Neil Hernandez's Blog

A great blog post - Reason to work at home

As 2008 winds down, I'm going to link to a couple blogs posts by Seth Godin that warrants what I feel are the best blog posts of the year.

http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2008/05/the-new-standar.html

Email Checklist

Below is a en email checklist from Seth Godin

Remember emails to be most effective must be anticipated, relevant, and personal.

Before you hit send on that next email, perhaps you should run down this list, just to be sure:

1. Is it going to just one person? (If yes, jump to #10)
2. Since it's going to a group, have I thought about who is on my list?
3. Are they blind copied?
4. Did every person on the list really and truly opt in? Not like sort of, but really ask for it?
5. So that means that if I didn't send it to them, they'd complain about not getting it?
6. See #5. If they wouldn't complain, take them off!
7. That means, for example, that sending bulk email to a list of bloggers just cause they have blogs is not okay.
8. Aside: the definition of permission marketing: Anticipated, personal and relevant messages delivered to people who actually want to get them. Nowhere does it say anything about you and your needs as a sender. Probably none of my business, but I'm just letting you know how I feel. (And how your prospects feel).
9. Is the email from a real person? If it is, will hitting reply get a note back to that person? (if not, change it please).
10. Have I corresponded with this person before?
11. Really? They've written back? (if no, reconsider email).
12. If it is a cold-call email, and I'm sure it's welcome, and I'm sure it's not spam, then don't apologize. If I need to apologize, then yes, it's spam, and I'll get the brand-hurt I deserve.
13. Am I angry? (If so, save as draft and come back to the note in one hour).
14. Could I do this note better with a phone call?
15. Am I blind-ccing my boss? If so, what will happen if the recipient finds out?
16. Is there anything in this email I don't want the attorney general, the media or my boss seeing? (If so, hit delete).
17. Is any portion of the email in all caps? (If so, consider changing it.)
18. Is it in black type at a normal size?
19. Do I have my contact info at the bottom? (If not, consider adding it).
20. Have I included the line, "Please save the planet. Don't print this email"? (If so, please delete the line and consider a job as a forest ranger or flight attendant).
21. Could this email be shorter?
22. Is there anyone copied on this email who could be left off the list?
23. Have I attached any files that are very big? (If so, google something like 'send big files' and consider your options.)
24. Have I attached any files that would work better in PDF format?
25. Are there any :-) or other emoticons involved? (If so, reconsider).
26. Am I forwarding someone else's mail? (If so, will they be happy when they find out?)
27. Am I forwarding something about religion (mine or someone else's)? (If so, delete).
28. Am I forwarding something about a virus or worldwide charity effort or other potential hoax? (If so, visit snopes and check to see if it's 'actually true).
29. Did I hit 'reply all'? If so, am I glad I did? Does every person on the list need to see it?
30. Am I quoting back the original text in a helpful way? (Sending an email that says, in its entirety, "yes," is not helpful).
31. If this email is to someone like Seth, did I check to make sure I know the difference between its and it's? Just wondering.
32. If this is a press release, am I really sure that the recipient is going to be delighted to get it? Or am I taking advantage of the asymmetrical nature of email--free to send, expensive investment of time to read or delete?
33. Are there any little animated creatures in the footer of this email? Adorable kittens? Endangered species of any kind?
34. Bonus: Is there a long legal disclaimer at the bottom of my email? Why?
35. Bonus: Does the subject line make it easy to understand what's to come and likely it will get filed properly?
36. If I had to pay 42 cents to send this email, would I?

Before you hit send on that next email, perhaps you should run down this list, just to be sure:

1. Is it going to just one person? (If yes, jump to #10)
2. Since it's going to a group, have I thought about who is on my list?
3. Are they blind copied?
4. Did every person on the list really and truly opt in? Not like sort of, but really ask for it?
5. So that means that if I didn't send it to them, they'd complain about not getting it?
6. See #5. If they wouldn't complain, take them off!
7. That means, for example, that sending bulk email to a list of bloggers just cause they have blogs is not okay.
8. Aside: the definition of permission marketing: Anticipated, personal and relevant messages delivered to people who actually want to get them. Nowhere does it say anything about you and your needs as a sender. Probably none of my business, but I'm just letting you know how I feel. (And how your prospects feel).
9. Is the email from a real person? If it is, will hitting reply get a note back to that person? (if not, change it please).
10. Have I corresponded with this person before?
11. Really? They've written back? (if no, reconsider email).
12. If it is a cold-call email, and I'm sure it's welcome, and I'm sure it's not spam, then don't apologize. If I need to apologize, then yes, it's spam, and I'll get the brand-hurt I deserve.
13. Am I angry? (If so, save as draft and come back to the note in one hour).
14. Could I do this note better with a phone call?
15. Am I blind-ccing my boss? If so, what will happen if the recipient finds out?
16. Is there anything in this email I don't want the attorney general, the media or my boss seeing? (If so, hit delete).
17. Is any portion of the email in all caps? (If so, consider changing it.)
18. Is it in black type at a normal size?
19. Do I have my contact info at the bottom? (If not, consider adding it).
20. Have I included the line, "Please save the planet. Don't print this email"? (If so, please delete the line and consider a job as a forest ranger or flight attendant).
21. Could this email be shorter?
22. Is there anyone copied on this email who could be left off the list?
23. Have I attached any files that are very big? (If so, google something like 'send big files' and consider your options.)
24. Have I attached any files that would work better in PDF format?
25. Are there any :-) or other emoticons involved? (If so, reconsider).
26. Am I forwarding someone else's mail? (If so, will they be happy when they find out?)
27. Am I forwarding something about religion (mine or someone else's)? (If so, delete).
28. Am I forwarding something about a virus or worldwide charity effort or other potential hoax? (If so, visit snopes and check to see if it's 'actually true).
29. Did I hit 'reply all'? If so, am I glad I did? Does every person on the list need to see it?
30. Am I quoting back the original text in a helpful way? (Sending an email that says, in its entirety, "yes," is not helpful).
31. If this email is to someone like Seth, did I check to make sure I know the difference between its and it's? Just wondering.
32. If this is a press release, am I really sure that the recipient is going to be delighted to get it? Or am I taking advantage of the asymmetrical nature of email--free to send, expensive investment of time to read or delete?
33. Are there any little animated creatures in the footer of this email? Adorable kittens? Endangered species of any kind?
34. Bonus: Is there a long legal disclaimer at the bottom of my email? Why?
35. Bonus: Does the subject line make it easy to understand what's to come and likely it will get filed properly?
36. If I had to pay 42 cents to send this email, would I?

How Can I FInd a Contract Recruiting Job in This Market?

Below is an email I got and my response

-----Original Message-----

Sent: Tue, 16 Dec 2008 11:35 pm
Subject: Seeking Information

Hello Neil-

 

I noticed your replies on this string http://www.indeed.com/forum/job/Contract-Recruiter/Show-me-money/t952  and I wanted to reach out to you.  I have been layed off from my job as a corporate recruiter and I am lost.  I have heard of contact recruiters and began googling to learn more but I am battling information overload.  Apologies for the rant, I would like any information you can provide on how in the world it is possible to thrive as a contractor, I know jobs are scarce and do not expect you to reveal your secrets but any start up info, classes, contacts any direction you can point me in would be greatly appreciated.

 

Kind Regards,

XXX

XXX:

I appreciate the email; I'll do what I can to help you.

First of all I will say this, there are probably less contract recruiting opportunities out there then at any time in the last 10 years; that is a good and a bad. The bad is obvious- less contracts. The good is that there's less competition. How can I say less competition in these times? Well, the few companies that are looking for a contract recruiter are probably only going to look for proven commodities. That is someone that has a current history of being a contract recruiter. A company seeking out a contract recruiter in these times is like a person seeking a dentist if they have a tooth ache. He really needs to see the dentist to help  alleviate his pain. So a company when they need a contract recruiter really needs one quickly.

So where do they go? They goto the pool of contract recruiters that are available. Your resume has to show that you are looking for a contract recruiting opportunity specifically. Your resume has to show that you have done and are currently doing some contract recruiting. But how can my resume show I'm currently doing contract recruiting. Well, you need to do some actual contract recruiting even if it is on contingent basis. I don't want to make this a sales job or anything but there are plenty of companies out there that are looking for contingent contract recruiters. I cna recommend some for you if you'd like.

I hope some of this helps.

Evidence and Bigfoot

Bigfoot

In order to prove something is for real, you need to gather as much evidence as possible to support your claim. The reason why alot of people don't believe something like Bigfoot, for example, exists is because there is simply not enough evidence. Yes, there are a few pictures and yest there are a few casts of it's prints, but there just is not simply enough evidence out there.

In the world of negotiation and recruiting it works the same way. It is generally wise to gather as much evidence as you can in order to make the proper decisions. Let's look at evaluating a candidate to see if there is a fit for the job. What kind of evidence does a recruiter need to gather in order to determine if there is a fit?

• candidates resume
• phone screen
• communication skills
• feel for his personality
• information about what the hiring manager is looking for
• information on the job description
• candidates' background

After gathering all the information you can, a recruiter then has to process it and then make the conclusion if there is enough evidence to determine if this is the right candidate or not.

The Advantage of Being First

When I took communications class in college, the professor said that when you have a chance to speak either first or last, he said to speak last because that is the last thing people remember. So it will be fresher on their mind than the first speaker. In the world of recruiting, however, being last may have an advantage in some cases but it can also get you in a situation where you are not even looked at or considered. Seth Godin in his blog post, mentions

"First competent mover advantage is real. The first person with a great product or story that matches the market establishes the narrative, sets the bar and forces followers to conform to her specs. If you've got the good stuff, going first means you've set a standard... the consumer now has to abandon you to choose someone else, which means pain and admitting an error. People hate to do that."

So in the world of recruiting, don't be afraid to show your big guns first and that will set the standard for anything else that comes later. Submit your best candidate first, be the first person that calls the potential client, be the first website that adds the new web features, be the first virtual recruiting company, be the first person that asks the intelligent question during the important conference call, and be the first company that sets the standard.

Rocket Ship vs. Air Plane

Everyone is familiar with how an airplane takes off. It starts by standing still, then it gradually builds speed on the runway and finally when it reaches the right combination of speed it takes off and goes airborne. At that point the pilot can take the plane as high as he wants.

By contrast, a rocket takes off on a vertical level and after he lifts off, it just goes straight up.

Similarly, when you launch a business, you can take the slow gradual descent of an airplane to reach your heights, or you can take the approach of reaching your heights quickly by making an immediate splash and making money right away like a rocketship.

If you take the gradual approach, it will take more time to reach your heights, and it will take a lot of patience form either investors or working as what Seth Godin calls very lean at the start then build your way to take 3 years to become an overnight success. Some people choose the rocket ship, big splash at the beginning approach. But the problem if you go that direction is that it costs a lot of money and effort even before you begin and if you flop, you'll crash big time.

Never Hum

In this industry, you never want to do what I call give a hum.  A hum is a false promise or expectation. For example, telling a candidate that there is a good chance that she will get an interview when you as a recruiter really do not know if the chances of them getting an interview. Or telling a client that there is a good chance we can find a candidate for you when you know that the chances of finding a candidate are very slim. I think most people would rather hear the truth of how you feel, the truth of their chances, and your real opinion of their expectations then hear something that they later find out was untrue or deceiving in someway. My experience says, that if you humming someone in this industry is one of the worse things you can do and is a great way to destroy a relationship.

Leave the name of your company everytime you leave a voice mail to a candidate

When you are calling a candidate and get a voice mail, make sure at the end of the message leave the name of your company. So that way, if a recruiter from another agency calls the candidate later for the same position, the candidate can tell them,"Oh, I'm sorry another company by the name of ____ called me for the same position. " By leaving the name of your company on the voice mail, you at least lock in the candidate so if the candidate get's a call from a competitor, your name is already associated with the position and this will prevent the candidate from going to the competitor.

The difference between tele-commuting and working virtually

People have always worked at home or taken work home to work.  For example a freelance graphic artist found clients and submitted his work for clients all at the luxury of doing it at home. Then there is full-time employee, who for example is a graphic artist, who requests to his boss, that if he can work part of the time at his home computer to do his graphic artist world. In the first example, the graphic artist who is a freelancer or an independent contractor, who does everything from his home and does not reprt to a boss, he is a working virtually. The second example of the graphic artist who works as an employee for a company, but his boss gives him an option to work from home, he does "tele-commuting" by performing his work at home instead of reporting to his company's work place.

Likewise, in the world of recruiting, some recruiters work for a company as an employee and tele-commute either some or part of their time working at home. There is also another breed of recruiters. I'll call this person a virtual recruiter. This virtual recruiter completely works out of his home or wherever he wants, without getting permission from a boss. He is not an employee. He works for himself - and most of the time as an independent consultant.

It's time to connect to superstars

Check out an excerpt of Seth Godin's Blog post:

Connect job hunters with jobs.
My friend Tara has made hundreds of thousands of dollars (in good years) working as an executive recruiter. But what did she actually do all day? She stayed connected with a cadre of people. She kept track of the all stars. She connected with the right people, invested time in them that her clients never thought  was worth it. So, when it was time to hire, it was easier for them to call Tara than it was for them to start from scratch. The best time to start a gig like this is right now, when no one in particular wants to connect with and help out the superstars. Later, when the economy bounces back, your position is extremely valuable. (Note! This only works if you have insane focus and the people you interact with are the true superstars, not just numbers).


This may be a bit of a down time for the average search agency - but not for mine. Like the post mentioned above, the executive recruiter stayed connected with a cadre of people..."so, when it was time to hire, it was easier for them to call Tara than it was to start from scratch."

So that is what the good agency's need to do. Stay connected. Build the relationship; let them think about you. Now may not be the time, but when the time comes you want those superstars to think about you first.