Subject: November Hire Score Newsletter

Welcome to the November edition of the Hire Score newsletter. Boy are we living in interesting times. I spent the first week of the month talking to clients and the past week speaking to a number of groups up and down the East Coast. I am writing this on the plane home and want to share a number of observations.

First, this is the strangest market I have ever experienced. The headline of the business section of the USA Today newspaper said that, “Small Businesses Stop Hiring”. This was the exact opposite of what I had learned over the past two weeks. My clients are using this market as an opportunity to selectively add talent to their companies. Once again the mainstream press gets it wrong. I said it before and I will repeat it again, “Stop reading the paper!”

Second, the paralysis that has gripped the market is starting to ease. I am not sure why but it is a good thing. Now is the time to start putting together plans and contingencies for rebound.

This leads me to the subjects of my recent web seminars, predictability and leverage. (Thanks for all of you who attended! More on that later.) Usually I talk about recruiting and hiring but in the web seminars I discussed the idea of the people lifecycle. The people lifecycle is Recruiting - Hiring ­ Development ­ Retention.

This morning I was speaking to a group of CEOs in Boston and told them that they need to start treating their people like an asset. Like a new machine they purchased. As usual, they looked at me like I was crazy. But, let me share my thinking on the subject.

The only reason to hire someone is to satisfy a business need (the same reason you would invest in a new machine). If the person is successful and satisfies your need, you get a return on your investment. But if you can develop that person so they can solve bigger and more diverse problems, you get a better return on your investment. And, if you can keep them for a long time, you finally get leverage from your investment.

Thinking strategically about staffing can make all the difference. Approaching staffing in terms of return on investment and other business terms will help you make difficult decisions with more confidence. This is even more evident during difficult economic times. In hard times, one of the first things to get cut in budgets is training. Would you cut maintenance on your machinery? By integrating your staffing planning into your strategic planning you will get a competitive advantage.

This seems so obvious and yet so few companies actually implement. I asked the group I was with today why this is the case and they said that it was difficult and they just didn’t know how to do it. ( I really appreciated the honesty!) If you believe that people are your most important asset, you have to start behaving like you believe it. One of the suggestions I made with the group was to apply the best minds to this difficult problem.

If they were uncomfortable with the process, they needed to bring in some outside assistance (call our office if your want more information). And most important, they couldn’t just ignore the problem. You wouldn’t ignore a sales slump and problem with your production.

Here is just a sample of our thinking on the subject:

The five critical predictions of a strategic staffing program.

1. What is your business strategy?
2. What will the market allow you to accomplish?
3. What must the person you hire accomplish to satisfy your business need?
4. What knowledge and skills does the person need to satisfy your business need?
5. How must the person behave to be successful within your business model?

This should get you started thinking along the right track.

If you want information on my approach to Strategic Staffing, I did spend two hours during the recent web seminars outlining the strategy in detail. As you know, the attendees paid $177 to participate. But, you have a second chance to take advantage of the material. I had the entire web seminar recorded and burned to a CD-ROM. You can get a copy for just $77 but to make it available at this price I have to order them in bulk so I need a commitment no later than 11/30/01. If you want to reserve a copy of this program, send an email message to info@selectingwinners.com.

Now for some very exciting news. In each of the last two newsletters I mentioned the training I participated in with Tim Larkin (the Navy Seal trainer). Well, the good news I twisted Tim’s arm (just kidding) to get him to agree to run a session of his training for my clients and subscribers. This is an unbelievable opportunity to experience the most revolutionary training I have ever experienced. I will put out a special email announcement with all the details in early December but I do want you to lock the dates on your calendar. The training will be held January 18-19, 2002. You may never get another opportunity like this again.

Now for a very personal message. Next week is Thanksgiving and I think we all will reflect on the things we have to be thankful for. I want to share a couple of mine with you.

First, my family. I am blessed with a wonderful wife, who puts up with me, and a son who never lets me get complacent. And, I am thankful to all of you. I started this business in 1984 and never dreamed it would grow into a business that touches hundreds of businesses and thousands of individuals spanning four continents. I want you to know how much I appreciate your support and loyalty. I hope that you and those near and dear to you have a great holiday season.

Have a great month recruiting strategically!
Barry Shamis

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