

For starters you’ll want to add a professional picture. This is often the first thing that draws in potential employers.  Remember, once it’s out there, anyone can see it. If it is inappropriate for your industry, chances are you will not be hearing from any recruiters or hiring managers.

Another must-have in your LinkedIn profile is a detailed professional summary. Don’t be afraid to showcase your areas of expertise and other skills in which you excel.  If a hiring manager or recruiter stumbles upon your profile and your summary is top notch, they’re likely to be very optimistic when viewing the rest of your profile.

This next tip may be the most important.  When building your LinkedIn profile, don’t skimp on the job descriptions.  Detail, detail, detail! Let everyone know what you did, how you did it, and when you did it.  Many times the recruiters at J. Patrick + Associates have come across profiles that list high-ranking, important, even mission-critical jobs.  Unfortunately, all too often there’s just not enough information there to connect them with the job requirements that the recruiters must fill.

Also, your educational background is a fundamental component of a complete and professional LinkedIn profile.  Ensure that you enumerate and describe all the degrees that you have earned.  Listing your colleges may also help in another way: if the recruiter or hiring manager sees that you went to the same college as they did, it’s frequently a leg up.

On LinkedIn, just as in the old-fashioned bricks-and-mortar job hunt, you must connect with people.  Connecting in LinkedIn is extremely important; it helps you distribute your profile and your personal brand throughout the LinkedIn network. 

Furthermore, ask your contacts to endorse you.  Endorsements, like references, serve to showcase your capabilities as a professional and your desirable qualities as a person.  People trust and value people who are already trusted and valued by others.

Speaking of reputation management, are there any articles that talk about you in a positive light? For that matter, have you published any articles showcasing your experience and expertise?  If so, definitely add these to your LinkedIn profile.  Publications that showcase your abilities and past success could be the tipping point that gets you on a future employer or recruiter’s short list.

Last but not least, provide your contact information.  Be as complete as possible. Whether it’s an email address, phone number, both, or more, remember that LinkedIn is your tool to connect with potential employers. You can’t harness the power of the Internet without connecting - and nothing is more frustrating for a recruiter than a possible candidate that cannot be contacted.  While a recruiter or hiring manager could certainly send you an inbox message via LinkedIn, don’t let this be your primary means of contact.

LinkedIn has grown to become one of the most important business social media sites in the world today, and it is only getting bigger.  With around 225 million users (and growing) you have to do all you can to stand out from the crowd.

To succeed on a test, exam, or in a sporting event, you must practice diligently and prepare yourself for anything that comes your way.  An interview is nothing different. There are many things you should do before an interview; the last thing you want to do is show up unprepared.  If you do, you’re making it easy for the hiring manager to disregard you and focus his or her attention on other candidates. Here’s a list of a few things you should do before heading into a big interview:

5 Things to do Before an Interview

1. Learn About The Company

Bottom line: the more you know the better. Researching your potential employer is absolutely something you should do prior to the interview. Demonstrating that you are interested in a company sends strong signals about your initiative and commitment. If you can show the hiring manager that you have previous knowledge of the company before he or she even tells you anything, you’re already a step ahead of all the other candidates. If you can tell the employer something they don’t know about their own company, it could work wonders.

2. Dress For Success

The clothes make the man, as they say.  Dress the part. Dress how you would if you were already starting your first day.  It’s a fact that in today’s world if you don’t look up to par, most employers will rule you out in their minds before you even start talking.  Create a winning first impression. Go the whole nine yards: get the haircut, shine the shoes, and get the suit pressed. You only get one chance to make a first impression.

3. Know Yourself – Look Over Your Resume

This is one of the top things that people don’t do and I don’t understand why.  People seem to think that once they place an achievement on their resumes, they can forget about it.  But actually, the exact opposite is true; once you put an item on your resume, learn it and be prepared to expand on it.  Express your strengths and what you could bring to the table as an employee.

4. Have Questions Ready

This is a must.  Take some time and really figure out what you want to know when you’re interviewing. If it’s true that only boring people are bored, then only uninteresting people are uninterested in their potential employers. Don’t send that signal.  If you don’t ask any questions, some employers will assume that you’re not interested in their company. Don’t be afraid. Think about what really matters to you about the particular position and firm you’re interviewing with. Dig deep and ask about the different facets of the company and/or the job position.

5. Get A Good Night’s Sleep

Once you’ve done all the above and prepared for your interview, it’s time to get a good night’s sleep.  Some people are up all night worried or anxious before going to that job interview they’ve been waiting for so long.  But, you have to relax and get some rest. Fatigue can cause you to lose focus, slow you down, and make you forgetful.  Get some sleep and don’t let a bad night cancel out all you’ve done-you’ve worked too hard to get your foot in the door.

The most important thing to do in an interview is to make a positive, lasting impression.  If a hiring manager doesn’t find you memorable, chances are slim that you’ll get the job.  But, paying attention to details and doing little things could go a long way towards landing you the job of your dreams.  Are you ready to sit down and learn?

Have a Plan            

First of all, have a plan. I always say, people who fail to plan, plan to fail. This starts with doing your homework.  Proper preparation is the key to achieving success at every step of your career.  So, it should be a no-brainer that before the interview you should learn everything you can about the company and the person interviewing you. One useful technique is to read the LinkedIn profile of your interviewer.  This is a great way to get some information about the person’s background, hobbies, or other things that you may have in common. People like to work with people they like. Sharing a story or anecdote about a mutual interest during an interview will not only help break the ice, but could really leave a positive, and long lasting impression.

Practice, Practice, Practice

Practice makes perfect. This is something we always hear growing up and successful interviewing is no exception.  Repetition works. Rehearse answers to likely questions so you’ll be prepared when they come up during the interview.  The smooth delivery of an intelligent, thoughtful, and well-articulated answer to a key question is another opportunity for you to really impress the interviewer.

Dress Well

Here’s another easy tip--dress for success.  Dress the way you would if you were already starting your first day – better yet, dress to impress. This is your chance to create a winning first impression. Looking good when you arrive goes a long way towards making a positive, lasting impression.  The opposite is also almost always true.  So, if you dress like a slob you’ll make an impression as well, but definitely not the kind you want.

Be Confident

As you walk into the interview room, carry yourself with confidence and poise. Hold your head held high.  Think of it this way--most people didn’t even get the opportunity to interview, but you did.  You should be proud of this. Don’t be afraid to show that you are sure of yourself and your abilities.  Confidence is the key to making a positive, lasting impression.  Assert your strengths and showcase them during the interview. Show the interviewer that you’re not just capable and personable, but that you’re the person they want for the job.

Leave a Lasting Impression

Let me offer one final tip--one that many people don’t really know about.  After an interview, leave something behind.  Now I’m not saying you should bring the interviewer a box of chocolates. Compliment the interviewer on their office, a photo, or something unique about the experience.  This little something will help you stay on their mind once you’ve gone.

What Are the Most Sought After IT Positions?

                Today’s world is driven by technology and the only way to succeed and prosper within it is to evolve and innovate.  IT infrastructure, Internet accessibility and a strong web presence are all essential to the successful modern-day business.  It is for this reason that IT jobs are quickly becoming some of the most import jobs available.  J Patrick and Associates specializes in the placement of these highly sought-after individuals.  Leveraging years of experience and expertise within IT recruiting, our company finds the best candidates to fill today’s critical IT positions, including:

1)      Project Managers

-          Project Managers are brought in to oversee all the operations and make sure everything is running smoothly.  These IT Project Managers are tech-savvy as well and they help to get the motor running so that work is completed efficiently and effectively, within the specified time and budget parameters.  Having a good project manager will impact your business positively in the long run.

-          Average Salary: $98,000

2)      Software Engineers and Developers

-          Software Engineers and Developers are the heart and soul of any computer-based company. Nowadays, these types of positions typically require a Computer Science degree; any potential candidate would be hard-pressed to find a job without it.  Considering that they create “grounds that everyone else walks upon”, hiring managers must be completely sure that they have hired the right people to take on this important task.

-          Average Salary: $85,000

3)      Business and Systems Analyst

-          These are two of the most sought-after IT positions because they involve setting goals and objectives based on numbers.  Business and Systems Analysts are also business-minded: they are in charge of setting business strategies and forecasting future projections.  Business and Systems Analysts are also in charge of keeping a close eye on the market in order to monitor and implement technical innovations and technological advances. 

-          Average Salary: $78,000

4)      Web Developers

-          Web developers are highly sought-after professionals.  As ‘behind the scene’ people, Web developers are proficient in various types of software.  Being tech-savvy coupled with resourcefulness and imaginations enables them to fluently design websites to be user-friendly, creative and engaging.  Without them, your company wouldn’t have essential web presence, limiting its marketability and thus negatively affecting its bottom line.

-          Average Salary: $77,000

 5)      Computer Programmers

-          Computer programmers are in charge of the everyday computer tasks.  Including design, writing, testing, debugging, and maintenance of computer program source codes.  They are highly proficient in innovative technologies, software, hardware, and programming languages.

-          Average Salary: $72,000

When it’s time to hire a new employee, you want to select the best one possible.  Hiring the wrong person is extremely costly and no business can afford to make that mistake.  Considering this, many companies decide to use a staffing agency or a recruiting firm to help fill critically positions in the organization.

The problem is that few companies do their homework.  Companies usually choose the firm that’s first on their mind instead of choosing the right staffing agency.  This is not good, at all.  Given the risks of wrong-hiring it is crucial to evaluate a recruiting firm before deciding to do business with them.  The fact of the matter is that when you use a recruiting firm to get an employee, you pay a commission to that recruiting firm.  If you are using the wrong recruiting firm for your needs, chances are, you will get the wrong employee as well.  This is just like throwing a lot of money out your window, so it’s vital to use the right hiring firm for the job.

Another significant factor when selecting a recruiting firm is trust.  You must be able to place trust in the firm your hire. This is especially important because you are sharing confidential information with them that you wouldn’t just share with anyone.  Also, the recruiter should have a proven track record of success.  A good thing to ask is “how many years have you been recruiting?”  The reason you should ask this is because if they’ve been doing it for many years, then it means they are successful. It’s a competitive world out there and a recruiting firm wouldn’t keep someone around if they weren’t doing a good job. 

If you work in HR and/or you’re the person that makes hiring decisions, recruiting firms and hiring staffing agencies are great ways to get the people you need for the job.  If you really sit down with these specialist firms and ask them enough questions you’ll see if they’re right for the job or not.  Let’s face it, every recruiting firm is going to try and get your business, it’s your job to evaluate if they are the right one for you.

Wait, there’s a special way I’m supposed to be reading a job description? 

Of course, there is!

There’s a special madness to everything in this world.  You could be reading the wrong things, or reading the right things in the wrong way.

How to Properly Read a Job Description:

Be Aware of Templated Descriptions

First of all, when you’re looking at a job description, here’s one thing to keep in mind.  Most of the job descriptions are templates that hiring managers or HR have in their holsters ready to fire out to find job candidates.  If the template needs refining, they simply apply some minor changes to the description before posting it wherever need be. This one-size-fits-all approach can be a source of confusion as sometimes the job roles may actually be different than what is detailed in the job description.

Do Not Adjust Your Resume Description

Candidates sometimes make the catastrophic mistake of adjusting their resume to fit a job description: Absolutely-DO NOT do this.  If you’re going to adjust your resume, make changes based on the job requirements, not the job description.  The job requirements are the very heart of the position the employer seeks to fill and provide the most useful information that a job seeker needs.  

Most job postings break down into two parts.  First is the narrative, the job description. This is the first thing you read and is usually communicated in broad and general terms.  The second is the job requirements. These are most often found towards the end of the posting. These are typically bulleted and straight to the point.  

Focus on Job Requirements

The job requirements are the most important set of information in the job description.  

Why?  

Because this is the information that the hiring manager sends HR to let them know what they need.  HR then takes this list and puts it right into the requirements, with the first couple of points generally being the most important to the hiring manager.

If you focus on the requirements, you should get a good grasp of what’s needed to succeed in the position.  The rule of thumb is that if you match up to at least 75% of the requirements you should apply for the job.  

Final Thoughts

The best advice that I could give someone is to really break down the description and compare it to your skill sets. If the match looks suitable, then hey, go for it. If you’re still not sure, don’t be afraid to call or email to find out more about the job.