Jobs @ Career Consulting Limited
Return to career-consulting-limited.com
People |
|
|
 |
How Hedgehogs Hire
In my last column, I explored Jim Collins' "hedgehog" principle, and how powerfully this can be used to attract great employees. After many dozens of CEO interviews, I'm convinced that leaders with well-defined hedgehogs deploy the most successful hiring models. Recent job growth figures mean that more firms are competing for the same talent. This causes additional pressure on us to determine how we can minimize attrition of our best people. I interviewed CEO's of successful small to medium-sized companies to find out how they are addressing this trend. They had to meet two criteria: First, they had to report consistent profitable growth for the last 3-5 years, and second, they had to demonstrate a serious passion for attracting and retaining good people. Rod Walker, President and CEO of Knightsbridge Technology, a consulting firm based in Chicago, meets the criteria. According to Walker, "recruiting the best talent is my number one priority. As we experience 41% CAGR, we've been challenging ourselves to attract premium people quickly while maintaining our culture." It's no wonder that Knightsbridge boasts a 15% voluntary turnover rate, much lower than today's services industry average of 25%. I also spoke with Janet Amirault, President of Software Consortium in Towson, MD. This firm provides strategic IT consulting services to clients such as Black& Decker, Sylvan Learning, and Marriott Corporation. They have delivered 15+% annual growth in the last 9 out of 10 years. Of the two good performers who resigned in the last year, both became corporate clients. These leaders shared common strategies: 1. Design the position first, then recruit. Amirault suggests, "Document the key knowledge, skills and behaviors that you need for every position." In my experience, many firms still rely on job descriptions to attract good people and skip this critical step. Some positions will always require certain credentials and education. What's often missing are the key behaviors you'll need to rapidly align this person with your company's culture, processes, and values. You'll also need to review your interview questions. For example, if you want to ensure this person has a commitment to lifelong learning (a behavior), how would you know? Amirault recommends that you "Ask very specific questions, such as 'what were the last two courses you enrolled in while you worked at ABC Company?" 2. Implement multiple candidate data collection methods. Consider personality surveys (such as PDP/Dynapro and Myers-Briggs) and external background checks (such as Kroll America). Most of these programs require less than 30 minutes of your time and may cumulatively cost less than $500. The investment is a fraction of the cost of one bad hire, which ranges from $100K in IT to millions for mortgage brokers. 3. Beef up your systems and enabling technology. According to John Walsh, President of Del Mar Database in San Diego, "Growing your own leaders can be a very effective strategy, but it requires very good business processes and technology. Internally promoted teams need better tools because of their lack of experience." The Mortgage Bankers Association projects a 47% IT capital budget increase in 2004--two thirds of which is slated to streamline processes for loan origination professionals. 4. Increase your commitment to consistently providing professional development. Knightsbridge invests over $1M annually in training and pays special attention to new hire and junior consultant development. That's nearly 3% of revenues. Software Consortium have shifted a solid percentage of their training budget from standard technical skills to leadership and sales disciplines. These great examples prove that if you treat your hiring system like gold, and your hedgehog is strong, you just may 'outfox' your competitors! Lisa Nirell is President of Nirell & Associates in Del Mar, CA. (http://www.nirell.com). She helps services leaders who create outstanding client experiences by attracting great employees. She recently completed a 10-month study of top performing services CEOs. For a free subscription to NirellNews and a Special Report on this study, call 858-481-8787, visit http://www.nirell.com, or email marketing@nirell.com. Please mention "ezinearticles.com" in your response and you may qualify for a free audio CD ($37 value) on profitable growth strategies.
MORE RESOURCES: Careers and Jobs at CRS Catholic Relief Services Your career level Continental Governor Newsom releases new framework to create high-paying career pathways with and without four-year degrees Office of Governor Gavin Newsom Looking for work? These industries are expected to see major growth in Tennessee - Commercial Appeal Careers UNCO News Central Jobs- Legacy Energy.gov California nixes degree requirements for 30K state jobs Higher Ed Dive US Department of Labor announces latest actions to secure sustainability of Job Corps program US Department of Labor Careers | Career Opportunities West Virginia University Jobs, inflation, and the Fed: How they're all related Yahoo Finance Working for ICE U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Newsroom Careers at TWU Texas Woman's University Jobs City of Rochester (.gov) Calif. Master Plan for Education Includes Digital 'Career Passport' Government Technology Careers | Home USDA.gov US Department of Labor awards $99.3M in grants to support training, job services to prepare young people to succeed in high-demand careers US Department of Labor Employment | Department of Corrections Governor Tom Wolf Jobs and Training at FDA FDA.gov Start your career journey with Illinois, a top leader in research, teaching, and public engagement University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Draw your own chart game: how well do you know the jobs market? Financial Times Jobs at Liberty University Liberty News Aligning workforce development with changing industry needs World Economic Forum Career Opportunities UMHB Careers at University of Missouri Health Care | University of Missouri Health Care jobs University of Missouri Health Care Careers BASF Careers at Union | Human Resources Union College Careers Washington State University Healthcare Jobs at Novant Health | Novant Health Novant Health Nursing jobs VA.gov Home | Veterans Affairs Work At Chess.com Chess.com Our People: Associate Experiences and Paths to Opportunity Walmart Corporate Careers at Prairie View A&M University Prairie View A&M University Work for Us (U.S. National Park Service) National Park Service US added a strong 227,000 jobs in November in bounce-back from October slowdown The Associated Press UF Health Careers UF Health - University of Florida Health Careers with Lexington Police Department City of Lexington, Kentucky (.gov) Working at Siemens Energy: Careers & Job Opportunities Siemens Energy Job Opportunities Bellevue School District Careers Medline Careers S&P Global Careers KPMG Internship Opportunities | BCG Boston Consulting Group India's job market projected to grow 9% in 2025 The Economic Times Careers at Jacobs Jacobs Jobs report on eve of election will be among the most muddled in years The Associated Press Job vacancies at the EUDA European Union Students and graduates JPMorgan Chase Constellation to Launch Crane Clean Energy Center, Restoring Jobs and Carbon-Free Power to The Grid Constellation Energy Tourism to see 61 lakh new jobs in 10 years Deccan Herald US employers added just 12,000 jobs last month as hurricanes and strikes sharply reduce payrolls The Associated Press Highest-Paying Engineering Careers in 2024 University of North Dakota How To Use AI To Find A Job Forbes Job Openings Continue to Fall as the Labor Market Slows | Economy | U.S. News U.S. News & World Report 80+ Psychology-Related Careers to Consider Verywell Mind 10 Things They Don't Tell You About Your First Job U.S News & World Report Money Mental health at work World Health Organization Careers Gwinnett County Public Schools 5 Hot Jobs for MBA Graduates | Best Graduate Schools | U.S. News U.S. News & World Report JobFeed NSW Department of Education Careers City of Norfolk (.gov) Careers at King County King County ANU council members say Bell’s second job was never mentioned The Australian Financial Review Apply for a Job - The City of Vancouver, WA KCMO Career Center | CITY OF KANSAS CITY | OFFICIAL WEBSITE City of Kansas City (.gov) Careers City of Somerville IT sector to witness 15-20% growth in job opportunities in 2025: Report Business Standard Careers Penn State University Careers UTSA Today Careers City of Fort Worth Employment University of South Carolina Careers @ UO University of Oregon Careers at the ICR The Institute of Cancer Research ADM Job Openings Unlocking Nature. Enriching Life. | ADM Career Opportunities University of Houston Career Services Wake Tech Newsroom Current Job Postings City of Windsor Careers at Florida State | Office of Human Resources Florida State University UH Careers University of Houston Careers at UHD UHD Current Job Openings Pinellas County |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Searching for an IT Job Looking for an IT job is one of the easiest to perform due to the incredibly high demand in the IT field. As the Internet grows, corporations network through Intranets - even the advancement of science has the demand for anyone with IT skills at an all time high. Ten Things About Your Career Development There are some tactics you can action whatever you wish for from your career. Whatever you might think right now, you have all the tools you need for a career which give you joy and fulfilment. Salary Negotiation Secrets Revealed Before you go into the interview, it is important to know what salary you want, what you need to live on, and what you will be prepared to accept. Spend some time working out your budget. Your First Job "Your first job is an extension of your education"Fresh out of college. Loads of dreams. 5 Tips for Customizing your Resume Gone are the days of the bland, generic one-page resume. Employers these days are more impressed by a resume that is customized and they tend to give jobs to interviewees that have a bit of knowledge about the company. Rev-Up Your Network! Whether you are looking for a job, new clients or feel the need to expand your list of professional contacts, networking is the answer.So what are you saying to yourself right now? "Yuck, I hate networking. Offer Letter Limbo Recently we concluded the placement of a Senior Sales Representative for a publicly traded company. The role was ripe with potential as the company products were being widely embraced by current and new customers. Career Change - Creating Wealth & Happiness Whether you have a business idea or not, here's what I want you to do?I want you to take a pen and paper and go and sit somewhere quiet in your home where you will not be distracted. Get comfortable. Updating Your Plum Job Now That Youre a Parent It's startling to discover how having kids changes the way you see the world. Just compare your "before kids" vs. Settling Successfully Into Your New Job The euphoria of getting a new job can sometimes be overcome by apprehension about what comes next. After all, you're "the new kid on the block," and there's much to learn--about your new job duties and much more. Job Search Lessons From The Super Bowl The Super Bowl is a game but, like sports in general, it offers useful life lessons that we can take with us . . If Youre Fired, Will Past Employers Keep Your Secret? Despite what some job seekers think, it is not illegal for former employers to tell reference checkers that you were fired. They can say anything they want as long as it's true. Interview Tips, How to Get the Job You Want Enter into a state of relaxed concentration. This is the state from which great basketball players or Olympic skaters operate. 3 Cover Letter Secrets Revealed Writing a cover letter can be like cleaning your garage -- you don't know where to start .. How to Tell if You are Fired and Just Dont Know It No one should be fired and be surprised about it. There are always warning signs. How To Get That Promotion If you're looking for that promotion or pay rise then you'll need to be noticed by your employer, so here's a few tips to stand out from the crowd:Have a Friendly & Positive attitude towards Everyone you come into contactProvide Service and treat Everyone as your customerBe Professional at all timesAlways look for extra work, especially when others are ducking for cover to avoid itWatch what your colleagues are doing, copy from the ones who are receiving praise for their efforts but learn to do it better than them, while avoiding doing what your "lazier or negative" colleagues are doingBe a Thinker and offer suggestion on how to do things better and more efficientlyPlan and follow your planDon't Procrastinate, do what needs to be done NOW!!Think ahead, when ask to do A & B, do C as wellAnticipate the next question and provide the answer before you're askedDress and Act as if you were already in the position you want to reachGo to lunch with successful people and learn from themDon't be afraid to ask questions and ask for helpAvoid Office PoliticsBe an Individual while being a team playerLearn everything about your company and productsFollow these tips and you won't need to ask for a promotion or extra money, it will happen automatically.Garry Munro is a successful consultant, speaker & coach. The Organized Job Search Many people, under financial or other pressures to find work quickly, feel they can't afford to take the time to get organized. On the other hand, conducting your job search in an organized manner will reduce the amount of time you spend looking for information, following inappropriate leads, or waiting for your dream job to fall into your lap. The Top Ten Strategies of A Great Interview You've just received a call to interview with your dream company. Do you know how to prepare for the interview so that you'll feel confident, have a good experience and set yourself apart from others? Try following the steps below and you'll not only be well prepared, you'll present yourself as a true professional. Effective Resumes A resume is normally the first contact point between an employer and a job seeker. It serves the purpose of providing a summary of why a candidate is suitable for a job (cover-letter) and his relevant qualifications/experience. To Get Hired or Get Promoted, Attitude Is The Key When you're looking to get hired or get promoted, what do you think is your most important asset? Your experience? Knowledge? Skill? Talent?While all of those are advantages that will help you achieve your goals, there's one thing that's more important than all of them combined.Your attitude!I attended a board meeting recently.
|
|
|
| © Career Consulting Limited.com 2011
|