Be Serious.
For weeks on end, for almost 10 years, millions of TV viewers have watched Simon Cowell publicly berate dozens and dozens of people, all with a quest to exploit their talent in the name of success. Many people proudly stride onto the X-Factor
stage, convinced their talent is world class only to be ripped to shreds and tossed on the unwanted pile. Yet despite perfect knowledge that over 90% of applicants end in that same way, 100,000s of people arrive each year to be subjected to the high-waisted-trousered music mogul’s critique. Are they just wanting fame through public humiliation?
Or do they recognise that praise and acceptance from someone so straight-talking and so serious about his business really means something? (as opposed to the Louis Walsh ‘PC’ model of just loving everyone, especially the underdog).
For many it is the fame at all costs approach…..but those who are serious about furthering a career in the music industry recognise that if you get accepted by Simon Cowell, you really do have talent and really do have a chance at furthering your career. What’s more, if Simon likes you so much as to offer advice as to how to improve your chances yet further, the serious person will take such counsel as gospel, and benefit from it. Serious approach, honest appraiser, straight-talking feedback, believable outcome.
Is that only relevant for those wishing to further a music career? Or is it true, and available in any profession?
This side of finding the “Simon Cowell of Recruitment” and creating a career-accelerating reality TV show, the options would appear limited.
Walk into any high-street agency and you will typically get a faceless individual offering you a generic application form with 99 questions, the majority of which are more concerned with demonstrating an anti-discrimination stance through questioning your ethnicity and overall demographic profile. You may get to meet a real human being, who may give you some actual attention and may even spout some well-rehearsed corporate lines to you about the state of the market and how great they are at getting people a job and how your skills are so fantastic there really is no need to go and see a competitor. You might even hear from them again afterwards.
Or you can find a credible, highly experienced Executive Search business/consultant. Anyone realistically approaching such a Head-Hunter will typically be seeking a £six-figure salary. That in itself is serious, and warrants a serious response. No time for lip-service, just direct feedback.
A serious approach will elicit a serious response, and a serious service. Bluntly objective and honest feedback on you, your realistic chances of progression through a process, and of the outcome of every stage. Find an exceptional and highly connected Head-Hunter, you will also get introduced to high-quality, synergistic business leaders within their network to open further doors for you and as minimum, extend your own network. But such a service will demand commitment from the job seeker. If your head-hunter is prepared to meet you at all hours of the day, and more usually, all hours of the night, and introduce you to key members of his/her network of contacts he/she will expect commitment and a high level of seriousness in your approach and a desire to look for alternative opportunities.
Unlike the X-Factor applicant, with the crowd sat behind Simon Cowell, you will not have public support from the comments made by your blunt and starkly objective appraiser, nor do you get the chance of 3-out-of-4 yes votes. But again, getting positive comments and an acceptance to work with you, qualified praise and overall commitment from your straight-talking head-hunter is a great accolade.
That same serious, objective approach is an immense and vital asset when you are recruiting. Over 60% of mandates I have undertaken have been vastly altered through consultation with the Hiring Manager, HR Director or entire Board of Directors. Challenging the realism of procuring the skills you want at the remuneration level you are prepared to pay is the easy bit, gaining a true understanding of what is being sought and more crucially, what the role/individual is to deliver can be a highly contentious process.
Consulting (and at times arguing) on appointee backgrounds, levels, reporting lines, qualifications, demographic background needs a straight-talking partnership between head-hunter and client. It also needs a serious attitude and above all commitment from the hiring manager. Salaries, packages and employment costs of a Senior Exec can be well into Capital Expenditure levels – commitment and bluntly objective discussion is essential from both parties.
Recruiting business leaders is serious business. Accept 80% in place of 100% and you water down the quality of your leadership team. Allow these 80%-ers to recruit at 80% of their competence and before you know it, your next generation of management will be only 50% as capable as you want, and need.
Easy to see why then the bulk of the country’s leading head-hunters, and leading businessmen, are bluntly objective, place substance over style and above all demand seriousness from their partners.
Demonstrate a lack of seriousness and commitment at that vital initial impression stage and you can expect to be kicked off before you even reach ‘Boot-Camp’, let alone the ‘Live Finals’.
To Get Serious about your search, contact me
garychaplin.com 
Pingback: The Man That (shouldn’t have) Pressed Send « @GC_HeadHunter
Pingback: The Man That (shouldn’t have) Pressed Send « @GC_HeadHunter
Great Blog Gary. I’ve followed your escapades over the last few months and have been mightily impressed with how you have handled yourself in the face of unjust adversity and unfair media reporting. Your attitude and positivity is a lesson for many people in and out of your sector. Well done.
Combining the above with the content of this blog demonstrates why you are good at what you do and successful as a result.
Keep it up, I love the insight into your sector and the common sense you display.
There is no one else I would use to recruit senior managers into my business.
Well done Gary
Scott
Thanks Scott, really appreciate your comments, they mean a lot.
Pingback: Fur coat, No knickers. « @GC_HeadHunter
Pingback: Getting Noticed by and Networking with HeadHunters « Gary Chaplin
Pingback: Getting Noticed by and Networking with HeadHunters | Gary Chaplin