A Toast To A Great Contributor

I wrote some weeks back about the phenomenal spirit of the recruiting community at large and how it has positively influenced my work and my desire to be a contributing member of that community. I would like to highlight the contribution of one exceptional leader in the field. Kathleen Smith heads up ClearedJobsNet (…

In Praise Of NortonNet

There are myriad groups in cyber space connecting candidates, employers, staffing industry thought leaders, and HR gurus. They vary in approach and in specialty, but most of them incorporate an element of glitz and virtually all of them include a profit model of some kind.

Then there is NortonNet. There is no website, it’s just an email distribution list augmented by monthly luncheons. It is…

Recruiting Candidates With Polygraphs Is Like Executive Headhunting

Sourcing and hiring C-level Executives is a storied art, replete with stories of overcoming adversaries (gate-keeping assistants), clandestine meetings, goodie bags proffered (stock options, signing bonuses), and cutthroat dealings with competitors. Skilled practitioners of the art are held in justly high esteem for their ability to produce these rare and valuable…

Small Steps Into A Vast Community

The staffing community has experienced an explosion over the past few years. It isn’t an explosion of members so much as it is an explosion of information. The use of…

I got laid off in December. It's a pretty common refrain these days. I'd been the Manager of Recruiting for a Federal Systems Integrator for three and half years and in the space of a brief meeting that tenure was brought to a close. The company had worked through some challenges during my time there, but we had begun to win new business and add exceptional talent. I was proud of the work I had done and was completely committed to the ongoing success of the firm. I did not see it coming. As…