Don't ever overpromise

As an executive recruiter, I am in the business of managing expectations.  Both from the client and candidate perspective and it is often a complex puzzle to piece together the feedback coming from all directions.  If I have learned anything from nine years of recruiting, it is that everyone is just looking to have real conversations.  Even if it means hearing the truth and not what they want to hear.  I had several examples this week of the syndrome better known as "overpromising and underdelivering".

The first was from the candidate side of the equation.  It was a producer candidate who outlined his compensation requirements far before even thinking about his projections for new business revenue in year one.  This individual had some past success and thought that would be enough to bank on.  Just like with the stock market, past results do NOT guarantee future results.  Needless to say that conversation did not last long, nor will it turn into second steps.  Moral of the story -- think about what the other party needs to hear first before trying to set unrealistic expectations of your own needs as a candidate.

The second was from the client side of the equation.  The candidate was told on two separate occasions that an offer would be coming.  This individual went on to make plans accordingly for a pending start date, only to be told that there was a change of heart and more candidates needed to be interviewed before a final decision has been made.  We run into this general scenario often, but candidates are always appreciative of the process if they know it ahead of time.  Clients that are forthright from the first interview will always get the benefit of the doubt if the process takes a little longer to serve the due diligence.  Moral of the story -- don't just tell a candidate what they want to hear.  They would rather hear the truth.

The final example was at home, to provide a little bit of author admittance/culpability in all of this.  My son turns seven on Monday and my wife is going out of town for the weekend.  I joked with him earlier in the week that rules would be thrown out the window and we would have some serious fun.  I'm talking pop for breakfast, late nights playing video games, and perhaps going out to eat more than once.  Well, he woke up this morning and had a virtual list of activities planned, of which I already said no to three of them.  Needless to say he was disappointed and said, "Dad, you said all rules were thrown out the window."  He thought he was in charge and making all the rules.  Moral of the story -- don't ever underestimate the imagination of a seven-year old boy.

Here's to hoping in the days to come that we can all underpromise and overdeliver in some aspect of our personal and professional lives!

Does athletics play a role in a job search?

I enjoyed a healthy debate with a candidate this morning as we exchanged stories about athletics.  It started off innocently enough with conversations surrounding our respective opening day teams we support for Major League Baseball.  It went on to the topic of college athletics as we both participated.  His story was more compelling as he played tennis at a well known Division I program, while I golfed at a small private school in northwest Iowa.

At the end of the conversation though we unequivocally agreed that those ties are strong and can be beneficial not only in business, but in the job search.  There are no guarantees that all athletes will be successful in the business world, but there are countless examples I could provide after nine years of recruiting that is sure helped in the interview process.  Here are some thoughts to consider -->

1) Being on a team provides a sense of accountability and community.  I am helping to coach my son's baseball team this summer and they really feed off of each other.  When negative we have to corral them into more encouraging words to their teammates.  When positive it is easy to provide a high five for a solid hit or play in the field.

2) Having the desire to compete and win is always a good thing.  Even in losing you can learn lessons that can apply later in life.  Dealing with failure on the field or court can provide insight into how a person will deal with ups and downs in their career.

3) Practice doesn't make perfect.  Rather perfect practice makes perfect.  If you have competed at a high level in sports, you know what this axiom means.  If you have been successful at a high level in collegiate athletics especially, you have not just put in your time, but trained with a specific goal in mind.  This type of focus can especially be good for sales-related positions.

4) Your skills can be used beyond the rec leagues at the gym.  The people you meet on the golf course, the tennis club, the basketball court could be prospects or business partners.  You now have something in common outside of a cold call or meeting at a business mixer with a bunch of other people that may or may not truly have common interests. 

What are your thoughts?  Does having a successful athletic background translate into anything other than a "former jock" label in the business world, especially when seeking a new job?