KeenHire Blog by Margaret Graziano

Silicon Valley Continues to Lead N. American Metros in Strength of Its High-Tech Industry

Silicon Valley Continues to Lead N. American Metros in Strength of Its High-Tech Industry, but Growth in Other Regions Shows Integration Across Continent, Says Milken Institute Study

LOS ANGELES – Silicon Valley, the largest and most influential high-tech center in the world, continues to lead all other metropolitan regions in North America in the breadth and scope of economic activity it creates through technological innovation. But many other metros have built strong and diverse industries that should allow them to prosper when the global economy recovers, according to a new report from the Milken Institute.

“High-tech industries are an important and sustaining anchor for regions to survive the slump and to rebuild their economies around high-wage jobs,” says Ross DeVol, Director of Regional Economics at the Institute and author of the newly released report, North America’s High-Tech Economy: The Geography of Knowledge-Based Industries.

“Every sector has been impacted by the current economic downturn, but high-tech centers will come out on top,” continues DeVol. “In 2003, many said that the era of technology-based economic development was over. However, the industry defied the naysayers and grew rapidly in the following years, proving that regions that promote and sustain the vital inputs to a high-tech sector are best prepared to recover and generate broader stability and growth.”

According to the study, which ranks the top high-tech centers in the U.S., Canada and Mexico, most of the top tech metros are well known – like Seattle, Cambridge, Washington, D.C., New York and San Francisco. But there are many lesser-known regions that have made tremendous inroads in the past decade to build their technology assets, such as Toronto, Canada; Kalamazoo, Mich.; and even Baja California.

The top-ten rankings for the preeminent high-tech metros in North America:

Talent Strategy 3.0 - Vail Colorado December 14 & 15

About the Program

With a rocky economy, hot new emerging industries on the rise, three generations in the workforce, Sr. level leaders on the verge of retirement/re alignment and a sea of recruiting alternatives knocking at our clients’ doors, it is time to start thinking about how we as an industry are going to align ourselves as strategic business partners rather than as transactional service providers. As the economy begins to recover it is imperative that you brand your firm as the human capital provider of choice.

The Society of Human Resource Management reports that 6 of the top 10 Workplace Trends are directly related to talent acquisition, selection & retention.

The number 1 trend to most likely have a major impact on the workplace is workforce retention, and the most critical HR function effecting business strategy is Staffing/Employment and Recruiting.

The above issues are not separate -they are looked at as Talent Management and there is no other group of people on the planet better equipped to empower corporations to solve these problems than people like us, top tier staffing & search professionals who work on the front lines of talent acquisition, every day.

The KeenHire™ Human Capital Strategic Consulting Series empowers search & staffing professionals to take a new look at search and staffing - a look from the shoes of an employer. Strategically speaking, retention begins with selection and effective workforce planning and we as an industry have everything to do with ensuring that the placements we make that need to, have a place in the succession plan.

Join us for this provocative, insightful and fun program that delves into the corporate strategic talent issues and highlights innovative solutions you can provide to solve them. Let’s face it, now more than ever your clients have recruiting alternatives. There is off shoring, in-sourcing, RPO and on line systems that streamline the work of recruiting. Even large global HR consulting firms are trying to cash in by getting into the recruiting game. Your ability to grow is directly contingent on your ability to adapt to the changing market as well as on your ability to meet and exceed your clients increasing needs.

Astute recruiters and search professionals are looking down the path for what they can do to offer a deeper level of service and provide holistic solutions to their clients human capital needs and therefore differentiate themselves from the sea of recruiting options available to their clients. In the past you had to be good on a daily basis to keep your clients coming back for more, NOW…..you have to be great and you have to commit to their end game, or someone else will.

Course Outcomes

Empower yourself in understanding and responding to corporate retention issues, dispel the myths and uncover critical issues affecting your customers’ ability to attract and keep the right people.

You gain hands on experience in uncovering the real Cost of unwanted Employee Turnover and the impact that it has on your customers’ companies ability to achieve its strategic objectives.

You gain competence and capacity to impact your customers’ recruiting and hiring efficacy.

You learn a strategic approach to assessing your customers’ REAL human capital needs, proactive workforce planning and a comprehensive approach for implementing a 3 –step top grading approach that positions you to build your customers’ organization with high performers in key roles.

You leave the workshop with an array of bolt on and augmented talent management strategies that meet the needs of leaders, managers and the multitude of front line customer facing and operational impact staff in your clients’ workforce.

You walk away with the power and prowess to influence the Talent Mindset throughout your entire customer base.

To register call 1-888-533-6447

$1299.00 per person

What They’re Saying

"This course was by far well worth more than the cost I paid to be here". Karen Richards-Fidelis Bio Pharma, Dallas Texas.

“I am pleased to recommend Margaret Graziano as a foremost authority in personnel recruitment, assessment, selection, and retention. I have paid to attend training and certification events with Margaret as the leader, and feel that the value was exceptional. Beyond her incredible knowledge of the aforementioned subjects, she brings a sincere passion to the training, and presents useable information in such a way that it is actually useful in a real-life setting. She cares about the people she works with and truly wants to advance our industry by helping others thrive as “true professionals”. Her training has helped me in my professional development, and the development of my organization. I believe that even if you are a “master” in this business, you can certainly increase your personal productivity and profits from her training, speaking, and the products offered by her company, KeenHire.

Ed Keil, CPC, CERS, Owner, Reliance Recruiting
hired Margaret as a Consultant/Coach/Trainer in 2006 , and hired Margaret more than once

“Margaret Graziano has proven to be one of the torchbearers of progressive Human Resource/Human Capital initiatives. Her insight to what Corporate America wants and needs in order to help their company grow and prosper is truly leading edge and spot on. She has wowed her contemporaries with her "Keen" insight to the marketplace and has produced products and services which will revolutionize our industry. If anyone has any questions about Margaret's ability, just let me know. There is no one better equipped to assist you with Talent Acquisition and Talent Management issues for your firm. Do yourself a favor and get her involved with identifying and helping you solve these HR issues.” October 21, 2008
Jeff Wilson, CERS, CPC , Managing Partner/Owner , Key Corporate Services, LLC

Some Aspects For Staffing Companies To Think About

A trend I have noticed is those who cut all costs necessary to operate their businesses are financially in worse shape than those who have methodically evaluated where to focus cost cutting.

I call these "knee-jerk" blanket cost cutting decisions Emotional Management and will suggest that everyone be wary of it. Are you cutting costs because of a fear of the unknown - the length of the recession, the direction of the economy, the ability for you to make a sale next month? Or are you cutting costs because you are determining which costs are necessary for survival, which are necessary for growth, and which costs are "lifestyle” costs? Food for thought.

 By Adam Peterson, CEO, Vipe Inc

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It is all about differentiation.  Keen recently surveyed over 25 large staffing and or recruitment firms, what is on everyone of their minds is how to generate more business and come out ahead of the rest. The following is a brief summary of what they said.

1. You are either the largest in your niche and you differentiate because you are the biggest

2. You have some new innovations that separate you from the competition

3. Your price is better

4. You have a means like RPO or VMS that catapults you to the front of the line.

5. You dominate multiple markets all selling to the same end user

6. Your brand is known to all

Think about it.....what is it for you? If you don't know, figure it out, and figure it out fast.

Best to You 

Margo

Five Tips For Bringing Out The Best In Gen Y Workers

Generation Y workers, otherwise known as millennials, will be making up a significant portion of the new workers coming onto the market over the next couple of decades. That’s why it’s more important that ever to learn how to work with these emerging and workers so you can make the most of their potential and find them a great niche in the working world. While these workers are sometimes know as being outspoken and unable to take criticism, they are also technologically savvy and high performing in the workplace, making them both a challenge and boon to work with. Here are some tips to make the most of your experience.

 

1. Emphasize and utilize technology. Because they’ve grown up using it, most Gen Y workers are more than familiar with using a wide variety of technologies from web work to cell phones. Let them use their skills to your advantage in the workplace by providing them with the technological tools to get more done.
2. Allow for flexibility. Many Gen Y workers struggle with having to work late hours and make long commutes, especially when technology can allow them to do it at home. Offering the ability to work from home certain days of a week and meet other, non-traditional scheduling options will go a long way with younger workers.
3. Offer mentoring. Gen Y workers will do well with a mentor around to show them the ropes or someone who can offer some more personalized guidance. It’ll enhance their understanding of the corporate structure, let them get criticism from someone they know and trust and build their confidence in the workplace in a more secure and individual situation.
4. Run a tight ship. While they are good workers, many millennials will need extra supervision and guidance on the workplace. Make sure that the rules are laid out clearly, expectations are set and there is a clear corporate structure. Set up regular meetings with management to ensure that workers get the feedback and encouragement they need.
5. Provide great training. Give your employees the skills they need to excel in the workplace by providing high quality, thorough training. Millenials will excel best with hands-on training where they learn through experience rather than through lectures and book-directed lessons. Training should focus on building communication, learning personal development and using feedback effectively to get the most out of workers.

 

This post was contributed by Amber Hensley, who writes about the  online college reviews. She welcomes your feedback at AmberHensley1980@ yahoo.com

Human Capital Executive Forum - For Consultants & Practioners Only

KeenHire.com held their first Human Capital Executive Forum in Silicon Valley  today and it was amazing. With very little marketing and promotion we had a full room!

Keenhire and our affiliate partners are moving forward with events like this in key geographic areas close to you!

WE hosted VP's of HR and various executives of Human Capital Solution firms, the conversation was amazing, open and fruitful.

I am crystal clear that being the trainer for the accreditation in retention is one of the best moves I have made in my career. This is a no brainer when you see things like Korn Ferry and Heidrick offering similar services and stating future revenue growth on these talent management service lines. After all it is selling a new service to the same contact, and with the eons of information gathered in the staffing process, the management strengths and weaknesses, who better to consult the firm on it's human capital issues.  There are currently about 35 certified retention specialists through NAPS since the inception 18 months ago. We are moving full steam ahead and have a goal to certify 100 recruiters and staffing professions in 2009.  If we as an industry want to expand our capacity for growth and profitablity in good times and in slow, we need to step it up and master the whole human capital picture.

Put your future in your hands and learn about these powerful Human Capital Strategies that impact retention, from Top Grading and Benchmarking to Engagement and Succession Planning. The time to alter YOUR future is NOW.

One more tidbit.

If you are someone concerned for your customers' end game, and committed to producing ROI solutions join my linked in group -KeenHire Talent Solution Providers - you will receive special invitations to free and key events, webinars and seminars.

It's Who You Are Coming Out Of The Recession That Matters

I was speaking to my mentor and coach the other day about the long hours that I have been working and as the words came out of my mouth I caught myself and shifted the context from mild complaint to abundant gratitude.

Even though I am only 44 years old, this is the 4th recession I have been lucky enough or crazy enough to participate in during my career in Talent Management. I began my career in 1983 and Chicago at that time was crawling out of a recession. In my ignorance I thought that was just the way business was; in hindsight I see that it was that mindset that served as the foundation for my extremely successful career.

Another aspect of a recession that I've noticed is that while some people are grateful for the opportunity to fine tune their companies, others are resistant to change  and frankly ticked off that this type of thing that they have no control over is dominating their life.  Then there are others that arrogantly tout their un-need to change as times demand new and creative solutions. They stand firm in their belief that what has worked for the past 20 years will continue to work for the next 20; with no awareness that their end user has grown and shifted and that they have other considerably more options than they did in the past.

In the recession of 2000/2001, I chose grateful and open, it worked for me. It was over the four-year period from 2000-2004 that KeenHire was born.  It was my desire to understand why my clients weren’t using me as much anymore that opened my eyes. My eyes were opened for the first time to the point that I might not earn as much money in the next 10 years as I had earned in the last. My research led me to believe that my profession could eventually be replicated by job boards, the Internet, voice mail and off shoring.  It also enlightened me to an entirely new industry called Assessment.  In 2001, I attended my first assessment conference and realized that between the myriad of sourcing alternatives and the plethora of hiring assessments on the market, the future of staffing would be very different.

Today, I am part of many lively, passionate and fruitful conversations about the recession, the economy, the aging workforce, the up and coming millennial generation, the future of business in America and how technology will impact and impede it. Given 90% of the folks I am in communication with are in business, these conversations almost always lead to the affects all of these converging issues have on the world of Talent Management.

One of my new Silicon Valley friends Jana James' has an interesting spin and attitude about working in and around recessionary times; in her profound and philosophical manner she said, "Margo, it is not who you are before a recession it is who you come out of the recession being."  Interesting enough President Obama repeated her very words in his state of the union address the other day.  Jana had a tap on him, he had a tap on her, or they are both tuned into the same frequency.

I have always held the mind set, when the universe provides opportunity it is imperative for those who are blessed with it to buckle down and fulfill on the promise of that opportunity.  It could be the ‘one’ demanding, last minute, impatient and highly selective client that paves the way for us surviving and thriving.  It could be the job that we knew would challenge us the most and we weren’t sure we were up to, that elevates us to the next level. It could be the boss who is so tenaciously focused on winning who paves the way to the next level.

We have all heard the phrase, 'make hay while the sun shines' and that is what there is to do during these tense recessions.  In tough times, it’s work ethic, discipline and tenacity that matter above potential.    These critical behaviors are the elements that matter and matter exponentially, for without these traits - failure and backsliding is immanent.  This is not to the time for long periods of rest, shortened hours and relaxing. This is the time for coming in early, staying an hour late, burning the midnight oil and using every situation and contact to generate opportunity. In my opinion there’s nothing like a recession to shake up complacency and give it a swift kick in the pants.

In my own backyard KeenHire is celebrating their first year Anniversary and I have pulled more all nighters in the last year than I ever have in my life.  It was only last March that Dr. Stephanie and I worked something like 20 days in a row for 15 hours per day just to get the Keenhire.com web site launched, and then hours before the launch, it fell apart. While we were certainly frustrated, our commitment to the future and to the needed change was much more pressing than our attachment to the planned date. Our commitment to launch a great web site won over our desire and attachment to being upset over the muck.

The Good News about a recession is it forces change. It forces companies to review their operating practices and shift the way they do things, for us in the talent business it forces us to accept accountability for our role in our clients’ running profitable companies and selecting the correct people to fulfill on that objective. Recently another new friend of mine, Bryan Morelock, of Gevity sent me this letter from President Andrew Jackson on how some people deal the subject of change. Although it was written years ago the message has clarity yet today. As times are a changing and we must also.

As far as recessions go everyone seems to have a different attitude about working in and through one.  Some resist it, some pretend it’s not happening, some hold the position of arrogance, others hunker down, and others blaze new trails. 

What’s your attitude today, what will it be tomorrow?

Running With The Bulls

Domincan Republic. I knew it was 3rd world yet in reality I did not know what 3rd world really meant until I spent a week in the Dominican. Every day there was a new conversation or interaction or glance of an eye that brought the reality of poverty to my conscience.  I remember taking time out of everyday to thank god that I was born in America, to my parents, and that I was given the unique and blessed opportunities that I have been given.

One morning I was shaken out of bed by the waves crashing on the shore and the 1st thing I thought of was a Tsunami so I rushed out of bed to the balcony and what I saw was nothing more than 6 foot waves, typical drama from this Chicago native with not much wave or ocean training. 

Looking at the beautiful water, and the sun rising in the sky I decided it much too beautiful to go back to sleep and too early to wake up my sons; I thought a nice run would do me good. It might burn off that tension that even had me thinking about a tsunami in the first place. As I headed out of the resort I waved good by to the armed guards and headed down the street and caught my run pace. My heart rate a steady 145 (yep I am slow), breathing to the beat of Dave Mathews Band, looking out at the ocean to my right and the mountains to my left, life and running could not have been better in that moment. As I was gleefully thanking the universe again for my good fortune of health, family and career I suddenly smelled the foulest smell I have even smelled.

Keen Hire Site Launch Coming Soon

I'm working on it, and come heck or high water, this site is going to be out by the end of March. The new KeenHire site will be up, and you'll be able to browse to your heart's content.

At that time, this blog will be mapped to http://blog.keenhire.com, and we'll add some other things to it like the LinkedIn button and other widgets suggested by my social media guru, Jim Durbin.

Think of the last three months as our beta period.  KeenHire.com  - coming soon!

Hiring Trends To Look For In The New Year

Career Builder's survey of Expected Trends for 2008 is out. The pdf download for the report is here, but a quick list was out together by Maureen Sharib of TechTrak.

EIGHT MAJOR TRENDS FOR 2008
#1 Bigger Paychecks
#2 More Flexible Work Arrangements
#3 Screening Candidates via the Internet
#4 Rehiring Retirees
#5 Diversity Recruitment
#6 Freelance or Contract Hiring
#7 More Comprehensive Healthcare Benefits and Special Perks
#8 Career Advancement

Hiring trends for 2007 were below 2006, but still strong, adding an additional 118,000 jobs on average each month.  Forecasted trends show most companies planning to hold even, with about a third looking to increase full-time or part-time hiring.

hattip:  Recruiting Bloggers.