Neil Hernandez's Blog

Electronic Sign Your Documents Through Echo Sign

Done are the days of faxing or using paper for agreements. There's this company I found out that allows you and the other party to review and sign documents and agreements all online and electronically. It's called Echosign. Their website is: http://www.echosign.com/. Haven't fully tested it yet, but if they are as good as advertised, it is just another tool use to speed up and make business easier.

Affiliate, Importer, Exporter: some important definitions in the world of virtual recruiting

The recruiting world is being defined all the time. I'd like to write this blog post to  give my definition of the word "affiliate", "importer", and "exporter" in the world of virtual recruiting.

Consider the following example.

Let's say you are an agency (Agency A). Agency A has a job to fill and you need candidates to fill the job. Agency A has two main options in finding candidates. They can either try to fill it on their own - with their own recruiting staff and resources. Or Agency A can seek the services to use the services of another firm or individual to help them in their search for candidates. This other firm or individual, I'll call Agency B.

So in the example above, Agency A is an affiliate to Agency B. At the same time Agency B is an affiliate to Agency A. They are affiliates to each other because, they are using another entity to either help find candidates (Agency B) or to find a job requirement that needs to be filled (Agency A)

The entity that has the job is called the importer. Agency A is the importer in the example above, because they are the ones providing the job that needs to be filled.

Agency B is the exporter because they are the one providing candidates for the job.

JobDiva.com

www.JobDiva.com.... another all-in on recruiting tool that a recruiter recommended to me.

Steps on how to approach a position filled with so much technical jargon

Step 1 try to find 3 or 4 key points for the position. For this job, here are 3 or 4 key points that I have found for example in trying to fill a hard to fill Scientist position

1) Does the candidate have: A Ph.D. degree with 3+ years of academic,post-doctoral or pharmaceutical industry experience; an MS degree with 5+ years of pharmaceutical industry experience; or a BS degree with 8+years of pharmaceutical industry experience. Degrees with a life science concentration required, with a preference for concentrations in chemical engineering or chemistry

2) Experience with the management of external scientific activities and CRO/CMO relationships

3) -Experience with modeling complex, physicochemical systems; data analysis; statistical design of experiments; QbD concepts, and fluency with common physical property and process modeling tools (Aspen, Dynochem, Matlab, etc.)

Step 2 I would then physically scan the resume to see if he meets the 3 or 4 key points. If he does or at least to your best ability appear to match the key points, I then goto step 3

Step 3 Email or physically call the candidate and ask him to respond to Step 1 questions.

Step 4  Ask the candidate his opinion on why or why not he fits the position.

Step 5 Based on the candidate's response to Step 3 or Step 4 I would then make the best possible decision on wheter to forward him to the next step

Step 6 - If you feel all this is too much work, you can always ask for help or you can always work on another req. No shame on either one.

WHAT WILL IT TAKE TO MAKE MONEY AS A VIRTUAL RECRUITER?

A virtual recruiter only get's paid if they make a job placement. In this increasingly virtual and instantaneous world, companies don't rely only on one source to find candidates. More and more they are relying on their network and affiliations to fill the positions. More companies are able to obtain candidates quicker than in the past because of the speed and connectivity of the world. In this Internet world, a good virtual recruiter can find candidates quicker - but so can everyone else. It takes more submittals than in the past to actually place a candidate.

Thus, our experience tells us that a virtual recruiter will need to submit anywhere from 30-40 candidates a month (or 1-2 a day) in order to make a placement and make any kind of money for the month. Anything, less than hitting those submittal numbers will make it increasingly difficult to make money in this field. If you are willing to work at that kind of pace and productivity, then this opportunity may be for you!

Numbers Game

I attended a sales training program over 10 years ago. The trainer was an expert car salesman trainer but the message he taught us that day can be applicable to almost any type of sales situation. He said that a car salesman will sell an average of one car for every 3.5 potential customers that he shows a car. A car salesman can work all day and become an expert in the mechanics of the car, or he can become an expert in doing a walk through or presentation of the car. But no matter how good he is in those areas, he will not sell a car unless he actually see customers. So you see, it's a numbers game. If he only sees 3.5 customers a week, he'll sell an average of one car a week. If he sees 7 customers a week or twice of 3.5, he'll sell an average of two cars a week. But what if he focused on increasing the number of customers he sees. Instead of seeing 7 customers a week, he focuses on getting to a point where he sees 7 customers a day. Then, guess what the number of cars he sells on the average will increase from 2 a week to 2 a day.

The same numbers game works for other sales type industries- not just car sales. This includes recruiting. I found out that recruiting is a numbers game. No matter what type of positions you recruit for, there is a certain average number of candidates that you will have to submit in order to get a placement or an offer.

I suggest that whatever type of recruiting you do, figure out that number.

In most corporate recruiting type of situations, I found out that the number is most likely about one offer for every 7 submittals. In agency recruiting, the numbers increase much more. A recruiter will probably have to submit 30-40 candidates to get one placement.

Interpersonal Skills for the Technical/Left Brain Thinker: Bridging the Gap Generationally, Intellectually and with Flexibility while Creating an Improved Model of Business Excellence in the Workplace-

Guest Melon Sky Blogger : Renee Alfieri

Interpersonal Skills for the Technical/Left Brain Thinker:  Bridging the Gap Generationally, Intellectually and with Flexibility while Creating an Improved Model of Business Excellence in the Workplace--The Sloan Award by Renee M. Alfieri, Executive Leadership Coach & HR Consultant, Empowering Inquiry by Renee, LLC. www.empoweringinquiry.com | 516-809-6294 | Renee@Empoweringinquiry.com

How many times today do we hear “They really know what they are doing technically, but they simply have no people skills” during the discussion of a coworker’s career? We would like to have the best of both worlds—good technical skills and good people skills—but a survey of today’s managers quickly concludes it is all too rare we find such an individual. Why? 

Though companies base 80% of their hiring decision on the technical skills —education, skills, training and experience—85% of turnover is due to BEHAVIORAL incompatibility--as it relates also to Emotional Intelligence!  Today, we are seeing that EQ (Emotional Quotient) is far surpassing IQ (Intellectual Quotient in terms of those that are succeeding in their careers versus those that are lower on Emotional Intelligence are derailing much faster.  That is, we hire people whose technical skills are sufficient, but we fail to identify or analyze the people skills required. Compounding the problem is that the behavioral style most comfortable for the more technical positions is naturally less comfortable in the people skills department. That is, what makes a person enjoy technical work is the desire to look at “things” logically (versus emotionally). If we are logical, we make a decision by first, gathering all the facts. Then we study and analyze the data, research, test, check the details, and finally make a decision that is incapable of being incorrect. The most important goal is to be correct, the biggest fear—to be wrong! 

Other styles may value beating deadlines at all costs, keeping people happy and motivated, keeping things the same to avoid conflict. But to the more technical people - being correct and accurate takes all precedent—it’s only logical.

Most people who view “things” very logically also view “people” the same way. While most Americans fall into the group that views “people” (as well as “things”) emotionally, most technicians view both people and things logically. This influences the way they both perceive and communicate with others. Instead of the emotional factors of optimism, warmth, enthusiasm, inspiration and extroversion, they have the logical factors of reflection, facts, incisiveness and skepticism (matter-of-fact). “People might talk a good game, but prove it to me; actions speak louder than words.” Since they assume that this approach is logical, and therefore correct and appropriate, they are surprised when others describe them as somewhat aloof or cold. This further illustrates that "left-brain thinking" is being challenged more and more today by "right-brain--creative thinking/emotional types."  We need to embrace a "whole brain approach, and, as we are seeing today, businesses are failing--those especially that are following rigid parameters of procedural, entrenched rules and regulations, and processes that are so rigid--a right-brain/creative type slowly dies in their seat or, resigns from their management regime--not quite the company for them!

They can point to the good relationships they do have, but further examination usually reveals that those relationships are limited to others with their same style - other engineers, scientists, computer enthusiasts, auditors, and quality control people. They indeed share the common value of a drive to always be logical—perfection. Relationships outside their styles are far more uncommon and usually the result of friends of a spouse or relative of different style.

The technician’s lack of people skills can be self-correcting within his/her own natural behavioral style - a style which requires gathering and analyzing data. The technician gathers and analyzes input on behavioral styles different than his/her own to understand how to better communicate with and motivate others.

Learning how to identify different styles and how to adjust their styles to better communicate and motivate is the prime directive.  That is why companies such as Google and Ernst & Young, are doing relatively well in Recruiting practices and are seen as Companies of Choice.  People "want" to work at these companies since, they are creative, out-of-the box thinkers at the highest seat of Leadership in walking the talk and doing the things that my Generation X had been taught while in college--about challenging the Baby Boomer's autocratic stance at top-down management and leading a future with promise of a more participative approach.  While I am not advocating for one versus the other, I am imploring the business world to accept some of its failure in missing the opportunity to unite a force of cultural creatives with the logical thinking that together when tied into a mission statement and driven through performance management and MBO's can become the culture that wins!

Remember, the millennial's are a breed unto their own--in order to harness their energy and creativity and intelligence, micro-managing them and "clocking" their time is not going to work!  We need to approach the future in business and industry by allowing a more flexible environment in which we truly respect the people we hire for their intelligence and capability, versus, babysitting and performancing-out our own managerial mistakes. 

I had attended the NAMC Work/Life Conference -- Sustaining Business, Family & Life on Long Island -- at The Crest Hollow Country Club on Friday, November 6, 2008 in which it was amply discussed that, we need to reach employees where they are at!  If we continue to ignore that the newer generations are not as inclined to "do it" the same way "we"--their predecessors did--nor should we expect that since, we are encouraging people to think for themselves and to create--we will alienate them and not be able to retain a consistent workforce, making employee engagement an anachronism and oxymoron!  The discussion ensued about how we disintegrate employee's pride, hope and faith for a new tomorrow when we refuse to allow people to have the creative freedom of a virtual workplace or compressed workweeks, or flexible scheduling in order to allow employee's to refuel themselves, feel appreciated and to continue to create while feeling more balanced with a less restrictive work environment.

Lastly, we need to promote organizations to recognize this very important factor in creating balance and reducing stress, while allowing our creative folks to grow and prosper and not be confined to the left-brain, baby-boomer mentality as the only modality of being considered a "top-performer."  We often speak about 'face-time" in the office and that you need to be the first one in and the last one out in order to be considered a true "fast-tracker" or someone that is considered worthy of promoting.

I want to point out to all businesses, large and small alike, your HR Team and Leadership need to consider getting local and national visibility for your efforts to use flexibility to enhance productivity, recruitment and retention in a global, four-generation workforce.

Nominate your organization by completing an on-line application for The Sloan Award for Business Excellence in Workplace Flexibility.  KPMG - Long Island and Deloitte both are Award winners! 

Go to www.whenworkworks.org for model programs created by Sloan Award winners, research findings and tips for managers and employees.  The on-line application will be available from this site in January, 2009.  Awards will be announced by NAMC later in the year.  Send an email to:  sloanawardli@gmail.com for more information about the award on Long Island--let's grow as a nation--and not keep it silowed.

Article Written for Melon Sky Corporation by : Renee M. Alfieri, Executive Leadership Coach & HR Consultant, Empowering Inquiry by Renee, LLC. www.empoweringinquiry.com | 516-809-6294 | Renee@Empoweringinquiry.com

4 of 5

We all wish that every hiring manager or ever client you have as a recruiter will be perfect. That is, she gives you immediate feedback when you submit a client and she tells you why the candidate is or is not a fit for a position. But the reality is that not everyone is perfect. In real life not every hiring manager will tell you right away (if ever) the appropriateness of your candidate that you submitted. In my 10 years of recruiting I found out that only about 4 out of every 5 hiring managers will give you feedback earlier or as soon as you expect it. I found out that no matter how good of a recruiter or account manager you are, that is the statistic - and it does not change.

We all wish the hiring managers would be responsive, but no matter how much rapport you build, or how well you communicate with your hiring managers only about 4 out of every 5 will ever give you the feedback you would like.

So the next time, you are frustrated that your hiring manager is not responsive, reduce your frustration, tally her as part of the 4 of 5 that is not responsive, and either accept that fact. Or if you have  a choice, find a new client.

There's something about the phone

In this e-mail centric world of communicating, there is a time to pick up the phone and call someone. Calling someone on the phone adds another dimension, that cannot be found by pure emailing. When you actually speak to someone it adds the dimension of interacting real time with someone in a conversation, so you can pick up clues as to what a person is trying to say, and at the same time if you are skilled enough are able to influence the other person.

Still use email, but there are times when picking up the phone and actually calling someone is the right choice.

Long Tail

I haven't recommended too many books from my blog. But today I am going to recommend The Long Tail by Chris Anderson. Here is a review of this book from Publishers Weekly:

From Publishers Weekly
Wired editor Anderson declares the death of "common culture"—and insists that it's for the best. Why don't we all watch the same TV shows, like we used to? Because not long ago, "we had fewer alternatives to compete for our screen attention," he writes. Smash hits have existed largely because of scarcity: with a finite number of bookstore shelves and theaters and Wal-Mart CD racks, "it's only sensible to fill them with the titles that will sell best." Today, Web sites and online retailers offer seemingly infinite inventory, and the result is the "shattering of the mainstream into a zillion different cultural shards." These "countless niches" are market opportunities for those who cast a wide net and de-emphasize the search for blockbusters. It's a provocative analysis and almost certainly on target—though Anderson's assurances that these principles are equally applicable outside the media and entertainment industries are not entirely convincing. The book overuses its examples from Google, Rhapsody, iTunes, Amazon, Netflix and eBay, and it doesn't help that most of the charts of "Long Tail" curves look the same. But Anderson manages to explain a murky trend in clear language, giving entrepreneurs and the rest of us plenty to think about. (July)
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