ProFinders

02/03/2025

Being a search firm owner just isn’t rocket surgery!

I’m not curing cancer! Also, not trying to get 2 astronauts home from space!

I’m a headhunter or recruiter, whatever you choose to call it.

It takes time, patience and a fair amount of rejection.

I research people, investigate who they are and use judgement to select who I think my client might like for an open role.

Then I tell someone’s story to my client. (actually one of my favorite parts)

I’m an advocate and champion for my candidates.

I hold my candidate’s hand through the process so they are prepared for meetings and so they make a good showing with my client. They deserve someone who cares and takes the time to hold hands.

I keep candidates engaged when my client doesn’t have the time so the candidate doesn’t lose interest.

Then if all goes well, I’ve helped someone get a position that hopefully makes their world a little bit brighter.

So when someone accepts a role with a bigger title &/or more money, I know for them it is a big deal and it matters!

Or when someone sends me a coffee mug that says “badass recruiter”.....I know they are happy with their decision and it is a big deal.

Or when someone sends me a figurine with a person holding a sign that says “THANK YOU”....it matters.

Playing matchmaker may seem like it's easy and not a big deal. But that would be wrong.

Recruiters are cupid who help people figure out if they want to go on a second date, and in the end if they are ready to pick out a china pattern with someone. We are the ones who help people find their way to their next great professional adventure.

We open doors to things that may have been overlooked. We make a difference in someone's life.

But, nope, not kidding myself about what I do.

We headhunters and recruiters may not be curing cancer, but we are agents of change!

I’ll leave the rocket surgery to NASA and physicians!

I’m happy to just find that interesting “someone”, tell their story, make a difference in their life and know it matters!

12/15/2023

Just a little Christmas Friday funny :)

03/14/2023

“Great I really appreciate the follow up "candidate" care, it's shocking how many recruiters forget this”

Human Resources, Recruiters & Talent Acquisition…..I received this text yesterday from a candidate……it was priceless, made my day, validated my efforts, and put a big smile on my face 😁 Thanks to the candidate who sent it, I’ve got your back.

It took this person less than 10 seconds to make my day.

All a candidate really wants is to be “in the know!” You may not make their day, but you can sure eliminate their frustration.

Its not rocket surgery, its actually simple!

COMMUNICATE!

EVERYONE IS BUSY, ALL THE TIME, EVERY DAY, ALL DAY….EVERYONE!

It's just not that difficult to stay in touch. It doesn’t take a special skill set or training. All it takes is some mere common sense, a tiny bit of effort, and care.



The 10 seconds you don’t take to at least drop a text or email to a candidate “in play” with a hiring manager harms your credibility!

Every time you don’t respond to a candidate who is asking for an update or feedback damages your reputation!

Phone calls go unanswered a lot of times and I know it can take a toll on your calendar. Trust me I get it!

Taking 10 seconds to drop a short text or email is priceless!

Want to build a better relationship with your candidates?

Want to build a stronger network?

Want to receive more referrals?

Want to have a better reputation?

Want to feel the “love” from your efforts?

Show a little love…………COMMUNICATE!

Thats all!

02/21/2023

OVERQUALIFIED……what does this really mean???

I’ve had several candidates recently tell me they have lost positions at the END of the process with the reason being “you are overqualified”................🚫

I really hate this one! Anyone else?

I’m not saying you shouldn’t put those who appear a bit overqualified into the interview process. (notice I said “a bit” not grossly over qualified)

And if someone is put into the process, ONE call/meeting should be enough to vet it out…..NOT 2,3,4,5,6, etc! Please stop doing this, for the sake of all candidates everywhere!

The thing to remember if you choose to interview someone who appears overqualified is there could be a very compelling reason why they applied in the first place. You need to understand their reason.

There could be many reasons why someone applies, don’t assume you know. Its OK to find out.

If you choose to engage with someone who “on paper” appears to be “too much” for your role, make sure you get to “why” they applied for a role. But please do this in the first call/meeting.

Be transparent and respectful up front. If you schedule that first call/meeting you should find out:

❔why they applied

❔what is their motivation for applying

❔do you have a ladder for them to quickly move up

❔are they still willing to get their “hands dirty” or be down “in the trenches”

❔how easily do they get bored

This first call/meeting should give you enough info to make a decision right then and there and you can let the candidate know on the spot. If you reject an overqualified candidate, give a reason! This helps the candidate understand.

Reasons you can provide:

➖your concern is there isn’t enough opportunity for their growth and worried they will be bored and leave quickly

➖their compensation/benefit expectations are higher than budgeted for the role

➖the individual they would report to is junior too them and it could create a conflict

If someone is grossly over qualified on paper probably best not to even engage them as a candidate. One would think this is obvious but its not always.

Again, figure this out in the very FIRST call/meeting!!! There is no need to waste a candidate's time, or everyone else’s, and give someone hope or false excitement when you know in the end they are just too much!

02/15/2023

Sarasota/Bradenton Marketing Manager opening!

I have client seeking a Marketing Manager with a background in franchises or home services. Fast growing company that has practically doubled in the last year and looking to double again in the next couple of years, so great growth potential for your career.

You would be working directly under the CMO and partnering with other company leaders, divisions, vendors and franchisor marketing pros. Must be able to demonstrate past experience with strong lead generation and the ability to optimize all marketing channels associated with multiple brands in multiple locations, including broadcast media, print, paid digital media, online partnerships and direct mail.

If you have at least a 3-5 yr background in marketing with experience in some kind of home services industry I want to talk with you. Home Services or franchise experience is a DEAL MAKER.

The role is remote BUT you must be able to get to Sarasota/Bradenton within a couple of hours for meetings a few times a month.....this is a DEAL BREAKER!
(SRQ, Bradenton, Tampa, St. Pete, Orlando, Fort Myers, Lakeland, etc would be great)

If interested my contact info is in the comments section, please reach out to me directly.

01/19/2023

HUMAN RESOURCES related roles are 3 of the TOP 5 HOTTEST JOBS and 6 of the TOP 25 JOBS, according to LinkedIn’s Jobs on the Rise-2023.

I happened to catch Dan Roth-LinkedIns Editor in Chief yesterday (1/18/23) on the Today Show on NBC, interesting piece about the job market.

Based on what I heard from Dan yesterday, here are the high points.

JOB MARKET
🔷 seeing a lot of layoffs & things don’t appear to be as hot but its still a tight labor market
🔷 unemployment at a generational low
🔷 we are near parity between job seekers and openings
🔷 2/3rds of employees are contemplating a new role

JOBS ON THE RISE (PREDOMINANTLY IN GROWTH & PROFITABILITY ROLES)
🔷 #1 hottest job is Head of Revenue Operations
🔹 these are roles where people are hired specifically to just find new markets or just get more out of existing markets/clients
🔷 #8 Growth Marketing Manager
🔷 #14 Strategy & Operations Manager
🔹 same type of roles as Head of Revenue Operations
🔹 all 3 roles are basically people hired to do more with less (you know the old saying less is more)

THE 2ND MASSIVE TREND IS HOW TO PRIORITIZE EMPLOYEES
🔷 typically done by HR but now we are seeing newly created roles to accomplish this
🔷 new role titles range from:
🔹 D&I Manager
🔹 HR analytics
🔹 Employee Experience Manager (I also hear a lot of employee engagement titles too)
🔷 these roles are designed to stop employee churn & create/make the employees culture carriers

THE #4 HOTTEST JOB ON THE RISE IS TRUCK DRIVERS
🔷 there is never enough qualified or experienced drivers
🔷 a lot of drivers are retiring
🔷 pay for drivers is on the rise, for example Walmart did a 21% increase with drivers earning up to 110k
🔷 anything that can help deliver goods & services is just super hot

IN-OFFICE/REMOTE/HYBRID
🔷 last year 20% of roles were fully remote vs about 13% now
🔷 however 50% of employees are applying for remote roles
🔷 flexible hours or hybrid seems to be here to stay but fully remote roles are diminishing
🔷 some of the rationale for pulling people back in the office is culture, it just isn’t working with too many fully remote employees
🔷 also return to the office is being driven by the new roles for prioritizing employees to build a better culture, when employees are not on sight its harder to establish increased inclusion and employee experience

So good news HR you have 60% of the hottest top 5 roles & 24% of the top 25 jobs in the US.

12/20/2022

The Island of Misfit Toys.
Last Rudolph HR message, I promise.

Is our/your culture creating an Island of Misfit Toys?

This holiday season I reflect on the true autobiographical fable Bob May wrote about a misfit named Rudolph. Then I remembered Hermey was also a misfit. Neither fit into the "culture" of their specific world. Are we lacking diversity because of our culture & being exclusive vs being inclusive to those who have talent but are different? By not focusing on character, passion & talent, are we unintentionally creating our own "island of misfit toys".

Maybe its time we look inward and understand exactly what our culture is creating? Could it be time to revisit what we want our culture to look like? Something to ponder during the holiday season.

I’ll leave this for the DEI experts. But again, figure this out & maybe as the story goes..."you’ll go down in history".

Links to the 2 previous posts are in the comments section below, in case you missed them. In my family we say Merry Christmas. I wish you joy & happiness in whatever you may celebrate with your family this season!

🎅🎅🏻🎅🏼🎅🏽🎅🏾🎅🏿

12/14/2022

Hi everyone,

I’m doing some market research in an effort to better serve my network. If you are in HR or do any hiring, would you take a minute and complete this short survey for me?

https://rfnfo.com/res/42386/261878/?source=web

As always, let me know if I can ever be of assistance professionally or personally. I greatly appreciate the help here.

Thanks,

Sheri
[email protected]

12/13/2022

RUDOLPH, Human Resources lesson round 2 🎄 🦌 🔴
Even in a children’s fable over 80 yrs old we can find lessons in DEI.

Last week after posting about the misfit Rudolph, I remembered Rudolph was not the only one who was a misfit. Hermey, the elf, was also a misfit because he wanted to be a dentist instead of making toys.

Both were outcasts because of their differences in expectations and "culture". Rudolph left the North Pole, not because he wasn’t qualified to fly but because of his red nose. Hermey left, not because he wasn’t an elf but because he wanted to do something other than make toys.

I’d ask you, what could Santa & the Head Elf have done differently to keep Rudolph and Hermey, which would have saved everyone a lot of pain and heartache?

It’s time we started looking at our "culture" and exactly what does that mean? Our expectations should not necessarily be those of others. Are we lacking diversity because of it and being exclusive vs trying to be inclusive to those who have the talent but are different? Shouldn’t we focus on character, passion & talent, as well as change our mind set on exactly what does "culture" mean?

I’ll leave the rest to the leadership and L&D experts, but I’m thinking we all know it’s time for a revolution, what does your culture really stand for at your company? Figure this out & maybe again, as the story goes..."you’ll got down in history".
🎅🎅🏻🎅🏼🎅🏽🎅🏾🎅🏿🤶🤶🏻🤶🏼🤶🏽🤶🏾🤶🏿

In case you missed last week post on the actual true story behind Rudolph, the link to the post is in the comments section.

12/06/2022

🔴Rudolph🔴 is a good Human Resources lesson. Did you know the story of 🔴Rudolph🔴 is loosely based on Bob May's real life? (Link below)

I didn’t know until recently that author Bob May wrote a somewhat autobiographical story for his 4 yr old daughter. He didn’t have much & his wife had cancer. Bob had been somewhat of a misfit growing up. He reflected on his life & wove a fable for his daughter for Christmas. The fable was about an animal who was a misfit that didn’t fit in. 🦌

I've been mentioning this story during the holidays for while now. Its just a great reminder, not to mention a feel good ending. We are struggling w/ diversity, equity, inclusion & social injustice issues just like 🔴Rudolph🔴. We need to look beyond differences as well as see the "good". We need to stop judging a book by its cover....all of us! Santa eventually looked past 🔴Rudolph’s🔴 red nose, everyone else followed and 🔴Rudolph🔴 was a Christmas game changer......And as the story goes...."he went down in history".

My wish for us all this season:
🦌be kind
🦌don’t judge
🦌see the "good"
🦌show respect for others
🦌do the right thing
🦌be a game changer
🦌watch 🔴Rudolph🔴
🦌if you see a 🔴Rudolph🔴, be Santa🎅🎅🏻🎅🏼🎅🏽🎅🏾🎅🏿

My family says Merry Christmas🎄. I wish you joy & happiness this holiday season no matter what you may celebrate with your family! Be safe and love others! ♥️

A link for the true story is in the comments below. Short read.

https://lnkd.in/dBnjfFK6

Image Courtesy NBC Universal: Rankin/Bass’ animated “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” premiered on NBC in 1964 and is the longest-running Christmas special. The initial story behind Rudolph was written by Bob …