When the Mask Comes Off: Job Hunting In a Post Pandemic World

Originally published on Hunt Scanlon Media

BY RUSS RIENDEAU, PHD & TIM TOLAN

Asking yourself tough questions ahead of your job interview will allow you to prepare truthful responses and ensure a better outcome, says Russ Riendeau, of New Frontier Search Company, and Tim Tolan, of The Tolan Group, in a new report. The coronavirus crisis may have cost you your job, but it won’t last as an excuse for having failed to advance your career. Here’s why.

Search professionals continue to adjust to new ways of doing business as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite growing unemployment numbers, recruiters are finding new pathways to work through the crisis. From the jobseeker standpoint, however, many mid- to senior-level professionals are unsure how to proceed with their job searches.

A new report by Russ Riendeau, senior partner and chief behavioral scientist with New Frontier Search Company, and Tim Tolan, managing partner of The Tolan Group, provides strategies for job hunting during a crisis and offers some questions to ask yourself before you start your job search.

“The number of calls and emails we both get daily is over the top in terms of volume,” said Dr. Riendeau. “And some of these calls are from great people we know very well who have been impacted by COVID-19. We feel compelled to address these concerns and offer some ideas and thoughts to the candidate market as a whole. We don’t have all of the answers, but we do have expertise on this topic we want to share with those impacted. We’ve both experienced other downturns as executive recruiters so our feedback is real and our suggestions are (intentionally) very direct.”

To create some context and perspective around jobs and unemployment as of today, said Dr. Riendeau, consider these data points: More than 4.4 million laid-off workers applied for U.S. unemployment benefits last week as job cuts escalated across an economy that remains all but shut down. More than 30 million people have now filed for jobless aid in the five weeks since the coronavirus outbreak began forcing millions of employers to either furlough their workers or close their doors. About one in six American workers have now lost their jobs since mid-March, by far the worst string of layoffs on record. According to economists, the unemployment rate stands at nearly 19 percent. Sadly, more pain is coming this month and next.

“Of those impacted, we understand that a high percentage of jobs lost are in food, hospitality, retail and transportation services,” said Mr. Tolan. “It is a challenging time for all of us. And for those individuals looking to replace a lost job, make a career shift or new graduates entering the workforce, each of you have a unique set of challenges.”

Economic recovery and returning to the “new normal” of daily life in a safe society will take another six to eight months or more, by some estimates. “If you have been let-go, laid-off, right-sized, downsized, furloughed or your income has been significantly reduced in this pandemic, there are self-assessment questions you want to ask yourself,” Mr. Tolan said. “And be prepared to be asked tougher questions by a hiring manager, as you seek a new job in your current field or if you decide to change careers altogether.”

“Asking yourself the tough questions now will give you both time to prepare truthful responses to ensure a better outcome, as well as educate yourself to be qualified to secure a better job offer,” Dr. Riendeau said. “While the reality is this pandemic triggered job losses, it won’t last as a permanent excuse to advancing your career and job search should you not do all you can to upgrade your skills to compete in this post-pandemic world. And eventually, the world will go back to a new normal.”

“As longtime executive search professionals in the world of pay-for-performance, all of our colleagues know the importance of proactive behavior and ongoing education demonstrated by the best candidate receiving great job offers,” Mr. Tolan said. “Metrics measure reality. Every CEO, hiring executives and HR leaders we work with understand this as well. They too, watch for evidence that job applicants for the best jobs are working as hard on skills training on their own personal time, to gain a competitive advantage on the field to secure the better offer and higher compensation.”

The search consultants said that if you are serious about securing a job or making a career shift you have to commit—really commit—to secure job leads and stand out above the competition. And while this pandemic is stressful and creating hardships for every American, you have the resilience to persevere; you have a choice to dedicate your energies to creating opportunities for yourself. There’s no room for excuses as to why your strategy or research is lacking evidence of commitment; why your resume has formatting issues; why your references won’t return a call; why your LinkedIn profile is not current and focused; why you’re too tired/busy/pre-occupied with the pandemic, kids, family, etc.

“We’re all in similar predicaments, so it could mean you staying up late, getting up early, forgoing a binge of Tiger King (yes, a tough choice),” said Dr. Riendeau. “If your family depends on you, if you are looking to build your skills and career path, it is your responsibility to make changes that will improve your marketability. And if you are anxious about the future, feeling stress like you never have before—then you are self-aware, and please note, this is normal, healthy and appropriate emotions for right now. You will come out of this experience a stronger person. We all will – but only if we forge ahead with steadfast determination. Lastly, we must do so with a positive outlook and attitude as you look to the future. Focus on the good. It will get better!”

Ask Yourself These Questions

To provide some specific ideas to move you further ahead, Dr. Riendeau and Mr. Tolan offer a number of critical questions chief executives, hiring managers and HR professionals will ask you or will be listening/watching for your responses in this competitive job market. Ask yourself, they said, how your responses to these questions will hold up in a job interview:

1. During this pandemic, what evidence can you show that you have researched new career tracks, read specific books, articles, webinars, meetings, etc. that are directly related to improving your skills to compete?

2. What goals, ideas, timelines, possible career tracks have you documented and researched to determine if you are a viable candidate in these roles you’ve targeted?

3. What does your job search plan, spreadsheet of contacts, targeted companies and phone calls per day reveal about your commitment, time management, work ethic and self-awareness? Are you targeting a job or career that maximizes your skills and energy? Do you actually have a file to demonstrate your homework? How many hours are you investing in your job search each and every day?

4. When asked why you were laid off, terminated or furloughed in this pandemic, how will you explain? You must be specific when answering why you no longer have a job. It’s perception: How are you taking command of your future by ramping up your skills and goals into a new career? (Remember: This question is intended to help you think differently about your future, not criticize anyone.)

5. How much time have you dedicated to self-analysis with a pen and paper to document your skills and weaknesses related to your job and desire to secure a new career? What have you learned about yourself right now that you can begin to improve or concentrate on? What are your strengths and weaknesses?

6. Have you targeted a new job, new industry, new profession that you believe will be more self-sufficient and profitable? What research are you doing to prove this choice is rationale, logical, viable?

7. How is your LinkedIn profile? Does your profile look like, sound like the professional you believe you are? Will your profile hold up to the pressure of job interviews and secure you a great job offer? How many LI groups do you belong to? How many connections do you have in the market segment in which you have the most expertise? Does your profile match your resume with dates of each career transition? If your profile is not current or missing data, lacking evidence of your success, how do you expect others to see you as a successful, in-demand professional? (LinkedIn is your chance to showcase your value and successes to the business world.)

8. Compensation goals: Do you know what you are worth in the marketplace right now? $75,000 $150,000 $250,000 or more? What determines your value? How will you demonstrate your value proposition in 15 seconds or less? Do you know what your living expenses are and what you want to earn and invest each year to create your own FID—Financial Independence Day? Are you studying your investment habits to ensure you have good advice to make good investment decisions?

9. Do you appear successful? Perception of effort and personal appearance: The research and effort others see you attempting enforces their perception that you are being proactive in your personal and professional development. This perception can be the difference in a great job offer or finishing second. Your appearance—physical appearance around clothes, grooming, written materials and your professional demeanor such as, online appearance (LinkedIn images, resume, social media content do impact perception, believability and trust. Act and dress like the professional you say you are. One chance meeting can create a career lead—especially now with social distancing and isolation.)

10. Seeking accurate advice: Who do you turn to when you need impartial, truthful feedback on your skills, decisions and career tracks? Do you even seek out advice? Have you considered investing in professional coaching to realize your true potential? Do you have mentors/role models that ask you tough questions, deep questions that make you sweat– scare the hell out of you–because the question is dead-on to where the holes are?

“If these questions and options resonate, make you defensive, scare you—even intimidate you—then you already know what you need to start now to improve your options and securing a great job offer,” Mr. Tolan said. “To secure a great job or change careers requires specific actions to prove you are doing the heavy lifting to ensure your success. Be prepared every day for a conversation.”

Dr. Riendeau said that “when a potential hiring manager, mentor or colleague that could refer you a job lead reads your resume, checks out your LinkedIn profile, looks you in the eye, asks you what your game plan is, what will they be thinking? What if she asks you what specific action steps you have engaged in to improve your life situation while confined in-part to your home in this pandemic, what will you say? Masks help protect you against deadly viruses. Masks won’t protect hiring managers from excuses of why you’ve not been more strategic and proactive in your personal and professional development knowing change was coming.”

“The harsh reality of this crisis is that it reveals vulnerable weaknesses in us as humans and in our decision-making,” Mr. Tolan said. “You and you alone have the choice in how you use your time and energy.”

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Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor; and Stephen Sawicki, Managing Editor  – Hunt Scanlon Media

Tim Tolan is managing partner and CEO of The Tolan Group (TTG), a retained search firm in St Augustine, FL. The Tolan Group was founded in 2005 and is part of the Sanford Rose Associates network of 100+ offices across the U.S. and abroad. TTG is primarily focused in multiple sectors, including healthcare services, healthcare technology, behavioral health, substance abuse and human and family services.
He can be reached at 904-875-4787 or www.thetolangroup.com

Russ Riendeau Ph.D., is senior partner and chief behavioral scientist with New Frontier Search Company, a retained search practice specializing in senior leadership, sales & sales management. The author/co-author of 11 books, numerous TEDx Talks, and a highly regarded keynote speaker, he also consults and writes about behavioral science topics and peak performance.
He can be reached at 847-363-9789 or russ@newfrontiersearch.net.

Out of work, looking for a job during a pandemic? Oh Boy. But there are strategies that work.

Originally published in Aviation Maintenance Magazine, March 2020

If you are unemployed and looking for full time employment, you are having the challenge of your business life right now. 

In this unprecedented pandemic, people are stressed, confused, worried, perplexed and in various stages of emotional overload while the daily influx of more bad news continues. And they are worried about losing their job as well. 

So, is there good news here, you say? Yes. 

There are many things that you can implement to influence your odds and impact in securing job interviews and the attention of hiring managers that are distracted and in crisis management mode. It will be a bigger challenge to secure interviews, let’s be very clear, but you have the power and time to make changes that will help increase your job search effectiveness. 

How do you get the attention of hiring managers in this crisis? 

How do you demonstrate you are the person to hire over the others? 

How do you find the jobs other than applying to only the posted jobs? 

How do you tap into the next level of your network to leverage job leads? 

How do you explain your reasons for your job loss/job changes effectively? 

Here are some critical considerations: 

1. Prepare for your search to be longer. Don’t take rejections or no return calls personally. It’s a pandemic and people are confused. Acknowledge the hiring manager’s challenges in leading their teams and then share how you have also led/worked in challenging times. Accept, acknowledge, offer help. 

2. Review your skills list and experience to demonstrate how you’ve been successful and dependable in other tough situations: 9/11, SARS, Y2K, floods, hurricanes, recessions/depressions, active shooter experiences, etc. Don’t exploit these tragedies but practice talking about what you learned about yourself, how you and your team helped others and stress your resiliency and positive attitude and successes. 

3. Be very succinct with your messages, emails and texts. Be specific, polite and ask for a response to insure the person understands exactly what you are looking for. 

4. Recruiters will only be so effective. 80% of jobs are thru personal efforts and not search professionals, so commit your time to proactive work to find jobs. 

5. LinkedIn profile: If it is not current, you are compromising your job search. Be sure you have a photo of you that shows a confident, pleasant appearance. No cute pictures to be clever. This world is in a state of confusion, look like you are ready to handle the task. Be sure your summary is short, direct and consider asking questions that you can be the solution. Focus your message and profile to attract a person that can hire you. That is the goal. Speak their language and ask them questions that you suspect they are dealing with in their role. Research and phrase your summary to their language. 

6. Resume: Content should reflect the energy and consistency of your LI profile. Customize the content for each job you apply for. Use that industry’s language, address challenges they are facing that you have solved similar problems for. 

7. Use LinkedIn to find out and watch what jobs people left and follow the trail to see if that job is still open. Be creative and determined to trace the trail to that job. Don’t only look for posted jobs--that’s where all the competition goes. Target companies that your successful skills and experience will tie back directly to solving a problem quickly. Make a case to them as capitalists why they should meet you--even if they don’t have an immediate opening. Especially right now when layoffs are coming, hiring freezes looming. You have to look like you are worth investing in to have on the team. 

8. Pursue calls with people outside of your immediate network. The people closest to you--if they have not led you to a job lead--will not be a viable help. Sorry, it’s true. Support, yes. But will they find you a job lead? Unlikely. Pursue new leaders and companies that you can create a compelling story and leverage your knowledge. 

9. Have proof ready to sell yourself. If you have excessive job changes in the last six years for example be prepared to show how you are fixing the flaws in whatever may have created these job changes (i.e. poor decision-making, lack of research on your part, mistaken loyalty, lack of proactive training and professional development, a personal crisis you have turned around, etc.). Show the listener you realize it may be your fault regarding some of the job issues and you are fixing your mistakes. Gather documents to prove your work is great. If you can’t prove it, they won’t believe it or they will make you a low ball offer to protect themselves. 

9.5. Prove you are studying your craft every week. What best selling books/ seminars/workshops are you viewing right now? You’re not reading anything to improve? Uh-oh. What magazines, TED Talks, LinkedIn Groups are you participating in? What industry associations are you active in? If you can’t show you are urgently, consistently working to improve your sales, marketing, banking, managerial, supply chain, operations skills, how can you expect to demand a great offer or convince a employer you are the best-in-show? 

10. Have your references ready at a moment’s notice. If you can’t get a reference from your the company that laid you off or terminated you, this will create problems in getting an offer, let alone an interview. Work hard to insure a reference can be secured. 

11. Practice your interview skills. Rehearse, be tough on yourself, test drive your weak answers and be ready to be scrutinized to prove you are the best for the job. If you are not willing to address and accept your the weak parts of your presentation, you job search will continue to be challenged. Seek out a paid professional or coach to prepare you for this critical interview process. 

Best of luck, keep a steady path, don’t let up and be self-aware of how you present your skills to a confused world at work. 

11 Key Strategies for Seeking a New Job During a Pandemic

These are the toughest of times to be job hunting. But all is not lost for those willing to make substantive changes that will boost their chances, says a new report from New Frontier Search Company. This is timely, helpful and encouraging advice.

In these unprecedented times, people are stressed, confused, worried, perplexed and in various stages of emotional overload while the daily influx of troubling news continues.

If you are unemployed and looking for full-time employment, you are having the challenge of your business life right now. A new report by Russ Riendeau, senior partner and chief behavioral scientist with New Frontier Search Company, provides the best strategies for job hunting during crisis times.

“In this unprecedented pandemic, people are worried about losing their job as well,” Dr. Riendeau said. “So, is there good news here, you ask? Yes.”

There are many things that you can implement to influence your odds and impact in securing job interviews and getting the attention of hiring managers who are distracted and in crisis management mode. It will be a bigger challenge to secure interviews, let’s be very clear, but you have the power and time to make the changes that will help increase your job search effectiveness.”

So, just how do you get the attention of hiring managers in this crisis? How do you demonstrate you are the person to hire over others? How do you find jobs other than applying to only the posted ones? How do you tap into the next level of your network to leverage job leads? How do you explain your reasons for your recent job loss/job changes effectively? Here are some critical considerations.

1. Prepare for your search to be longer. Don’t take rejections or no return calls personally. “It’s a pandemic and people are confused,” said Dr. Riendeau. “Acknowledge the hiring manager’s challenges in leading their teams and then share how you have also led/worked in challenging times. Accept, acknowledge, and offer help.”

2. Review your skills list. Show your experience to demonstrate how you’ve been successful and dependable in other tough situations: 9/11, SARS, Y2K, floods, hurricanes, recessions/depressions, active shooter experiences, etc. “Don’t exploit these tragedies but practice talking about what you learned about yourself, how you and your team helped others and stress your resiliency and positive attitude and successes,” said Dr. Riendeau.

3. Effective communication. “Be very succinct with your messages, emails and texts,” Dr. Riendeau said. “Be specific, polite and ask for a response to insure the person understands exactly what you are looking for.”

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Crisis Management: Leading in Times of Great Uncertainty

The COVID-19 outbreak is making its way through the business world and costing organizations billions of dollars in lost revenue. Goldman Sachs estimates that economic growth around the world will be zero in 2020 thanks to the virus. Even that seems grossly underestimated. But the coronavirus is causing far more than just financial damage. Leaders are scrambling to secure supplies, keep fearful employees motivated to work, and, in some cases, maintain bold strategic plans that have been years in the making from falling apart.

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4. Recruiters will only be so effective. Eighty percent of jobs are through personal efforts and not search professionals, so commit your time to proactive work to find jobs.

5. LinkedIn profile:If your online profiles are not current, you are compromising your job search. “Be sure you have a photo of yourself that shows a confident, pleasant appearance. No cute pictures to be clever,” Dr. Riendeau said. “Our world is in a state of confusion, so look like you are ready to handle the task. Be sure your summary is short, direct and consider asking questions that you can be the solution for. Focus your message and profile to attract a person that can hire you. That is the goal. Speak their language and ask them questions that you suspect they are dealing with in their role. Research and phrase your summary to their language.”

6. Resume: Content should reflect the energy and consistency of your LinkedIn profile. “Customize the content for each job you apply for,” Dr. Riendeau said. “Use that industry’s language, address challenges they are facing that you have solved similar problems for.”

7. Utilizing social media. Dr. Riendeau said to also use LinkedIn to find out and watch what jobs people left and follow the trail to see if that job is still open. “Be creative and determined to trace the trail to that job,” he said. “Don’t only look for posted jobs that’s where all the competition goes. Target companies that your successful skills and experience will tie back directly to solving a problem quickly.

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Related: Work-Life Balance Matters, But Does It Matter Most?

“Make a case to them as capitalists why they should meet you—even if they don’t have an immediate opening,” he said. “Especially right now when layoffs are coming, hiring freezes looming. You have to look like you are worth investing in to have on the team.”

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8. Expanding your network. “Pursue calls with people outside of your immediate network,” Dr. Riendeau said. “The people closest to you—if they have not led you to a job lead—will not be a viable help. Sorry, it’s true. Support, yes. But will they find you a job lead? Unlikely. Pursue new leaders and companies that you can create a compelling story and leverage your knowledge.”

9. Have proof ready to sell yourself. If you have excessive job changes in the last six years for example be prepared to show how you are fixing the flaws in whatever may have created these job changes (i.e. poor decision-making, lack of research on your part, mistaken loyalty, lack of proactive training and professional development, a personal crisis you have turned around, etc.). “Show the listener you realize it may be your fault regarding some of the job issues and you are fixing your mistakes,” said Dr. Riendeau. “Gather documents to prove your work is great. If you can’t prove it, they won’t believe it or they will make you a lowball offer to protect themselves.”

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Working Virtually Keeps Everyone Safe and Productive
Staying at home may be the best way to stay safe in these early days of the global coronavirus crisis, but it also happens to be the best way to get the most done at work. That is according to a new Korn Ferry survey of professionals regarding working virtually. The vast majority of respondents (88 percent) said they are more productive when they work virtually, and 84 percent said they actually work more when they don’t go into the office.

Dr. Riendeau said you need to prove you are studying your craft every week. What best-selling books/seminars/workshops are you viewing right now?  What magazines, TED Talks, LinkedIn Groups are you participating in? What industry associations are you active in? If you can’t show you are urgently, consistently working to improve your sales, marketing, banking, managerial, supply chain, operations skills, how can you expect to demand a great offer or convince an employer you are the best in show?

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10. References. “Have your references ready at a moment’s notice,” Dr. Riendeau said. “If you can’t get a reference from the company that laid you off or terminated you, this will create problems in getting an offer, let alone an interview. Work hard to ensure a reference can be secured.”

11. Practice your interview skills. “Rehearse, be tough on yourself, test drive your weak answers and be ready to be scrutinized to prove you are the best for the job,” said Dr. Riendeau. “If you are not willing to address and accept the weak parts of your presentation, you job search will continue to be challenged. Seek out a paid professional or coach to prepare you for this critical interview process.”

“Best of luck, keep a steady path, don’t let up and be self-aware of how you present your skills to a confused world at work,” Dr. Riendeau said.

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Related: The Upskilling Deadlock to Continue in 2020

Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor; and Stephen Sawicki, Managing Editor  – Hunt Scanlon Media

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Self-Awareness In Crisis: The Healthy Approach.

Taking note of our own behavior is critical.

Every 2 hours something changes in our world right now. More businesses close, the stock market dips lower, more scary statistics, more cases recorded, more deaths, less toilet paper..

As a behavioral psychologist and executive search professional, it is my professional oath as a member of the American Psychological Association to research/deliver the most timely and helpful information for business owners, chief executives--any person on this planet for that matter--that are wrestling with unchartered waters of a pandemic. We are all in a high state of stress and confusion. No one is immune from the effects of this covid-19 crisis. How we cope is a matter of acceptance, awareness and proactive behaviors.

This link below from our APA leadership team is a well-crafted perspective of how we all can better cope and remain emotionally and physically strong in this crisis. I encourage you to read this content, as well as share the link with all of your colleagues, employees, families and friends to remain connected and self-aware of how you are monitoring your own behavioral health.

This crisis will pass. We return to our daily routines, freedoms and income streams. With proper medical care and vigilance to the social distancing our leaders are encouraging, we will remain healthy.

https://www.apa.org/practice/programs/dmhi/research-information/social-distancing

Stay vigilant.

Dr. Russ Riendeau, PhD

Senior Partner,

New Frontier Search Company

What Jack Welch Said to Me in 1986 Still Resonates

By Russ Riendeau, PhD

Is there someone in your life that changed your thinking? Ignited your creative fire?

In 1982, a ground-breaking business book, In Search of Excellence, by Tom Peters and Rob Waterman, was a bestseller that I devoured, until the binding fractured and frayed, on my journey to figure out what my career path would be. Introducing me to the corporate models of business strategies, this book set a course of action that would come full circle.

1986, I found myself a rookie in the executive search business, after spending the previous nine years as a construction manager right out of high school. This same year The Wall Street Journal ran an article that included an interview with General Electric’s CEO, Jack Welch about leadership and one comment Welch wrote jumped out at me. Mr. Welch’s recent death reminded me of often subtle ways people and history makes its mark on us.

Jack told me--the reader of that article-- that companies should never be expected to guarantee any worker, at any level, a lifetime of employment, unless that employee continued to keep update and upgrade their skills and value to the company. If the person thought otherwise, they would not have a job very long. To me, a 28-year old newcomer to the pay-for-performance world of executive search and without a college degree at the time, his comment resonated pretty deep.

Fast forward to 1989. I decided the need to earn my college degree to remain competitive and viable in the marketplace, whether it be as a search professional or as a employee at another company in the future. So I went back to school nights to earn my degrees. Fast forward to 2001. A year after starting my doctoral studies in psychology while running my own newly-launched search practice, and doing search work for GE divisions, I was approached to be a part time instructor for General Electric. Their in-house university utilized outside professionals like me to develop and deliver sales training and leadership skills to various divisions of GE. Around this time, Jack Welch retired from GE, and shortly after 2002, I stopped my project work at GE to finish my doctorate and focus energies on my search practice.

Jack Welch’s influence on GE was significant. And his influence on me, as an impressionable, young businessman new to the corporate world and trying to find my place—my voice—in a crowded market was also significant. Tom Peters (whom I had a chance to meet and speak with as well, also made an impact.) Both these men inspired me to write books on leadership and sales best practices as well.

To this day, I still remember reading that WSJ article 34 years ago; a wake-up call to a rookie headhunter--reminding me to keep skills as sharp as possible to insure my value remains competitive and viable. And to protect against complacency in pursuing knowledge never grabs my throat.

Who will influence your future? And are you looking?

Russ Riendeau's newest book is The Big Swing, a Amazon Kindle download. He is senior partner with New Frontier Search Company.

Read It And Reap: Fact: Higher Earners Turn More Pages. Are You?

What did you read last month? What books, magazines, newsletters, summaries did you seek out, get delivered to your door, on your phone, that infused you with additional perspectives, ideas and general awareness about your profession, your industry, your world knowledge, your community, your customers, your future?

All the research continues to show higher wage earners read more than lower income earners. Ongoing, active readers continue to show stronger emotional health, better communication skills, develop more empathy, enhance concentration levels and most importantly: improved vocabulary. Vocabulary strength, as well continues to correlate with higher income earners. And important to note that watching news and cable news is not the same as deciding on a specific book or publication with the intention of reading and gathering ideas on your terms--not at the hands of the advertisers sponsoring the content you are being given to view.

As a long time avid reader, my parents were the first to encourage reading in our family. Book shelves full of biographies of great women and men, history books, fiction, self-help, travel, spirituality and fitness--a wide variety, ever present and featured against the walls of our living room and TV room. And to this day, I find reading to be one of the greatest joys and most enlightening parts of my days and evenings. As a executive recruiter, psychologist and writer, I consider it a critical part of my job description to keep up on current trends, science, technology, business best practices and industry shifts that all, ultimately influence how I do my job every day. As an author, if I can demonstrate my knowledge effectively, I gain the trust and confidence of other writers, for example. These writers then are more willing to endorse my content--stand up and say they respect my work. This ultimately affords me more influence with customers that feel more confident in my services because of this trust and endorsements. The results of constant reading has had a direct effect on my income, job satisfaction and performance, as well as developing new interests and enhancing current interests.

For example, my reading from last month is below. I share this list not to impress you but to impress upon you the potential of expanding your working vocabulary, as well as gain perspectives that allow you to better communicate with others; understand their viewpoints, as well as learn how you can better serve their needs in business and the solutions you provide.

Readings from my last month: 27 Wall Street Journal papers and 28 local papers, Chief Learning Officer, Breakthrough Recruiting, American Psychologist, Monitor on Psychology, AOPA, Flying, American Motorcyclist, Poets & Writers, Spirituality & Health, National Geographic, Aeronautical Knowledge for Aviators, Smithsonian, Emergency Medicine, First Freedom, USCCA Magazine, Sales Differentiation, Hemispheres Inflight Magazine, Golf Digest, Golf, Archaeology, Forbes, Inc. Bloomberg, Paris Travel Books (2), 10 Inc. Magazine articles, 20 LinkedIn articles, 10 Art-related articles, Art Institute of Chicago Magazine.

Most of these publications I read in the evenings, on planes, waiting for meetings, lunches, weekends. The end result is that I am more prepared to discuss a wider range of topics and have conversations that are more substantive and engaging, which may help my potential clients have more confidence in my ability to solve their problems. Or casual conversations with friends may generate new ideas for projects, travel or help each other worth through a difficult problem or life situation. Reading not only raises general awareness and mental functioning, but raises other's confidence in your ability to perform at a higher level, with confidence. Reading builds your skills, resilience and overall life satisfaction.

Oh, and reading will earn you more money. It is a fact. As you become more astute to the world around you; more cognizant to what others are needing, thinking and considering; more tuned in to the influencers in the world today that impact how you sell yourself, your company, your services, your commitment, you will achieve greater and faster success.

And, if you stuck with reading this article to this point, your already in the top percentile that read something of their own choice today to improve their overall position in life and start to enhance their income upward!

Reading takes time, takes commitment and takes energy to decide what to read and to push yourself outside of your comfort zone. Look carefully at what activities you are doing now that you can eliminate or shorten to allow you time to pursue reading and professional/personal development. Reprioritize your energy and time to engage in study that will have a direct impact your life, compared to pursuing activities that entertain and stall other life-changing activities. The more you read outside of what you are familiar with, the more you grow, learn and develop a broader set of communication skills and perspectives, that again, lead to wealth and more life satisfaction.

What If I Wanted To Work For Harley Davidson?

What if there was a job opening for a Sales Training Manager job at Harley Davidson? And what if you wanted to get that job? What effort would you/could you put forth to get an interview and work to secure an offer?

In this competitive and tight labor market, a job seeker must present their skills, their competitive advantage and their intellect in a way that both entices the hiring manager to agree to a interview, as well as generate enough value to insure the most competitive offer that equates to the value one brings to the job.

So how would I, for example, as a trained sales professional, avid motorcyclist and student of the job search process, approach this challenge? How would I prepare/research and reach out to present my skills, compatibility to culture, my innovative ideas, as well as demonstrate my past successes? And how could present myself without sending my resume and cover letter through the black hole of online applications that end up in the HR Department, hoping someone sees my resume?

 And what if I had the skills and desire, but not the “industry experience” that often eliminates one from a job, as the company believes such industry can’t be learned quickly?

Hmmm…. (And, if you are a current hiring manager of any company and if you don't see at least some of this process being utilized by candidates you are interviewing, what is that telling you about their interest or lack of interest/desire to make an impact?)

 OK, here would be my initial job pursuit strategy (Your experience and argument would be different, but would attempt to carry the same impact and proof of success):

1.    Print out the job description from the posting on their website or a LinkedIn job posting. Then I would begin a worksheet to highlight/compare and contrast the listed responsibilities and skills required along side a list of my skills and compatible skills I could make towards a convincing argument.

2.    I would research every employee or past employee at Harley Davidson (HD) I could find on LinkedIn or other sites that may have had this job title or similar this job title or worked in the same department. I would call, email, LinkedIn these people, requesting any insights, conversations, ideas they have about the company, culture, the job described, buried bones, leadership challenges, etc. And I may ask that person if they could make a referral into a hiring manager at HD, if it made sense.

3.    I would review the company literature, leadership team profiles, corporate governance, investor relations, 10K and annual reports to see who is running what; who is driving change; what are the goals and mission for the next 5 years the company is promoting? I would look at what companies these leaders worked at before joining HD to look for similar cultures, clues, connections and ideas that I can leverage and demonstrate my skills to that increase my odds of getting an interview. The goal is to get the first interview!

4.    I would then start to edit my resume to start incorporate the words HD uses, phrasing, examples, archetypes of ideas, reference points, clichés, matching metaphors and customer experiences. I would attempt to show I am of the same tribal thinking—the same mindset, energy and drive they look for.

5.    I would research their industry after reviewing all their literature and public access to data. I would uncover the top 5 issues facing their company and industry at-large. What are they doing to address these issues? Are they making progress? Is the media agreeing? Are they having challenges in defining something unique? After gathering all this data, I would begin to gather examples and case studies of what I have done that has fixed similar challenges; ideas and strategies to share that demonstrate I have the capacity to think deductively, rationally, creatively, strategically and abstractly enough to bring a different perspective to their problems to solve.

6.    I would then begin to draft a document, like this very outline, that lists the steps and research I have done to prepare to apply for this job. Perhaps make a short list of some outlier ideas around sales and marketing promotions that would demonstrate I’m not afraid to take an idea to the ridiculous and then see if it can be tweaked or lead to another idea. For example, I might make a list suggesting some different marketing angles:

·     What if HD created a simple line of lighting fixtures for showing off one’s Harley bike in their very own garage? A Showroom style light on a motion sensor so every time the owner walks in their garage or back yard, their bike is aglow in brilliant light! Maybe one is given free with every purchase.

·     What if I suggested that the Harley Davidson website was not very exciting because there is not one sound—the most recognized brand on the planet--the rumble of a Harley motorcycle that appears on the site as of today. Silence is boring. Add a simple rumble when one clicks on the site or an ever present Icon that the viewer can click to get a 5 second rumble fix.

·     What if I suggested they need an exciting video on the home page immediately? Right now there is nothing but a list of new bikes and accessories. If they talk about a moto-culture and experience, then give me one visual experience right away.

·     Why doesn’t HD partner with storage companies, garage companies, garage shelving systems companies to help potential owners find room in their garage for a HD? Thousand’s of Americans want a HD but don’t have room. Help them make room.

·     If the new demographic HD is chasing is a younger, more affluent rider, where are the images of the younger buyers in a work environment they are actually in every day? Coffee shops, co-work spaces, clubs, etc.. The new buyers are not taking trips to Aspen everyday. They want to live the HD culture every work day.

·     I would suggest that the HD employees need updated coaching to insure their LinkedIn profiles match the HD brand to better leverage millions of potential customers and influencers to become more aware of HD. As of right now, the major of HD employee LinkedIn profiles are barely alive, not even showing pictures, links or creating a fun moto-culture that HD leadership suggests is paramount.

·     I would suggest hiring managers at HD and every sales person in the compay requires updated sales training in the psychology of persuasion and how better to sell in the new gig economy and stressful world. 80% of corporations are 4 years behind in sales training techniques.

·      I might suggest or ask what additional research and comparisons have been done around best practices in affluent marketing companies to learn how HD can add sales? What are sailboat companies, private aviation companies, timepiece makers, golf clubs, car companies, for example, doing to attract that next younger customer into their lifestyle model?

·     I would suggest that the fine American Motorcyclist Association and their magazine, needs to enhance their publication to reflect the average motorbike rider in America to reach and engage a broader audience. The magazine not is carrying the thrill of motorbikes to the everyday street rider.

7.    And after I have presented a bulleted, thought provoking list of questions and observations, I would then decide how best to deliver my presentation to as high up in the company as possible. The CEO? COO? A board member? (No, too political, pass on this one.)

8.    The CEO, I believe, would be the best person to send my proposal to. Sending it through the online application system is too risky of getting lost. Or I will look and sound like every other person. I want to show creativity, a touch of boldness and confidence. I want to show I have a compelling reason to apply; the ability to see the real issues to address; as well as showing the resolve that I know how to get something done and am willing to do the hard work to prove my value.

9.     Deciding then to contact the CEO of HD with my unique job application, I would send him the information as I outlined in this piece. Having already presented a number of bullet points above to show my creative problem-solving approach, I would then create another list of examples on how I have been delivering sales training and marketing successes over the years with this thought process and work ethic. The list would show I have more related experience compared to other successful people they have hired in the past. For example:

·     I am the author/co-author of 11 books, on sales training, leadership development, persuasion psychology and peak performance that have been endorsed by 7 bestselling authors.

·     As a sales trainer and coach, I have influenced thousands of sales professionals throughout America.

·     I have managed my own professionals services firm successfully and been profitable every year.

·     My work as a long time executive search professional has been a pay-for-performance sales job, so I know the skills and techniques to sell high priced products and services.

·     I am a behavioral scientist with a doctorate in psychology and have research skills and knowledge that is unique and a fresh perspective.

·     I have taught sales and leadership course at Northwestern University and for General Electric Company’s in-house university.

·     I know how to communicate and present to an audience. I have delivered 6 TEDx presentations and over 100 live speeches, presentations, as well as over 10,000 media appearances over the years.

·     I have ridden motorcycles since age 16 and flown airplanes since age 19.

·     As an artist/sculptor/craftsman and pilot, I understand and appreciate mechanical concepts and the beauty of engineering and style.

·     I believe in the HD brand, culture and mission.

·     I have references of those I have coached/mentored/trained and worked with that will attest to my skills and ability to learn critical concepts quickly.

10. And now that I have listed what I feel are the most appropriate and compelling attributes that relate to the job description, I would send this information directly to the CEO of Harley Davidson.

11. The last question is exactly how could I deliver this “job application” in a way that insures he will see this, reads this? How can I be sure he sees that I am willing to take a risk and even offer some ideas that have potential revenue value that I am offering at no cost to him? I could FedEx the document, but it could get lost, tossed or land in the wrong person’s hands and I’ll never know what happened. I need to stand out and be willing to risk, as well as offer value to demonstrate my work ethic and intention to make a difference.

12. I think the best way to present this idea is to post this document in a post on my LinkedIn profile and then send a link to the CEO. My odds increase he will see it. I’m offering value with my observations and demonstrated efforts to compile this document. Or perhaps another senior leader at HD will read this and share it with him and suggest he and I meet to explore my interest and potential value?

13. Finally, Should I secure a meeting with the CEO to discuss how I can help move the HD mission of sales and culture forward, you would hear about it for sure. Either as a great way to apply for a new job, or as a example of how you can do research for your respective job search to insure a better than chance you will get an interview.

I would end this document with a closing salvo:

Thank you for your time and serious consideration towards my interest in your Sales Training Manager Position. I believe I have the skills and intellect to make an impact at Harley Davidson and am available for a call or meeting in the next two weeks. I will follow up with you next week.

Regards,

Russ Riendeau, PhD

russ riendeau@gmail.com, 847-363-9789

Why Mastering Interview Skills Matters More Now Than Ever

A lack of interview training has been the bane of great business strategic plans for decades, yet it continues to be ignored, says Russ Riendeau, senior partner and chief behavioral scientist with New Frontier Search Company. If companies truly believe that employees are their most important resource, he argues, there must be a stronger emphasis on interviewing skills and coaching.

Read any strategic plan, corporate mission statement, agenda for a corporate sales and marketing meeting, new product rollout, leadership conference or retreat — and what’s missing? A training session or discussion about the critical skills of interviewing required for business.

“The lack of interview training for hiring managers in America has been the No. 1 assassin of great business strategic plans over the past 35 years or more, yet it is rarely discussed as a critical missing piece,” says Russ Riendeau, senior partner and chief behavioral scientist with New Frontier Search Company. “Great marketing ideas, great sales techniques trained, great customer service, on-time deliveries, guarantees, excellent onboarding—all excellently researched and ready to launch, only to fail because the hiring managers didn’t have the training to recognize the right talent to hire and to execute the plans.”

Dr. Riendeau offered the following evidence to bolster his argument:

• What percent of hiring managers in American businesses have had even one hour of professional interview training in the past four years? Less than five percent.

• What percent of HR executives install and require interview training initiatives in their companies? Less than 10 percent.

• What percent of hiring managers pursue interview training/coaching on their own time? Less than three percent.

• How many courses listed on the American Management Association website focus on dedicated interview training? Less than three percent.

Dr. Riendeau cited a recent Harvard Business Review interview with a CEO of a public corporation, who pointed out that every American business school provides future graduates with courses on how to interview for jobs but fails to teach these future business leaders how to conduct interviews when they become business leaders.

“This perfect storm of misdirection of skills and knowledge means the interviewee is better prepared to—unintentionally or cleverly—manipulate the interview because of the ineptness/lack of training of the interviewer who will then default to simplistic, heuristic decision devices to determine a potentially good or bad ‘fit’ for the job,” said Dr. Riendeau. “End result: The candidate gets a job offer based on the wrong measurement criteria and is potentially destined not to have a successful outcome. The candidate’s motivation to secure an offer and belief that they can do the job is perhaps genuine, yet could be inaccurately misdirected.”

A Critical Need

Understanding the science of identifying great employees is critical, said Dr. Riendeau, but corporations invest close to no time, money or attention to this skill. “And given the tightest, most competitive market to recruit talent why again is interview training not on the meeting agendas?” he asked. Even a recent and extensive skills-gap study by the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) failed to address the missing interview skills flaws, he said.

Another example of this lack of emphasis on interviewing skills is seen in Miller Heiman Group’s (MHG) CSO Sales Talent Study of 2018, said Dr. Riendeau. “MHG is a great training organization for sure, and this document is a strong overall analysis of best practices to identify top sales talent and how best to train for success,” he said. “However, this ‘original research’ as the paper’s headline suggests, does not directly address the critical need for hiring managers to have real-time interviewing skills to be able to identify the right sales talent to succeed. Nowhere in the document does it discuss this specific, critical element.”

“And there are other examples from top national sales training organizations too, that omit this critical discussion and training offerings in their portfolios,” he said.

Postmortem analysis in conversations of management professionals suggests that they simply accept or rationalize a failed hire as a “bad hire,” or any number of other excuses, said Dr. Riendeau. “In reality, the real assassin to the demise of the failed employee is often the fact they should have never been hired in the first place,” he said. “Interview skills and a better evaluation process based on key initiatives required for the job would have vetted that person more thoroughly and determined they simply were not aligned with the job. Risk/reward would not be worth it.”

A Valuable Skill

Indeed, the lack of interview training raises many questions, both rhetorical and otherwise. “Could interview training be seen as an insult or unnecessary by hiring managers who believe they are good interviews already?” said Dr. Riendeau. “Could the perception be that successful leaders obviously have skills to manage and hire good people, as how else would they have been elevated to the current role? Could it be that interviewing training is difficult to measure the efficacy in a profit and loss statement? Is it because interview training is not mandated/required by labor laws, unions or government agencies, thus the cost and focus is lost on compliance-driven training? Is it because interviewing skills are perceived as highly intuitive, thus difficult to create formulas and processes that are replicable in all situations?”

Without question, interview skills are indeed skills. “Interview effectiveness requires self-awareness, effective listening skills, objectivity, critical analysis and understanding of exactly what will be required and measured in that person’s job role,” said Dr. Riendeau. “Interviewing requires a plan of action, preparation and research before the applicant walks in the door while that manager reads the resume for the first time. Interviewing skills require a company’s commitment to teaching and measuring skills of hiring managers to insure better outcomes.”

10 Reasons Why Some Candidates Fail to Land the JobIt is no secret that the job search process has a lot of moving parts. Crafting resumes, practicing your pitch or planning for questions and answers for your interviewer are just a few matters you are responsible for. Unfortunately, it can be easy to overlook “small” things that can torpedo your candidacy.

When corporate leaders recognize and accept this critical need, better hiring occurs, turnover diminishes, costs of recruiting/training/damage control go down, morale improves and every employee feels more empowered, confident and part of the solution and success of the company, said Dr. Riendeau.

Labor laws, meanwhile, continue to evolve. Many new laws prevent hiring managers from knowing and comparing candidate salary histories and income histories, making it increasingly difficult and risky, without better interview training, to adequately evaluate and determine a candidate’s skills, value and risk factors.

Privacy Laws

“This simple tool of experience-to-personal income ratio—once a viable and legitimate tool to compare/contrast a candidate’s potential  to perform in a job—is now in jeopardy of not being another avenue of comparison,” said Dr. Riendeau. “Privacy laws, as well, prevent, once legal questions, to be asked in delving deeper into job history, references and performance evaluations. HR departments and references overall, are destined to simply state ‘name, rank, serial number,’ and not be willing to risk any further information for fear of legal ramifications.”

If corporate leaders, human resource professionals and professional services organizations really believe in employees being the heart of their businesses, there must be a stronger emphasis to install and require every hiring manager with the needed interviewing skills and coaching—regardless of that employees role, experience or longevity with the company, said Dr. Riendeau.

“The new world at work has grown far too complex and intelligent to accept that  outdated/non-existent interview skills will hold up the rigors of today’s demand for attracting and securing top talent,” he said. “Even the best strategic business plan or idea awaits the assassin’s influence, if the individuals hired to execute the strategic plan or goals are not correct person for the job.”

Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor; and Stephen Sawicki, Managing Editor  – Hunt Scanlon Media

How To Lose $500,000 In 3 Minutes: Don't Send A Thank-You Note.

Have you ever lost $500,000 bucks?

Ever lost $10,000?

How would you feel if you knew that you could have had 10k, 100k, or 500k more in your paycheck if you would have just spent 3 minutes doing one thing?

It is the perception of an act or inaction that makes a difference.

A True Story: Steve had been reminded by his mom and dad about this practice when he was in grade school. Steve was again reminded by mom and dad when he was in high school. Steve was reminded by his guidance counselor in college when he was applying to colleges and for references. Steve was reminded by one of the recruiters he worked with right out of college. He had been reminded about the simple practice of sending a thank-you note or email to managers he interviewed with or who had introduced him to a potential hiring manager or any person who had helped Steve in some way in his job quests. He was reminded, but he didn't make it a habit to follow this advice.

Yet, Steve was smart and did get eventually get a job and did well in his career.

Fast Forward seven years 2017, he was ready for a career move.

Steve shook hands with the vice president of sales in the Phoenix Airport to interview for a national account sales manager position. In a noisy corner of a congested Starbucks, the two men hit it off quickly, with the vp saying he wanted Steve to meet the president the following week for a final interview and would call him next week to set up the meeting. He talked about an offer and the money was strong.

This potential new job would give Steve more responsibility to manage big clients, as well as taking his salary and variable compensation to another level that would add over a half a million dollars to his W2 earnings over these next 3 years he calculated, as he sat in traffic leaving the airport interview. Serious move up.

But the call from the vp never came. Weeks went by, no call. No emails follow-up from the vp, until a two months later, a short message from the HR manager saying the job had been filled with a more qualified candidate.

I knew the vp of sales. And I know why he didn't pursue Steve as a candidate, despite his "ideal fit." He told me the reason. It was one, simple reason: Steve never followed up with a thank-you email after the interview. So simple, so basic, so textbook, yet he never sent the note. Why?

Not sending the the follow-up note after the interview and not getting the job offer amounted to a loss of over a half a million dollars in additional yearly income for Steve over those next three years. A half a million dollars! And this scenario happens every day in America. Great jobs and great opportunity left on the table for one, simple omission that falls under Standard Operating Procedure in business interviews.

Every month, great job offers are never delivered by hiring executives because the candidate for the job was not cognizant enough/not self-aware enough/not courteous enough to acknowledge the time and effort someone made to speak with them about an opportunity of employment. This is textbook stuff. Third grade stuff. HR managers shouldn't have to remind their favorite candidate to send a note to the hiring manager they just met. The candidate should know this already. The headhunter shouldn't have to remind the candidate to send notes either. Spouses or significant others shouldn't have to remind their partner to send a note either.

Perhaps you think it petty or trivial on the hiring manager's side that he or she would hold this simple omission or oversight of not sending a follow-up note as conditions for not pursuing a qualified candidate. In reality, the follow-up note provides far more subtle insights and evidence to a hiring manager around candidate interest, intent, etiquette, communication style, listening skills, vocabulary, creativity, organization skills, storytelling, time management, research capabilities, as well as humor, empathy and self-awareness. All this insight from one note, gives a hiring manager clues and could allow the candidate a chance to stand out in a crowded field over overcome a rocky first interview.

• Too busy to send the note after the interview: No excuse. Takes 3 minutes.

• I forgot to send it: Better the manager knows this habit before you are hired.

• I wasn't interested in the job, so no need to send note: There may have been a better job in the next room that you never heard about because you didn't send the note.

• I thought this practice was out-dated. Where did you read of this change? Common courtesy never goes out of style.

• Didn't have his/her email address: Really? Find it.

• I thought the headhunter would share my interest with the manager: You guessed wrong. Accountability. The manager makes the decision who to hire, the headhunter is the scout.

Research continues to confirm that self-awareness is a critical factor in overall success in business, as well as personal and professional relationships. The act of acknowledging others time and energy towards your behalf, either verbally or in some written form, is a critical skill and habit in every life scenario.

And, if you're a HR professional or hiring manager and you don't see a follow-up email or written note, it is a sign to truly explore other aspects of the candidate's behavior, intention and commitment to pursuing the job opportunity, as well as a indicator to their communication style and emotional intelligence.

Oh, what Steve could have done with that extra money.

Newest Sleep Strategies Business Leaders Need To Share With Their Tired Teams.

If you own or manage a business, what is the one piece of advice you could give your team or employees that is proven to enhance performance, reduce personal injury and improve productivity?

Answer: Get a better night's sleep. Really? Yes.

The most unique and impacting advice you can share with your teams is to get a better night's sleep. The impact on effective performance, reduction in errors, better communication and creativity are all tied to better sleep. Thousands of studies confirm this and you and I already know this, yet we continue to push the envelope and don't give sleep routines and sleep hygiene it's fair time allocation and pay the price every week.

Fact: Sleep disorders and obesity are the two top epidemics in America today. More people die, become sick, injured, fired from jobs and crash cars due to the complications that come with obesity and sleep disorders.

Better sleep is also a result of a more fulfilling and healthy awakened state in our daily lives. What you do, who you are, what you are dealing with every day has an immediate impact on your ability to fall asleep and maintain a consistent pattern of good sleep.

Sleep disorders kill people. Sleep disorders cause dangerous reactions with medications, reaction time to prevent accidents, violent behavior and bad decisions. And obesity is the evil sister of sleep disorders, wreaking its own havoc with human functioning. However, this conversation will focus on the sleep aspect, not the obesity portion.

Securing a better night’s sleep, fortunately, is possible in simple improvements of sleeping spaces and human behaviors. The challenges is we often are not willing to put the same emphasis on repairing our bad sleep habits and behaviors leading to poor sleep, compared to stopping a bleeding cut. Eventually, we rationalize, we’ll fall asleep. Maybe. Most often your sleep is compromised in quality and it’s a matter of time before it catches up with you and illnesses take over. Sleep is a complex event that incorporates many elements of our physiology, emotional state and our physical surroundings. If you’re like over 60 million adults in America, you have insomnia or some sleep issues.

I am one of the 60 million; Sleep apnea is my nemesis. The challenges I've had with sleep apnea over the past 10 years, I can safely say, has cost me significant lost income, contributed to minor injuries and accidents around the home from lack of attention and reaction time, bad decisions the resulting from fatigue. And while I am still able to do my job well and function in all my daily activities, sleep apnea wears me down faster by the end of the week. It has created frustration in reading speed, completing tasks, chores, attending meetings and events, as well as my ability to concentrate on the important tasks I know I need to do right now, yet my mind and body won't allow my muscles and brain to work at the capacity required a lot of times. It creates conflict and confusion in my relationship with my wife, as it can be difficult for her understand the challenges (and for me to try to describe how it effects me and my personality) that sleep apnea creates in choices, impulse control, anxiety, compulsivity in small doses, attention issues, motivation, reasoning, eating patterns, listening, tolerance, patience, and stress management. It creates embarrassing moments of memory loss, unexpected, inappropriate comments that can occur spontaneously the result of fatigue and reduced impulse control. Sleep apnea has caused weight gain because my body thinks I need food because I'm tired, so the impulse to eat more appears. Eating the wrong foods also is a condition. Fatigue loves sugar, grease, fat and fun. The mind does not say "You need energy food--eat a raw pepper." I sought professional help, as you'd expect to better understand this condition. I had two sleep studies (polysomnogram) to determine the severity of my apnea. I met with psychologists, ENTs, nutritionists, dietitians, personal trainers, neurologists, pulmonary specialists, sleep specialists, cardiologists, nephrologists--all to try and secure the most information possible to improve my sleep and mental acuity that continues to challenge myself and anybody with a sleep disorder.

Maybe you have a physical illness, sleep apnea, diabetes, cancer, obesity, anxiety, depression, stress, menopause, heart disease, etc. And, on the other side of the emotional spectrum, there are people that have no physical ailments or reasons for poor sleep other than financial problems, martial problems, relationship problems, kid/relative problems, business problems, ghosts in the attic problems. All legitimate reasons that good sleep is difficult to find for all of us Yet, a high percentage of us are not addressing the obvious and simple solutions to help our sleep—solutions right before our very eyes. We have to certainly come to face the reality that whatever problems/challenges/issues we have going on in our lives will continue to disrupt your sleep no matter what tips, solutions, drugs or fancy pillows you use. You have to rid yourself of the issues/demons and disruptions in your life, best you can, to incur better sleep.

Even the fabulous Mayo Clinic is missing the mark with sleep tips or lack of stronger tips as evidenced in these youtube links and website links. And the National Sleep Foundation, as well, is missing a real chance to deliver stronger, actionable approaches for improved sleep to viewers, yet a thorough review of their website data and links, they seem to be more interested in selling cushy, magic pillows, white noise machines and gadgets that sponsors can sell. The content on better sleep fails to address many of the key issues to be addressed. But that's my perception. For example, I know stress is an issue for poor sleep. But telling me " Well, Russ, just turn off your mind when you go to bed," is insulting and polyana. If it were so easy, I'd be sleeping!

So, in between meeting with a licensed healthcare professional (whom, I encourage you to call this week to make an appointment for an examination), here are some critical changes you can embrace starting tonight to get a better night’s sleep.

Important! These ideas to follow are serious business. They will take courage and commitment to install. They will not always welcomed with enthusiasm and acceptance. Be strong, take control of your health and make the changes to keep you healthy. And seek professional medical advice to help you restore your healthy habits.

Here are 12 things you can change right now before you hit the pillow and four things to do in the morning:

1. Kick the dogs and cats out of your bed. The dog is supposed to be protecting your house while you sleep and you’re letting them use your pillow. Really? And the cat could care less where it sleeps, as long as it has internet access. You’d get better sleep if you slept at the foot of your bed or in the pet pillow in the kitchen. If they bark and whine when you kick them out, too bad for them. Just deal with it for a night and they’ll get the hint. Pet’s disrupt your sleep every night, yet you rarely hear sleep tips discuss this critical point. When was the last time your dog hit the snooze button? I love dogs and cats, but they don't belong in your bed if you are experiencing inadequate sleep.

2. Kick the chronic snorer out of your bed. Yep, he or she (yes the dog snores and farts, too) needs to go to another room or another state if that person is keeping you awake. Snoring is a symptom of some medical condition calling for attention. Answer the call. Wake up early and get your lovable snorer to see a doctor tomorrow. It may save their life, your sanity and the marriage.

3. Kick the kids out of your bed. Overwhelming research says kids should sleep in their own beds. They need to develop self-confidence, self-regulating of behaviors, and learn how to develop inner comfort when storms, noises, etc. enter their world. Babies, too, sleep just as well in their own cribs and can be conditioned to do well without you by their side. See a counselor if your children are having trouble sleeping by themselves. it is not a hard habit or condition to resolve.

4. No TV or cell phone viewing allowed while going to sleep. You watch the news: murders, terrorism in schools, wars, floods, fires, vandals in your neighborhood, poisons in your lettuce, scandals in politics—ahh, now you can sleep in peace. The mayhem will be there in the morning, don’t worry. Don’t look at Facebook either. Seeing your friends over-state their great vacation, their brilliant kids and great dinner at Le’Tete in Paris will not relax you. Read a relaxing book or listen to the Sleep Genius sleep app to get you to sleep easier and faster. “But I need the TV on to fall asleep,” you say? No you don’t. You think you do. Be willing to make changes. Look at sleep like food. Eat well. Sleep well.

5. Wash your sheets. Clean sheets feel great, relax us and take away the smells of work, food, pets and body odor. Wash them at least once a week, maybe more in the summer or if you sweat a lot. The fresh smell of washed laundry is soothing. When did you last see Target advertise Union Pipe Fitter Scented fabric softener?

6. Don’t drink alcohol or caffeine with late dinners. Alcohol and caffeine effects everybody differently regarding getting to sleep. Research also shows the sugar in alcohol effects our sleep in later stages and can cause less-efficient/restless sleep. You will pass out sooner, but wake up sooner with worse sleep.

7. Don’t eat heavy dinners or snack in the 3 hours before bedtime. Your body has do work to digest the lasagna and breadsticks and sleeping is difficult and disruptive if you eat too late. If you feel hungry, a small glass of water will stave off hunger until the morning. Dehydration is many times the real reason you think you’re hungry.

8. Sleep like a vampire: Darken the room, cover all the bright red and green lights, the giant alarm clock numbers, street lights, etc. Prepare the room to allow you dedicated slumber.

9. Ventilate the room: cooler temperatures and air movement aid in regulating the body and allowing better sleep.

10. Write a to-do list for tomorrow before bed. Writing things down will allow you to let go of trying to remember what you need to do tomorrow, so you can sleep.

11. Use the most scientifically- advanced sleep app in the world—Sleep Genius—to train your brain to fall asleep faster and sleep better. It’s a FREE app.

12. Arrange for a sleep study with a professional medical facility. Insurance will cover the cost and you will gain the knowledge and diagnosis critical to your health. They are painless, easy and fast results.

In the morning:

A. Work on improving your life. Seek a compelling reason you want to get up in the morning! You can’t sleep well because you may have overt stress because of work, money, kids, family illness, conflict, lack of job opportunities, overweight, addictions and so on. No wonder you can’t sleep if you worry but don’t work hard at improving your life. Doing something proactively to improve your life; reading professional development books, exercising, volunteering, painting, gardening, etc. can reduce stress and give more purpose and hope in your life. And consider taking a nap.

B. Seek professional help. Sleep issues are often medical and psychological problems that can be repaired with the help of doctors and counselors. Don’t wait for the worst to happen. Be proactive. Counselors are trained to identify what abilities you have to overcome obstacles in life.

C. Develop a sleep preparation routine. Think of sleep as a way to get stronger for tomorrow. An hour before you go to bed, start to relax, stop working, paying bills, checking Facebook, etc. Practice deep breathing, read, take a easy walk and then, when you’re feeling drowsy, go to bed.

D. Kids need sleep and naps. Start getting young kids in an earlier sleep routine. No video games, phones, TVs after 7 or 8 pm. They’ll resist at first and after a week they will appreciate the down time and feel more rested.

Sleep issues are serious and epidemic in America. Don't kid yourself thinking you can work your way through it. It will catch up with you in different ways and create challenges you don't need in your life. Contact a licensed professional now and address your sleep disorders. I did and the help and education I received could have contributed to saving my life by helping regain better alertness and reaction times.

As a business leader, you have the opportunity to educate and validate the need and awareness you have for adequate sleep for your employees. And this more personalized and human approach can go much further in improving your relationship with workers, reducing stress and raising productivity, rather than pushing for more more more work. One more good night's sleep per week will save over 100,000 lives a year nationwide. This fact can't be overlooked.

Jobs for Pay, Hobbies for Play: How to find that balance point in your world.

In a split second your eyes see these two images on your screen, you've been unconsciously transported to dozens of memories in your life.

The juxtaposed earth tones and ancient wood textures in these vintage leather accessories I created, are in deep contrast to the cobalt and turquoise sky, above vibrant yellow golds surrounding the bike. The colors deliver a fun piece of eye candy for our retina, while the mind's eye has left to visit all sorts of adventures--real and imaginary--the ones you have stored in your memory banks.

But what does this all have to do with finding your balance of work and passionate play, you ask?

The purpose of these bright images are to demonstrate how your hobbies can become a larger part of your daily business world, as well as help deflect the stress of daily work and give more purpose and direction to your life. And, if you are a hiring manager or executive you need to be aware of the creative aspects and potential within all of your employees; these same employees that work for you 8-6, then go home and create art, write books, design gardens, help the homeless and take pictures of the world around them. So thirsty and desperate for new ideas and approaches to life challenges, we all seek a change in the routine and run from the mundane like the people in Barcelona running with the bulls.

Well-intending parents, counselors, mentors and college marketing departments preach and preach the need to follow your passions, do what you love, chase your dreams. Nice slogans, emotionally-charged and fraught with confusion, limited potential of earnings and sustainability and oversaturated hiring lines. Now don't take this as a downer! The reality of this scenario is that you can have it all--but you're going to have to work for it. It's not your employer's responsibility that you grow, learn or have a wonderful experience. If this happens, great, but remember; it's...your....job. Perspective leads to wisdom.

Here are a few ideas that you may find both compelling and confusing around career change and life balance. Nonetheless, the concepts will give you additional perspectives of what happy and balanced people have done to experience it all.

1. Work is called "work" for a reason. You were hired to do a job and agreed to do the job and get paid a certain wage to do the job. If you want more money, do a better job, stay later, work to help your boss' life to be easier and study your craft to accelerate your skills. Longevity and loyalty are not strategies to getting promoted, so don't use that excuse. Do something different, better or improve the status quo and you'll be recognized. Hold yourself accountable to make the time and changes needed to secure a new job.

2. Become more self-aware to what your limiting steps are to advance your career and income. If you have a bad habit or procrastinate, where else do these habits appear in your world? How are these habits invading your work day and stopping your forward growth? What you want to do in life is not as important as what you need to start doing now to change your situation. Analyzing the options to the point of paralysis is your kiss of death to finding better jobs.

3. Commit do doing the hard, self-reflection work. If you want to find a new job, then commit to finding a new job. Don't wait for the headhunter to call with a "great job." Maybe it is a great job, but if you haven't identified what your keen criteria is for a new role, you're taking a bigger risk--and you will not impress the headhunter or the potential employer with your lack of effort to learn what works best for you.

4. Share your pursuits and interests. My work as a full time retained search professional keeps me busy everyday, since 1985. And even though the job is demanding and time-consuming, I still make time (notice I didn't say "find" the time) to pursue creative interests that give me satisfaction in a different skills department, as well as allows me to experiment with what other jobs or interests I may want to pursue as I get older and maybe decide to cut back on the daily search routine. My energy levels are also much better if I keep work and hobbies in a appropriate balance and share my interests with friends and family.

5. Pursue every potential job lead to the end of the earth. Don't try to predict or limit yourself to only meeting with people that seem to fit your world. The job you find is many times 2-4 times removed from your original referral or networking friend. The job you can secure an interview for, may not work out, but that hiring manager may have a friend that needs you or have another job that is not posted. Or you learn about their competition and track down the hiring manager there. Managers can't find you if you're sitting at your kitchen table. Get out in the universe! This makes sense because people close to you can't envision you doing another job or in a different industry because they feel they know you. The further away from known people, the more you can reinvent/research and reposition your skills to that stranger to allow for more openness in the interview. This gives you time to research, as well.

6. Engage in deeper interests outside of your job. In empirical and anecdotal studies, researchers have found people that are happier and more successful in life (i.e. higher earnings, more rewarding jobs, better physical health, more stable relationships, better adjusted children) in part, because they have found more satisfaction in one or two hobbies or causes outside of careers. These outside pursuits help offset the stress, distractions and impersonalization of "it's just business" that we all experience at work. Hobbies help us to give back to others and regain our sense of balance, faith in human beings, appreciating nature, gratitude and giving us a real reason to go to work to make money so we can fund our hobbies. In other words, our jobs provide us the "adventure capital" we need to fund our lives outside the job.

7. Seek intellectual and physical hobbies. Humans are both a lazy species and highly curious crowd. Keeping your mind and memory challenged, engaged and curious is equally as important to your healthy life as the physical exercise and exertion that comes with activities involving kinesthetic movement. If you're like to paint pictures of flowers, then find a reason to dig a hole. If you like sailing, then walk to the marina. Physical activities allow the mind to wander, ponder and reflect on what's going on in your world, as you reduce your stress. This helps you transition from labor to your personal laboratory to find contentment and happiness in your life experiences.

8. Practice living in the now. Hobbies and physical activities, playing music, art, writing, photography, gardening, all allow us to be focused on the task at hand, making it difficult to pursue another task. The brian is engaged in a way, during these activities, that allow you to experience the pure moment in time with no boundaries, no deadlines or objectives; simply the act of creating something that is new and worth our emotional time. When you find an activity that makes you feel like time flies by or time stands still, then you are in your zone--your place of contentment--that is a good as it gets.

9. Identify your optimal pleasure spot. What are you doing when you feel at your most content and happy place? What do you experience--or not experience--when you are engaged in some activity that blocks out all other negative stimuli? For myself, as one example, is when I'm working on a woodworking project or crafting a new Lucky Savage accessory to sell or when I speak with a candidate that I can "feel" is the perfect fit for the opening my client has retained me to work on. Or when I'm composing a new song, writing a short story or riding my motorcycle or flying, is when I am most content. These activities are also a subset of the joy of having a relationship with a spouse or significant other. The love and interaction of such relationships have their own beautiful dynamics of joy and satisfaction that you experience as a couple. Seeking out scenarios that allow you to capture the same emotional charges is equally important and gratifying.

10. Yeah, but what if I hate my job? If you don't like your job, continue to look for a new one. And in the meantime, look for deeper ways you can improve what you do. Find a different purpose or advantage in the work you'd not considered. Try to understand your boss' perspective. Help the boss look good and see what happens. Seek out ways to train/mentor and teach younger workers what you know to give them more confidence in their job. You'll be seen as a more valuable employee as a result. Push the envelope and be strong to suggest changes in the way the business runs that may help. Have confidence that your ideas will be heard and need to be heard. Be visible and find ways to be indispensable.

The power you have in your life to decide the path you take is yours. If you blame others for the situation you are in or for the lack of support, feedback or confidence you don't get, it is your responsibility to correct the situation. Don't enable others to infect your goals with their own agenda. Keep your eye on the bigger goal and be firm in your decisions and trust the research you do--not the opinions that others happily profess to be the truth, when it's not the truth, but merely their perception and misinformation. The more research and hard work you do on yourself will appear in your life and work to become more balanced and successful, as you define the terms you live by: The pursuit of a worthy goal.

Your Next Great Job Is Hiding In Plain Sight

Your Next Great Job Is Hiding In Plain Sight: Career search strategies only for the truly committed.

By Russ Riendeau, PhD

How bad to you want to find a new job or new career? Really, how serious, committed, driven are you to fully engage in this exercise? How many hours per week do you commit to making this happen? On a scale of 1-10, 10 being as committed as can be, where are you? Will your actions prove the number you say you are?

For the sake of our conversation here, let’s assume you are not living the dream with your current job and definitely want to make a change. You’re not merely kicking tires or “seeing what’s out there…, or putting some feelers out…”-- you are serious and committed to change jobs. Or perhaps you got laid-off, right-sized, fired, terminated or quit because they were going to let you go anyway. In all cases, you want to get back working and getting a paycheck.

So let’s predict a few outcomes:

·     After you spent some time reflecting on your next career move, you succumbed to family pressure and agreed to “just do something to get some interviews” and signed up for the career fair tomorrow night. Results: Low-paying jobs with big promises.

·     Or you have a networking meeting the very next morning sponsored by the local Chamber of Commerce. Results: Nice people, local businesses that want more business, not candidates. The coffee and rolls were tasty.

·     You sent your resume out and called a bunch of recruiters, but they say they can’t help you and will “keep you in mind.” Results: No calls back and no interviews. And your resume had grammar errors and wasn’t customized for the job, is a good bet.

·     And you posted your resume on Indeed, Zip Recruiter, CareerBuilder and job boards in every solar system you can find. Results: No calls back, frustration, silent rejection. Now you get emails from strangers selling weird stuff.

·     You even applied for posted jobs that sound exactly like what you are looking for but it was a blind ad--with no company name and a untraceable email. Results: No calls because the job really doesn’t exist and you were a guinea pig.

·     You even snooped around LinkedIn’s job boards as well, hoping to see something of interest. Results: You gave up sooner than you thought you would because it seems a waste of time and your LinkedIn profile looks really weak compared to the other ones you stumbled on.

And let’s guess again: You didn’t score many, if any decent interviews even with all these different approaches.

Why not? Because every one of these search scenarios above are not calculated enough for you to research and customize your interview approach. All of these approaches are built on the hope, prayers and numbers game to try and find a great job. This approach is not strategic enough because the data and urgency are long gone from the employer and you have too many gatekeepers and guards to pass through to get noticed. So you don’t get noticed and you got more frustrated, angry and discouraged. And the headhunters you called can’t convince their clients to pay them a fee to hire you because you are not able to present a compelling value proposition for why you are qualified for that job.

If you read this and are getting discouraged—we would not be surprised. And yes, there is a solution. Perhaps you are reading these examples and seeing the flaws in your approach. And it may reveal that you really are not fully committed to change. You say you are, but you are not all-in to the time, energy and risk it takes to find a great, new job. You're a casual looker, life is good enough and not painful enough to start the journey. If this is the case, fine. But don't be surprised when things change and you aren't prepared. Pay attention to the signs of change around you. This could be a wake-up call to get your career act together and take a more strategic, mature approach to finding a new job.

As a longtime executive search professional, my world has been a straight commission world, since 1985. No salary, no guarantees. I get paid only when I add value to my clients by introducing top talent that they hire. Over 120,000 interviews and over 6000 searches have shown me the most productive, successful approaches to securing the top jobs in good and bad economies. I hear the real reasons why people are not hired. I have heard every excuse for why people get fired or laid off. I see the faulty interview skills and missteps. I see the lack of preparation, the false statements and laziness in interviewees. I see the salary money left on the table that more effort would have put in that person’s pocket. I share these facts, not to brag, but to give legitimacy to the ideas and strategies shared in this article. One becomes very efficient when one is paid purely on performance. And if you are committed and do the work suggested, there’s a better chance of us working together to find you a better job with my client companies.

Below is a list of the some proven, defined techniques to secure more and better interviews in whatever your field of interest. But there is one critical catch: Tell the truth in your quest. If you lie, embellish, present misleading information or abuse the facts to misrepresent your skills, accomplishments, education, etc., you will be caught as a liar, fired soon after you get hired and then you have an even bigger problem. State your skills, accomplishments and why you are interested in this job/field in a way that demonstrates you did your research and are aware of what you need to be successful.

1.    Don’t just apply for every job that looks tasty. Pick an industry that appeals to you, appeals to your interests, your taste for risk, innovation, location, culture, a cause, a mission, technology you like. Target markets and companies that have jobs that you can see yourself doing everyday for a few years—not 10 years, this ain’t gonna happen anyway.

2.    Examine what your personality and internal drivers are telling you. What are you drawn to? What kind of people do you want to work with? Smart, average, analytical, slick, covert, sensitive, rough around the edges? Do you want to work in office, in a zoo, in the dirt, in the basement? Do you want to see the sky or see a wall? Do you want to present ideas or evaluate data? Do you want authority or responsibility? Do you want to be the boss or report to the boss?

3.    Now, once you target some of these industries or companies how do you find job openings? First, research LinkedIn and look at what employees work there. What are their prior backgrounds? What did they learn/do/prepare to get hired? Reach out to them and ask if they like working there.

4.    Look at their connections and trace back who they know and where those people work. Maybe you see they changed jobs recently—what does this tell you? It means there may be an open job at their former employer. Call them! Tailor your resume to look like you are a fit, based on what they looked for in the former employee. Use words, examples and phrases that are aligned with their industry.

5.    Look up a company of interest leadership page. Where did these leaders work before? Maybe there are jobs open over at that company? Maybe you can contact that leader and ask for a referral? Easy, eh?

6.    When you see one of your LinkedIn connections changed jobs and posts it, follow up with their former employer—if you like the company—and apply. The job is still fresh and probably not posted yet.

7.    If you do see a job posted that has the company name listed, don’t just send a standard cover letter and your standard resume, as the odds of getting a call are slim to none. Instead, bypass the website address, bypass the HR department (they won’t know, they won’t care and if you get the job, you won’t care either) and find out who the hiring manager is for the job you see posted. Now, you send your resume directly to the hiring manager—a resume that is customized to fit the needs that he/she needs because your research helped you profile the right message. And the manager will be impressed you found him/her.

8.    If you do have to send your resume to HR, send the resume to the hiring manager as well, or call that manager before you send the resume to HR. This approach gives you the leverage to follow up for an interview without HR feeling like you by-passing them. HR folks are nice, smart and mean well, but can be a roadblock to your interview chances if you get caught in the mix.

9.    The resume has to show specific examples of how your experience, education and accomplishments tie into the job requirements. Demand a job description before sending your resume. If you can’t see a good job spec, don’t bother chasing that job—it is a waste of your time. Follow leads that allow you enough information to do your research better than your competition.

10. Look again at employee profiles that are in industries/companies you desire. Call their boss and ask for an interview even if there is not a job opening posted. Why wait? If you fit a spec, assume companies in this tight labor market are always looking. And the odds of someone quitting are always good in big and small companies.

11. Upgrade and improve your LinkedIn profile. Headhunters will not call you if your profile stinks. Make it look professional, add content, add a good photo, add contact info, a good summary, tell the world what you’re great at, show you study your craft and connect with smart people. If you don’t have a good profile, it will destroy your chances of getting a great job offer, as well as not being found.

12. Income needs. Let’s get very personal here, for a moment. We are paid based on our value to the marketplace in a capitalist society. Are you earning an income that is better than the average in your industry? Are you earning more or less than others your age and with your experience? If you’re a college grad looking for a job, how will you show you’re worth a certain wage? If you’re not earning more than the average person in your field, ask yourself why? And then come to terms with what you are not doing right to earn more money. Become self-aware. Admit it is your responsibility to make changes. Stop blaming others for your low pay. Stop blaming the market because of your age. Stop blaming your industry for not paying better—you decided to stay here, so it’s your decision for staying. Stop blaming the market conditions when others around you are making more money in tough times too. Stop blaming the company for not promoting you, when you’ve not done much to demonstrate you’re promotable and committed to moving forward. It’s your skills that need upgrading. These are excuses. Your commitment to your craft and business intelligence that needs tweaking. Read books on your craft, watch videos, study industry association stats. Start today to stop the excuses and commit to excellence in your field. As Jim Rohn said, “Don’t wish things were different, wish you were better.”

13. Professional image is critical to success. If you’re obese and not taking care of yourself, the perception of others will be that you are not disciplined. If you make good money—enough to afford good insurance and attend a health club—then you should look the part. You should look and sound healthy. If you have crooked teeth and compensate by not smiling or wearing burly beards—get your teeth fixed. If you have a wart on your nose—get it removed. Stop excusing your way out of investing in your professional and personal health. Yes, this is blunt and personal stuff, but we’re adults and you need to address these issues directly and maturely. Are your clothes hip and current for the market? Is your car in good shape or is it a rust bucket that you hide around the corner? If you want to earn the money you believe you want to and can earn then demonstrate you are a viable person for the role. Invest in the accessories and behaviors expected. Again, it’s perception that will matter. You can’t explain your way out of behaviors that got you here.

14. New college graduates looking for jobs: All the above ideas apply to you as well. You must also find ways to relate your young life’s experiences to mirror the demands of a job. Maturity, responsibility, learning quickly, strong vocabulary, good research on why you want to work in this industry and for this company. Find people you know in that industry and secure referrals, references and insights to the culture of that market. Make the argument that even though you don’t have industry experience, remind the hiring manager that they, too, didn’t have experience at some point and they got hired. Maybe you have the same qualities as they do. Ask them the question. It works! Know what your true interests and drivers are in your inner self and show hiring managers how that energy and drive will pay off and is a natural fit.

If you invest in the above career search ideas and in your professional development, you’ll experience success sooner. If you don’t commit and keep fooling yourself that things will change in your life without committing to self-improvement, you will still find a job somewhere—but it may not be the job you really want. Business competition is fierce, fast and frenzied. You and I have to invest monthly in keeping our skills sharp, current and relevant. Regardless of age, race, gender or demographics.

And a note to every hiring manager: If you don’t see these behaviors, actions and effort in candidates that you interview from any source—search professionals, HR, friends, family, etc., be very careful to whom you make an offer to. Test, ask questions, demand examples and proof of the claims made in an interview. If that candidate is not showing the effort described in this piece, the risk/reward will not be worth it.

Today’s tight labor market has job openings and needs in every company on this planet. Leaders can’t find good talent that is smart, dependable and can learn quickly. Be that person and watch what happens. Call managers of companies you want to work for with a researched and rehearsed persuasive argument to meet you. An offer will be sooner than you think.

Dr. Russ Riendeau is senior partner of New Frontier Search Group and author of eleven books, including The Big Swing: What the Chicago Cubs are teaching business leaders about Capitalism, Commitment & Culture (Amazon Kindle). He can be reached at russriendeau@gmail.com

Poetry's Dramatic Impact On Health (And Business).

Neuroscience research supports physical and emotional benefits of reading of poetry and creative writing. But you already knew this.

South Suburbs Bungalow (Staying with Relatives), by Russ Riendeau

Uncle Ted devours a raw potato, a knife, salt shaker, butter tub stand by. Sleeveless shirt hosts a clump of egg yolk—yesterday’s breakfast on his belly. A car honks.

Hounds behind alley fences bark at clouds. Sauerkraut boils, its pungent exhaust singes my nose, pickled beets neatly stacked on stovetop shelves.

Yellow trash pail rim house dangling carrot peels like a bad wig. A moth does 500 laps around dim bulb over the Formica table, falls to its death into the butter.

Peach-colored light shade illuminates  beet juice and ketchup spots. Aunt Rosie’s apron threaded through the stove handle, reading glasses in the pocket.

If you just read this poem above, congratulations, you have improved your health, researchers will confirm. Regardless of whether you liked or disliked the poem (I hope you at least found it amusing), the chemical changes in your body made positive improvements because you allowed yourself time to make a few needed repairs.

The Centers For Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) and The World Health Organization have noted the influences of poetry on the human body. Stress hormone shifts, blood pressure drops, respiration improves and  heart rates fall when engaged in reading poetry or any creative writing.  Poetry has unique benefits due to it’s diverse vocabulary, metaphorical content, brevity, imagery and word patterns. Neuroscience research shows poetry shifts our brains and physical bodies into a different mode of contemplation and problem-solving related to one’s personal and professional life. Poetry lets our thoughts breath easier.

Our 21st Century workday demands and ever-changing technology learning restricts our mental and physical recovery opportunities; time we  humans  require to maintain a healthy life. Sleep disorders, a huge theft of emotional recovery is an epidemic, according to the CDC. Social media’s constant reports, societal pressures, remote work roles increasing as well as rapid career shifts. Lastly, Artificial Intelligence tools are gathering speed into nearly every aspect of our daily life—all add elements of distraction and pervasiveness to our space.

And while we can’t hide from work or technology (as many of these new elements are very healthy and positive) we all need downtime; time to breath, think, explore, creative, to think bigger/broader/louder/softer. We need time to reflect, set goals and take care of inner and outer self, as well as those around us. There is also evidence to suggest that the creative reading by employees may be more valuable to business than the mandated forms of traditional business training and reading requirements.

If you are doing all you can to improve your business skills, study your craft, balance  family, school, relationships, manage employees, make time to read pleasurable things. The benefits will be subtle, yet powerful and healthy without consuming too much time. Committing to reading, even one poem a day or evening, will change the way you see daily life and add another intriguing element to your world.

Today’s poetic voices are different in our 21st Century. These voices rise from eyes and ears that have witnessed more world events, more human change, more human tragedy and human expression and medical advances than the previous five generations combined. Voices that, daily, write what see in our new world unfold in all it’s complexity and humanness—all its beauty and ugliness juxtaposed, giving us pause to consider how we can learn and benefit from the experiences around us. Today's committed poets and free verse writers are far from the stereotypical profiles we saw 50 years ago. Today, the world asks for deeper perspectives.

Let poetry find a small place in your space and watch what happens.

Would You Be Selected For The All-Star Game?

Would You Be Selected To Play In A Business Professional All-Star Game?

Major League Baseball’s All-Star Game is tonight. Players with the best stats, best skills, most appreciated by fans, get a chance to be forever known as an All-Star.

Consider for a moment, what if there was an All-Star Game of some kind for business professionals in your respective profession? Sales, accounting, customer service, manager, engineer, teacher, small business owner, doctor, counselor, CEO—would you be selected to play in this All Star Game tonight? Why would you be selected? What position would you play?

When the world at-large votes on who is an “All-Star,” what do voters look for? What traits, stats, evidence, examples, results, consistency, values, effort do they consider when deciding to put a check mark next to your name? What makes your stats and efforts this first half of the business season stand out from the rest? Do you even keep track of your stats?

As a search professional retained by business leaders and business owners to find the best of the best, my clients ask these questions about candidates I source and introduce to the client for a specific search project. Leaders want to know they are interviewing and ultimately making an offer to the best candidate—an All-Star—for the job they have open. Leaders look at the proven statistics of the candidate. They don’t believe the stories/excuses if the stats don’t support the story. Leaders look at:

·     Job history and consistency of good decision-making in career advancement

·     Compensation history that shows this person is earning an All-Star income as proven by what value that person brings to the marketplace.

·     Conditioning routine: Is the person working to maintain good physical health? Are you healthy, confident, committed to maintaining a personal fitness program and a confident image to the business community when representing a employer?

·     On and off season training routines: Does this candidate practice and hone their business skills via reading books, webinars, videos, rehearsing, researching their career plans and monthly success. Can you prove you are doing this?

·     Outside investment of training: Is the candidate investing their money in their own professional development in coaching or counseling to learn about their weaknesses and build their business strengths?

·     Industry knowledge and contribution: Does the candidate know their marketplace and participate in the community? Are they an expert in knowing what is going on in their industry, the trends, challenges, the future?

·     Does their resume, knowledge summaries and LinkedIn profiles reflect a professional presentation that will represent their employer and self with confidence and gain trust and credibility?

·     Unemployed? Why? What is the real reason? And if so, what is the person doing to enhance their skills, update their professional presence and knowledge to compete in the marketplace. Do we hear excuses and blame for why the person is not working or do they have examples of how they are working on their personal skills to improve?

If you have the courage to look deeply into yourself and ask these questions, you will be on your way to an All-Star game sooner than you think. Take the time to really examine what areas of professional development you need to really improve on. Take a course, read a book, get in better physical condition to demonstrate to demonstrate to a hiring manager that you are in game ready position.

Remember: No employer in a capitalistic society owes any business professional “the chance” to work for them and be successful. You and I must demonstrate and earn their vote by showing we work hard and smart to be an All-Star.

Prove you are ready to play in the big game in showing that hiring manager you have the stats to prove it. And if your stats are not strong now, show what you are doing to improve your average.

Russ Riendeau, PhD is the author of The Big Swing: What the Chicago Cubs are teaching business leaders about capitalism, commitment and culture. (Eyecatcher Press) Kindle. He is the senior partner of the New Frontier Search Company--a retained search firm.

When A Mentor Dies: Sorting Through The Gifts They Left Behind

By Russ Riendeau, PhD

When you see behavior, believe it.

Where else does this behavior appear in your life?

What do you want your world to look like?

What do you want to be known for?

What is the legacy you want to leave behind each experience with others?

These quotes above are just some of the brilliant gifts one of my mentors left behind with his death, just a few weeks ago.When mentors die, they leave a legacy of wisdom and gifts we sort through, like boxes of old photos and mementos found in the attic.

In hospital, recovering from multiple surgeries from a fall, a kidney transplant and other challenges, I had a chance to speak with Dennis ten days before he died. Even that conversation, altered by heavy medications and devices he wore challenging his speech, he still asked the questions he asked 15 years ago to be sure I was acting authentic. And he too, checked in me to insure I was holding him accountable to what we had been working on.

Most of us will meet a few of these special people in our lives. People that push us without pushing us over. People that challenge us without judging our performance. People that ask us the right question without requiring an immediate answer. People that support our goals without constantly asking for a measurement. Such mentors  create context and make our days more fulfilling--justified. A true mentor gives selflessly because that is who they are. They can’t help but ask the question that others won’t ask.

Sometimes, mentors are not the crowd favorite. Dennis was not always embraced by others not ready for his strong approach. He was a large man, a complicated man, with a quiet voice and sensitive demeanor. And he was often blunt, overtly direct, impatient, intimidating. He looked at you hard and ask questions that made people squirm with accountability. There were times, I too, was taken aback. But I knew his intentions were always good and I learned from him. A strong personality, when affected by disease, age and debilitation often lashes out, frustrated in one’s inability to carry the same pace and schedule. I, like his other friends and associates, could see the changes and challenges he was dealing with. His old self was being taken over by  factors of the  human kind. His outward energy retreating inward to try and heal, preserve and accept the medicines; ultimately, the reality of his death he could see before him.

It was difficult to watch and listen to his struggles and setbacks. He knew he was not going to get better and was every bit a realist. He did his best to set the course and stay the person he had been all the years I’d known him. And when the call came to say he’d died, I was not surprised, only sad and even relieved for him that his energy could now be used in a new way, in another place.

In these weeks since my friend Dennis has died, I’ve been reading through my notes, seeing the clues and patterns of his efforts to contribute his insights to both mine and members of our groups from over the last two decades. If you are  fortunate enough be meet such a person, it will change your life for the better.

And I hope you have the chance experience the same sadness some day that I feel today, should you lose a great friend and mentor. Such sadness is a glorious testimony that his friendship mattered, his lessons mattered and this life made a difference in ours.

Workplace Violence & Stress: Leaders Please Report To the Podium Immediately!

With the support and encouragement of Hunt Scanlon Media, I encourage you to please watch this very important, 2-minute video message on workplace violence awareness. Then share this post or video link with as many others you can. Here is the link again should the hyperlinks not function: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scott-a-scanlon-541722/detail/recent-activity/ . The video can also be seen via posts on Scott Scanlon's LinkedIn page.

Never before have business leaders and owners been in a position and duty to lead. A duty to stand up and speak the truth that you are aware of the challenges in society; aware of the stressors and anxiety that many are under; and that your company has resources and professional services to help those hurting, confused and in need of care. You must be the voice of support and be visible.

In the midst of what appears to be a never-ending stream of workplace violence, high levels of workplace stress, illness and anxiety, every business leader, every business owner, every HR professional, coach, CEO, needs to become more visible and vocal to remind their employees that you are very aware of the challenges we face today. Leaders must articulate that you are constantly working to provide a safe workplace, offer support and healthcare and mental healthcare to anybody struggling with personal challenges.

On behalf of my New Frontier Search Company and Hunt Scanlon Media, we encourage you to share this video with every person you can.

One person's influence and proactive help can save lives and reduce the stress of 1000s of others that need help.

Thank you,

Dr. Russ Riendeau

Senior Partner & Chief Behavioral Scientist

New Frontier Search Company

Will You Be Invited To The "Council Fire"​ In 2019?

By Russ Riendeau, PhD, Senior Partner, New Frontier Search Company

In business, there are some professionals that always seem to be in the mix, in the know, at the big meetings, at the table, on the list, in the finals. These individuals are sitting at the Council Fire.

Will you be invited?

As 2019 has arrived, you are reflecting on your past year's efforts, no doubt. And have you asked yourself how can you can elevate your skills and knowledge to establish yourself in that top 5% of professionals that are invited to the Fire. What does it take to get yourself invited to the "Council Fire?" And why is it so important to be there?

 The Council Fire is both long-standing, ancient ritual and illuminating metaphor to consider in your daily work as a business professional--from the sales and management professional, to finance leaders, to CEOs, to HR leaders.

Native Americans, as well as nearly every indigenous tribe throughout the world, has engaged in the Council Fire ritual as a formal governing tool to bring tribal elders together to debate, discuss and incorporate agreements. Even our founding fathers of the Constitution utilized the Council Fire playbook in designing a set of guidelines for fair and ethical debate and deliverance of governing. This ritual of leaders and decision-makers gathered around a fire--in a circle--is standard operating procedure for any meetings of significance since the dawn of man. 

 Fire--symbolic of ancient wisdom and spiritual presence of our ancestors--is a reminder too, of the need for civility, trust, honesty and willingness to consider other viewpoints in meetings of significance. And, while having a nice bonfire in a copper caldron on the boardroom table overlooking Michigan Avenue, is unlikely, the intended spirit of the fire is ever-present.

 How this Council Fire metaphor plays into your daily business revolves around these questions:

·     Are you being invited to the Fire?

·     Are you the person of integrity, intelligence, trust, confidence, self-aware, wisdom, contribution and patience to earn a seat in the circle?

·     Does your current role, your product, your service, your information, have enough significance to be courted and respected at the fire?

·     Does what you have to offer carry a heavier value than the competition to keep them at-bay?

·     Is your knowledge and wisdom of what you can provide accurate and enlightening--even if you don't ultimately benefit--by advancing the conversation and expanding the knowledge?

·     If you are a leader in your company, are you mentoring/training your team to be that person to represent your company at the Fire?

·     If you were in the circle, would you invite you to join? Why?

  Traits like trust, respect, truth, maturity, reasonableness listening skills, patience, perspective and confidence to speak from the heart, are many of the first responses one may recall, when seeking to label behavior that is justified and respected in the business world and every other situation. Is this you?

 Truthful self-reflection on these questions will now give you a broader and more eloquent options of how you can prepare, present, and participate in corporate and customer presentations. You business "pitch" is no longer a "pitch," it is a presentation, a discussion, a conversation. It is a planned, intellectual discourse, not merely a demonstration of features and benefits, goods and services or catalogues. If you are in other leadership roles, it is your opportunity to demonstrate your ability to take a conversation and analysis to the next level. What you and your team are able to create and present as a value-add to a proposal or the discussion must be seen as genuine, intelligent, balanced, well-thought out and superior to what the competition has typically produced to win business. A seat in the circle is earned with the demonstration and introduction of behavior and thought that reflects the real workings of your mission and your company's values.

As we all watch the daily political and corporate events play out on CNN and every news network around lies, secret meetings, high crimes and misdemeanors, we can begin to understand why Americans are more stressed and confused about the direction of the economy and one’s future. We find ourselves looking at blurred lines and legal definitions and less around debate around our moral compass of what’s ethical vs. criminal; what’s reasonable vs. unacceptable; what is tolerable vs. accountable; what is transparent conversation vs. calculated manipulation? We all want to become better in our jobs and pursue worthy goals, so how can we trust that others will accept our intentions?

 Respect and treating every opportunity--big or small-- when engaging with clients, customers, vendors, employees and associates is a start. Act as if you were being vetted for an invite to the next Council Fire: because you really are.

Great things will happen in your life, your career and your personal growth if you accept this simple belief and allow the inspiration of the Council Fire to ignite your efforts.

14 Creativity-Enhancing Hacks That Really Work

Ideas & Self-Satisfaction Appear When Action Occurs

With the year fast approaching, there will be a litany of new books published on how to tap into your “inner creativity.” 

Nearly all of these well-intended books by smart, creative writers are based on research and interviews with "creative people." And they all share of interesting ideas and exercises that will supposedly get you in the groove…in the mindset…in the mood…in the right side of your brain. “How to think like Michelangelo…, like Sherlock Holmes, like Einstein, like Picasso, like some well known corporate leader, like Mozart…”—all these books attempt to identify the mysterious key traits and mental processes these famous people use to invent stuff.

A challenge of these books is that it is nearly impossible to tap into the mind of the person doing the creating. And while the mind can’t tell the difference between a vivid memory and an imagined memory, trying to “dial-in” a creative formula is not going to happen to often.

As a behavioral psychologist and author, I appreciate and applaud any effort of all writers to help engage that creative, curious spark in us to help bring more joy and satisfaction to our lives. On the opposite spectrum, as a writer, artist, craftsman and cartoonist myself, I have little patience to spend 3-4 hours reading a book on the subject of creativity when I could be cutting, building, demolishing or starting something on fire. Somebody please hand me a hammer!

It is true that all of us have far more innovative ideas/philosophies and visual imagery than we give ourselves credit for. The biggest factor in what holds our creative “genes” in remission is our reluctance to actually pursue an idea and get our “jeans” dirty doing it. And we need to detach from the outcome, regardless. You see, the tension and internal pressure we put on our expectations of what a painting, sculpture, drawing, cartoon, wooden table or simple craft project should look like is what stymies us from pursuing the fun process of creativity. So concerned are we, of what “others might think,” that we turn off the creative value and take a safe, practical approach to the project. We then make it more standard, more safe, more traditional, less different/more commonplace. End result? No bad reviews—acceptable work. And, no accolades or self-satisfaction for an innovative approach.

To save you the time, energy and frustration of having to read a 230-page book on how to be more creative, here are some action-oriented exercises that are proven to immerse you immediately into a creative element, complete with movement and satisfaction. If you’re patient enough to read an entire book on creativity before you get up off the couch and start building something, you are in for a long winter. (And you may not really be serious about becoming more creative.) For now, ditch the books on how to be creative and start creating something.

1.    Dismantle Something. Find a toaster, bread machine, copier, a Boeing 747, a baseball glove, old cell phone, bicycle—anything and start taking it apart. No agenda, no goal, no concern about putting it back together again. Using tools and your hands is the best way to disengage from distractions of life, as you have to be in the moment of using the tools. Watch how the pieces all work together, follow the trail of energy production--connect the dots to why the thing does what it does. Then throw it away. That was fun!

2.    Head to a Goodwill Industries store or a resale shop. Find something that you believe is worth spending an hour fixing up. A beat-up wagon, a coffee table, pair of cowboy boots, picture frame, a old handsaw. ( I bought 2 vintage wooden frame tennis racquets for $1.50 each because they looked really cool! I have no idea what I'll make out of them.) Spend 10 bucks and put an hour or two into refurbishing your treasure into making it work again—making it look new again. This exercise gets you out of your habits of buying expensive things that won’t buy your happiness. Fixing up a broken wagon gives immediate sense of pride, of accomplishment and the feeling of being thrifty. You can now give the item away to someone who needs it, someone who collects or sell it for a profit on ebay.

3.    Garbage Picking Nite! Grab a flashlight and shamelessly hit the street on garbage night in your neighborhood. You’ll be amazed what you can find when you’re really looking to find a treasure to fix and use, fix and sell, turn into a piece of art or hang in your garage or basement. Scavenging is a thrilling exercise to help get you into seeing different ways something old can be repurposed. An old door becomes a industrial table; A mirror becomes a picture framed piece; a old table becomes a wall mounted cabinet. When it doubt, toss the item in the trunk and let it sit your garage for a few weeks. You’ll think of more ideas every time you see it.

4.    Snap 10 pictures in 10 minutes—of anything. Look at weird angles, upside down, dull, colorful, hot/cold—just take the picture. Now, use your phone to edit it into a square image, upload the pictures on the Walgreens photo site and make a poster of 11x17 and give it a fun title at the bottom. You just created an art museum-like poster for eight bucks! Don’t over think, just print the pictures. This exercise helps you get over any perfectionist tendencies and gets the job done. You don’t have to share this poster. It’s your fun secret.

5.  Pull an “All-nighter.” What is so fun, so stimulating, so weird, so provoking to keep you engaged in that activity until the next morning? If you’ve not stayed up all night since your college days, pick a Friday nite and schedule the entire night—from 6pm to 6am—with activities, chores, building something, fixing something reading, favorite movies, binging Netflix, home projects—whatever you really enjoy doing—for the entire nite. Eat chocolate, order pizza at 3am--it’s your experiment in personal observations of what your mind and physiology do when you change your sleep cycle and activity patterns. Lucky Savage Leather Goods started with an all-nighter session.   

6.    Build a Paper Airplane. Grab a sheet of paper and make an airplane. Spend a minute or two and get it done. Fly it! Did it fly? Why not? What would you do differently next time? What did you build it the way you did? What memories went through your mind? What faces, events, locations surfaced as you folded the corners? This event helps you to retrieve lost memories of fun times as child or parent and gives you more perspective into why you made it the way you did.

7.    Draw a picture of your childhood home and street. Draw what you remember about the block, who lived where, what color was your house or building? What was on the corner? Tapping into your past with this simple drawing again, helps recollections and can ignite more inner ideas and stories you have forgotten.

8.     Write words for 15 minutes-- with your phone in another room. Set a timer in a quiet room and start hand writing every word or phrase that comes into your mind. Stay quiet and listen to where you mind goes. Don’t try to focus or solve a problem, just let the words, ideas, thoughts, impressions come and go but write the words down. Don’t worry about spelling, jot it quickly, again, again. This is a powerful way to open up your mind to allowing thoughts and suppressed ideas to surface. No agenda, no goal to how many words, just write whatever comes to mind for 15 minutes. This is a great mental cleansing technique as well, in that your mind is not being forced to solve problems or defend something. It’s recess for the brain.

9.    Build a Campfire. Make a fire with a friend or two and just sit there. Sit there for 5 hours if you can—all nite if possible. Look deep in to the fire. Listen to it, watch it grow and die, grow and die. Watch it consume energy. Roast a marshmallow, bake a potato or roast a hotdog. Savor it. Where does your mind go as you feel the heat and see the flames ebb and flow. Fires are restorative and bring out much emotional elements in our lives, as well as relax the heart and soul. Listen for ideas and memories that you’d long forgotten.

10. Draw Something. Anything. Find big piece of paper and doodle, draw a house, a elephant, monkey, a zombie—it doesn’t matter what it is or what it looks like. Have fun, be silly, draw outside the lines, flip flop the colors and make it funky! Freestyle drawing is a great release and starter to help you see and sense different patterns/ colors/ correlations and randomness in your life. Don’t worry about sharing the drawing with anybody.

11. Re-Caption Newspaper Photos. Grab any big newspaper and a Sharpie and only look at the photos that go with the stories. Based on the image, write a different caption than appears below. Go absurd with this. Take risks, make it funny, impossible, rude, impossible, unreasonable. Look carefully at the expressions of the people in the image. Does their look match what is actually going on? Or can you turn it into something far different? This fun exercise gives your mind and creative juices a chance to step out of their comfort zone to see and consider the zaniness of the image and re-imagine what could be going on. This exercise helps you to be more aware of current events and to be skeptical of what the media may suggest is the truth when it could be angled in a different way.

12. Stream of Consciousness Writing. Sit in a quiet room, no TV or phones and start keyboarding what ever thoughts come to mind. 14 minutes starting now! Even it you run out of thoughts, type “I am running out of thoughts…” and something will pop into your head. This is a challenging exercise for most people that don’t like to write however, it is the best technique to free up your brain to let go--follow the trail where ever it leads. Some of the most inner fun and satisfaction I have is free writing and then looking back on the stories that simply appeared without me having to plan the story. The ideas, themes, names, places, just start to appear and take on a life of their own. This is a purely exhilarating exercise.

13. Head to a Museum. Any museum. Wander around with a notepad and pencil and take notes of what you see, what colors, thoughts, themes, memories rise up from your mind. Read the placards, learn the history and meaning behind the artist’s intentions or motivation. You’ll be surprised what you start to notice

14. Count Cars for One Minute. Sit in a restaurant, sip coffee and set your timer for one minute. Now count cars that pass you field of vision. How many did you count? Surprised how many? Did you stay focused? Did you get distracted? What did you notice about your focus? This quirky exercise helps you to detach from the distractions around you, gives your brain a chance to chase some idea and helps reset your awareness.

Don't wait around for some magical spark to strike your creativity nerves. Get up, get moving, tear something apart and start hammering! Maybe even use some of the books you've read to start a campfire. Hmmm.

How To Outsmart Our Tight Labor Market

8 Strategies to Override Our “Supposed” Shortage of Sales and Management Talent.

By Dr. Russ Riendeau

How clever are you? How creative are you? How bold are you? How self-aware are you? How long will you wait to act while others stand paralyzed by reports?

With our current skilled labor market as tight as a  New York City marathon runner’s ham strings, executives nationwide are being challenged with two critical problems that stand in their way to sales growth and profits:

1. The need to extract more results from their existing sales and management team.

2. Becoming more creative and proactive in expanding the strike zone to find qualified sales and management talent to keep the sales funnel full. 

 Just how executives can accomplish these two critical goals in a tight labor market is achievable, but not without modifications and evaluation of current compensation plans, on-boarding and additional sales training.

 While the media and researchers continue to tout the tight labor market’s stranglehold on companies expansion plans, there is fact and fiction to the data. Yes, there is a skilled labor shortage and even the Census Bureau got it right, warning us 20 years ago. Welcome to today via the prediction 20 years ago. Finding topnotch engineers, designers, manufacturing leaders and the like, is difficult. And, considering many companies build plants on cheap land, in a galaxy far, far away from suburban neighborhoods and bigger cities, it’s harder to attract higher wage-earning talent to rural county, USA.

 Conversely, on the sales, marketing and management talent hunt, there is a wide range of viable, proven sales and marketing professionals working in the plastics industry and outlying industries that are looking for a better career track. These individuals are smart, driven and selling technically-oriented  products and services. They can learn, work from home  and have proven they can transition into other industries easier than many executives are willing to believe. A recent survey showed that over 75% of companies had not introduced updated sales training techniques in the past 3 years. Do you think that selling strategies, tools and arguments are significantly different than 3 years ago. Indeed.

 Proactive hiring executives in today’s market, need to take more initiative to shift  budget dollars  to create stronger on-boarding programs and sales training strategies. These two improvements will help to  insure faster and more successful crossover while building in better accountability and benchmarking tools. The latter will reduce the risk of keeping weak performers on the payroll too long. (Note: Salary and benefits budgeted for open positions is a viable source to shift those monies into sales-training and on-boarding enhancements.)

 Over the past 7 years, every industry has seen it’s share of aging boomers leaving the rank and file workforce. Retirements, fatigue, challenges of keeping up with new technology and sales techniques, as well as weaning motivation to hit the road are some primary factors. Less desire to chase new business causes many aging workers to  see retirement and less stress as a more viable alternative. Couple this societal shift in demographics with the ever-growing “remote worker” trend, leaves hiring executives with a lot of new aspects of how to lead, motivate, train and monitor activities of their sales people.

 What can hiring executives implement right now to enhance recruiting, build as stronger sales funnel and insure the current team is functioning at a higher level?

 Here are 8 viable, proven strategies that successful leaders are engaging in today:

 1.   Invest in a sales training program of some kind. Be it a video series, an on-line sales mentoring program, a great new book, an in-house training session—any activities you can begin that sends a message to your sales team that you want them to earn more money and that they are accountable to drive sales. This message also serves as a subtle message to the under-performers that they need to up their game.

2.  Expand the strike zone for new sales talent. “Industry experience” is a limiting step to securing even better, more creative sales professionals to add to your team. Industry experience is not a risk-reducing trait in hiring—it is a lazy way out of creating better on-boarding and better sales training and tools. Hire the frontal cortex, not a Rolodex.

3.  Get professional interview training for yourself and every hiring manager on your team. Less than 10% of managers in today’s workforce have had any formal interview training. Wow. If you don’t know how to effectively interview to secure a deeper understanding of an another human being’s potential, skills and ability to succeed, you will not be able to expand the labor pool beyond your small sphere of contacts.

4.  Compensation and incentives. Correct your variable compensation plan to insure you are rewarding for the desired behaviors. If you want to grow sales, then reward for activities that will lead to sales: meetings, plant visits, proposals, number of calls, meetings and emails. Note: If you pay sales people on bonus-- instead of commission—if the company is profitable, you will not see sale growth you expect.

5.   Take charge of your budget. With all due respect to your HR team, you are the hiring manager. You are responsible to grow sales increase profits and take the heat when things break bad. If the HR team is not able to quickly and assertively source, recruit and qualify elusive talent for you, then you should have the authority to use any outside candidate sourcing methods you can to insure the open sales, marketing or management position is filled quickly. The investment of using a search firm, or spending on more sales training, for example, is far less than the $100-$400,000 or more that can be lost opportunity costs due to vacant territories or turnover issues from over-worked employees trying to cover.

6.  Hold sales professionals accountable to engage in the disciplines of selling. Monitor activity, calls, emails, prospecting techniques and time management. Managing accounts is not selling and selling takes effort to put aside projects that don’t lead to writing proposals and closing deals.

7.  Reward for activities leading to sales, not merely making the sale. If you reward and pay a bounty or some incentive in the first 6-8 months to a new sales person, you will see instantly if that person has the drive and self-discipline to chase the right carrot and behaviors. The cost of these bounties are far less than wasting salary, severance and legal fees  up to the time you fire them 7 months down the road.

8.  Be proactive and start sourcing talent immediately after a position is vacated. Sales people are savvy professionals. Leaving an open sales territory to allow the competition to barge in makes it harder to rebound sales and reclaim confidence of customers.

Candidate Jive Talkin'​: Classic Explanations of Job Change Reasons That Don't Go Well (and how to fix it).

By Russ Riendeau & Tim Tolan (Note: this article appeared first in 2018 on LinkedIn and on Hunt Scanlon Media under a different Title. With today's pandemic, these strategies will be even more important as interview sessions will be scrutinized by hiring managers as competition for jobs could increase.

Since the dawn of man, job interviewing has been a stress point for interviewer and interviewee. Reasons for leaving a job, reasons why one got let go/fired/downsized/rightsized/supersized/--the list is endless. And so is the list of attempted explanations that people use to try and explain/justify/rationalize/sugarcoat/avoid the real reason/excuse one's way to the real truth around the desire to change jobs or why the person lost their job.

If you are a hiring manager, this piece will help you see the need to drive harder to seek the truth in an applicant's explanations for a job change to insure the truth is the truth. If you are a candidate, know that search professionals are good at their job and they have heard it all before. If you have a flaw, a untruth, it will be uncovered. If you have a weak part of your game, demonstrate what action steps you're doing right now to overcome and improve those weak parts.

Click here to read the entire article "24 Ways to Work With an Executive Recruiter" posted by Hunt Scanlon Media. See if you've fallen into the trap of giving a convenient answer that want bad.