I’ve fielded not less than a dozen calls from clients, recruiters and investors in the past month. All with a common question – what is going on with the market? All are dealing with competing offers, ghosting and outrageous salary demands from candidates. We came out of the blocks on January 5 with a higher volume of open roles than any other January…

The more things change – the more they remain the same

Not a single day goes by without a colleague, family member, friend or client asking me if we’re doing ok in the midst of this weirdness. My response is – YES! Hiring is still happening, great people…

Hire based on value fit

If you’ve had an opportunity to engage in a discussion about culture with me then you know what this month’s blog is about.  The word CULTURE as it relates to a company may be one of the most misunderstood words.  It’s a big squishy word with as many meanings as the word Aloha.  Culture, in its…

Develop both for business success

For almost 10 years now I’ve had the honor of helping Entrepreneurs launch, build, grow and scale their companies. We have clients in our portfolio that have been with us since the beginning. Their journeys are fascinating to be a part of. I am amazed daily by the ingenuity, energy, enthusiasm and optimism these…

Ignoring it won’t make it go away 

I was working with a client a few weeks ago who was struggling to find, attract and hire the people she needed to help her company grow to the next level.  She had historically hired junior level talent and paid them reasonably for their skills, but was surprised when these…

Be deliberate about making it so

Unless you’ve been in a cave lately you have noticed the media making noise about diversity in the workplace. Some high profile companies have landed in hot water over a reported lack of diversity and even harassment. I truly don’t believe that most startup companies intend to lack diversity…

No longer an annual event

Naturally, I am fascinated by how businesses operate and what management styles work in certain situations.  Recently, I have focused my attention on how postindustrial age hierarchy is not working and what that means for companies who are conventional in their human capital management structure.

Early in my career I worked for a large corporation.  The CEO had an Ivy League education, spent a long time in…

Focus on strengths, not weaknesses 

I had the opportunity to attend Gallup Accelerated Strengths training this summer – something I’ve had on my wish list for a few years now and it finally bubbled to the top.  The experience far exceeded my expectations, and I’ve found myself very tuned into daily…

It starts at the top!

This is a tough subject for me to wrap my head around because, while I understand that there is a wage gap, and gender diversity is an issue in some companies (especially in the executive ranks and corporate board seats) I have only encountered it once in my career.  I do, however, regularly…

Interviewing for the sustainable hire 

I’ve had a number of conversations this month with hiring managers who feel like their interviewing techniques aren’t getting the desired results.  One CEO in particular said, “We aren’t doing a good job of interviewing for the long term.  We’re getting to the baseline…

At least 7 reasons why this is a bad idea 

I have the honor of working with dozens of Colorado’s most creative entrepreneurs and smartest business leaders every day.  One of the hardest things to tackle when you are a small, fast growing company is hiring.  I’m not talking about the mechanics of employment,…

For the better!

This month I’m going to take sides in the generational debate.  I am really tired of hearing how lazy and entitled the millennial generation is.  I get the opportunity to work with brilliant young professionals every day…

Because Someone Else Will Be Able to Buy It 

If you are reading this article then you are probably leading a team or running a business and are curious what I mean by this title.  If you haven’t had to do any hiring lately – CONGRATULATIONS!  If you have, then you know how very difficult it is to find great…

You’ve gotta get your hands dirty!

Now that we are enjoying a healthy economy and companies are growing again, I am seeing new leaders take the reins, and I’m also seeing experienced leaders struggling to retain talent.  I believe a major reason leaders lose their key players is that their…

10 really good reasons to talk to references

You’ve done a great job of screening, interviewing, negotiating and courting your new hire.  You’ve done the background check and verified employment eligibility – everything is good, right?  Not so fast!  Did you talk to your new hire’s references?   

At least twice a week…

When I coach individuals in their career searches, one of the characteristics I listen for is what I call “head trash.”  This is a collection of thoughts and ideas, both objective and subjective, which have accumulated over the course of your career and can result in self-limiting behavior.   For instance, people who are turned down for a multiple jobs may start to believe they are not good enough for a specific position, and refrain from applying for…

Talent Acquisition – The Accidental Competency

I was having a conversation with a client last week during a kickoff meeting and he asked, "Where did you learn how to interview so well?"  I had to stop and think about this for a few minutes.  I have spent my entire career in the recruiting and human resources sector so I guess I am - in fact - a professional interviewer.  Go figure!  

So I've been pondering this topic for a few days and I have a question…

One of the main challenges for companies in today's climate is competing for talent. It’s interesting that the pain is not limited to technology recruiting.  We are talking about a very strong economy and not enough people to fill the open roles across functions. 

I read another piece last week that talked about the shortage of qualified middle managers – those who…

Think about it – you have 90 days to get your 2014 hiring done before we enter the holiday season.  Average time to hire is 60 days – the bottom line – you don’t have a lot of time!  Let’s talk about how to make the most of it.

1) Refresh your role descriptions – At Goldstone Partners we use a fully integrated recruiting strategy.  That means we work hard to draw candidates to us as well as reach out to candidates directly.  When we launch a search,…

It’s summertime!  Feeling like I’ll take a lighthearted theme this month.  One of the coolest things about my job is that I get a firsthand recall of the best—and the worst—things that happen during an interview.

The following are actual occurrences – I’m fairly certain that the individuals who were subjects here do not read my blog – so I think…