I am Executive Recruitment Consultant

[Ownyourchoices]

I have been doing this for 20 years - well before LinkedIn. I have been in tough markets for employers, tough ones for employees, through the financial crisis and COVID. And I am still here - AMA

What would you suggest to young grads who are struggling to find jobs and sending out dozens (if not more) applications?

if they get to interview stage what might be helpful for them to bear in mind?

What do you find most interesting and what do you find most frustrating about your job?

How do you feel recruitment has changed in 20 years and do you use any AI tools?

Where can an ex teacher work that isn’t education related?

Are the AI trainer jobs I keep seeing on job sites just a load of rubbish?

Ok - First question. For graduates, obviously this is looking back but still a good point to make. While studying try and mix any work experience opportunities with paid work. It shows you can juggle as well as giving you work experience in a place you want to go. Hopefully, when you do go out for roles you will stand out a bit. Graduates should go to any career fairs done by universities, utilise any contacts you have through your social circle - parents, friend's parents, anyone who can vouch for you - as in a lot of ways, graduates do look very similar. Clean up your social media and give yourself a professional LinkedIn profile. Invest in a professional CV - don't reply on AI tools. It shows. Write a good cover letter.

But truthfully, you need to start doing the preparation for graduation a fair way in advance.

Question 2 - meeting exceptional candidates - I still get a kick out of it. I also love seeing lateral candidates get into roles and kick ass. Frustrating is candidates who don't tell me they are in other job processes, I don't need to know details but I can manage processes much more effectively if I am fully informed. Clients who shift what they want or are too slow in making decisions. I have placed big CEOs and the maximum interviews for one process should be 3.

Question 3 - LinkedIn has been the biggest impact. Its very helpful but don't rely on it is my motto. And no, I don't. The biggest number of actual applications I have had was about 85 so I read every one.

Question 4 - Ex teachers can look at community engagement because of the communication skills. Might take a lower transition role initially but teachers can manage audiences who don't want to listen....

Most jobs do exist as such but AI trainer jobs are something that could well be like the crappy recruitment jobs which are almost entirely sales-based so almost like MLM. Not always, but you would need to be careful

How do you work out a good salary range for a particular job role? And do you see a difference in what candidates can command based on industry?

I've looked at benchmarking reports but no two reports are the same and there seems to be such a wide range.

What makes someone stand out as CEO-ready, as distinct from being ready for other roles?

Market research. If you do a bunch of CFO roles in a particular sector then you have a benchmark. And yes, tech/resources/banking all pay more than say, construction or not for profits. But it can depend. Quite a lot of my work for roles than are not advertised - if they are advertised I rarely put a range, unless its Government

Yes, this is a tricky one. Generally, they will have been a Chief Operating Officer or are combining operations or business unit experience with another functional head role like finance or strategy or people and culture.

For a CEO role, I would generally advise a shortlist with at least a potential type candidate on the list. Once they are in the interview room, it comes down to lots of things but when a candidate without CEO experience gets up over those that do they have usually projected themselves as a CEO in their answers. So they say, while I haven't been the CEO yet, my approach would be.....or I would be thinking this or cosidering this...or my strategic approach is...They generally also have lined up a mentor for support.

Hi OP. Thanks for doing this AMA. I am moving out of teaching. What are ‘community engagement’ roles specifically?

I have a question that came up this week and I was at a loss: How should people looking for a move maximise their efforts? Is it LinkedIn is it networking and if the latter how and with whom?

for example I have a colleague who is ready for an external move. When she was a director she got approached all the time about roles. Now she’s a bit more senior she’s finding it difficult to get traction with recruiters. They seem to disregard her for many roles as too junior and speculative outreach going unanswered etc.

TBH, you would be best pleased to look at a role that your education background would assist in - at least for the transistion

https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/search/?currentJobId=4264790861&geoId=101165590&keywords=community%20engagement%20education&origin=JOB_SEARCH_PAGE_SEARCH_BUTTON&originalSubdomain=uk&refresh=true

I say you need to be a bit of magpie (opportunist) and meercat - always looking around. There is no one way, with recruiters it can be hit and miss. they would be best placed getting recommendations of recruiters. If she knows what sort of role she wants, ask around (discretely) for people who recruit in that space. And sometimes you are just so busy, you can only keep track of the people who fit for the roles you have at that time. Keep trying - sometimes its just a timing thing. I do keep a list of people I don't have opportunities for but I rated and I want to keep top of mind. Once you have connected with a recruiter - don't keep ringing - an email every couple of months is fine.

LinkedIn - there is a secret setting that only recruiters can see - which lets us know you are looking - you should also make sure your contacts are relevant. And while I would not suggest posting constantly - forwarding the posts of others and commenting on another post can keep your profile in front of people.

Networking - while we all have referees, have cheerleaders or people who will refer you to recruiters, I have a bunch of people whose opinion I trust who suggest people to me all the time.

When progressing in a big org, say CEO-2 or -3, the roles above get very few and far between. In some companies people sit in those for years waiting for their opportunity.

Would you recommend a move at that point? It can be destabilising to move when not in a top job.

Tricky. I have seen people move from he place they have been for years and then return as the CEO. To some extent, its a risk but personally, I would alwasy suggest taking it. Although if you are a CFO then the best move is internally into an operational role or pick up functions like operations. Then you are well-placed to move into a CEO role at another company. But there are no guarantees - but that's true of anything. Luck can certainly play a role - right person, right dynamics, right cultural, right time etc etc

Why do recruiters always ask you for your current salary, then offer to put you forward for roles with a similar salary?

Unless my current place was a bit toxic, I'm not making the switch just to line a RA's pockets.

It’s not quite a secret setting - you pay for a different license on LinkedIn. A Recruiter license. When you use that software/app you can see those that are looking. When using regular LinkedIn it will show up too if you have a recruiter license.

I have a question: I’m a senior partner in a law firm. I’m 49 and financially secure. After 25 years of grinding away, as I enter my 50s, would like to wind down my career. I’d like to take on lay roles, NED roles and/or voluntary work or even coaching to give something back.

Is there a type of recruitment person or careers coach/advisory that works with someone like me to provide advice and find such roles?

Sure - but unless you are a bit strange why would you pay for that? Its not cheap. Either way, unless you are snooping around on your team and the people I deal with are far too busy to be spending time doing that

Recruiters can help with NED roles and some do career coaching on the side. Again, see if you can find someone who knows a recruiter and can introduce you. Volunteering is more of a network thing. Depends on your area of law but you could volunteer at a organisation that does free legal advice. Offer to be a mentor via the Law Society.

I am an Executive Headteacher who is about to be made redundant - open to jobs outside of teaching, what key words / sectors of employment would my application be looked on favourably?

I find it odd when recruiters put forward jobs to me that are advertised directly anyway. Why would a company take me via a recruiter vs direct and avoid your fees?

I'm also kinda confused what you add to be honest in smaller specialist fields - sorry I don't mean to be offensive! My last two places of work we've recruited for CEO & Chair positions via expensive recruiters but the field (charity arts) is small enough all 4 positions have gone to people already known to the organisations. It seemed more a branding exercise to use a recruiter, pretending to reach different people, but in fact there's no 'different people' to reach. We honestly could have just done it in house each time.

Fair. But this tends to be the case when people are happy to move because they really don't like the company they are at etc. I ask as its a benchmark. But I am retained by company to manage the whole process so its a different world to the CV shuffle of recruiters who work on contingency.

Thanks for the great and very topical AMA! What tips do you have for securing a senior role move at an older age? I'm now in my mid-50s, and this is the first time I haven't found a new role within a month or two of looking. I'm barely getting interviews, which is a change too. I don't want to just assume it's age, as it could also be the salary level I've progressed to, and/or the need to get better at applications in a world of AI tools. I've de-aged my CV but obviously one glance at LinkedIn will show dates. I've been a CEO and am now a senior director in a bigger company, so feel I still have a lot to offer, but these kinds of roles are often taken now by people 10 years younger.

My world is when I manage the whole process so if there is an ad its my ad and I have control and are paid to manage the whole process. So I don't do this. And yes, you are right. Such scenarios are bad for applicants and some recruiters might have a relationship with the company but also they want to build up a database. Ultimately apply with the company.

Second point. If its a CEO, I don't think internal recruiters should manage the process as ultimately this person will be their boss. Same for Chairs. If its a truly a case where the likely candidates are known, we offer much cheaper fees or come on board as a sponsor etc but we can make sure the process is independent and faster and very transparent.