Author Archives: Dorothy Dalton

“Whose fact is it?” Opinion & the faux professional

What is a faux professional?

One day last week I sat with a career transition client reviewing his activity since our last session. Let’s call him Bob. It seemed that Bob had gone off plan. When looking into the thinking behind this switch it transpired that he had started following some individuals on LinkedIn, some influential, others not and had heeded their advice. Some of their tips were fine, some were dubious and others were just barking mad for this particular individual at this stage in his career. And perhaps even for the population at large. But that’s just my opinion. This post from one particular individual had hundreds of comments, shares and likes, including Bob.

So I ask isn’t it time to talk about the faux professional and look at some facts?

Opinions not fact

The faux professional is someone who might be very experienced in their own sphere but on the basis of their success and popularity they venture into other fields. There is a tendency not to present opinions as such, but as a fact or a truth.

The advent of social media has created a whole new culture of people who can send out what are essentially opinions, rather than fact, to large audiences interested in job search, recruitment and the workplace in general. Very often this commentary is couched in click bait headlines which confuse the life out of readers. We live in a world of fake news where high profile figures spew out misinformation both intentionally and unintentionally and even outright lies. At one time we used to ask “whose opinion is it?” If the person had the necessary credibility we would probably accept it as being valid.

Today we perhaps need to ask “whose fact is it?”

Influencers have …..influence

Coming from so-called workplace and professional “Influencers” these nuggets carry additional weight for a very susceptible audience. Influencers have well… influence. Embedded in that role is influencer responsibility. if they stay in their own environment and specialism then it can be fine, but very often there is more than that at play. Cory Galbraith suggested in 2015 that people write and post for a number of reasons – to sell a product, enhance a reputation or ego, and some even to be genuinely helpful. What bothers me, is the level of information which is either inaccurate, wrong or an opinion shared as a truth. The number of likes or shares a post receives doesn’t make it truer.

Careers, the workplace and job seeking are a bit like having a life. Everyone usually has been there, done it and is more than willing to share their experiences, regardless of their knowledge level or qualifications. Even if they haven’t applied for a job in 20 years or worked in recruitment, sometimes ever, or dipped their toe into the trenches of a corporate environment in living memory! The search term “How to create a successful resume” produces 447 million resources in 0.57 of a Google second.

Factually incorrect

I see in my daily stream on social media, provocative headlines presumably to encourage debate or discussions. They frequently include the words always, never, only, must. They come in different forms of sophistication from basic LinkedIn posts, tweet’s with gifs, to hi-tech animated videos. Today I watched one such offering which suggested that we should never use the word “strategic” in our job search and described adverbs as potential “red flags” to recruiters. In more than 20 years in the business I can honestly say, I have NEVER, ever seen a raised eyebrow, heard a comment or encountered anyone being cut from a process for either. Can you imagine:

Hmmmm….This candidate uses the words successfully and strategic on LinkedIn – probably dodgy. Let’s move on.”

Nuance is unpopular

It just doesn’t happen. The person posting gets what Simon Sinek describes as the device addicted age dopamine hit of “likes” “shares” and increased followers. And what’s not to like about that? We all welcome an endorsement. The fact remains that being a cultural leader and influencer is almost a stand alone profession these days. It requires a lot of work and energy and comes with a high level of influencer responsibility, which is sometimes not exercised correctly. Frequently the activity is sub-contracted to a social media agency.

So although it goes against the grain for social media marketing to express a situation as heaven forbid being nuanced – maybe it’s now time for the faux professional to focus on their own field or cite a fact as an opinion.

Need executive search or research services? Get in touch now NOW

Diversity of thought and the talent pipeline

5 Replies

When cultural fit is important, diversity of thought is side-lined

The toughest and most re-occurring challenge for any organisation when trying to implement a diversity and inclusion policy is diversity of thought. Why? Because diversity of thought can question the fabric of an organisation’s culture. It is a change management exercise that asks everyone involved to take a long hard look at the leadership style of the organisation and how those values impact the way their business is run. It also involves taking a long look at ourselves. And we all know how we hate to do that.

Cultural fit not cultural add

Most companies go to a lot of expense and effort to create a signature corporate culture. They talk about “fit” and the way “we do things.” They implement homogenous policies designed to cultivate consistency and unity. They create a corporate brand and design and systemic protocols for operational effectiveness. Everyone’s buy-in is taken for granted. Anyone outside the criteria for fit is screened out in the recruitment process or counselled out once hired.

In the last few months we have seen some advertising campaigns that have gone horribly adrift. Clarks Shoes, H & M, PepsiCo to name but three which have created a media furore and been subsequently withdrawn. The question on everyone’s lips at the time was “what were they thinking?” Given the layers of approval in these types of ad campaigns, it can’t have been that no one was thinking. It was just that everyone was thinking along the same lines.

There was an acute lack diversity of thought and group think was the driver

Disruptive thinking and comfort zones

Dealing with disruptive thinking is hard for us all. Whether people are considering a new hire, a new initiative or changing something deeply embedded in the way we do things, we all tend to steer away from that level of discomfort. We fear the lack of acceptance or push-back if people are upset or challenged. One of the reasons why diversity and inclusion initiatives flounder at middle management level is that these are the employees at the front line, meeting and managing resistance head on. These managers can be at the receiving end of negative responses, whether direct antagonism or passive aggression.

Diversity of thought should be one of the most valuable and creative tools in our business world. Yet it is associated with conflict, problems and divisiveness rather than differences to be leveraged for something positive. Solving problems takes time and energy and it’s much easier and quicker (read cheaper) if everyone is on the same page as quickly as possible. We see this at every point in the talent pipeline. In sourcing, interviewing and hiring candidates, to how they are developed and promoted.

When diversity of thought is missing

There are lots of tells that let us know that diversity of thought is not prevalent in our organisations.

An organisation does not reflect wider cultural and demographic shifts. We hire from existing networks in the way that we always have done. It’s faster, cheaper, but not ncessarily diverse. We launch change initiatives without including new blood – let alone new minds and thoughts. Noone can produce anything new using old thinking.

Individuals are defined by the business and not vice-versa. We expect talent to adapt rather than looking at how we can incorporate different ways of thinking into our culture. People are rarely hired to shake things up, but to fit in. Career coaches encourage candidates to reflect the values of the target company and blend in.

Leadership styles favour authority and control rather than influence and empowerment. We like things done a certain way and micro-manage efforts with either direct supervision or with prescriptive systems. Command and control leadership style is hard to let go. It makes us feel secure behind formal authority.

Company values are out of step with the values of their employees. We will see this increasingly as Millennials will dominate the workplace.

Cultural fit is the key driver. In a “yes” culture everyone is on the same page. Contradiction, disagreement and tension is discouraged and business practices are not challenged. This can be packaged as focused energy towards a shared goal, but divergent thinking isn’t necessarily negative.

Competitive edge

Encouraging diversity of thought throughout the talent pipeline contributes to the evolution of diversity and inclusion as a business led imperative, to gain competitive edge, rather than simply ticking D & I compliance boxes. Leadership behaviour that seeks alternative viewpoints, develops cultural awareness and values difference, impacts all elements of the talent pipeline. This includes talent acquisition, employer branding, promotions, succession management and leadership development.

Organisations that encourage diversity of thought are more likely to foster inclusivity, offering programmes that help to create bias conscious cultures and provide the support of mentors and sponsors to help them succeed. But perhaps more than anything they create a system of accountability where results are linked to reward.

If you would like a wide range of candidates for your short lists – get in touch NOW.

3 reasons recruiters don’t respond to unsolicited CVs

2 Replies

Many organisations, if they have sophisticated ATS, could easily set up an automated response system acknowledging receipt of unsolicited CVs. If that isn’t happening I don’t understand why. But even that would not appease some people, who see this lack of engagement as “inhumane” treatment. Although some recruiters are lazy, most aren’t, and there are valid reasons why you don’t hear from them.

Here are 3 reasons why recruiters don’t respond to your unsolicited CVs

#1 Lack of time

I receive between 10 and 20 unsolicited CVs a week. Compared to large organisations that number will be minimal. You can see below a typical message following the acceptance of a LinkedIn request and the receipt of a resume in my in box. Bear in mind this is from someone with whom I have no prior relationship.

I’d appreciate if you could suggest contacts or vacancies where they look for people with my professional profile and experience. I would be grateful for any feedback on my resume.

To be thorough, I or one of my team, would need to examine this person’s LinkedIn profile and CV and then run a search for potential target companies based on any obvious key words. If there are any. Frequently there aren’t. The estimated time for this exercise would be about 30 minutes to do a proper job. Multiply this by even 10 and we are looking at more than half a day a week. This is something a job seeker should do themselves. If they don’t know how they should seek out help from a career coach. If funds are limited, there are lots of free online resources to support them.

Job seekers should realise that just by being a first level connection to a recruiter or hiring manager, provided that your LinkedIn profile is complete and has a good sprinkling of key words in line with your goals, then our researchers will find you when you appear in our LinkedIn searches.

Recruiters are not always career coaches. It happens that I am. But then a request has to be made for career coaching.

#2 Bad timing

It sometimes happens that unsolicited CVs land on a recruiters’ desk’ at exactly the right time and serendipity kicks in. Your background and experience are in perfect sync, or even near enough with an ongoing assignment. For the rest of the time most unsolicited CVs and cover letters are generic and don’t specifically state your value proposition as it links to a particular opening and why you stand out from any other candidates. This puts you at an immediate disadvantage.

Recruiters work for, and are paid, by their clients and that is the first point of misunderstanding. Most won’t interview candidates who send in unsolicited CVs, unless you have the type of experience that they regularly place. They will also be more inclined to engage if you have a hard-to-find skill set, are very senior (C-level,) can provide market intel, or can help generate future business for their organisation (senior HR professional.)

If you don’t fall into those categories your chances are slim to maybe even zero.

Today with European GDPR regulations there are time limits to how long we can keep your details. Many search firms no longer keep data bases.

#3 You wait until you are desperate

Most people don’t have an ongoing career management strategy and then try to make contact with recruiters when they have an urgent need. This is not the best way to go about things. If you are smart, you will build up your network connections before you are desperate. Any relationship is reciprocal, so I am always surprised when potential candidates don’t seize the opportunity to engage with recruiters either at all, or correctly, when they are ever approached. If you are not getting calls from anyone in the hiring process it will be because your profile isn’t visible enough.

It is rare for a recruiter to meet a candidate if they don’t they have an active assignment, unless as stated previously your profile is “special,” and most aren’t. If you are have been successfully placed by a recruiter or head hunter, make sure you stay in touch with them – a thank you note and an onboarding update is all it takes. If you don’t go forward in any search or the match isn’t right, send a snippet of market information that might be helpful in the future, or an article that might be of interest. There are also other ways to connect via social media: LinkedIn posts, Facebook pages or Twitter. It’s basically about keeping a relationship alive and it’s easier now than it ever was.

This post is an explanation of why certain things happen in the hiring process. It’s definitely not about a lack of humanity on the part of the recruiter. If you have any other ideas – let me know!

If your organisation is looking for professional executive search and candidate identification services that go above and beyond – contact us NOW.

Try traffic light coaching for 2018

1 Reply

Today we will be inundated with posts about goal setting and New year’s resolutions. It’s well recorded that I’m not a fan of New Year’s resolutions especially when it comes to career goals. “In one year and out the next” is pretty accurate way to describe the process. I’ve long favoured manageable, achievable goals which spur us on to more challenging things. One way to avoid that is via the traffic light coaching exercise. This is a great drill and can be used for personal assessment or even for your team. It’s simple and easy to apply with exactly the same principles as the highway code.

Any goals should be ongoing and not just made at a random time of the year because everyone else is on the bandwagon. And more than once a year at that. Most New Year’s resolutions fizzle out almost as fast as the New Year bubbly, which is why gyms are rammed in January and only half full in March. What I do encourage anyone as part of their regular career management exercises is to review their year retrospectively. I’ve even read that a goal isn’t a goal unless it’s painful. To be effective, goals need to be chosen wisely and pursued systematically and consistently, rather than with a flurry of enthusiasm in January. This is not to be confused with challenge or discomfort. If your language is peppered with “Stop, no more, lose, reduce, limit, fix” you are probably setting yourself up for sure failure. Having goals isn’t about being a suffering martyr!

This is why the traffic light coaching exercise works. It incorporates what you already do well and gives you a factual base on which to make a plan.

Traffic light coaching

Green light

I like to start with green and positive affirmation of achievements during the past year. I’ve found no one gets very far if they begin by berating themselves for things that didn’t go to plan and putting themselves down. it’s also more fun. The green light in all traffic systems everywhere is a signal to go and move forward. We even use it on an everyday level. if someone has a “green light.” it tells is that they have the go-ahead. Inbuilt into this phrase, is the assumption that it is safe to do so. It means that we have taken all the necessary precautions or carried out a risk evaluation before we shift gears. It assumes that we have paid attention to any potential warnings: parked cars, pedestrians, and any other hazards such as bad drivers – not you of course.

The same is true for your career. Look at what you have done well in 2017, and which actions have helped you reach your goals. It means being observant and mindful of your successes and analysing how they happened and how those methods can be applied in the up coming year. It’s about owning and articulating your accomplishments and valuing your transferable skills. You would be surprised how many people struggle with this process. Congratulate and reward yourself for a job well done. It’s popular to say there’s no “I” in team – but there is an “i” in fired. We are all accountable and responsible for reaching our goals and objectives.

Amber light

An amber light is the signal to slow down. It’s time to listen to those around you, to be present in what you are doing and understanding the more nuanced areas of your performance in your job and even your life. What do you do that produces inconsistent results – sometime good, sometimes less great? Why is that? Evaluate your activities strategically. You might have identified that you are a great networker but there comes a point where you have reached diminishing returns. Can your time and investment be better deployed elsewhere? Examine what are you doing less well and work out a plan to improve. Create a personal development plan for the upcoming year. Research options and formulate a budget. Even though some organisations are cutting back on training, many are willing to invest in competence coaching for employees. Career coaching is also frequently funded by organisations. Perhaps this is the time to look for a mentor, someone who can give you neutral feedback.

Red light

This makes us look at what we need to stop doing and to be realistic about why something didn’t go as planned. It’s a time to examine habits we may have fallen into, and own the ones that are counter-productive. It might be spending too much time on social media or being too detail focused or not paying enough attention to the small things that matter. It can be about your communication style. Ask your team or peers for feedback. What do they think your red light areas are? Take a look at your relationships – are there any that have become toxic? The approach is to focus on positive actions and not negative ones.

Traffic light coaching make helps you carry out an analysis of the key elements of your professional life and makes it easier to see the bigger picture. The process is about understanding the present, making an evaluation, opening your mind to new ideas and commiting to change. Then making that change happen. Maybe you’ve out grown your job and need to move on. Perhaps your organisation is great, but you need a bigger challenge.

So instead of agonising over possibly unrealistic resolutions and beating yourself up for not following through, try this simple traffic light coaching exercise and see how you get on.

Need career coaching support – contact me.

Why lazy recruiters are at risk

2 Replies

The increase in the use of tech in the recruitment process has changed the way recruiters work. It’s made life easier and quicker in some ways, but whether it produces better results is another matter. I would go one step further. Technology, and especially LinkedIn, is resulting in a whole new demographic of lazy recruiters. They aim for low hanging, easy target, low effort fruit. And anyone can do that including Artificial Intelligence.

LinkedIn Recruiter Lite is for many head hunters and recruiters alike their go-to tool for sourcing and reaching out to potential candidates. This platform allows you run search strings to send premium priced InMails, with carefully crafted pro forma messages which you can modify. This should be relatively straight forward, but overlooks a number of significant factors.

#1 Not all candidates are on LinkedIn

It’s hard to believe, but not all candidates have LinkedIn profiles. This is especially true of older senior candidates and entry level. Lazy recruiters do basic LinkedIn searches and then stop. That is not going to source the best candidates, just the visible ones.

#2 Many profiles are incomplete

Not all LinkedIn users have complete profiles packed with live searchable key words to help any search strings created for sourcing candidates. So those names are not going to appear in search results. Another miss.

#3 Not all LinkedIn users tune in regularly to pick up these mails

The success rate for InMail is inconsistent. Katrina Collier social media recruitment specialist goes as far as to call it “abysmal” in her post “Recruiters would you accept this from any other service provider?” In the last search I ran, I had a 60% success rate for openings which I was happy with. But that still left 40% of mails languishing in an inbox or spam folder somewhere.

Increasingly frequently, people are ignoring notification emails from social networks because of the sheer volume of rubbish coming into their inboxes. InMails are not important enough and are often routed to other junk mail boxes. Gmail segregates its email inbox into four compartments, shifting all social networking notification emails, leaving only high value emails in their inbox. Your message could go undetected. Katrina says that with the average LinkedIn user checking in for a mere 17 minutes per month, the chances of grasping their attention are low.

#4 LinkedIn is low impact

In 2017 LinkedIn came out second from bottom with a mere 106m users PER MONTH according to Statistica. Check this out: “Most famous social network sites worldwide as of September 2017, ranked by number of active users (in millions) it is true that job seekers can probably be found there. And that is one reason why LinkedIn encourages lazy recruiters, 106 million sound like a good number. But sometimes the best candidates are not found on LinkedIn. Loop back to point 1

How to avoid becoming lazy recruiters

Pick up the phone

Now called a “voice-call” this is less popular than before, because it’s a lot of work. As more employees work remotely, switch boards no longer exist and companies have privacy policies, it’s harder to get through, but always worth a try. It just takes time and know how.

Use ordinary e-mail

Try a regular email, but taking care to structure the header with a neutral topic because you never know who has visibility on an email account. There is still a risk of the mail going into spam.

Use another social network

The average user engagement on Facebook is 8.3 hours per month. Others may use Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and others. All of these are option for reaching out to candidates.

The bottom line is that lazy recruiters who are not prepared to put time and energy into nurturing candidates and relationships in their target markets, will be replaced by software. So make sure you offer something that AI can’t. Human contact and professional expertise.

If your organisation is looking for executive search and candidate identification services that go beyond the low hanging fruit -get in touch NOW!

Do you practise conversation hygiene?

1 Reply

I was introduced to this expression “conversation hygiene” by someone who is not a first language English speaker. Once I heard the words, they stuck in my head and I realised how perfect they were to describe many of the situations we all see and hear on a daily basis. Some of us don’t practise any sort of conversation hygiene at even a most basic level, and many not at all.

Hygiene is defined as:

Conditions or practices conducive to maintaining health and preventing disease, especially through cleanliness.

So in terms of conversation hygiene, for the word “health” substitute “mental health”, and for “disease” add “stress and discomfort. Although they are not soap and water instances, some can be pretty close. It has the same impact on your auditory space as bad breath and body odour have on your olfactory senses. We don’t like to be around people who smell. People who have personal hygiene problems are usually glad to be told and yet we frequently don’t tell people when they don’t carry out conversation hygiene. Why is that?

8 examples of conversation hygiene

Do any of these sound familiar?

#1 Abusers

Of course this is familiar. I’ve heard these people on a number of occasions in the last few days. On a train, in a restaurant and in a shop. Yes I do give a f*****ing $*µ#! I have no problem people complaining – more should, but loud aggression directed at some junior employee, who possibly doesn’t understand them, is not going to help anyone at all.

#2 Dominators

Commonly found in meetings the Chair calls for everyone’s view points and then talks over them. He clearly hasn’t listened to Simon Sinek’s video -“Leaders be the Last to Speak” There’s no agenda and we go off topic. Nothing is decided. There is no action plan or follow up or through. It is an epic waste of time. Lack of conversation hygiene – big time.

#3 Mega Talkers

A network encounter talked at me for about 8 minutes, apologised for talking too much, smiled and then left. More time wasted.

#4 The self absorbed

A man held a conference call via lap top speakers in a public space. This was a major conversation hygiene fail and noise pollution alert.

#5 The self interested

A woman watched a video in a restaurant with the volume on. it sounded like a sex/slasher and horror flick. Let’s just say it wasn’t Frozen or a TedX Talk. There was a lot of panting and screaming. She did put in ear buds when prompted without looking even faintly embarassed or nonplussed.

#6 The inconsiderate

Two women sitting two seats down from me talked through a presentation by Daniel Thorniley at HRTechWorld Amsterdam until I asked them to stop. Trust me, everything Daniel Thorniley says is worth listening to. Every. Single. Word. They threw me a “Whatever” glare. Thorniley’s presentation was targetting their age demographic, the under 40s. They obviously have no interest in the economic and social projections about their futures. They are not great.

#7 The extreme interruptor

The extreme interrutor cuts everyone off mid sentence. All the usual strategies “let me finish” and assertive body language fail. No, you are not more important than any of us, even though you would like to think so. The only thing that stops them is telling them to “shut up and let other people make their point”

#8 The unpresent

This is the person who is talking to you because there is no one else. They are constantly looking over their shoulders for someone more interesting /influential to engage. As soon as they see that someone, they smile indulgently, tap you on the shoulder and leave. Their conversation hygiene needs a lot of work.

The idea of when we open our mouths it should be with the same consideration for conversation and other people as if we needed to brush our teeth. We wouldn’t breathe stinky breath all over anyone. Would we?

For executive search services contact us here

How to lose the disengaged employee tag

1 Reply

Employee engagement – or rather the lack of it, has been a hot HR topic for many years. Research from Deloitte indicates that the issues of “retention and engagement” have risen to No. 2 spot on the business agenda, “second only to the challenge of building global leadership.” This is rooted in compelling indications that a very high percentage of members of the workforce (as many as 66% ) would describe themselves as a disengaged employee.

It makes sense that organizations need to fine tune their career progression opportunities to attract top talent. It also means that with literally millions of employees potentially open to a move, candidates face stiffer competition to position themselves as an ideal hire when looking externally. Employers frequently complain about difficulties finding the right kind of talent. In a recent survey Glassdoor suggests that 76% of organisations fail to find the right talent. So that must be you.

What can you do to shrug off the disengaged employee moniker if your current career progression has stalled and present yourself differently?

The job you have

Let’s kick off with the obvious. The job you are in is the one you have for the moment. Very often demotivated employees takes their foot off the career progression pedal. They check-out and do the bare minimum to coast by. It’s hard to convince any potential hiring manager who is looking for agile and dynamic talent that you will meet their criteria if you are stuck in your current role and above all look and act stuck. Anyone who is looking to boost their career needs to take charge of their personal development. This involves know-how, time and energy. For starters you need to ditch the disengaged employee tag.

How to lose the disengaged employee tag

Create a plan

The first step is to have goals and a strategy. Those who leave things to chance and expect and organization to take care of them are the ones that come unstuck first. Communicate those ambitions to your manager. Do a realistic assessment of your own performance. If anything needs addressing – do just that.

Raise your visibility

It’s important that people know who you are and you are perceived to be pro-active. Instead of whining about lack of opportunities create solutions and make yourself part of that initiative, showcasing how you can add value to the business. Participate in meetings and be willing to take on new challenges.

Up your game

Now is the time to do more, or at least something different, not less. Position yourself for the next role by learning as much about the next steps as possible and the skill set required.

Show flexibility

A disengaged employee tends to be stuck in a rut and gets caught up in old and frequently bad habits and work practices. This can be accompanied by a negative attutude. Now is the time to be flexible and be willing to take on continuous learning and personal development, even if it means investing in yourself. You may have been in the same role for years but show you have updated your skills. Add these to your LinkedIn profile so other people can also see what you’ve been up to.

Test the market

A disengaged employee whose career progression has stalled will struggle to present themselves as the right kind of candidate. Make sure you maintain your external networking to stay in touch with developments in your market. You may have set backs but it’s important to build resilience. Stay positive and confident. You might change jobs but if you haven’t looked inwardly to figure out what is holding you back you will merely transport the issues to another location.

If you want to source ideal candidates contact me now

Brexit and Talent Revisited

1 Reply

The challenges of Brexit and Talent are long term issues

In August 2016 I wrote a post on Brexit and talent focusing on a potential talent drain. It recently gained some renewed traction, so I felt it merited revisiting.

I specifically mentioned top end and skilled talent, those with strong transferable skill who were voluntarily seeking to leave the U.K. It was eerily prophetic, not because I am particularly gifted in the ways of massive economic change. But like many, this is the field I work in and have my ears to the ground and know my sector well. If anyone had asked – we would have told them. When we were asked our voices were dismissed as being the words of what had become by that time, the much derided label of “experts.”

The skill shortage has been widely discussed. The life cycle of the recruitment and talent pipeline is not fast. It takes time to educate, train and build up workplace experience in STEM skills, languages and specialised trades. The gap, although temporary, will be around for many years and will impact growth.

Read: Post Brexit language crisis

8 challenges for Brexit and Talent

Here is an update on the challenges for Brexit I identified 13 months ago .

Uncertainty: The Commodities Analyst with a Spanish based London bank I spoke to, has already re-located to Frankfurt. He did this before his bank, a global organisation, announced its post Brexit strategy to open up offices outside the UK.
Xenophobia: The French strategy manager with a global logistics company has resigned. His children continued to be bullied in school. Hiring managers who are pro-Brexit are actively turning down EU nationals as candidates – even the very best talent. This maybe against company policy. International companies with HQs on other continents with business units in the U.K. have no real idea about local hiring practises unless they micro-manage the process. Which they don’t. Sadly discrimination is rife with a rise in adverts requesting applications for UK passport holders only. EU nationals are simply cut for the flimsiest reasons. Unconscious bias and prejudice play a part.
Fear of housing market collapse: or a slow down. A number I spoke to have now sold their properties and moved to rented accommodation in case they need to leave quickly. Others are still nervous especially about potential interest rate hikes. There are also reports about EU nationals struggling to secure mortgages and rent properties.
Concern about new requirements: those that are staying are worried that penalties will be imposed further down the line and they will have to jump through stringent and perhaps costly compliance, registration and visa hoops in a few years. However, most EU countries demand the same. What is exceptional for the U.K. is that they are one of a small number of countries that don’t issue compulsory ID cards.
More openings now: those that were looking for jobs internationally have already moved on, or have deepened their searches. EU nationals who are candidates in existing processes are withdrawing in high numbers. There has been a 25% hike of EU nationals leaving the UK post Brexit. Not all of this is in the unskilled demographic. The manufacturing sector has seen a 16% increase of resignations from skilled workers.
Concern about reduced conditions: This still exists as doubts about zero hour contracts and short term contracts abound. For junior positions there is an increase in the number of short term contracts as employers try to keep their options open.
Citizenship: is an ongoing challenge and concerns about the right to stay have increased as even long standing residents are being denied citizenship and long term residency with some even being deported.
Falling pound: For EU nationals with Euro obligations the falling pound has impacted them hard. The U.K is less financially attractive than it was before.

Read: Post brexit recruitment from the pointy end

Please see the original post:

Brexit uncertainty starts talent drain (August 2016)

The business world is trying to make sense of the implications of Brexit in a world now characterized by uncertainty. It was clear that this shock result, from which we are still reeling, was so unexpected that almost no one had a post Brexit plan. Against many unknown factors, businesses are trying to create strategies for changes which will significnatly impact the workplace. Practises related to E.U. rather than U.K. legislation, will be examined as new agreements are set up. Some experts are saying this could take up to 5 years. One of the major elements will be the rights of E.U. workers in the U.K. and U.K. workers in the E.U. But what had not been anticipated is an immediate talent drain as skilled workers seek early voluntary repatriation or relocation to other parts of the E.U.

Yep. That’s right – some people actually want to leave now! Can you believe that?

Age of uncertainty

The highly emotional and divisive referendum campaign and the subsequent leadership debacle, dealt a savage and damaging blow to Brand Britain on the global market. We now live in a new age of uncertainty. The CIPD reports that in general, 44% of working adults say they feel pessimistic about the future as a result of the UK’s vote to leave the EU, while one in five say they feel their job is less secure. Unfortunately, in the wake of this, we have witnessed an astonishing and aggressive xenophobic backlash against non-UK nationals studying, living and working in the U.K. Many European nationals are now reporting “feeling unwelcome” in a country which they have made their home, some for many years.

The U.K. government has made some half-hearted attempts to allay the fears of E.U. residents in the U.K. With a lack of definitive statements, many are unconvinced. Head hunters and recruiters are reporting increased numbers of spontaneous CVs and applications from individuals looking to leave the U.K, – now, or as soon as possible. This is also my experience.

The talent drain

What seems surprising is that no one factored in a potential talent drain before the referendum. It should have been evident that if politicians run divisive campaigns based on hate, specifically targeting non-U.K. residents, the U.K. will be perceived as (and even become) a less attractive place to seek employment for workers who have choice. By this I mean those with strong transferable or difficult to find and attract skills.

The UK Commission for Employment and Skills’ (UKCES) Employer Skills Survey 2015 of 91,000 employers has already reported a chronic skill shortage even before the referendum. The people who are reconsidering their positions are people who can go anywhere. In the mean time the talent drain has started. Other E.U. nationals who might have had their eye on a U.K posting particularly London, are now re-thinking their career strategies.

@DorothyDalton I considered London as a possible next step in my career; not anymore

— Celine Schillinger (@CelineSchill) July 29, 2016

Read to the end here.

For all talent sourcing and attraction services – get in touch now

Why don’t we use structured interviews more?

1 Reply

Most companies include interviews as part of their hiring process. Sometimes they are one to one, or perhaps with different members of the team or others involved in the hiring process. Interviews can be held in panels of two or more, but very often they are sequential with candidates meeting one person after another. They are astonishingly informal given the significance of the decision. Research suggests that structured interviews are 50% more effective than unstructured ones, yet many organisations fail to change their procedures.

Companies still do not consistently follow a practise which will guarantee that the most qualified or potentially the better performers are offered jobs. Interviews are rarely carried out consistently for all candidates. Very often a candidate will have a series of one to one interviews with different people in the process, with no one to observe or give feedback on any discrepancies. Considering the cost of a failed hire estimated at 3 x annual salary, the process is bewilderingly arbitrary. Yet we continue to follow a process we know is at best ineffective and inefficient.

Value of structured interviews

Although they may take longer to prepare, structured interviews increase the chances of making the right hiring decision. They are also more successful in managing unconscious bias in the recruitment process, allowing a system of inbuilt checks. I have heard on a number of occasions hiring managers saying ”the fit wasn’t right” without being able to specifically identify why. Listening to “gut” instincts may work in life endangering situations, but in the workplace it is probably simply deep seated affinity or confirmation bias kicking in. We all have biases and they can only be managed. Structured interviews make a strong contribution to that process. Although a systemic approach can’t 100% predict future performance in the role, setting a framework for a thoughtful discussion will contribute to making hiring decisions more reliable.

Read: Do structured interviews overcome unconscious bias?

Review the current situation

Making a brutal assessment of your current process is vital. Very often interview techniques vary from one manager to another within the same company. I have even seen hiring managers who haven’t read a candidate’s CV before the interview and have done no preparation at all. Many managers have no interview training, approaching an interview like a “chat.” Large numbers will not have had unconcious bias training, while insisting they are competely neutral in their thinking. They will then go on to select someone just like themselves. This leaves the processing of candidates’ responses to be very fluid, which can lead to misunderstandings and even miscommunication. Structured interviews rule out the possibility of illegal or discriminatory interview questions, which are much more common than we all think.

What are structured interviews?

Structured interviews are set up with a list of prepared questions which all candidates are asked in the same order. Candidates’ responses are recorded against a pre-determined set of skills, experience, qualifications and expectations around performance in the job. For an interview panel, an agreement is reached about the role of each panel member will play and an order in which the questions should be asked. One will observe, others engage. It allows a “sweeper” function to identify any loose ends and monitor non-verbal communication.

This process is proven to be more reliable and fairer, with all candidates being given the same opportunities to showcase their experience. Their performance is evaluated in a systematic way against a scorecard linked to the prepared questions.

How to create structured interviews

#1: Job evaluation

Each role needs a clearly crafted job profile with realistic qualifications and experience identified. This will include a mix of hard and soft skills related to the tasks involved. A job profile is usually written by the hiring manager, although care has to be taken that some of the qualifications are not inflated. This happens frequently. Sometimes experts are brought in and can be part of a headhunting service.

# 2: Define skills and qualifications

It is also helpful to have the level of skill required. What that means needs to be precisely defined. Generic use of terms such as people skills, leadership qualities, communication styles are abstract and an understanding of what they mean in real terms for each role needs to be laid out in advance. This is vital when it comes to the assessment part of the process. It is useful to have about 6 core attributes as well as the key hard and soft skills listed. A senior Director will need to score more highly on leadership skills, than a junior supervisor.

# 3: Design interview questions

Interview questions should be designed to examine the key skills and qualifications. Situational and behavioural questions should be job-related. Preparing questions which require responses to typical situations that the job holder would encounter included in the process is valuable. They will also help guide the level of skill required.

Desrcribe a commercial situation which required you to use a high level of diplomacy

When was the last time you had to give negative feedback. How did you approach the issue and what was the outcome?

#4: Create the score card

A neutral scoring system is necessary to reach objective decisions. A scale of 1-5 is very common with 1 being low and 5 high..

#5: Interview and unconscious bias training

For managers used to informal interviews this change can be a challenge and there can be resistance. Training maybe necessary to familiarize everyone with a new process. Making clear and concise notes on a pre-constructed template is a helpful way to collate and refer to answers. Any scoring should be done at the end. Unconscious bias training should be compulsory for anyone involved in any hiring decisions. Creating an atmosphere where comments, evaluations and decisions can be challenged should be integrated into the process.

Read: Why too many interviews is bad selection practise.

Disadvantages and limitations

Many managers are not keen on structured interviews because they interfere with the natural flow of a conversation. Just as they control digression, they can impede spontaneity. Interviewers can also appear aloof and disengaged sticking to questions by rote. It’s important that the interviewers are relaxed and sociable, despite the structured element and convey friendliness and openness via non-verbal communication. But even then, structured interviews don’t eliminate bias totally. What they do is create an atmosphere where viewpoints can be challenged in discussions around the evaluations. They have an inbuilt possibility of allowing bias to be called out.

Structured interviews can effectively contribute to managing unconscious bias in the hiring process, especially when combined with other forms of assessment such as testing and behavioural exercises.

For support creating structured interviews

contact Dorothy Dalton

9 stages of career transition

1 Reply

Over the years I have coached probably thousands of men and women through career transition. And although each case is always unique, (everyone likes to think they are special) I have observed 9 common stages in the process which each career changer or transformer makes.

1.Detached and dissatisfied

Most people seek out professional career support when they are desperate or lost. They have usually tried to change jobs on their own and have met obstacles. This can be extremely disheartening and frustrating. They read my web site and say:

“You wrote that for me! That is exactly where I am”

They are filled with conflicting emotions which can include anxiety about the future or financial issues, concern about lack of status and self-worth and even depression. They might have enjoyed their old jobs at some point and either change has been forced upon them or they have simply fallen out of love with their old profession. This will involve an element of grieving and a lot of chest beating and “what ifs” and “if onlies.” It can be a very challenging place.

A smaller number focus on change in a strategic and structured way and they usually get stuck in this particular sand trap less frequently. They are happy to consign their old career to the past, but are then caught up in another bind. This group frequently want to disown their previous life and skills. This presents a whole other set of problems.

2. Identity limbo

As we struggle to understand who we are, what is important to us and how we want to add value in the next phase of our careers we can fall into identify limbo. Benchmarks about our achievements may no longer be valid and in some cases we may even reject the values that were once important to us and the people around us. But when we do that we frequently miss the recognition and endorsements we all seek at some level associated with that.

Aaron decided he wanted to leave private legal practice and join an NGO which was more in line with his current values. This created a significant gap in income and outlook with his previous colleagues which he described as being

“…..insurmountable. They just didn’t get the person I’d become. It wasn’t something they could deal with and pretty much dropped me. We were in different places. ”

That happens, but there are new kindred spirits on the horizon.

Read: How to manage your career in times of uncertainty

3. Confusion

Many people say they “feel all over the place” at this point They seem to have too many choices but at the same time none of them feel totally right. They flounder and become overwhelmed and get bogged down in analysis paralysis and make no headway. They feel insecure and lack confidence.

This is the point when most seek professional support. It’s important to hold yourself accountable for decisions and paths taken in the past, without beating yourself up. You can’t change what happened historically.

4. Commitment to the process

Most career changers expect an epiphany or “ah-ha” moment. In reality although that can happen, it rarely does. What usually takes place is through painstaking hard work. If you commit 100% to the career transition process, being open to support and willing to change, a myriad of inter-connecting switches flicker on, causing a slow and gradual internal illumination.

Those that don’t commit totally to the process in terms of time and energy will not make the same progress. Getting a job is now your job. Anyone who can’t get into that zone, gets into trouble.

5. Danger zone

Spending time doing the inner work, anchoring strengths, identifying personal development plans and finding and owning their “why” is really key at this point. It’s not uncommon to meet resistance as old habits, inner critics and negative thinking hold career changers back. Backsliding can kick in at this point until complete clarity about goals, vision and action is achieved. I hear a lot of “yes-but,” at this point, which is a massive tell that there is deep-seated resistance.

The message here is “yes I want to move forward” but old habits and influences are still getting in the way as clients struggle to let go of what they usually do or did before.

It takes persistence and resilience to get beyond this and can be a danger zone for some. It’s important to work with your coach to get through the fog during this phase of your career transition.

6. Picking up the pace

Emerging from a misty tunnel and making progress is a huge energy booster. It’s common to see a flurry of activity at this point. Plans and strategies are drafted, CVs updated and online profiles professionalized. It’s all systems go! Networking is well underway, job applications in the pipeline and even interviews lined up.

Remember to stay focused and on plan. It’s easy to drift and get side tracked by online “busyness.” There is a lot of nonsense around job search and career advice which can be distracting and a big time eater especially on the internet. It’s not uncommon to see a loss of focus after a period of intense activity.

Read: White noise nonsense on job search and recruitment

7. Cohesion and synergy

As all the different threads seem to come together and fall into place. The potential and possibilities of a new career and maybe even a new life are on the horizon. Success breeds success. The career changer gets a buzz. Success seems on the horizon and within their grasp.

8. Set backs

But….career transformers rarely get the first job they apply for. They are dismayed at the speed of the procedures (slow) and lack of positive response (variable.) Recruiters take time to respond or don’t respond at all. It’s all frustrating. It can take 6-9 months to start a new job. Patience is vital to maintaining sanity.

There may be some set backs, perhaps several. It’s important to learn from the experience and be flexible, adapt and dig deep. Every situation even the negative ones, give great feedback, so it’s important not to let it damage your confidence. You have to hang on, flex the resilience muscles and power through the adversity. It’s only temporary.

9. Score

Finally, after what seemed at times like an impossible journey, goals have been achieved. Dreams have become a reality! Your new life is about to start!!

If you would like to re-invent your career get in touch NOW!