"If you can't sleep, then get up and do something instead of lying there and worrying. It's the worry that gets you, not the loss of sleep.” Dale Carnegie Dale Carnegie was born in 1888 in Missouri and was educated at Warrensburg State Teachers College.  As a salesman he traveled to New York and began teaching communications classes to adults.  In 1912 his world famous course was born.  Carnegie is known for many best sellers including “How to Win Friends and Influence People.”  The above quote hit home for me. As a rookie recruiter there were many times that I would awaken at 3 am and worry about the candidate going on an interview or a scheduled call with a client to discuss a pending or existing assignment.  I now look back on those times and realize that if I had done what Carnegie suggested in this quote, I could have been much more productive and free of worry. The past few years have been, to say the least, troubling.  There is no doubt in my mind that layoffs, job changes, employee staffing needs have caused many of you to worry about those very same issues.  I might suggest following Carnegie’s quote and take charge of the things that are within your control.  These worries might include resume preparation, job or career change, possible relocation and staffing needs.   If so, then please click on the link below to check availability to have a short chat with me. https://www.timetrade.com/book/QWCZL

The Perfect Candidate?

How to attract the best and brightest to your company is a challenge I am hearing from most, if not all of my clients right now. Then, once you find them, hiring them, on boarding them, motivating them and ultimately retaining them become the next challenges.

I wish I had a dollar for every client who said they were looking for the ideal candidate. Every hiring manager is seeking the perfect candidate for their open position.

In seeking Mr./Ms. Perfect, many highly qualified candidates are passed over. Perfection can be a non entitity, but almost perfect could be sitting right in front of you.

Results Oriented Resumes

No results on your resume can lead to a lack of credibility and mean that your listed achievements might be questioned. This is especially true in today’s competitive climate where employers are more achievement orientated than ever. I receive numerous resumes on a daily basis and less than five percent of them are results oriented. There is an old saying in the sales arena. "Features (achievements) tell while benefits (results) sell.

There is a link on my web site where you can submit your resume for a free evaluation.

I look forward to helping you develop a results oriented resume.

Leader or Manager

As a Manager it is important for you to recognize that it is you who has the biggest influence on employee satisfaction and retention. The most successful managers lead and leaders are not just born but can be groomed through a great support system. 

The debate over whether great leaders are made or born has gone on for ages. Stewart Friedman, the founding director of the Wharton Work/Life Integration Project, says he has the definitive answer. 

In his newest book, Leading the Life You Want, Friedman explores the skills you need to be a leader, how to develop them, and how to devote your life to your work without losing everything that's important to you. His research has led him to conclude that people are not born to be great leaders.

According to Allen Kors to develop great people skills, potential leaders need to learn how to become better listeners, how to accept critical feedback in a constructive way, and how to best display empathy and patience with other team members and colleagues.

Confidence is also a huge part of leadership, and is a trait you can practice and hone over time. Confidence and self-esteem come from interactions where we (in our own eyes) behave positively. We can exercise this through becoming more decisive in our work and personal lives, learning more about our industry so we become knowledge experts, and building our own success rather than waiting for others to hand it to us.

Additionally, responsibility and integrity are very important leadership skills to have, although no one is born knowing how to be responsible. Integrity itself is also a choice. Becoming more responsible and acting with integrity (I believe the two go hand in hand) is achieved through accepting blame when something goes wrong, taking charge on solving difficult problems, and learning how to stay calm and troubleshoot when things do not go as planned.

Are you a leader or a manager?

Discipline is the difference between goals and accomplishments--Jim Rohn

Jim Rohn was a motivational speaker and a sales trainer.  His quote above is one of many that were geared to goals and accomplishments.

 I had the opportunity to attend the 2011 graduation ceremonies at West Point.   The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff was the key note speaker at the graduation ceremonies.  Admiral Mullen was the highest ranking officer in the military and in his address he mentioned that he finished 611th in the 1968 graduating class from the Naval Academy.  At the Naval Academy Mullen was less than outstanding and he knew he had to work hard to succeed in the Navy.  Admiral Mullen said that discipline was the key to his success.

During my 29 years as an executive recruiter,  I have had the opportunity to follow the careers of various professionals who have become the “A” players of their industry.  It is not difficult to see that it was discipline and focus that set these individuals apart and put them in the “A” player category.   Every time I talk to these “A” players I hear success in their voices, I see leadership in their actions and their accomplishments are the exclamation point on their career.

“A” players are the hidden talent that “A” managers want to hire.

 If you are an “A” player quietly looking for an opportunity or an “A” manager looking for “A” players, please contact me at 973-627-1888 or lance@rpssearchgroup.com

The best thing about the future is that it comes only one day at a time. “       -  Abraham Lincoln Can you imagine living through the Civil War period and having to contend with the problems that Lincoln had to deal with?  We are certainly experiencing some of the most difficult times in recent history but all of our issues pale in comparison to what Lincoln had to deal with.  He was right when he said the future comes one day at a time.  I spend several hours a day on the phone speaking to numerous clients and candidates and that gives me an insight into what the future may bring. I am in my twenty third year of recruiting and I have been through four recessions and in each one of them I have seen a series of similarities related to staff reductions and recruitment of new hires.  The first thing that happens is that companies begin to reduce expense through staff reductions and reorganizations.  This certainly makes sense and the companies will ask the remaining employees to do more with less.  These lay offs and reorganizations create a large available pool of candidates and make the recruitment effort on the part of the companies easier and less costly.  As time marches on and the economy begins to recover hiring managers and recruiters begin to source from the available talent pool and in the flip of a switch hiring becomes more difficult and qualified candidates become harder to recruit.  I saw this happen in March 2005 and in 2001/2002 when the market went from a client driven market to a candidate driven market and hiring managers and recruiters alike were scratching their heads asking themselves what had happened.  All of a sudden candidates were getting two and three offers while those doing the sourcing were still in the client driven market mode. As Abraham Lincoln said, the future comes one day at a time.  Today, as I am talking with my clients, hiring managers and internal company recruiters I am starting to hear that old familiar moan of  “Where have all the qualified candidates gone?”  I am also starting to hear from candidates that they are getting interviews and offers from two or more companies.  While unemployment is high, the unemployed may not have the skill sets that you need.  We are here to help you find those qualified candidates in your specific area of need. Be prepared:  The future comes one day at a time but history repeats itself! Please contact us at RPS Search Group of NJ, LLC by phone at 973-627-1888 or by email lance@rpssearchgroup.com.

“I am a great believer in luck and I find that the harder I work the more I have of it.” -Thomas Jefferson Over the years my staff always wondered how I could bring a candidate and client together so fast.  I would reply that it was luck and the harder I worked the luckier I would be.  It its purest form, the role of the recruiter is to enhance the lives of candidates and improve client profitability.  The hard work of the process is determining the needs of the client and matching it against the wants of the candidate.  The luck (the result of the hard work) occurs when there is a match and both sides are happy.  A successful hire has to be win-win for both sides.    With the recent layoffs I ask candidates what they are doing to find a new opportunity and I continually hear the same responses.  I have my resume posted on several job boards and I check the job boards every day for new postings and if I see a new one I send in my resume.  To some this may seem like hard work but in doing those things a candidate is scratching the surface of the job market.  Finding a job is a full time job and it is hard work.  The items mentioned are simply the first steps in the process. In addition, a job seeker should also take a look at their own credentials and determine what will make them stand out from all the rest of the job seekers.  Then the job seeker should make a list of all of the contacts they have and start a telephone marathon to get their credentials in front of individuals in order to find the hidden jobs that are not posted.  Yes, it is hard work and the harder you work the luckier you will be. Companies can use the same approach when trying to fill the job that cannot be posted.  They should look at their company and determine what makes it stand out from all the rest and ask the question “Why should someone want to work for my company?”  After doing that, they should evaluate internal and external resources in order to determine which process will get them to the hidden talent not available on the job boards and social networking sites. In both situations a little hard work will enable you to get lucky! We are here to help you to work harder so you can be luckier!

Please contact us at RPS Search Group of NJ, LLC by phone at 973-627-1888 or by email lance@rpssearchgroup.com

“You can have everything in life that you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want.” - Zig Ziglar Zig Ziglar is one of my favorite motivational speakers.  His simple quotes are down home common sense.  They have helped me motivate myself and my staff members.  The quote above seems simple enough. When you analyze it, I am sure you will understand that it can be applied to just about every segment of every industry and to every level of management.  As a supervisor, you can improve the productivity in your department simply by understanding the needs of the people you supervise and by helping those people satisfy their needs.  This can be done through simple conversations, identifying their strengths and weaknesses, and mentoring them to improve.  Ziglar also said when you do more than what you are paid for; you will soon be paid more for what you do.  This certainly can apply to every person in the work force.  I have been in recruiting since 1987 and throughout the years I have spoken with individuals at all levels.  I have seen that the ones who progress upward in their careers are the ones who mentor and help others attain their goals and objectives.   They are open and free with their knowledge and experience.  They share their successes and their failures in order to teach and mentor.  They are not afraid to hire top talent, and they are never concerned about losing their job to a person they hire.  In fact, the top performer wants to be replaced because in most cases that means a promotion for him or her.  Help others get what they want and you will certainly get what you want.  Please get in touch with me if you are looking for that next top performer, or as a top performer, you are looking for that next opportunity! Contact me at 973-627-1888 or lance@rpssearchgroup.com

Resume Preparation

After twenty-nine years as an executive recruiter, I have lost track of the number of resume formats that I have received.  I have heard stories and received resumes from candidates who paid hundreds of dollars to have a resume professionally prepared, and I have received resumes prepared by the candidate.  The major similarity that I saw in all of those resumes is that the person preparing did not do a good job stating the candidates’ accomplishments but did do a good job telling duties and responsibilities in the various positions.  I recently received a resume from a candidate and under each of his positions he listed 4 to 5 accomplishment bullet points.  He did a great job relating how well he did in his various positions and when I called to discuss his credentials I asked why he prepared his resume with accomplishments.  He told me that he felt it was important for people to know how well he did his job and not necessarily what he did.   A big part of business is building relationships and I have to thank one of my clients for bringing the accomplishment resume issue to the forefront.    I can be reached at 973-627-1888 if you would like to discuss your current career path or you can click on  https://www.timetrade.com/book/QWCZL  to schedule a time for us to speak. Lance Incitti, LPC, CCIP

“Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four hours sharpening the axe. “                              -   Abraham Lincoln Lincoln is very much in the news these days with examinations of his character, his leadership style and his actions.  Not to mention the movie about his presidency that has gotten so much attention.  Although Lincoln’s quote is short and to the point what he is saying is that preparation is the key to success.  Over my 25 plus years as a recruiter I have planned my work and then worked my plan on a daily basis.  That being said, there are always the emergencies and last minute changes to deal with; but I always had a plan to go back to! Much has been written about how to ace an interview and get the job.  Part of my daily plan, when needed, is to set aside time to discuss interview preparation with candidates going out on interviews and preparing the client to meet the candidate.  I cannot tell you how many times a client did not want to take the time to hear about a candidate, and ever more surprising was how many times I heard from a candidate that they had never blown an interview and did not need to have any information from me. Needless to say, in both of these situations the interviews did not go well and both the clients and candidates were looking to me for answers.  My response was and is that preparation is the key to success. By clicking on the link below you can check availability to have a short chat with me about how to prepare for an interview. https://www.timetrade.com/book/QWCZL

“If you can't sleep, then get up and do something instead of lying there and worrying. It's the worry that gets you, not the loss of sleep.” Dale Carnegie Dale Carnegie was born in 1888 in Missouri and was educated at Warrensburg State Teachers College.  As a salesman he traveled to New York and began teaching communications classes to adults.  In 1912 his world famous course was born.  Carnegie is known for many best sellers including “How to Win Friends and Influence People.”  The above quote hit home for me. As a rookie recruiter there were many times that I would awaken at 3 am and worry about the candidate going on an interview or a scheduled call with a client to discuss a pending or existing assignment.  I now look back on those times and realize that if I had done what Carnegie suggested in this quote, I could have been much more productive and free of worry. The past few years have been, to say the least, troubling.  There is no doubt in my mind that layoffs, job changes, employee staffing needs have caused many of you to worry about those very same issues.  I might suggest following Carnegie’s quote and take charge of the things that are within your control.  These worries might include resume preparation, job or career change, possible relocation and staffing needs.   If so, then please click on the link below to check availability to have a short chat with me. https://www.timetrade.com/book/QWCZL

The Perfect Candidate

I wish I had a dollar for every client who said they were looking for the ideal candidate.  Every hiring manager is seeking the perfect candidate for their open position.

In seeking Mr./Ms. Perfect, many highly qualified candidates are passed over.  Perfection is elusive, but almost perfect could be sitting right in front of you.

With the recent layoffs I ask candidates what they are doing to find a new opportunity and I continually hear the same responses.  I have my resume posted on several job boards and I check the job boards every day for new postings and if I see a new one I send in my resume.  To some this may seem like hard work but in doing those things a candidate is scratching the surface of the job market.  Finding a job is a full time job and it is hard work.  The items mentioned are simply the first steps in the process. In addition, a job seeker should also take a look at their own credentials and determine what will make them stand out from all the rest of the job seekers.  Then the job seeker should make a list of all of the contacts they have and start a telephone marathon to get their credentials in front of individuals in order to find the hidden jobs that are not posted.  Yes, it is hard work and the harder you work the luckier you will be.

According John Miller of QBQ, Inc. there are 15 reasons why we ask questions and a number of reason why we do not ask questions

15 reasons to ask questions!

1. To acquire knowledge

2. To eliminate confusion

3. To cause someone else to feel special/important

4. To guide a conversation in the direction we want it to go

5. To demonstrate humility to another

6. To enable a person to discover answers for themselves

7. To gain empathy through better understanding another’s view

8. To influence/alter someone else’s opinion/view

9. To begin a relationship

10. To strengthen a relationship

11. To humbly show we have knowledge on a specific topic

12. To stimulate creativity and idea generation

13. To gain a person’s attention

14. To solve a problem

15. To reach agreement or to "agree to disagree" with clarity

So, there they are … 15 reasons to ask questions.

It’s good to explore the reasons why we DO NOT ask questions. Here are six:

1. To find a culprit

2. To embarrass and shame

3. To appear superior

4. To create fear

5. To manipulate

I have been asked many times how I can bring a candidate and client together so fast.  I would reply that it was luck and the harder I worked the luckier I would be.  It its purest form, the role of the recruiter is to enhance the lives of candidates and improve client profitability.  The hard work of the process is determining the needs of the client and matching it against the wants of the candidate.  The luck (the result of the hard work) occurs when there is a match and both sides are happy.  A successful hire has to be win-win for both sides.

"A true leader has the confidence to stand alone, the courage to make tough decisions, and the compassion to listen to the needs of others. He does not set out to be a leader, but becomes one by the equality of his actions and the integrity of his intent." --Douglas MacArthur

Five things to do

1. Wake up early. For the next week, get up a half an hour earlier that you normally do--and get going. If you get a few more things done, then get up even earlier the next week. Early in the morning is a great time to get work done because most of your associates have not started emailing or tweetin.

2. Read the headlines and watch the news. Not only should you know what is going on in the world, you will also be the first to recognize opportunities (if you followed #1) for you and your business--long before the competition has even had their first cup of coffee.

3. Send something to one person who can hire you or buy your product--something you promised to follow-up with, a quick email with a link to something relevant or a "hey just checking in to see how thing are going" email.

4. Touch base with an old friend or associate you haven't talked to in ages. Ask how they are, what are they working on and ask or suggest how you might help. You'll make their day.

5. Write a handwritten note to someone. Seriously. It is a lost art and makes quite an impression. There is always someone you can send a thank you note to--or you aren't doing things correctly.

A simple yet highly effective list. Try all five every weekday for a month...

BOSS VERSUS LEADER

BOSS

Drives employees                                               

Depends on authority                                         

Inspires fear                                                          

Says “I”                                                               

Places blame                                                      

Knows how it is done                                        

Uses people                                                       

Takes credit                                                        

Commands                                                         

Says “Go”                                                                                            

Leader

Coaches Employees
Depends on goodwill
Generates enthusiasm
Says "we"
Fixes the breakdown
Shows how to do it
Develops people Gives credit
Asks
Says Let's go

What side of the equation are you on?

The Evolution of Loss Prevention and Security

I have been involved in the security and loss prevention arenas for longer than I can remember.  Back in the day it was manual sales checks, end to end tally's and searching hundreds of documents to build a case.  Then along came POS terminals, higher shortages and exception reporting.  I started recruiting in 1987 and it was pretty simple if a candidate knew internal and external apprehensions and paper controls he or she would be considered a good candidate.  As technology continued to evolve candidates had to be more technically proficient and influencing behavior and building relationships were the watch words of success.  Omni-channel technology has now thrown security and asset protection into the IT/IS world and Loss Prevention and Asset Protection leadership are now finding that their new partners are the CIO's of their company.  Yes, security has evolved and so have I as a recruiter.  If you are an information security analyst or senior information analyst please fell free to reach out to discuss career opportunities.