6 Things Recruiters Can Learn From the Winter Olympics

6 Things Recruiters Can Learn From the Winter Olympics In whatever market, and at whatever level, recruiters will always tell you that they’re not surprised by anything anymore. Whether it’s multiple family bereavements, chronic car trouble or simply disappearing off the map completely, it’s safe to say that when that phone rings or the email arrives with the new crazy excuse, consultants around the country can be heard collectively groaning. Whilst the excuses may differ though, there are similarities with the candidates we see, particularly when clients lay out their requirements for the perfect candidate. With the Winter Olympics in full swing, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to see what we could learn from the snowy spectacle. For reference, I’ve also thrown in some ‘judges scores’ just like in the ski jump, so you can see how likely it is a client will be pleased with your picks when searching for your next placement. 1. The Alpine Skier When it comes to candidates, you’ll struggle to top the alpine skier. He or she is the person the clients want and the other candidates want to be with. Cool under pressure, adept at avoiding obstacles (slalom reference) and looking great in lycra, when you stumble across one of these guys you hold on and don’t let go. They’re efficient, fast, fit and scarce. Just like in a downhill race, blink and you (and your client) will miss them. Costing you some ice cold commission. Judges Scores: 10/10 2. The Freestyle Snowboarder For some clients, the freestyle snowboarder will be top of the list of requirements. They’re young, exciting risk-takers who are totally calm under pressure. They’re the type who’ll wear woolly hats and sunglasses at the same time â€" nuts. They’re desirable but can be hard to motivate because they’re laidback almost to the point of being horizontal. However, with the right management, they can pull off some spectacular things that you hadn’t previously thought possible. Judges Scores: 8/10 3. The Ice Hockey Player They’re more than likely angry about something when you speak to them. They might have just had an argument with their boss or they may have just closed a huge deal â€" either way, sparks are flying. Great in the right team, the ice hockey player can make the ultimate commercial candidate. Fiercely competitive and tenacious, they’re more than happy to give everything to the cause in order to get the job done and close the sale. The challenge with these guys is keeping them in check. When negotiating salary, or if you want to avoid that rebate, it’s important that they keep their gloves firmly on when at work and don’t resort to hitting anyone with a stick. Judge’s Score: 7/10 4. The Curler   Maybe they’re a little bit more experienced, maybe they just take their time over the decision. Either way, a curler (is that right?) isn’t going to get you results immediately. They’re not the high flying snowboarder or combative ice hockey player but to the right organization, they can be a real asset. The amount of time they have to spend out there (and the 7,000 hours they have on TV) means that they’re well and truly in it for the long haul. They’re determined but cautious and excellent at strategy and planning ahead. They could be great for more technical or general management roles, and their love of rules and take their time could see them be desirable for a big corporate with lots of levels of lovely bureaucracy. An added bonus? Really tidy. Judge’s Score: 8/10 5. The Figure Skater They can do some of the most jaw-droppingly fantastic things you’ve ever seen, and they’re as precise as a surgeon in every move, but the figure skater presents a new set of problems for the typical recruiter. That challenge comes with keeping their emotions in check. They might ring you in the middle of the night freaking out before that next stage interview because they’ve just realized they haven’t washed their favorite shirt. Or, it might be that they’re worried that they didn’t mention the D they got in GCSE music in the last interview, and they’re terrified the client might find out. If the figure skater gets the job? Tears. If they don’t? More tears. Either way, it’s Kleenex at the ready. Another thing to take into account with these temperamental twisters is that they usually come in pairs, so you’d better make sure that their partner’s happy with the new role too, or it’s going to be nil poi. Judge’s Score: 6/10 6. Ski Jumping When your ski jumper is in the interview, it’s a case of crossing your fingers and praying to the recruitment gods. Usually, they fly. In fact, in every conversation you’ve had, they’ve seemed great. However, you know that when it goes wrong, it goes really wrong. That third reference told you that, and a couple of gaps in the CV have also led you to believe that they might have a screw loose when it comes down to it. With a ski jumper, it’s a case of shouting like a mad person at the top of the hill, and hoping that you see them again in one piece at the bottom, not being put in the back of an ambulance (or escorted out by office security). Judge’s Score: 5/10 So there you go â€" my picks for the Winter Olympics. Have you got any more tenuous links between the sector and winter sports? Any more you can shoehorn in there? If so, stick them in the comments and don’t forget your scores! About the author:  Kris Holland  is the Marketing Manager for Charlton Morris, an Executive Search, and Selection company specializing in the placement of mid to senior level professionals in Medical, Life Science and Industrial markets.

Athletes - Schedule your Brand Check-ups - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Athletes - Schedule your Brand Check-ups - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Cars, finances, and health are all things that one should schedule a regular examination of. Doing this allows for keeping on track towards goals, fixing problems in the early stages, making educated course changes, or continuing things running smoothly. This same train of thought should also apply to professional athletes when assessing their personal brand. Athletes are diligent about analyzing their on-field performance for areas of improvement, yet most neglect to do the same for their brand. To increase the impact and rewards of a strong personal brand, a regular analysis is necessary. Below I have detailed out four questions that can help keep your brand on track. What is the RED THREAD of your brand? Look at your website, your Twitter account, the types of organizations you are involved in, how you perform in your sport, importance of family, etc. What are the common themes that show up most frequently? For example, it can be a personality trait, a performance trait, a charitable foundation/cause, or even a color. Do you notice a consistency or do your themes seem scattered? Lance Armstrong’s values and red thread run so deep through his network that no matter the sponsor or medium, they’re all consistent. His red thread of the color yellow, cancer awareness, charity, courage, or cycling, all aid in defining his brand. Because of this consistency, awareness is raised and his impact becomes greater. Try to stick to 4 or less traits/themes that run through all consumer touch-points of your brand. Do you have a LIVING NETWORK tree? In professional sports, you are privy to doors being open to you that aren’t open to many people. Men, women, and kids from all walks of life want to engage in conversation with genuine interest. Take advantage of the open doors you have now. Ask for business cards when you meet people, as it is the easiest way to remember names, professions, and faces (after a quick search online). Start an online address book and initiate exchanges with those in the red thread areas of your brand. By growing your network now, you position yourself advantageously for your career future. Take the MOTHER/GRANDMOTHER Test What things are you doing that your mother/grandmother would be disappointed in? It can be the way you carry yourself, how you react to criticism and confrontation, or your lack of charitable influence. Whatever it may be, those are the actions you should adjust or disengage. Deep down they don’t align with your core values and will hurt your brand in the long term. Remember, you are building a legacy and actions live forever online. Does the WORK YOU DO = WORK FOR YOU? If the work you are doing to create and sustain your brand â€" tweeting, appearances, endorsement deals, business ventures, Facebook, etc. has you living in a state of overwhelming confusion, you need to reassess. Your touch points to the public should have a symbiotic relationship for sustainability. Back to Lance Armstrong to take a look at his touch points. Within his endorsements (Radio Shack, Nike, FRS Energy, to name a few), his website, Facebook, Twitter, a minimum of two are always sharing content (photos, written word, video) or cause (LIVESTRONG). Photo shoots and events provide content for social media, links with sponsors, awareness for his cause. LIVESTRONG license products have been created, which sell across multiple sites and locations, where the proceeds help financially support the organization. Take note of each activity you do and see where you can collate content creation, or begin to have one collaboration support another. Along with these questions, create goals and benchmarks to keep everything on track. As your knowledge and understanding of your brand grows, your analysis of it should become routine. Author: Katie Marston is the CEO and founder of DYME Branding, a personal and lifestyle branding company focusing on professional athletes. Follow her on twitter at @ktmarston or learn more at dymebranding.com.

3 Common Mistakes Made by New Businesses

3 Common Mistakes Made by New Businesses It isnt very surprising that new businesses are more susceptible to making mistakes, but what is surprising is how many of those mistakes are avoidable. With just a little bit of forethought and planning, you should be able to avoid the most common mistakes that new businesses make. No matter what industry youre in, you will need to set off on the right foot if you are to survive. The good news is that this is easier than you might think. With just a little guidance, anyone can safeguard their new business from the pitfalls that have claimed their predecessors. The following advice will help any new business start the right way. Not Having a Plan From the very beginning, you should be operating with a clearly defined business plan. A business plan keeps you and your team focused on specific objectives and thinking about how to achieve them. Your business plan should also be a dynamic document, meaning that you should regularly be reviewing it to make sure that it still reflects your goals and ambitions. Dont fall into the trap of producing a business plan and then trying to force yourself to stick to it. This will only cause more problems and almost certainly wont lead to any tangible achievements. Instead, make sure that you regularly review it to see if changes are warranted Forgetting Customer Service No matter what industry your business operates in, you are going to want to make sure that you have clear policies regarding customer care. Forging lasting relationships with clients early on can make a huge difference to your businesss fortunes. It is well worth investing in customer relationship management software. CRM software makes keeping track of individual customers and clients a breeze. There are plenty of things you can do for your most important clients to ensure that they stay loyal to you. CRM software will track what you have offered to them in the past and allows you to make notes about what they do and dont like. There are both free and paid-for options for CRM software; both have their advantages and drawbacks. You can read PieSync’s comparison between HubSpot vs Salesforce to get a feel for how two popular options compare with one another. Becoming Complacent After spending enough time working as an entrepreneur, you will quickly come to appreciate what a dynamic and unpredictable world it is. Complacency means taking your eye off the ball, relying on assumptions rather than fact, and not auditing your processes thoroughly enough. All of these can put a new business in a tricky position. Avoid complacency by making sure that you are always reassessing your approaches and policies and that you are always receptive to suggestions from your workers as to how you can improve. No matter how often you do something, dont assume you know it all. Starting your own business is always going to be a difficult and challenging experience but armed with a few simple rules, it can become a lot easier. The above words of advice are a great place to start in getting your business off on the right foot