Block out the noise and make a presentation!

Is someone considering the opportunity you’ve just presented to them? When your phone rings – or email buzzes – what are the chances it is someone saying “Let’s move ahead.”? If the chances are good, then keep doing what you’re doing. If not, you better change something pretty quick!

Am I old school? You bet. I’ve survived. Not only have I survived – I’m living the American Dream! I say this not to boast but to make a rather simple statement: Recruiting is a career that gives me the opportunity, daily, to decide my fate.

And what decisions do I make?

I spend my time talking to people about what I do and the clients I serve. It is not spent hoping potential clients are somehow made aware of my personal brand and decide they need my help. There are too many in recruiting with the idea that creating content, paying it forward, being a part of the “conversation” is the work. It’s not. Not if you need to make placements to survive....

You want to know where to spend your time? Take a look at the results on your desk and make a decision. Is it working or is it not? It doesn’t matter where things “are going” – it matters where they are today. So block out the Social Media Hype - and make some presentations. There isn’t much more to it than that.

Comment by Paul Alfred on December 17, 2010 at 4:10pm: Hey Sandra ,... I am bored today funny you should say that ... Its a Friday it ain't after 6 yet what better way to KIck the weekend into Gear... No Jerry and I are cool - I have no fight with the Master...

Comment by Heidi on December 17, 2010 at 5:14pm: Sandra:

I always love reading your post. YOu make me laugh and laughter is good for the soul. One of the things that I like most about you is the fact that you call it like it is.

Additionally, I love how you connect with people. I am pretty sure your clients really enjoy working with you. Many of us can learn from this! It seems like your clients trust you, your candidates trust you and in this people business trust is one element that matters very much! Sometimes I think we forget this because we have become a culture of instant gratification. Good old fashion Hard work still matters, building trust still matters, communication still matters, honesty still matters. Anyway have a great weekend and thanks for keepin em honest!

Heidi

Comment by Sandra McCartt on December 17, 2010 at 5:34pm: I love people who think i'm funny, caustic, sarcastic and blunt, but funny. Thanks Heidi. I would rather laugh than eat and god knows i love to eat.

I have a theory, if i talk to someone and start thinking i am going to hear the maitre de call out, "Ego, party of one". I disengage. There are clients i can't work with and candidates i can't work with or don't want to. If i can't trust someone or can't develop a trust and mutual respect level i need to take it somewhere else.

@Paul,

I know you , you little shit. Sometimes i think you are my male, younger alter ego. I'm bored myself this afternoon. I've peaked too soon with Christmas, everything's done. I am making an executive decision as to, do i want to go to one of those stand up plastic smile Christmas parties or do i want to take carrots to the barn and play with my horses in the dark and cold.

I have about decided that i will put some carob covered gerbil treats in a silver dish, drop them by the party and wait for folks to ask me what it is cause it's so great and different, did i make it myself? I do it every year and it seems like nobody every remembers. Gawd, people will eat anything at a Christmas party ad think it's good. It is my take that the world has figured out how to disguise liver pate in more forms than the law should allow. I dispise duck liver , so i retaliate with carob covered gerbil treats. I better go to the barn so nobody hurts me. Have a great weekend everybody. It's that time of year. I am going to close that placement on Monday. I should do it today but i just can't want to ...lazy beast. I just peaked too soon. Don't trust me to bring stuff to Christmas parties..but it sure is funny when i get to tell somebody what they just ate. Alfalfa covered in carob.

Comment by Sandra McCartt on December 17, 2010 at 6:15pm: Jer,

Sorry i hijacked your post. Here's a presentation for you. Take some of those pheasant, breast them, marinate in buttermilk and red wine overnight. Bread lightly, deep fry in very hot oil for a fast fry. Cover with orange sauce (orange marmalade with a splash of bourbon will do fine).

Works well for Lobster tails too. If you have never had deep fried lobster tails you have not lived the American Dream to the fullest. Can't help it, i'm in Texas we fry everything.

Comment by Todd Kmiec on December 18, 2010 at 9:17am: I love these conversations. To me, it's the same topic as a company like Twitter being worth $3 billion and still not making a profit (maybe they'll make a big profit at some point, but...). I'm sure there are folks out there using social media well in an overall business plan to make money. I'm also absolutely certain that there are tons of people wasting time and effort and getting no real value from social media. You can't lose site of the fact that the goal in business is to MAKE A PROFIT. Activity, contact, presentations, networking etc..... work. They always have and always will. If social media helps you generate more real activity, then it's a good part of the program. If it wastes enough time and effort to reduce real activity, it ain't worth it.

Comment by Todd Kmiec on December 18, 2010 at 10:13am: Rayanne, I'm sure you are right about the profits coming for Twitter and what they have done, as a business to this point, is really impressive. My only point is that there are lots of examples like them throughout the years, in various lines of business, that had a great idea, built up a structure, and never made a profit only to come crashing down. Those of us in recruiting who use social media need to be aware of the fact that it does us no good to spend a lot of energy and effort in any direction unless we can monetize it. Lots of followers and no profits = a different career at some point.

Comment by C. B. Stalling!! on December 18, 2010 at 11:37am: my goal is 30 interviews amonth so i have to do at least 60 presentations a moths.

Been a little slow this month but i can tell you april

may

june

july

aug i had 40 interviews a month. every thursday i had 10