Hire Matters

Creating Compelling Career Goals- Part 2

2012-01-17T12:18:00.001-08:00

You have often heard that timing is everything; well, I can’t think of a better time to get yourself tuned into a solid plan for your career. As I have shared with you in the past, a surprising number of seemingly well educated, experienced professionals allow themselves to go through long periods of time without the benefit of clear and compelling career goals. What effect do you think the current “bad economy drumbeat” is having on people in the workforce? Do you think there will be more people taking action like you are to get a solid plan pulled together, or do you think more will take a “wait and see” approach to their career? My work experience at Marshall Career Service tells me that in times of concern and worry, many people do exactly the opposite of what logic and common sense would tell them to do. Taking a “wait and see” approach is clearly not a good idea when employers get concerned about the economy and their workforce. Who do you think is most likely to stay in good graces at work; those who are well planned and goal oriented or the employee waiting to see what “might” happen?

Each of us has areas of responsibility for which we are paid to successfully complete. These responsibilities also support directly the responsibilities of those we report to and those reporting to us. An analogy of what you want to do in Part 2 of “Creating Compelling Career Goals” is to completely understand where you are now in order to best determine where it is you want to go in the future. Now is the time to breakdown in detail on paper all of the responsibilities making up your job. It becomes habit to lump multiple responsibilities into broad categories such as “production forecasting and budgeting”. The truth is that this one “responsibility” actually has numerous other essential “responsibilities” that must first be completed successfully. Think of this task as doing inventory; you want to look at everything you do down to the individual part or component level. What are the individual steps you take to accomplish each of your responsibilities? Build a detailed look at every aspect of your job.

As you to look at these responsibilities you can more clearly see what you are best at and what areas need some work. Continuing with the example of production forecasting and budgeting; you may see that you are really skilled at accurately predicting changes in raw material costs on the overall budget. What are the “sub skills” that you must also exercise successfully in order to consistently make solid predictions? Pretty good chance you are skilled in sitting down with the purchasing department and gaining their buy in and cooperation. Does this mean you are a good listener? Does it show skill in communicating needs and expectations? Are you beginning to see your skill in asking questioning to get to the heart of the matter? Does it demonstrate a clear ability to make and keep agreements? I know you can think of your own examples of sub skills you take for granted yet are a critical component to your overall success. You want to look at the details making up the broad tasks of each of your responsibilities. This is how to best understand your areas of responsibility.

Much of our success at Marshall Career Service can be attributed to our approach to understanding the depth of the position we are being hired to fill for our client. Our consultants are well skilled at building the level of trust and rapport needed to help our customers think of their needs at the “component level”. Continuing with our previous example; who would we recommend for hire if our client asks us to fill the position responsible for production forecasting and budgeting? Is this a job for a “numbers guy”, a crusty old manufacturing type or an agile rapport builder clear of purpose? It is a guessing game at best until our staff spends time exercising our skills with our clients. What I am telling you is that companies know what they are looking for, but have no idea what that looks like. Make sense?

Now let’s put this exercise back in the context of creating career goals. Within the company you currently work for, or for that matter any company you will ever work with, there are numerous sets of unique “sub skills” needed to succeed. Whether your company has 150 people or 15000 worldwide, the products you sell, the inherent nature of the business, the attitudes and belief systems of your leaders along with the background, experience and thought processes of each and every person shape the “sub skills” you utilize to get things done. No two companies and no two positions within them function the same way. Every position within every company is unique to that company. This is what makes successful hiring or conducting a successful job search so dog gone difficult. All of you accountants carry the same titles and job descriptions, yet none of you utilize the same set of “sub skills” to get your job done. If you will make the investment of time in yourself to “inventory” each of your responsibilities you will be taking an enormous step forward in positioning yourself for long term career success.

Remember “timing is everything”? Think within your current company; how many of your co-workers do you think will actually exercise the self discipline needed to accomplish this task? Who do you think will be best prepared for the upcoming evaluation or review? Who will be most likely to sell themselves in the next interview? And finally, who do you think will feel a huge shot of enthusiasm and self confidence that comes from inventorying your skills and successes? I will also just bet that your family and friends will also appreciate your “well timed” lighter attitude and smile on your face.

In a few weeks I will update this site with Part 3 of “Creating Compelling Career Goals”. In the meantime, do your homework, lighten up and focus just a little more clearly everyday on what you want and where you want your life to take you. You have a much better grip on the steering wheel than what you might think!

www.HireOpportunities.com is a career resource written by Rick Marshall, president of Marshall Career Service, Inc. located in Fort Worth, Texas. Marshall and his staff are recognized as one of the leaders in the placement and recruiting profession specializing in career opportunities located in the North Texas area. Client companies and qualified candidates working with Marshall Career Service enjoy a true level of personal service not found in today’s resume driven times. To learn more about our areas of expertise please follow this link to our website. www.marshallcareerservice

www.HireMatters.com

2012-01-05T08:53:00.000-08:00

Nutritionists will tell you that you are what you eat. Sociologists point to your neighborhood growing up as having a big influence on your current views of how the world works. Your mother even told you to be careful who you hang out with, right? So, is your personal success and ultimate career path more determined by who you have hired than you might realize? Maybe even more important to consider; if you recognize that you may have allowed yourself to be surrounded by less than the best, can you now do anything about it? Being a “Creature of Habit” often best shows itself in how you go about hiring.

An effective system for hiring has three distinct areas of importance; prioritizing the responsibilities of the position, identifying a quantity of qualified candidates and building an objective procedure for timely candidate evaluation and final selection. Rarely in our practice do we see individual managers succeeding in all phases of successful hiring. It is difficult to be great at everything; most of you already have far more responsibility than just one full time job.

I believe the biggest challenge facing even the most networked executive is the difficulty in identifying enough qualified candidates to feel confident in your selection decision. Specialization and narrow focus in our practice gives our clients a huge advantage over those who attempt it on their own. We maintain active relationships with thousands of professionals working the DFW marketplace. It is very common for our staff to invite 20+ candidates in for an exploratory interview when conducting a search. We are successful with few exceptions in having 3 qualified final candidates for each assignment we work. Having a quantity of good people sure helps identify the right person for the job.

Take a look at your internal process for interviewing and evaluating candidates. How long does it actually take from the first point of contact all the way through an accepted offer? I will tell you professional experience this is one area that you do have control over and streamlining this process will improve you hiring success. To be able to hiring the best you must be able to respond quickly. Consider who it is you most want to hire; like you, these people are not actively conducting a running job search. But when they decide to move, they move strategically and swiftly. Our experience tells us that most hiring decisions involving true “A” players takes less than 10 days on average. Our experience has also shown that virtually none of the companies we worked with on the first assignment were set up to respond that quickly. Think about your company; are you really able in the normal course of business able to respond this quickly. You can dramatically improve your odds if you and your team spend some quality time committing your process to paper.

Our success over the last 29 years is directly linked to our ability to repeatedly help our clients identify quality candidates with the skills to do their job. We have built our business by having a narrow expertise focus and delivering results quickly. The placements we make succeed for the long haul; our one year retention rates far exceed any of our competitors. We invest the time to truly evaluate the candidates we consider for your position. Our team understands you will only pay us for talent that you can not reach on your own. Success breeds success; when our placements succeed, you succeed and we succeed.

www.HireMatters.com is a career resource written by Rick Marshall, president of Marshall Career Service, Inc. located in Fort Worth, Texas. Marshall and his staff are recognized as one of the leaders in the placement and recruiting profession specializing in career opportunities located in the North Texas area. Client companies and qualified candidates working with Marshall Career Service enjoy a true level of personal service not found in today’s resume driven times. To learn more about our areas of expertise please follow this link to our website. www.marshallcareerservice.com

Total Quality

2011-11-17T13:38:00.001-08:00

“A cardinal principle of Total Quality escapes too many managers: you cannot continuously improve interdependent systems and processes until you progressively perfect interdependent, interpersonal relationships.”
- Stephen Covey

Leslie Forbes
November 17, 2011

7 Habits

2011-11-17T13:36:00.001-08:00

Habit 1: Be Proactive
Habit 2: Begin with the End in Mind
Habit 3: Put First Things First
Habit 4: Think Win/Win
Habit 5: Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood
Habit 6: Synergize
Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw
― Stephen R. Covey, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

Leslie Forbes
November 17, 2011

Quote

2011-11-10T13:28:00.000-08:00

“Confidence is contagious. So is lack of confidence.”
- Vince Lombardi

Leslie Forbes

Words Of Advice

2011-10-24T11:46:00.000-07:00

“The best executive is one who has sense enough to pick good people to do what he wants done, and self-restraint enough to keep from meddling with them while they do it.”
- Theodore Roosevelt

Leslie Forbes
October 24, 2011

My Job

2011-10-11T08:48:00.000-07:00

“My job is to not be easy on people. My job is to make them better.”
- Steve Jobs

Leslie Forbes
October 11, 2011

The 90/10 Principle

2011-09-28T14:53:00.000-07:00

“What is this Principle?
10% of life is made up of what happens to you.
...90% of life is decided by how you react...
What does this mean?
We really have NO control over 10% of what happens to us.
We cannot stop the car from breaking down.
The plane will be late arriving, which throws our whole schedule off.
A driver may cut us off in the traffic.
We have NO control over this 10%.
The other 90% is different.
You determine the other 90%.
How?... By your reaction.
You cannot control a red light.
However, you can control your reaction.
Do not let people fool you.
YOU can control how you react.”

--------------------
I am sure you agree with him as I do. Watch how you react to what happens just today, and make it a better world by starting with you.

This article is from Patricia Drain’s ezine 9/14/11. If you would like to sign up for her ezine please visit www.patriciadrain.com

Leslie Forbes
September 28, 2011

Quote

2011-09-13T07:32:00.001-07:00

“Take a stand for what’s right. Raise a ruckus and make a change. You may not always be popular, but you’ll be part of something larger and bigger and greater than yourself. Besides, making history is extremely cool.”
Samuel L. Jackson

Leslie Forbes
September 13, 2011

Quote

2011-09-08T06:34:00.000-07:00

“A leader, once convinced a particular course of action is the right one, must have the determination to stick with it and be undaunted when the going gets rough.”
- Ronald Reagan

Leslie Forbes
September 8, 2011

Quote

2011-08-27T10:02:00.000-07:00

“Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude.”

- Thomas Jefferson

Leslie Forbes
August 27, 2011

MAKING THE SHORT TALK TO GET ACTION

2011-08-19T08:18:00.000-07:00

Give Your Example, an Incident From Your Life.
Build your example upon a single Personal Experience.
Start your talk with a Detail of your example.
Fill your example with Relevant Detail.
Relive your experience as you relate it.

State Your Point, What You Want the Audience To Do.
Make your point Brief and Specific.
Make the point Easy for listeners To Do.
State the point with Force and Conviction.

Give The Reason or Benefit the Audience May Expect.
Be sure the reason is Relevant to the example.
Be sure to stress One Reason – and One Only.

Directly from Dale Carnegie’s The Quick And Easy Way To Effective Speaking
Leslie Forbes
August 19, 2011

Win-Win Negotiation Tips for Managers

2011-08-10T12:13:00.000-07:00

As managers, the ability to use win-win negotiation skills can make all the difference in negotiating success. Likewise, it can be essential when influencing coworkers and facilitating constructive, positive relationships. Here are 6 things that managers should think about when preparing for a negotiation.

1.) Know what you want - As a manager, it's important to go into a negotiation knowing what you want your end result to be. Make sure you put a lot of time and thought into what you want and why you want it. Remember that it is important for you to consider what's in it for you financially, emotionally, intellectually, physically, etc. It also helps to know what you don't want as you go deeper into negotiations.

2.) Know what your counterpart wants - Your counterpart will also have an agenda when he or she enters the negotiation. Make it a point to understand beforehand what he or she wants the conclusion of this negotiation to be. Understand the financial, emotional, intellectual or physical resolution that he or she is looking to walk away with.

3.) Anticipate objections - The negotiation process is not always easy. As a manager, you have to understand that you will meet some objections from your employee along the way. You need to prepare yourself for this by doing your due diligence prior to the negotiation. Make sure that you have relevant evidence at your fingertips with which the other party can identify and relate to.

4.) Identify concessions - Determine your absolute non-negotiable items and desirables and what you are willing to give and take. You are certainly not going to walk away from every negotiation with all of your needs satisfied. Negotiations are all about the give and take, and as a manager you need to be prepared to meet your employee half way.

5.) Determine your "walk-away" - When you determine your "walk-away," you define the point at which there is no need to proceed with the negotiation. Prior to the start of the negotiations, you must ascertain your own "walk-away" point. This will be your single most important source of negotiating power, so once your "walk-away" point is met, you need to make sure you take action.

6.) Practice with a partner - As is the case with any important presentation you have ever made, you always want to practice. You could be faced with a difficult discussion and it is always best to make sure you rehearse possible outcomes. By practicing with someone else you will build your confidence with the situation and it will ultimately help the negotiation run as smoothly as possible.

- Dale Carnegie Training, www.dalecarnegie.com

Leslie Forbes
August 10, 2011

Quote

2011-07-27T13:45:00.000-07:00

“Setting goals is the first step in turning the invisible into the visible.”
- Tony Robbins

Leslie Forbes
July 27, 2011

Be a Leader - Dale Carnegie

2011-07-19T08:29:00.000-07:00

A leader’s job often includes changing your people’s attitudes and behavior. Some suggestions to accomplish this:

PRINCIPLE 1
Begin with praise and honest appreciation.

PRINCIPLE 2
Call attention to people’s mistakes indirectly.

PRINCIPLE 3
Talk about your own mistakes before criticizing the other person.

PRINCIPLE 4
Ask questions instead of giving direct orders.

PRINCIPLE 5
Let the other person save face.

PRINCIPLE 6
Praise the slightest improvement and praise every improvement. Be “hearty in your approbation and lavish in your praise.”

PRINCIPLE 7
Give the other person a fine reputation to live up to.

PRINCIPLE 8
Use encouragement. Make the fault seem easy to correct.

PRINCIPLE 9
Make the other person happy about doing the thing you suggest.

- Dale Carnegie’s Lifetime Plan for Success

Leslie Forbes
July 19, 2011

Planning

2011-07-12T08:41:00.001-07:00

“If you don't design your own life plan, chances are you'll fall into someone else's plan. And guess what they have planned for you? Not much.”
- Jim Rohn

Leslie Forbes
July 12, 2011

Leadership

2011-06-25T10:04:00.000-07:00

Outstanding managers and supervisors do more than direct –
they lead, build morale, encourage teamwork, and create enthusiasm.
- The Management Conference

Leslie Forbes
June 25, 2011

Leadership

2011-05-27T10:30:00.000-07:00

“Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things.”
- Peter F. Drucker

How to Become an “A” Player

2011-05-16T10:19:00.000-07:00

In every company there are employees who are more valuable to the success of the business than others. I’m sure most of you have heard the 80/20 rule that 20% of the people will produce 80% of the output. I believe this to be true based on the countless conversations I have had with employers and the thousands of interviews I have conducted with candidates. For the purposes of this discussion we will be looking at the traits of an even smaller number of employees – The “A” Players or those in the top 10%. These are the employees who are the most important to the team. They are compensated the highest for their position, and they are given the largest amount of responsibilities.

The book “Topgrading” by Bradford Smart, PhD. divides employees into 3 different groups – A, B, and C players. “A” players are the Top 10 percentile, “B” players are the 65th-89th percentile, and “C” players are below the 65th percentile. Dr. Smart conducted thousands of hours of research into hiring and developed these categories of people in each profession. Most notably, his firm was hired to shape the hiring strategy for GE by then-CEO Jack Welch. At Marshall Career Service we evaluate candidates based on the traits of each of these groups to determine the level of individual we are dealing with. Below are the traits of each group as noted by Dr. Smart:

• “A” Players: “Facilitates the creation and communication of a compelling and strategically sound vision; High IQ, a “quick study” able too rapidly perform complex analysis; Initiates needed change; highly adaptive and able to “sell” the organization on change; Passionate, extremely high-energy level, fast paced, 55+ hour work week; Impressive ability to find ways over, under, around, and through barriers, invents new paradigms. Paradigm is defined as a pattern, example or model. New themes, standards, examples; Extremely sensitive and adaptive to both stated and unstated customer needs; Hires “A” players and employees with “A” potential, has the “edge” to make the tough calls and remove chronic “C” players; Successfully counsels, mentors and teaches each team member to turbo-boost performance and personal career growth; Ironclad integrity; Excellent oral and written skills.”

• “B” Players: “Vision lacks credibility, is somewhat unrealistic or strategically flawed; Smart, but not as insightful as an “A” player; Favors modes, incremental change, so there is lukewarm followership; Motivated, energetic at times, 50-54 hour work weeks; Open-minded and will occasionally find a new solution; Knows that “Customer is King” but does not act on it as often as “A” player; Hires mostly “B” and an occasional costly “C” player, accepts less than top performance; Performs annual performance reviews and some additional feedback, is “spotty,” inconsistent in coaching; May want teamwork but does not make it happen; Meets key constituency expectations; Generally honest; Average oral and written skills.”

• “C” Players: “Embraces tradition over forward thinking; Has difficulty coping with new, complex situations; Prefers the status quo, lacks credibility so people are hesitant to follow; Dedicated, inconsistent pace, 40-49 hour work week; Requires specific direction; Too inwardly focused, misjudge the inelasticity of demand of the firm’s products and services; Hires mostly “C” players, crises occur due to low talent level, tolerates mediocrity; Inaccessible, hypercritical, stingy with praise and late/shallow with feedback, avoids career discussions; Drains energy from others, actions prevent synergy; Sporadically meets expectations; Bends the rules; Mediocre skills.”

When looking at the traits of these groups, you will notice that none of them will be found on a resume. They are purely attitude driven. None of these say anything about the most years of experience, a certain type of College Degree, etc. The way an individual goes about his or her business will place them into one of these categories. In every facet of business we have A, B and C players. There are “A” player file clerks, “C” player Vice Presidents, and so on. It is an absolute fact that we as employees can choose to make ourselves better employees or worse employees. Notice I used the word “choose.” If I “choose” to complain, push away change, do the bare minimum to keep my job – I’ve decided to be a “C” player. I could just as easily make a choice to do the opposite. Think about your work environment. Who are the people that embody these characteristics? What group do you belong to? Be honest with yourself.

For those of you who have an interest in being an “A” player in the Top 10% of employees here are some action items that will get you on your way:

• Set personal goals and commit to accomplishing them. Make sure they are aligned with the organization’s goals. Create a plan for hitting these goals and deadlines. Communicate the goals to your boss, peers and subordinates. This immediately creates personal accountability and sets you apart from the rest of the crowd. Goals always bring opportunities and obstacles. Embrace the obstacles and keep moving.

• Focus on task completion rather than clock punching. The “A” player is described as working 55+ hours per week, but to them it’s not about hours – it’s about what they achieved that day. For the “A” player working harder is working smarter. Since they are counted on to produce a much larger output of work than 90% of the others in the organization it is logical that this wouldn’t be done in a 40-hr work week.

• See compensation being equal to the level of service provided. People pay for quality. I don’t believe that people really are “over-paid” or “under-paid.” We all set a value for ourselves based on the quality of job we do. Customers are internal and external. Work to provide the highest level of service to all of them.

• Stay “neutral” emotionally. “A” players don’t get their feelings hurt when people are direct with them. They also don’t complain or make excuses about why something can’t get done. There is a job to be done, a customer expecting a product, and a company needing to make a profit. It’s that simple.

• Surround yourself with good people. This is true whether you are hiring someone or looking for whom to go to lunch with. We all seek out like minded people. If you associate yourself with the “water-cooler” crowd, that makes you a part of the crowd. People who can’t get the job done don’t want to hang around with people that can, and the opposite is also true. Seek out the people who are the best that the organization has to offer.

These are just a few things to improve your standing within your organization. In the end, committing to be an “A” player is a major commitment. For many, it’s a complete 180 from what they’re doing today. Compensation, promotions, and recognition are some of the rewards that await. However, a much increased level of responsibility awaits as well. It’s your choice.

By Tony Morris, CPC

Are You Living by The Four Agreements?

2011-05-06T07:22:00.000-07:00

A great little book to read is “The Four Agreements,” by Don Miguel Ruiz. It is about the source of self-limiting beliefs and offers a powerful code of conduct that can transform your life. As with anything you read, you may not agree in total, but if nothing else, it is definitely great food for thought!

The Four Agreements:

1 – Be Impeccable With Your Word – this is the most important agreement and also the most difficult one to honor. This agreement sounds very simple, but is very, very powerful. Your word is the power that you have to create. Through the word you express your creative power. It is through the word that you manifest everything. Regardless of what language you speak, your intent manifests through the word. What you dream, what you feel, and what you really are, will all be manifested through the word.

The word is not just a sound or a written symbol. The word is a force; it is the power you have to express and communicate, to think, and thereby to create the events in your life. The word is the most powerful tool you have as a human.

2 – Don’t Take Anything Personally – Whatever happens around you, don’t take it personally.
When you take things personally, then you feel offended, and your reaction is to defend your beliefs and create conflicts. You make something big out of something so little, because you have the need to be right and make everybody else wrong. You also try hard to be right by giving them your own opinions.

3 – Don’t Make Assumptions – We have the tendency to make assumptions about everything. The problem with making assumptions is that we believe they are the truth. We could swear they are real. We make assumptions about what others are doing or thinking — we take it personally — then we blame them and react by sending emotional poison with our word. That is why whenever we make assumptions, we’re asking for problems. We make an assumption, we misunderstand, we take it personally, and we end up creating a whole big drama for nothing. It is always better to ask questions than to make an assumption.

4 – Always Do Your Best – Under any circumstances, always do your best, no more and no less. By doing your best, you are going to live your life intensely and be productive. Doing your best is taking the action because you love it, not because you’re expecting a reward. Most people do exactly the opposite. They only take action when they expect a reward, and they don’t enjoy the action. And that’s the reason why they don’t do their best.

Leslie Forbes
May 6, 2011

Do You Produce Excuses or Results?

2011-05-02T14:09:00.000-07:00

Did you hit all of the personal goals you set for yourself last year? Last month? Last week? Yesterday? Are you on track to hit today’s?

How about in your career? Have you achieved all of your professional goals? Department goals? Production goals?

If you are NOT consistently attaining or exceeding your goals, what is your excuse? Are you still blaming the slow economy or high gas prices? The wild fires? Lack of rain? Maybe it’s your client’s fault you are not hitting your goals, or your boss, coworkers, spouse, or even your family. Are you pre-occupied thinking about an up-coming event, vacation or long holiday weekend? Or, maybe some un-foreseen event? Simply put, excuses are just reasons and justifications for mediocre performance.

Your current production and quality of life is 100% based on the choices YOU have made. Choose to stop making excuses today.

Do you understand the importance of following-until-through on all of your tasks? If you do something, are you focused on doing it right the 1st time? Do you understand the importance of planning, but choose not to plan? Do you know you should write down a “to-do-list” but just keep it in your head instead? Do you rely on someone else to remind you of the things you are supposed to be doing? Or even worst, do you just “wing it” and take everything on a “day-by-day” basis?

Listen to what you say to yourself through out the day. When you hear yourself blaming someone else, or yourself – stop!

In the Webster’s dictionary, goal is defined as “the end towards which effort is directed”. In the Thesaurus, other words for goal are: your aim, ambition, objective, intent, end.

What is your goal? How are you going to attain it?

Whether it is a personal goal, or a company goal, the process is the same to achieve it. First, set your goal(s). Break the goal(s) down into attainable, daily, “to-do” steps. Consistently and autonomously work to complete your to-do-list every day. Set a new goal once this is complete.

TODAY:
• 8 AM: I need to do _____ before lunch…
• This step must be completed and turned in today by 2:30 PM…
• Before I leave today, these steps must be finished so I will be on track to complete the project by Friday…
• 3 PM: Review my “to-do-list” to make sure everything is done.
• 4:30 PM: Prepare my “to-do-list” for tomorrow. I have prioritized the list in order of importance & estimated the approximate amount of time needed per task – so I can make adjustments accordingly.
• Keep my boss, supervisor, teammates aware of what I have accomplished as well as my plan for the day/week/month.

Come to work - to work - with a positive attitude and a prepared plan of attack. Don’t allow yourself to be distracted. Focus on achieving your goals – today and every day. Then you’ll have absolutely NO need for excuses, reasons or justifications. You’ll become the SUCCESS you are meant to be!

Leslie Forbes
May 2, 2011

Hiring for Attitude

2011-04-26T14:25:00.000-07:00

You are probably aware that 46% of all new hires will fail within the first 18 months (as reported in Fortune, HR Executive, Industry Week, and more). But did know that when new hires fail, 89% of the time they fail for Attitude reasons, not Skills?

You’ve undoubtedly experienced how tricky it is to hire for attitude. Have you ever hired someone who had great technical skills but didn't fit into your culture? Or had the perfect background but wasn't coachable and couldn't accept feedback?

That is where Marshall Career Service’s expertise comes into play. We do things differently and achieve a much higher success rate. 94% of the candidates we place with a client are in the position or have earned a promotion within the company over the course of the year. Our placement retention rate over the employee’s next 2 to 4 years also far exceeds the industry averages. In fact, many of the candidates MCS has placed are considered to be among our respective client companies' best employees.

How do we consistently maintain such superior results? We continually conduct face-to-face interviews with the candidates in the D/FW Metroplex. We ask the right questions. We look deeper than their skills or their resume. We focus on Attitude and finding those candidates who possess that “good old fashioned work ethic”.

i.e.: Does this person have the qualities of a good employee? Is he professionally dressed? Is she early or late for their appointments? Does he have the “homework” assignment completed, or does she have a bunch of excuses? Is he eager and motivated with a tremendous future ahead of them; or does he sit there like a bump on a log? What are this individual’s biggest accomplishments? Is she honest? Does he have the credentials? Bottom line: Is this candidate capable, trainable, and willing to learn?

The Senior Consultants at MCS are well prepared to be your partners in hiring the candidate who is the right fit for your organization and the particular position.

We understand that in some positions, you need to hire an ambitious “up and coming”, promotable, “best of class” professional to groom for executive leadership. Sometimes you need to hire that innovative, “out of the box” thinker to implement Continuous Improvements and Efficiencies to increase profits. In other positions, you need to hire a proficient “you can count on me” employee who will prioritize their work to accomplish their goals on a “day-in, day-out” basis with very little supervision. We will offer insights into each candidate’s Attitude, Personality and Goals; as well as our recommendations on why the candidate(s) is or isn’t the best fit.

At Marshall Career Service, we understand your success is directly linked to the experience and skill level of your employees. Don’t settle for traditional hiring methods. MCS offers you something more – something different – commanding the best talent to complement your needs.

Leslie Forbes
April 26, 2011

Bridging the Gap

2011-04-14T13:37:00.000-07:00

Here’s a geometry lesson for you: the shortest distance between two points is a… bridge. Well, at least in the world of recruiting talent, that’s a true statement. Making the connection between an open position and a filled one takes planning, expertise and a whole lot of engineering… just like building a bridge.

First, you have to have a plan. Where will you find the best candidate? Is he or she posting resumes willy nilly for the world to see? No. The best people are not online, they’re not passing out portfolios in the street and they’re not knocking your door down. They are in the one place you can’t find them on your own, no matter how hard you look—with their current employer.

So, how do you get to them? Well, that’s where the expertise comes in. At Marshall Career Service, we’ve spent the last 28 years building discrete relationships with Dallas-Fort Worth’s best and brightest. We’ve conducted thousands of interviews. In fact, we see more people in a week than most people will interview in a lifetime. Think about it: would you go to a doctor who sees a patient every 8-10 months? Or who only sees a patient when another patient goes away? No. You want someone who perfects his or her skills daily. You want an expert.

Once you’ve connected the plan with the expert, all that’s left to do is watch the magic happen. We’ve specifically engineered our business to recruit and hire quality people quickly. While it takes most companies 4 to 5 months to fill a position, we can do it in an average of 13 days. Go ahead, put a calculator to that mathematical marvel. Time is money, and Marshall Career Service can help you save time hiring people that will help you make more money.

Exciting New Trends in the Market

2011-04-06T13:27:00.000-07:00

At the beginning of the 2011, both our Accounting/Finance and Operations Management groups experienced a couple of subtle, but important shifts in the market place.

First, history shows we always go on a ‘run’ during the first weeks of the New Year filling positions that were budgeted months earlier in anticipation of 1st quarter growth. Over the years these positions are typically with employers who are strategic in their hiring plans and want to get a jump on other employers for the available talent pool. What’s been different from the last few years is the number of positions we are filling is actually picking up momentum. For the first time in several years, our customers in manufacturing and construction are far more aggressive about their growth expectations for the coming year. They are eager for the spring weather and their peak season to get here. The companies supporting these industries are also experiencing a significant uptick in sustainable business. Through out the DFW Metroplex managers in many industries are telling us about improved revenues, record profits and positive growth trends.

The type of skills our clients are wanting in their new hires has shifted, as well. In our Accounting/Finance group we continue to see a steady demand for senior staff and mid management positions in the general ledger accounting skill area. Interestingly, an exciting trend is the number of senior level Financial Analysts and Cost Accounting positions has increased dramatically. In our Operations Management Group we are also experiencing boom growth in the supply chain area; particularly positions where solid analysis experience is desired.

What does this mean? Let me share a quick story that could provide a logical answer.

About 15 years ago I asked Clay Myers, a prominent local CFO for Page Mart and MCS client, why the need for employees in the Financial Analysts area seem to track right behind similar level positions in the General Ledger area? His response was simple…”When times are good I hire analysts…when time are bad, I am the analyst!” Clay went on to say that as soon as he sensed improvements in the market place he always added people in this area. His experience over the years has taught him a valuable lesson about adding talent; “the good hires easily pay for themselves…with the added production the company is experiencing, they know to run reports for me that will show areas where we could create efficiencies. With these reports, I can get a handle on the bottom line and can work on generating ideas to increase growth. Good analysis is essential for growth and profitability”. Good advice from a seasoned vet.

As the market continues to improve the type of people who can make a difference will be at premium. Speed matters! At Marshall Career Service our clients have come to appreciate our ability to response quickly with proven talent able to do their job. We have the right candidate found before our competition even begins to search. I would love the chance to sit down with you to discuss our track record and learn what your company plans to accomplish. My team mates and I have developed great relationships in many of the most in demand niche industries and professions. Give me a call; I would love the chance to help.

Jim Ashworth, CPC

Jim Ashworth is vice-president and group leader of the accounting and finance practice at Marshall Career Service. Jim is a Certified Personnel Consultant (CPC) and is a member of the Pinnacle Society, a group comprised of the top 75 placement professionals in the United States. Ashworth has been with MCS since 1990 enjoying numerous long term relationships with many of the top companies in North Texas.

How to Kill an Interview in 10 Ways

2011-01-26T15:01:00.000-08:00

Ever come out of an interview thinking you really hit it off with the interviewee, but can’t tell your colleagues where the person grew up or why they were interested in the job? Or maybe you’ve come out thinking the person was a complete numbskull, but their references give raving reviews and everyone else seems to think you’re crazy? Well, you might be guilty of destroying the interview. Here are a few examples to show you how.

10 ways to kill an interview:

1. Talk too much: Go ahead, barely give him/her time to say their name. See how much you learn.

2. Play quiz show host: Ask tons of ridiculously specific quiz questions. Forget aptitude or personality, if she can’t answer correctly, she’s an idiot.

3. Focus on likeability: Who cares if he’s the best fit for the job, find out if you’d be able to tolerate going out to lunch or grabbing a beer with him.

4. Dwell on the past: Spend the majority of your time talking about what you hated about the last person who had this position. That’s productive.

5. Concentrate on informing: Explain all the ins and outs of what’s expected in this role. Getting to know him/her is a waste of good training time.

6. Stick to your laundry list: Only ask the questions you’ve come prepared with. If she answers a question inconsistently or says something that sparks an interest, don’t waste time; just stick to your list.

7. Believe the resume: If you assume everything on the resume is factual, you don’t have to waste so much time asking about experience and all that boring stuff.

8. Let them take control: That’s right, if he talks 10 minutes straight, don’t interrupt. That’s rude.

9. Overlook body language: All the things people say about eye contact and handshakes is hubbub. Focus on what he says about himself. That’s more reliable information.

10. Anticipate the “gotcha”: Catching someone in a lie or exaggeration is the most important part of the interview. Anticipate to the point of coming across as preoccupied or skeptical.

Uncover Your Strengths

2010-12-08T08:47:00.001-08:00

"Hide not your talents. They for use were made. What's a sundial in the shade?"
-- Benjamin Franklin

“Do you have the opportunity to do what you do best every day?
Chances are, you don't. All too often, our natural talents go untapped. From the cradle to the cubicle, we devote more time to fixing our shortcomings than to developing our strengths.” -- Gallup, Inc.

A great way to uncover your top five talents, and to develop strategies to more effectively manage and work with others in your organization is to utilize "StrengthsFinder 2.0" as well as "Strengths Based Leadership" by Tom Rath.

“To help people uncover their talents, Gallup introduced the first version of its online assessment, "StrengthsFinder", in the 2001 management book "Now, Discover Your Strengths". The book spent more than five years on the bestseller lists and ignited a global conversation, while "StrengthsFinder" helped millions to discover their top five talents.

In "StrengthsFinder 2.0" Gallup unveiled the new and improved version of its popular assessment, language of 34 themes, and much more. While you can read this book in one sitting, you'll use it as a reference for decades.

Loaded with hundreds of strategies for applying your strengths, this Wall Street Journal, Business Week, and USA Today bestseller will change the way you look at yourself -- and the world around you -- forever.” -- Gallup, Inc.

www.strengthsfinder.com

When Good Hires Go Bad

2010-09-28T15:05:00.000-07:00

Can a “good hire” really go bad? To be honest, it begs the question “was he or she
really a good hire to begin with?” And how can you tell?

Well, when hiring for any position, you’re going to see three different types of people: those who lack even the most basic skills for the job, those who will become superstars and those who are “maybes” for either category.

The trick is to distinguish the superstars from the maybes—because the secret to successful hiring is to never hire a maybe. Ever.

So what distinguishes a superstar from a maybe? Let them tell you. Two of the most fatal mistakes untrained interviewers make is to talk too much or to ask the wrong questions. Talking too much will leave you with little to no information about the candidate. Asking the wrong questions lets you know how many random facts or industry standards the candidate knows, but you’ll never learn if he or she has aptitude, passion or potential.

At Marshall Career Service, our experience in in-depth interviewing is what has brought us success year after year. We truly get to know each candidate before we ever recommend them for an interview with you and your company. So, if you’ve got a bad taste in your mouth from all the bad apples, let us help you find the ripe, refreshing fruit you’ve been looking for.

Retaining Top Talent

2010-09-07T14:14:00.000-07:00

One of the main advantages your company has over your competition is that your top talent currently works for you. So, retaining that advantage translates directly to retaining your best employees.

Unfortunately, the number one mistake companies often make is failing to make the connection between “cost of turnover” and “competitive salaries”. This makes them easy targets for recruiting. Your top producing people are always worth more to your competitors than what you currently pay. So, the choice comes down to this: above-market wages or a loss to a competitor… which would cost you more?

However, job satisfaction is not just a money thing. And it’s not a “feel good” program about creating better work conditions or flexible hours. Job satisfaction is a logical by-product of knowing you are appreciated, well-compensated and included in the future plans of the company. It’s also important to consider that retaining top talent is not just about keeping the golden geese you have—it’s also about attracting other geese to the flock. These productive birds are motivated by a different set of expectations than average contributors. Without the conditions essential to retention success, a company not only loses what they have but also fails to attract what they need... a true double-edged sword.

So, it’s imperative to stop holding back in our relationships with our employees. It’s time to put away our fears of being rejected or of being taken advantage of. We must trust ourselves and our people in order to ever have a chance of retaining the top talent in our respective professions.

From the high cost of reduced productivity to loss of momentum or reduced morale, high turnover can have crippling effects on your company. Attracting and keeping the right people happens not as a result of strategy, but by creating a great work climate. And trust us, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by how much this approach will pay off.

The Give and Take of Management

2010-08-18T09:20:00.000-07:00

With unemployment higher than ever, it’s easy to think all your employees are sitting tight, grateful to have jobs, and putting in 110% just to stay employed. But what if the reverse is true? What if some of your most important people feel more miserable now than ever?

Think about it, as the economy forced you to make deep cuts, you leaned more heavily on your top-producing employees. The problem is, when you place more and more responsibility on your “A players,” you often forget to give them relief from more menial tasks. Your attention is elsewhere, making them feel neglected and overworked.

With a dampened view of his or her role in the company’s future, your once hundred-and-ten-percenters will eventually turn their get-up-and-go into get-up-and-gone. Increasing salaries and benefits may seem like it would help, but don’t be fooled, your high-echelon workers are looking for stimulating assignments and meaningful responsibilities. Low-profile projects and trivial jobs weigh them down and make them feel unappreciated.

To ease the burden, consider delegating work to other team members or hiring additional help. Show your top producers you value their commitment and talent. If you do, you’ll be set to win the talent tug-of-war in both good times as well as bad.

“Marshalling” Top Talent vs. Average Talent

2010-07-26T13:40:00.000-07:00

Should strategies for retaining “top talent” differ from strategies for retaining “average talent”? Absolutely. Of course, you don’t want to lose any of your employees, but you do want to pay special attention to those who provide the most value to you. Benefits aren’t “one size fits all”—some people will take advantage of flexible hours or added perks. So, evaluate your top performers based on total contribution towards the overall success of the company or department.

In fact, we have an easy rule of thumb to follow that we like to call “Marshall Law”: Compare “significant contribution” to “average contribution.” Give bigger, better rewards to those who contribute the most, and use less of your time and resources on those who contribute the least.

Employee Essentials

2010-07-06T12:50:00.003-07:00

There’s a fine line between micromanaging and providing clear direction when it comes to leading a team. One employee couldn’t be happier with the amount of time you take to explain a project, while another couldn’t be more frustrated with how you spell out every detail, quelling his or her creative freedom. So how do you find the balance?

Through countless interviews, we’ve heard time and again what employees expect of their managers, and it boils down to five main attributes. Making everyone happy is nearly impossible, but when you make an effort to give your staff the best leadership possible, everyone wins.

1. Encouragement: We’ve all heard you catch more flies with honey, but few managers heed this old adage. Employees need to feel that you appreciate their strengths and value their efforts. And they want to feel excited about their job and your company.

2. Accountability: If an employee feels a coworker is out of line, they want you to hold that person accountable in a way that makes everyone cognizant of what is and isn’t acceptable.

3. Partial Disclosure: Most of your staff will appreciate it when you fill them in on important company issues, but don’t forget that you are the boss. Divulging all your fears may scare them.

4. Leading by Example: Dedicated, creative and intelligent leaders make strong impressions. Your staff wants to be able to look up to you and know that they have something to work for: impressing you.

5. Decisiveness: Your job is to make it possible for the team and the company to succeed. If you’re indecisive in assigning tasks, setting goals or hiring/firing team members, you’re setting everyone up to fail.

Did You Know?

2010-07-06T12:50:00.001-07:00

Do the Math

The top 20% of your employees are producing 80-90% of your business. The bottom 30% are producing 99% of your problems.

Quick Fact

2010-06-15T14:36:00.000-07:00

95% of your success as a manager is going to be determined by the quality of your team selection – or talent.

Does Your Business Need a Little TLC?

2010-06-15T14:32:00.000-07:00

For most of you, “taking care of business” is no more than a tired cliché or a popular song from the ‘70s, but in a tough economy, the phrase needs to have more value than ever.

During the recent recession, many of you made drastic cuts in staff to save money. Now that the economy is stabilizing, you must either do more with less employees, or hire to refill empty positions. On the other hand, perhaps a few businesses were able to sustain themselves through the downturn, and now it’s time to think about growth. In any case, now is the perfect time for applying a critical eye to ensure that you hire the right employees at the right time.

Approach this as if you’re taking care of a garden. You’ll have to pull some weeds and plant some new seeds to make the garden beautiful and productive again. Identifying the weeds is the easier half of gardening. However, most of you will get caught up when you ask yourself, “should I immediately pull it or leave it to grow and see if it has a pretty flower?” Let us be the first to tell you, no matter how pretty it is, that weed is still a weed and will never be a productive member of the garden. Weeds tend to thrive at the expense of the more refined edible or ornamental crops. Our best advice is to pull the weeds immediately.

Then comes the more difficult half. Where do you find the perfect seeds? You can ask your friends for seeds, but let’s face it—they will keep the best for themselves and give away the bottom-of-the-barrel seeds. What you need is someone with a green thumb—someone who knows how to select healthy, promising seeds.

That’s exactly what Marshall Career Service is all about. We evaluate potential new employees carefully to ensure they have the required skills and work ethic to fit your business. Over a period of years, we’ve invested a lot of time into nurturing our relationships with highly qualified candidates.

Now is the time to shape the landscape of your company. Call Marshall Career Service for all your gardening needs. It’s time to take “care” of business.

Team Building is Exercise

2010-04-02T05:52:00.000-07:00

It’s true—building a team can really make you sweat. It is very common within well-respected companies to have 120-180 days tick off the profit clock while attempting to identify the right person for the job. In fact, the actual cost to hire, as noted by former G.E. Human Resource Executive Bradford Smart in his best-selling book, Top Grading, is upwards of 24-28 times the employee’s annual salary.

At Marshall Career Service, we think "Time to Value." How quickly can we help you switch from sweating away profits to putting money in the bank? On average, we successfully fill our client’s position within 12 days, helping our clients capture profits normally lost to many months of frustration, long hours and hard work. Our process for success returns precious time and real value. Time you could use at the gym if you really wanted to.

Proper Nutrition for Your Team’s Success

2009-06-29T06:17:00.000-07:00

Nutrition? Hold on….you are on the HireMatters blogsite….we will talk about a little bit different type of nutrition than the often prescribed diet and exercise. This morning I did a Google search for “proper nutrition” and in .19 seconds was presented 2,680,000 options. I did not scroll past the first 4-5 pages but nowhere did I find an entry for what to feed your employees to optimize their career success. For the next few minutes I will provide you with insight into each of your employee groups to allow you to mix up a “nutritional plan” that feeds each just what they need to excel in your environment.

Let’s look at your employees in 3 easily definable groups; A, B and C players. From the front desk, those out in the plant and into the corporate office positions your company is filled with people fitting perfectly the descriptions of each group. “A” players carry the bulk of the workload, they get things done and do work in a way that builds future productivity and efficiency. Unfortunately, less than 10% of the world’s workforce is made up of true “A” players. Equally unfortunate is the reality that our education system and development programs are producing fewer “A’s” every year.

What does an “A” need to succeed? Simply put a steady diet of opportunity to innovate. “A’s” nutritional needs require the encouragement to take the lead in developing ways to be more efficient and productive going forward. “A’s” need to be in your plans, to know where you are going and to feel they are a critical part of your current and future success. Want to know how to discourage an “A” player? Just watch what happens when you announce that your company’s strategy in this downturn is to have a hiring freeze! Think about it from their prospective; the company I work for is experiencing challenges in hitting our goals, OK, cycles are just part of business…..let’s look for ways to cut some expenses (deadwood). “A’s” get it…..they know what’s going on, but tell them that you are so unsure of your future that you are officially not looking for any additional people like them…..may as well show them the door because that is exactly where they start looking. Your very best people will follow you through thick and thin but just don’t tell them they are stuck being the one who must carry the workload. “A” players keep a candle of hope burning all the time that you will bring other “A’s” into the company to make it easier and faster to accomplish your goals. Feed them a compelling future; one that allows them a key role in innovation and then commit to hiring others of their kind.

What about the 30-40% of employees who rate out to be “good” employees? Steady and stable, dependable and consistent; this group of “steady Eddie’s” also have a unique set of nutritional needs. Your “B” players’ success diet consists of predictable routines, fairness and most importantly, consistency in your managerial style and expectations. This group of employees is often taken for granted and left out when you hand out recognition. I have heard from many of my clients that their “B” players just don’t work in a way that draws attention. No real highlights and certainly no train wrecks that require you to drop what you are doing to fix. A very productive way for you to manage your “B” players is to announce far in advance the dates that you will spend time with them discussing your plans and their performance. Keep your workplace moving forward; “B” players love it when your company follows through with plans. Moving forward, through the eyes of a “B” player, does not mean big increases in sales and profits. They thrive on consistency and predictability; the beauty of their nutritional needs is just how easily this can be achieved through your honest, fair and consistent management style.

Ok, so what about your “C” players? Is there actually a diet out there to ever achieve more than mediocre performance? I believe it is highly unlikely you could ever justify the time, energy and expense necessary to turn your “C’s” into “A’s” but I can certainly help you improve your “C” results. “C” players are the way they are by consistently doing less than the expected result. Ever wonder why it is never more? Does leave you scratching your head, doesn’t it. Anyway….back to what to feed a “C”; since the nature of a “C” is to always do less than expected, always give them more than what must get done. Spell out your expectations and time lines in great written detail. When ever possible, be sure your “C” players report to a “B” manager. The “B’s” need for consistency is the only fighting chance you have for getting any productivity out of your “C” group. Lay out the expectations, get their commitment and get them reporting to a steady Eddie manager that just can’t stand things not getting done. Never, ever, never saddle your “A” players with the responsibility of managing your “C’s”. “A’s” won’t put up with their mediocre results and the “A’s” will find it much easier to leave your company than to fix the “C’s”.

Let me share a good 1-2-3 strategy to meet the needs of your “A’s”, “B’s” and “C’s”. Commit to identifying and upgrading 30% of your “C” player workforce annually. Be consistent and constantly hire new talent. “A” players will not find you, “B’s” see you moving forward and often the very best you will ever get from a “C” player are in the first 6 months, while they still feel some need to make a good impression. Be consistent and conduct regular evaluations and reviews. Must have a “fair” tool for identifying “C’s”, “B’s” love the predictable routine of feedback and good management practice and your “A’s” must be able to spend quality time with you discussing their contribution to your shared futures. Put a pencil to your true cost of hire and time to value. There are far too many of you out there in key leadership roles that honestly have no understanding of what it costs you to find talent and get them up to speed producing value. A big part of my day is working with clients to help them see this critical piece of knowledge. Former G.E. human resource executive and author, Bradford Smart speaks to an actual cost of hire upwards of 24-28X the annual salary in his best selling book “Top Grading”. Identify a proven source to bring you top talent. We have built a great business at Marshall Career Service by proving our ability to bring our clients top talent and do this at a dramatically less overall cost of hire than they are able to do on their own.

Business is about producing profit; productive people are profitable people. As leaders your job is to set the course for your company’s future and to create conditions which will motivate the very best talent to have interest in sharing your dream. Treat them well and feed them what they need.

Marshall honored with Locke-Matthiessen Award

2009-04-07T14:33:00.000-07:00

Marshall Career Service president Rick Marshall was recognized Saturday April 4, 2009 as the recipient of the 2009 Locke-Matthiessen Award by the Texas Association of Personnel Consultants. The Locke-Matthiessen Award acknowledges career achievements and contributions to the betterment of the personnel consulting profession in Texas. Marshall served TAPC as a board member for 8 years and association president for two terms in 2006-2007.

“I am honored to be recognized as this year’s winner. Both Norvel Locke and Susan Matthiessen were tireless contributors to our association; I am obviously thrilled the selection committee of previous winners has added my name to this prestigious award.” Rick Marshall April 7, 2009

MCS Job Satisfaction Survey

2009-03-05T09:10:00.000-08:00

The research department of Marshall Career Service is utilizing our company website www.marshallcareerservice.com as a tool to learn more about what is on the mind of visitors to our site. Our current survey asks you to rank your Top 3 “influencers” of job satisfaction from a list of 10. Participants have ranked “Salary/compensation”, “Challenge/satisfaction”, and “Location/commute time” as their Top 3. We encourage you to visit our site to choose your “influencers” from our list.

The staff at Marshall Career Service has “informally” conducted this survey for years during our face to face evaluations of the candidates using our services. In 2008, just over 1600 new candidates where evaluated by our staff. Our placement process is based on multiple visit evaluations; our staff probes deeply into the skills, motivations and career objectives of each candidate. We attribute a large part of our success to the time we take to get to know the people we recommend to our clients. In 2008 our consultants conducted over 6000 of these face to face evaluations while filling positions for our clients. This is a lot of work and certainly a large expense but an invaluable essential to our selection and placement success.

I find these survey results to be on track with what we hear from other jobseekers. Many people have a first reaction that money is primary to job satisfaction. My experience has shown me that “challenge/satisfaction” actually ranks #1 among people who see themselves as happily and successfully employed and not currently seeking new employment. Throughout 2009 we will be changing our survey questions to learn a variety of things from site visitors. In coming issues of Hire Matters we will be sharing those results. If you have an idea for a survey of our site visitors please drop me a note.

Lets all decide to have a great 2009!

Rick Marshall

MARSHALL CAREER SERVICE BEGINS 27TH YEAR

2008-11-04T13:28:00.000-08:00

I am pleased to announce Marshall Career Service is beginning our 27th year of providing service to our loyal customers in the North Texas area. We are grateful of the opportunity you have given us to help you identify the talented people you need to make your business work. My staff and I share a strong commitment to keeping our skills sharp, our ears open to hear your needs and our eyes open to find the best talent available in this marketplace. It is our promise to continue to do our best to earn your business for many years to come.
We are excited to show you the many improvements that have been made to our website www.marshallcareerservice.com <http://www.marshallcareerservice.com/> . Our new site allows for a much more interactive relationship with our clients and the candidates we represent. We have installed RSS Subscription which will allow our customers to stay up to date on information ranging from survey results to new positions we represent. Our client companies can stay connected to the marketplace through our BlogSpot, www.HireMatters.com <http://www.hirematters.com/> . Monthly I will keep you current on information and issues effecting Texas business. You may also decide to become a subscriber which will give you the best opportunity to participate in regular surveys and discussions designed to improve your ability to attract and retain your key employees. We believe there is potential for this to become a very popular site to interact on common issues key to business success in our area.
Candidates represented by Marshall Career Service will be able to receive relavant career information and position updates related to their careers through www.HireOpportunities.com <http://www.hireopportunities.com/> . We have one paramount goal with this site; to help individuals understand the value and importance of having a well thought out and realistic career plan for themselves. Over the years I have seen an alarming number of seemingly successful people wander through life without a written game plan for their career. Personal and career accomplishment can not begin until one takes the personal responsibility necessary to commit to a direction and destination for their career. Please check in from time to time to read the ³career advice² my staff and I will be sharing on this site. I welcome your feedback and suggestions.
To enhance our ability to effectively represent the top talent available we have added links to today¹s most popular Social Networks. Top candidates can now reach us and learn about our services through LinkedIn.com, MySpace.com, FaceBook.com, Twitter.com and with JoberTalk.com. The staff at Marshall Career Service will continue to develop relationships with referrals from our most satisfied customers. As you have learned in your own companies; there is nothing better than a referral from a satisfied customer. We will work hard and do our best to earn the confidence of our customers. Your success allows for our success!
Thank you for allowing us to earn your business. I appreciate my staff and their shared commitment to helping you with your business and your career.
We will continue to show you We¹re Different at Marshall Career Service.
Thanks for your business!
Rick Marshall
Marshall Career Service, Inc.

Hire Matters

Creating Compelling Career Goals- Part 2

www.HireMatters.com

Total Quality

7 Habits

Quote

Words Of Advice

My Job

The 90/10 Principle

Quote

Quote

Quote

MAKING THE SHORT TALK TO GET ACTION

Win-Win Negotiation Tips for Managers

Quote

Be a Leader - Dale Carnegie

Planning

Leadership

Recommended Reading: 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

Leadership

How to Become an “A” Player

Are You Living by The Four Agreements?

Do You Produce Excuses or Results?

Hiring for Attitude

Bridging the Gap

Exciting New Trends in the Market

How to Kill an Interview in 10 Ways

Uncover Your Strengths

When Good Hires Go Bad

Retaining Top Talent

The Give and Take of Management

“Marshalling” Top Talent vs. Average Talent

Employee Essentials

Did You Know?

Quick Fact

Does Your Business Need a Little TLC?

Team Building is Exercise

Proper Nutrition for Your Team’s Success

Marshall honored with Locke-Matthiessen Award

MCS Job Satisfaction Survey

MARSHALL CAREER SERVICE BEGINS 27TH YEAR