Are we talking Government protection or fascism…..Recent Wallstreet Journal article cites that the US government is using its clout to oust Chairman, Howard Solomon for Forests misconduct in its marketing of Celexa and Lexapro – Government pushing out  pharma CEO

OK I will admit I am trying to stretch a metaphor for the sake that I am a huge Jet fan. I am ecstatic that Revis has signed with the Jets and that they have a much better chance for success with Revis on the team. With that said, how does this translate to employer’s strategy in recruiting and retaining great talent. Even with this recession, it is still hard to find great talent. The Jets recognized that they were better with Revis on the team then with him off the field. Yet they had a fiscal responsibility and corporate mantra they needed to abide by.  Revis realized that this was the best time for him to leverage his greatness (regardless that he had three years remaining on his contract). There was plenty of posturing but eventually a renewed contract was agreed upon. This happened because the Jets took a multi-channel approach to recruiting Revis back in the fold.  The Jets had their GM working the phone with Revis’s agents, players reached out, the TV show Hard Knocks was a blatant “shout out” to Revis, and eventually the Coach, Rex Ryan and the owner, Woody Johnson, jettison down to Miami to insist they work out an arrangement.  This is unique in football, as it is in traditional business.

Darrelle Revis

To be successful as a recruiter,  I need to go beyond just sending a resume of a stellar candidate. Most of the time I need to orchestrate the correct path that the recruiting process needs to take. Some companies move to quick and want to make an offer without giving the candidate an opportunity to soak in the culture of prospective new employer.  Organizations work hard to strategize on how they can effect their clients business or customer base, but they spend little time strategizing on how to recruit top tier talent. They utilize the same process (HR, hiring managers, references, offer) for all candidates. Companies can hire fair to good prospects that way but the stellar candidate needs a multi-channel approach to being recruited; fluid interview schedules with the proper elites of the company, immediate feedback to the recruiter, follow up dinner/drink with hiring manager, a winning offer. Most stellar candidates need to understand the culture, too quick a process results in no feel for the organization. Too drawn out a process shows the firm can’t get their act together.  A critical aspect to the approach is that the firm understands the candidate’s sensibilities and interests; is he/she a real family person, likes to do triathlons, charitable, other hobbies, etc. The firm needs to create a connection to those needs. It could be that the firm has a gym in their building that finally seals the deal, but if that is not sought out (either by the recruiter or firm), it won’t be addressed and a deal might not close.

Stellar candidates can be a difference maker to a company the same way Revis has shown to be a difference maker for the Jets.

I earned my coaching certification last year with the goal of adding a new flavoring to my 24 years of recruiting expertise. In recruiting you develop a niche (mine is pharmaceutical marketing and communications). In coaching you are supposed to develop a niche (or two) as well. I decided to focus on coaching college students. I have a college age son and I thought it could be somewhat cathartic experience for me.

I should of known better. I forgot that most college age kids know more than their parents. It is very difficult to coach/teach/mentor your own kid. I admire and applaud those who are successful. I had a bit more luck with a couple of college age kids that I coached. I helped them understand the process of getting a job, (resume writing, interview techniques etc). I was hoping to shape their expectations too. Most importantly, I focused on getting them to be their own recruiter. In most cases, recruitment firms can’t help college graduates (even in the best of times).

I feel for these kids as I truly believe that the prospects of quick success careers are not that abundant, yet these kids have been living in a world of immediate gratification since birth. I have imparted realism ( blend of cynicism and optimism) to my own kids and to the students I have coached . After reading a recent Wall Street Journal Career’s article,    A Lament for the Class of 2010, I must sound like Tony Robbins.

This article is a good read and an important read for parents and their students. It paints a cynical but true portrait of the job environment out there. My problem with this article is that it is not reassuring nor does it offer any solutions or alternatives. Joe Queenan speaks of a recent Princeton graduate working for $250 a week with no real future options. He proclaims certain data that continues to paint a bleak future for the job market. His description of college grads working with Baby Boomers and having to indulge with our dullard idiosyncrasies are somewhat funny but depressing as well. Joe questions whether college and its expenses are worth it.  I am not sure what Joe’s point is… does he have some underlying resentment towards today’s youth (his own kids possibly) or is he just existential about today’s business world and sees no positive future.

I think Joe might have missed a point. I think we as parent’s might miss the mark sometimes too. These kids are entering a very tough time. Conventional career paths are somewhat limited right now. High paying jobs out of school are scarce (but were they ever abundant?) and low paying jobs are competitive to get. We know this. There are always solutions. The rise to success might take longer today than during the last few decades, but success is still in eye’s view. Joe’s cynicism prevented him from seeing that each generation can help create new frontiers. Today’s generation has the entrepreneurial capabilities of paving their own road to success. This economy won’t last forever. Today’s graduates can find opportunity and knowledge within the mundane positions they take once out of college and in short order apply them to more exciting opportunities later. Whether creating their own business or waiting out this difficult period, we need to continue to help our kids succeed and temper their expectations. We need to help foster their entrepreneurial ambitions or help them gain some independence.

Joe lampooned this song but I believe it to be true; “The sun will come out tomorrow”.