Friday, October 25, 2019
by julie
RECENTLY COMPLETED SEARCHES:
Chief Financial Officer for a multi-state B2B leader wants to double revenues over next 5 years organically and through acquisitions.
Northeast Sales Manager for a U.S. division of a European-based global manufacturing and chemicals company that has a strong North American presence and is expanding into new markets and new accounts.
Marketing Communications Director for an innovative B2B that has sustained revenue growth in domestic and global markets.
Operations Manager for a growing, privately held transportation leader with multiple locations in USA.
Chief of Staff for a national healthcare system with high profile programs and partnerships that is focused on best practices in primary care delivery.
CISO for a global bank that is investing in new enterprise-wide technology.
SEC Reporting Analyst for a global manufacturer that has 25+ SBUs on 5 continents; several billion ($) in annual sales with 50+ operating locations.
Human Resources Director for a manufacturer and distributor of consumer products.
Supply Chain Director for a PE backed roll-up of business products.
Sales Engineer for a specialty pump manufacturer.
Mergers & Acquisition Director for a North American engineering testing service.
General Manager for a privately-held manufacturer of specialty seals and fasteners.
IT Director for a privately-held distributor of audio-video equipment.
Marketing Director for a PE funded building services company that expects to double revenue over next two years via acquisitions and organic efforts.
COO/CFO for a start-up healthcare software business starting commercialization phase.
Senior Accountant for a public accounting firm that recently celebrated it's 100th anniversary in business.
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Friday, October 11, 2019
by julie
Hiring talented individuals for your company can be daunting. B&B has ensured successful hiring for our client partners for decades. Here are some problem areas we have identified over the years that can inhibit a talent acquisition that will positively impact your company.
#1 Inadequate Interviewing: Every role is a reflection of the business model and culture. Many companies schmooze candidates or rely on first impressions. Interviewing is an art form and there should be an assessment of hard and soft skills, functional and cultural fit, and evaluation of capabilities, contributions, and accomplishments through a series of situational questions and discussion points. Having a scorecard to measure the various qualifiers for any role is the best way to make comparisons among the applicants. 65% of the time, the best candidate for the role is not the best interviewer.
#2 Avoiding the Problem: About 25% of the searches we manage annually are confidential replacements. The client recognizes that the incumbent is not meeting expectations and needs to be replaced. Often the search comes with an upgrade in responsibilities. However, too many companies camouflage the problem and attempt to hire around it because of loyalty and/or seniority. Sacrificing the wellness of the company by circumventing the problem will create turnover.
#3 Backward Thinking: We call it “Pothole Mentality.” Looking backwards and replacing a role is stale thinking. Don’t replace; rather re-engineer the role for today and tomorrow. Reassess core skills, requirements, and competencies. With all the changes impacting business through technology, outsourcing, and best practices, organizations need to align their staff and resources to both the current and future needs of the business. Hiring to replace yesterday is a mistake.
#4 Not Being Upfront: There is a right way and a wrong way when hiring. Be honest on workforce hours, travel, responsibilities, culture, leadership, and wellness of business. Building trust from the beginning is essential. Over one third of turnover is due to hiring authorities who were not forthcoming and the hired candidate feeling deceived.
Reach out to our team today to learn more about how we can help your company with talent acquisition. B&B search professionals always measure their success by the success of your company and the people we place on your team.
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Friday, October 4, 2019
by julie
The 4th quarter is an interesting time for both businesses and employees. This is the quarter for next year planning as well as promotions, rightsizing and reality checks. Will the company meet their revenue targets, metrics, and EBITDA? If not, what changes will be made to correct key drivers? If yes, what new initiatives will be discussed and enacted on as head into 2020? Whether you are a hiring authority or career driven contributor, here are a few of the variables that occur in and around the 4th quarter:
Confidential Replacements: Annually about 30% of the searches that B&B manages are confidential replacements and the largest number occur in the 4th quarter. Leadership recognizes there are internal roadblocks and expectations are not being met. Most often these are tenured employees who are not proactive managers, lack business partnering skills, and/or unable to embrace change and evolution.
Acquisitions: More acquisitions are completed in the 4th quarter than any other quarter. Depending on whether one is on the “acquiring” vs. “acquired” side, there will be changes in reporting structures, leadership, operations, and culture.
Performance Evaluations: Both the company and the employee will have their performance evaluated. This is the season to encourage best practices, correct inconsistencies, and identify opportunities to achieve business strategies.
Organizational Alignment: Having the right people in the right roles at the right time is difficult to accomplish. Most companies are out of balance. Different functions (e.g. engineering, marketing, finance. supply chain, IT, product development, human resources, and sales) have alternating values even in direct competitors; some are of higher value to the business than others. “A” roles lead and impact strategy; “B” roles lead and impact tactical drivers; and “C” roles are doers. As companies evaluate the correct alignment, do they have “A” and “B” talent in the right roles?
Change Management: The business world is constantly evolving and the 4th quarter is the “Change Quarter.” This is the time that functions can get outsources or outsourced functions can be internalized; reorganizations and rightsizings are announced; movement of internal operations to other geographical locations; promotions and award grants; new leadership from 1st level managers to Board level; and changes in functionality, hours, reporting structure, benefits, and compensation.
With a pulse on the current trends, an eye on the talent market, and an ability to put the solution in place before year end, the B&B is ready to partner with you to facilitate positive change for your company.
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