Good Legs Get Better

With 23+ years’ expertise under the belt, you’d think by now one would have well established worthy business rhythms in place along with a confident, savvy grasp on the issues and solutions needed by customer audiences.  And on many levels you’d be right, given the ‘good legs’ that still exist within the traditional transactional business model in today’s world of recruitment.

However right now for me, I have my 2012 specs firmly in place because the trend machine is gathering force as we strive to navigate a demanding talent economy. It means that significant reframing is required and it is the agile and smart that will survive and thrive.  And the impact zone isn’t just industry focused. Changes are making their mark inside all businesses and with all employees alike.  Why?  New Zealand is facing talent shortages, plain and simple.

In recent employer discussions when reviewing the expected impacts of talent shortages, it was finally apparent that a shift in thinking in relation to sourcing and attracting talent is taking place, thank goodness.

According to the Deloitte Talent Edge New Zealand – 2012 report, 83% of CEO’s are concerned about the impact a lack of talent is/will have in their business.  And they are right to be concerned.  As a nation we have come through a phase of short term thinking being the key to survival, but now the art of the medium-to-long view is kicking in which means plans and preparation are needed.  And the good news? It isn’t as impossible as it sounds.

Case in point: A Frog client, having assessed expected turnover in key strategic roles over the coming twelve to twenty-four months decided to change their approach and actively develop and grow  a talent pipeline consisting of national and international ‘high impact/highly skilled’ individuals to form part of a future hiring community. Frog was approached to transplant one of our own social media savvy team on-site to develop and implement the plan. The results were outstanding.

• A talent pipeline of an initial 250 individuals was created and the future hiring community was born
• Communications were personal and well-constructed creating an authentic style
• A goal has been set to recruit 40% of key roles from within the community
• Cost savings in the short term were estimated at $250,000 on expected fees
• Cost savings are anticipated to increase to $600,000 over the next three years
• The project was handed to the client in-house team to manage with Frogs consultancy involvement falling into media suggestions and content when needed
• Short term/urgent recruiting occurred for 15 roles with 4 coming from the UK
• Competitive advantage was achieved with useful competitive market data
• Brand awareness became priceless, as they say

Given the outcomes of this successful problem solving it is important to note three of the key elements in play to create such impressive results:

Firstly, the acceptance by senior management that hiring high calibre talent to make strong impacts is vital to long term success. This activity is considered necessary and on-going.

Secondly, the traditional and at times long winded recruiting methodology of recent years could compromise an employer’s agility and responsiveness in this competitive world where the highly skilled are highly prized.

And finally, talent attraction and sourcing has moved light years away from the days of “I have the perfect person for your position” and morphed into a sophisticated range of problem solving capabilities such as marketing, employer brand management, social media channel communication, workforce planning, reputation management and talent solutions to name but a few.

These are the ’good legs’ in today’s recruiting environment – all aimed at assisting employers solve current and future talent dilemmas.

Evolving Past Jumping

Having settled into the rhythm of year we can’t help but feel upbeat about the year ahead even though economic signposts suggest that 2012 will be the mixed bag last year was.  We know there will be no shortage of challenges to keep the mind sharp and the messages we have been receiving are signalling an appetite for innovation and evolution.

For example, one challenge already taking up a high percentage of conversation time is in the area of position development and career pathways.  ‘How do we evolve the positions we have in place to keep them fresh, relevant, interesting and stimulating, and keep the high performers in our companies?’

Good question. From a Frog perspective, we have a strong positive culture that is creative, vibrant, success focussed and bold. Experimentation is encouraged and the team convey a sense of accountability, collegiality and community.  Our distinctive approach sees us achieve high performance levels [even during the GFC] and instincts are telling me that evolution is needed.

[Actually, it’s not only instincts…so too is the plethora of information we have digested recently about long term sustainability, the need for continual re-invention, the conundrum of adding value vs. being commoditised, how to remain relevant in times of chaos… the list goes on]

Another area signalling a change in mind-set is the increase in the requests for tailored recruitment solutions.   ‘Has the traditional recruitment model, having been around for a very long time, finally done its dash?’

Another good question. ‘For some companies, perhaps it has’, could be the answer. Whilst the traditional transactional approach ‘still has legs’ [as they say] we are seeing a strong demand for customised solutions. These solutions, designed with a company’s talent plans at the forefront of the process, sometimes evoke a response from our clients that is similar to the day one first used an iPad; logical, useful and contains elements of delight.

Given the new technology tools at our disposal, the addition of a forensic research expertise, real time reporting, partnering arrangements with some of New Zealand’s leading thought breakers in areas such as reputation building, HR coaching, talent engagement, management coaching that can be measured by bottom line results…we are not only upbeat, we consider all of 2012 to be… well, a leap year.

Knowing – The Simplexity of 2012

In recent weeks we have been digesting various predictions about the year ahead.  Some we have happily ignored e.g. one negative pundit’s tweet suggesting 2012 was already starting to look like ‘2011 Part II’.  Others we have nodded our heads to such as the idea of ‘simplexity’ discovered in Michael Fullan’s book ‘The Change Leader’, which sees organisations striving to achieve efficient, effective methods of delivery by unravelling the unnecessarily complex.

Using simplexity as the guide, we at Frog HQ believe a continuation of the themes that have been dominating talent economy thinking will remain firmly in place over the coming year: talent acquisition preparedness, talent risk management, leadership development, succession planning (‘hope is not a plan’) and increased use of analytics are to form part of the 2012 picture.

In fact, if anything, we predict the ‘war for other people’s talent’ will see battle lines more entrenched. Competition for talent, shortages of talent and the growing need for talent will drive this. 

And – it’s not about a general ability to find talent or woo candidates – it’s about the specific ability to tap into the pipeline of people with the right skills, right cultural fit, and right experience to be successful in a particular organisation.

Sound nerve-wracking? Well, here’s where simplexity pops up again; it all comes down to one concept – knowing.  Knowing where the organisation is headed, knowing the skills and behaviours required to get there, knowing your culture, knowing what success in each job role looks like, knowing where to find individuals who meet those needs, and knowing how to build relationships with them.

As the year progresses we look forward to introducing you to the latest products and services we have developed to assist you attract and retain distinctive talent.  As always, our guiding mantra is to not just think outside the box, but to act outside the box. 

It is with great enthusiasm and energy we enter the Year of the Dragon.  We are excited.

THAT QUESTION… How long should my CV be?

This is a question we are asked frequently. Very frequently!

It seems that there are various opinions about regarding length, so let’s cut-too-the-chase with our expert opinion.

Firstly, your CV is the document you use to convince a prospective employer that they should meet with you. To achieve this your CV needs to reflect ‘relevance’.  For a moment, put yourself into the employer’s shoes and consider the following:

• Is this a CV you would you expect to see in relation to the vacancy?
• Does the information presented give you comfort?
• Is it enough to convince you that the person is suitable for the position?

Sadly, for some reason, too many people believe that a one page CV is enough.  Now, if you are a Graduate or have no work experience, this is probably true… BUT if you have several or many years work experience you will be selling yourself short with a one page CV.

Bronwyn Stephens, a senior recruiter who heads up Frog’s CareerAgent Team had this to say on the topic; “We recommend a CV should be 3 – 5 pages in length, maximum.  As recruiters, when we read a CV we are looking for several things and need to be able to locate them quickly.”

Bronwyn makes the following points:

• 3 – 5 pages are ample. Eliminate waffle. A long CV can turn people off and may show that you have difficulty getting to the point.
• Don’t overcomplicate it. It’s about making it flow and easy to understand and read.
• Focus on the last 10 years and make sure the achievements are clearly noted
• Don’t forget your personal contact details (surprisingly, many people do!)

Justine Corbett, a recruiter of some 9+ years and who drives the Contractor Recruitment team at Frog had this to add: “A CV is your professional life story. It needs dates and it should use current terminology. It doesn’t need a cover page.”

When Bronwyn, Justine and the team are reading CV’s [which can arrive en mass via the internet] they look for the following:
1)    Achievements, dates and reasons for leaving
2)    Note your personal interests last
3)    A career summary can be very helpful. And from here comes bullet points on your areas of expertise.
4)    Make sure the information is relevant to the job
5)    Use system names that makes sense to the reader ( e.g. use ‘CRM System’ as opposed to an unfamiliar system name)

And finally a hint from Bronwyn and Justin who recommend that when you have written your CV give it to a friend to read and say;  “Read this CV once and tell me if you can understand what I have been doing for the last years and how well I did.”

Changing the World

Recently Frog Recruitment was approached by a university student, John Lorentz, to endorse his team entry into the Microsoft Imagine Cup 2011.

It is wonderful to see students trying to change the world for the better, and after reviewing what it was about, we have decided to endorse this project.

On John’s behalf we ask you [as a company or as an individual] to see what you think, and if you like the notion, please endorse also!

Project Introduction:
John Lohrentz is a 2nd year University student at The University of Auckland studying Finance & Law.

Last year his team was given the opportunity to enter an idea into the Microsoft Imagine Cup 2011 and through a series of eliminations [from 200 entries] John’s team made it into the Top 20 of the National Competition.  (www.microsoft.com/nz/imaginecup/home.aspx)

Over the past months the team has been working hard to translate the concept into a piece of software as an initial step to achieving the vision that drives this project.

The Project:
The project is centred around exploring a way of encouraging companies to be more socially responsible through generating a financial value and rating (like credit ratings) that reflects their responsible actions in terms of Profit.  The team believe that by illustrating the actual value of Socially Responsible actions of a firm, and rating the firm according to this value in relation to their bottom-line,  a number of substantive social and environmental problems can be improved.

By quantifying these values, the decisions of business leaders will be influenced towards a more socially innovative path – whatever nature that path may be for each business.  The focus is very much around encouraging businesses to act responsibly, to seek innovative future strategies, and to indulge in philanthropy WITHOUT compromising their bottom line or responsibility to shareholders.

Rationale:
Business has huge potential to positively contribute to society. While it already makes a significant impact, business practice does not maximize this potential. The vision the team hold is to enable businesses to make socially innovative decisions without the perceived economic and time costs.  By establishing a Social Value and Rating for decision makers, John and his team believe incremental and radical change in the thinking of those most effectively equipped to tackle the issues society is most concerned about, would occur.

Endorsement:
Like what you have heard? Why not add your name or company logo to the endorsement  list!

An endorsement does NOT require any financial obligation or further action on your part.  An endorsement means that your name OR organization logo will be added to the website: www.cyrussyrus.co.nz and will be shown at the stand in April 2011 at the Auckland University Business School where the idea is being showcased.   [Winners from this NZ round will be heading to New York to present their ideas to the world competition]

If you would like to learn more about the project, or have any comments or critique John would love to talk further with you.

Alternately, you can visit the website which they are in the process of developing: www.cyrussyrus.co.nz

Learning Pod in Action!

I have been commuting into Auckland from Orewa or nearby, for some 23 odd years. Over this time I have used various distractions to take my mind away from  the ‘drone of the drive’ which range from: loud loud music (this will NEVER go out of fashion in MY car) to classical singing training (5 years of this & some very perplexed stares from fellow commuters) to learning Spanish (short lived I’m afraid), arranged audio conference calls (many) to talk back (especially Marcus Lush) … am sure you get the picture…
 
In recent months I decided to enter a new communte-phase, turn my car into a ‘learning pod’ and spend time listening to audio business books.

To date I have tuned into 3 and loved every minute of it. The books range from several hours of listening time to 6 hours+

As expected, I tend to end up playing the same ones a couple of times so as not to miss the key messages (old age perhaps!?) but what an easy way to have the mind extended into the latest thinking on a particular topic.

Latest book in the earphones: ‘The Referral Engine’ by John Jantsch. Wall Street Journal, Inc magazine, and 800CEOREAD – have cited  this as a bestselling book and it’s well worth the download!

Perhaps business books are not your thing? No problem – here is a list of www.audible.com favourite books of the week…

  

  

  

  

Pondering Being Happy

As we look back over 2010, it’s no wonder we find ourselves saying; “Work sure has changed.”

Do you think back to a time when you dreamed of what you would be when you grew up? For me, it was to be a cowgirl complete with lasso [yep, true] – and this went on to dreams of being an artist or actor – only to settle upon teaching art for some years and now running my own recruitment company.

Yet, we live in times of change.  Upsizing, downsizing, re-engineering, retrenching, global expansion, directives from head office, contract work, temp assignments, career progression… it’s all on,  everyday.  You have to be a multi-tasker, multi-talented, have the patience of Ghandi, the focus of an army unit, and you must welcome change!

Research used to suggest that to be happy in our work we need to be busy and ‘stressed’ – and the more stressed we are in our job, the happier we were (!!??)

Recent stats show that when we are stretched in our work our happiness increases. And, in fact, health worries decline. It is considered vital to our emotional and economic wellbeing.

One thing that hasn’t changed – is that our careers, rewards, satisfaction and creating the dream job come down to us, you and me.

There is no doubt that in these times of change, we have even more opportunity to get busy and do something about taking control.  The big indicator for me has always been – ‘Do you bound out of bed in the mornings and look forward to work? Honestly?’

No certainties exist but the mind-set we need to develop is to think, think, and re-think about what we are doing and why.  One HR expert told me we spend more time comparing prices when buying a fridge for example, than we do on our own careers.  

Is this still true I wonder?

Information leads to questions…

In browsing the latest publication by the EEO Trust on ‘WorkLife: Creative ideas for a diverse workforce, Oct 2010’ we noted the following:

“Employers investing in career development and training for their people are creating confident, committed employees and versatile work forces and finding that they adapt successfully to change.”

Rod Oram also had the following comment:  “We are going to see rapid growth in interdependence and interconnectivity in the global economy, and the knock-on effects in New Zealand are that organisations will need to be flexible and more adaptable; people will have to embrace change.”

Add to this the sentiments conveyed in a recent FROG LIVE RADIO interview with Jane Davis, Talent Manager @ The Warehouse Group.  Jane confirmed the essential part senior managers play in being committed to the growth of their people and that with this is one area where the direction starts at the top and trickles down. 

From our perspective as recruiters we talk with a wide range of people daily who are feeling undervalued and under-enriched in their work environments.  These are people who want to love what they are doing and wish to thrive on the work they are involved with.

First Question…

“If tomorrow’s workforce is going to require more of staff, then is it time companies put in place some positive soul-searching and solution-seeking, designed to allow them to embrace and face the future with confidence?”

And a few more questions…

• How flexible is your work place, really? 
• How are you transitioning precious knowledge from older workers to younger workers?
• What emphasis do you place on clear concise and open communication?
• What mentoring programmes do you have in place? Who is involved?  Are you involved?
• Do the KPI’s of your senior staff include mentoring and coaching?
• When did you last step out of your comfort zone?
• How do you effectively spot great talent?
• Are you tapping into the full potential of your internal staff?
• What have you got in place to keep this talent stimulated and engaged?
• When did you last increase your training budget?
• Have you considered the impact of the aging workforce on your business?
• Is your company a talent magnet?
• Do you have a talent pipeline?
• Have you challenged any assumptions lately?
• Have you a workforce plan in place to look at the next 2 years +?

By no means an exhausted list – but it is clear that companies who operate with an eye on the future and are committed to creating organisations that are stimulating and productive -will be successful. No doubt about it.

Best Day of the Year, We Reckon!

Best Day of the Year, We Reckon

We discovered this year, with the two groups of 20 kids that came into see us on Work choice Day, that:

–          Some had never been into the city before. Or in an elevator.

–          With one school the teachers cried when they saw the obvious enthusiasm on the faces of the kids as they piled off the bus.  These were poor kids from poor homes who saw a glimpse of a positive future.

–          For some reason kids feel that once they start a career, they can never leave it!  This is where Work Choice Day works magic…

–          Some kids are just very shy.  Some aren’t.

–          Some kids are very chatty and hog the talking space… [gotta work out how to draw others out…]

–          The teachers were engaged.  In fact, they were quite taken aback… as they have not worked outside education so seeing ‘real live work in action’ was an eye opener for them too.

–          We remembered what it was like when we were 16; unsure, bullet proof, scared, proud, anxious, wanting to be cool, self-conscious 

–          We were ‘on a high’ after the kids left. The day left an indelible stamp on everyone’s minds. 

We came across a person recently – she was the eldest in her family and she went on Work Choice Day nine years ago.  She decided then that she wanted to go to university.  Her Mum and Dad said no.  She didn’t. She has never forgotten.

It helps shape thinking and helps kids to cross some career options off the list too.

It’s real, it’s in your face and we love to see its impact. 

[And yes, a Trustee of the WorkChoice Trust, a sponsor – we have been involved for 16 years and still thinks this is the best day of the year]

Virtual Meeting Etiquette

We’re connected! And given the interconnectedness of today’s world, particularly within the virtual environment, we thought it timely to consider how to maximise participation in virtual meetings.

The catalyst to this was the desire to improve the weekly meeting I have with a team member in Malaysia. Scheduled on Friday afternoons at 3pm – we in NZ are winding down from an energetic week but in Malaysia, there are still some hours to go before that feeling sinks in…

So in an effort to improve the quality of these interactions we decided to research some handy hints.  Luckily the internet provides screeds of advice, so we condensed some to make it simple. 

Etiquette
As you would agree, like all modes of communication, etiquette is important during virtual meetings to promote a professional and productive meeting regardless of whether on the phone or a webinars – so the first obvious comment to note is that  it is helpful to consider this interaction as though it’s a face-to-face interaction. 

And a few quick tips to more professional virtual meetings:

• Staying engaged: To ensure people are focused throughout a call, keeping them on their toes to decrease the amount of time they spend multitasking.  If you’re presenting, ask lots of questions and make calls as interactive as possible.
• Be organised: Send through a meeting agenda in advance. As attendees to come prepared with information they want to discuss in the meeting too. Not only will this help more people get involved, but it will also mean the meeting is likely to stay on track and not go off at tangents.
• Cut out the noise: You wouldn’t expect interruptions in a face-to-face meeting, so for those that are frequently on the move and have to take conference calls on the run, make sure conference details are included in the Outlook invitation, along with instructions to mute/un-mute their line to block out background noise.
• Seeing is believing: With technology opening up more doors than ever before, the ability to use web conferencing in conjunction with the telephone means that it’s possible to see people on webcams throughout the meeting too. Having some face-to-face time makes things far more personal.

Collaboration technology is making it easier than ever before to connect with clients, customers and colleagues, regardless of distance. Simple things such as muting your phone or minimising your email and instant messaging pop-ups will help you to have a more professional meeting.