ASK THE HEADHUNTER by Nick Corcodilos

ARE THEY ASKING FOR TOO MANY REFERENCES?

Q: I'm working through a headhunter on a position, and I'm the top candidate so far. He spoke to references from my last two employers, and all the references came back good. Now the headhunter wants the name of a supervisor I worked for over seven years ago. I don't know if I can track him down. Why aren't all these references adequate?

I've got the feeling the company has unusual hiring practices and is not very trusting. I don't know what they're searching for or what they think they will find. This tells me the company might be difficult to work for. Any advice?

NICK'S REPLY

Don't read too much into this request for older references. If anything, companies err by not checking enough references. Some don't bother to check at all. Sometimes employers learn to check references thoroughly only after they get burned. That may be what happened to this one. Help them any way you can in tracking down your old boss, but don't give them an attitude. The headhunter is doing his job, and the company is trying to ensure it's got a good candidate.

Think of it this way. If the company checks all references this carefully and you go to work there, odds are good you'll wind up working only with great people who have also been thoroughly checked out. It's a tough job market, and some people are claiming skills and credentials they don't really have. So don't let the thoroughness of the reference check bother you. If they can't locate your old boss, at least you cooperated. The rest is up to them.

There is one thing you should be aware of. Some headhunters harvest potential candidates for other search assignments through the reference check process. In itself, this isn't a problem as long as the headhunter handles it diplomatically. If he confuses the reference check with his recruiting efforts, however, he could be doing you and his client a disservice. Politely tell the headhunter that you do not want your references to be recruited during the reference check.

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THE HEADHUNTER TIP

Managers: Give away job candidates

I usually advise job hunters in this space. This one is for hiring managers. The job market is a shambles. This makes personal contacts all the more valuable. So make more now if you want to get more later.

If you see a great resume, call the candidate even if he's not right for your company. Interview him briefly. Make a judgment. Offer to refer him to a manager you know at another company. Or suggest other job options. Offer to be a mentor. Point the guy toward another opportunity. Life is uncertain, but having lots of friends makes it better.

This is subversive, because you're not acting in the immediate interest of your company. So what? You're contributing to the world by feeding another career. And it's good for your own future. Give away job candidates. The more you give, the more you'll get.

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COMMENTARY

The personnel office may realize what you might already suspect: There is no match between you and the company. If that's the case, then move on to another opportunity. Don't waste your time or the company's.

But if you really believe you're a good fit, then skip the letter and the resume. I'd call the CEO and explain that since this is a small company and you know its business pretty well, you felt the best person to go to was the one at the top.

"Thanks for taking my call. I want to help you with this job you have open, but I'd like to get a bit more information about how this position fits into the company's bottom line. In other words, I'd like to work up a plan for you about how I could bring profit to your business. Would it be possible to speak briefly with the manager to whom the job would report?"

That's it. Point blank. In terms the CEO can relate to: profit. The two key phrases are these: "I want to help you" and "I'd like to work up a plan." This reveals your confidence and your awareness of the bottom line. The call is respectful, to the point and very specific about what you want: to talk to the boss and to demonstrate your ability to do profitable work.

What if everybody who wanted a job started calling CEOs? Don't worry, they won't. Most people will be afraid to call a CEO because they lack:

gumption

preparation

motivation

smarts

enthusiasm

a plan

and something useful to say.

Take a close look at that list. It describes a candidate who is worthy of the CEO's time -- and worthy of the job. Most people apply for jobs because it's easy to submit a resume. But they won't call the CEO because they have nothing valuable to talk about. Think of it this way: If you're not ready to call the CEO to talk about the job, you're probably not ready to have that job.

Personnel offices process resumes. CEOs deal with people. That's the opportunity in this approach.

Your objective is to stand out. If you submit a resume and a letter you once again engage the process. Call with a solution and you engage the CEO. You're the standout.

If American business would get down to brass tacks when hiring and if it would talk about "the work" and about profit, then I think we'd get out of this economic mess a lot faster. Instead, business is bogged down in hiring processes that don't work well in hard times. I'd trade you 2,000 resumes for two people who step up and show me they understand the work, can do the work and can do it profitably. While no busy manager is going to field calls from every applicant, a good manager will recognize a candidate who is ready to get to work.

Your challenge is to prepare for that phone call. That's where most people will fall on their faces. They lack the gumption required to get ready to talk to a CEO. And that means they're not worth hiring. Get ready, and go for it.

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Write to Nick at P.O. Box 600, Lebanon, NJ 08833 or www.asktheheadhunter.com.

COPYRIGHT 2009 NICK CORCODILOS