Archives for September, 2017

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No Comments September 11th, 2017 Uncategorized

Las Vegas…and the Death of Loyalty

In the 60s and 70s Las Vegas was run on “juice.” Deals were done with a handshake and your word was your bond. Loyalty and relationships were valued. To some extent Las Vegas is still run that way.  Like Mayberry RFD, Las Vegas is a town of 2,000,000….run by 200.

In 2008 Las Vegas was ground zero for Depression 2.0. And as an Executive Recruiter I was right in the middle of it.  One week I had 120 job openings; the next week I had ten.  Tens of thousands lost their jobs instantly and Las Vegas went from the fast growing city in America to a long stream of people leaving on I15 due to the highest state unemployment rate in America.  And unfortunately, something else changed in 2008 – the people.

When I started my Executive Recruiting company in 2004 we were printing money. Mostly I was doing high tech, and with the unemployment rate at 4%, everyone was hiring. In 2008 the economy collapsed and there were two major changes in the candidate flow. First, integrity became a challenge.  Executives lied about their job title, tenure, compensation and education in an effort to secure employment.  Second, culturally many of the candidates came across as arrogant, self-centered and self-serving.  “Me, me, me.”  “Mine, mine, mine.”  Loyalty was off the table.  It’s all about “me getting mine.”  After ten years of dealing with this dysfunctional new culture, here are a few of the lessons I learned.

It’s NOT Las Vegas – One night at a mixer I was having the loyalty conversation with someone far smarter than myself when he said, “Mark, this is not a Las Vegas thing. I’m in Silicon Valley and we have you beat on this hands down.  It’s an not only an American cultural issue, it’s a global issue.” Lesson 1: This has nothing to do with Las Vegas; it’s a global cultural issue.

You Got Paid, Right? – My second lesson was learning that not everyone is grateful. The first time it happened was many years ago with a CIO in San Francisco.  Got her an amazing job.  She never said “thank you” or was heard from again…until she needed another job.  Many candidates are so self-absorbed they believe it is an honor and a privilege for me to represent them.  And how about the executives I placed that repaid me by using ANOTHER Recruiter instead of me?  You are saying, “No way! Who does that!”  But they do.  Lesson 2: You are an Executive Recruiter and this is what you get paid to do Not everyone wants to be my friend.  Not everyone says thank you.

New Captain, New Sailors – In many cases, when a new CEO shows up he/she makes drastic changes to the landscape. We call this “new Captain, new Sailors.”  The new CEO wants to surround himself with “his guys.”  That includes both employees and vendors.  Maybe you sell insurance and worked with an account for 30 years.  Never had an issue.  Saved them tons of money.  Supported them personally and professionally.  Does not matter – the new CEO comes in, and without any due diligence, you are gone.  I have been on the receiving end of this a couple times, and I have to say it is not much fun.  The unfortunate fact is that with respect to Las Vegas, many of these CEOs are not from Las Vegas, have never seen the inside of a casino and could care less about supporting our charities and community.  But I’m a big believer that everything happens for a reason, and in most cases, they get run off in a year.  Lesson 3: Everything happens for a reason. You can always wait out the bad guys.

Relationships Trump Transactions – If you remember nothing else, remember this: Relationships trump transactions. Maybe not for the thundering herd, but for the 200 hundred that run Las Vegas, relationships and loyalty are gold. LOYALTY MATTERS! I have seen incompetent executives get job after job after job.  On the other hand, I have seen highly competent executives get frozen out and blackballed because they did not build strong relationships.  Build strong professional relationships with your customers, your peers, your employees and business partners.  Notice I said business partners and not vendors.  No one wants to be treated like a vendor. Lesson 4: Treat people right and as your Mom said, “Play nice.”

It’s a Short Walk from Park Place to the Park Bench – Today it’s all good. We are at the top.  Real estate is at the top, the stock market is at the top, everyone is working.  And when we are on top, we get filled with ego, pride and arrogance.  We treat people poorly.  We forget our roots and where we came from.  But what goes up…always comes down.  It’s a very short walk from Park Place to the Park Bench.  A great example is when a “C” level executive gets laid off or terminated.  Within a week they find out how many REAL friends they have.  If they are lucky, they have five.  In many cases they have zero.  Everyone loves you when you are CEO; nobody returns your call when you are unemployed. Lesson 5: The true test of a man is how he treats the person that can do nothing for him. Treat the CEO and the Janitor equally well.

As My Dad Used to Say, “They will get what’s comin’ to ’em” – People are going to do you wrong. People are going to treat you poorly.  You can’t be the GM of the Universe and you can’t fix everyone.  Trust me, poor behavior is eventually rewarded.  A lack of loyalty is eventually rewarded.  My Dad use to say, “They will get what’s comin’ to ‘em son, no need for you to help.”  Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but eventually there is a day of reckoning. Lesson 6: Let go and let God. As Mother Teresa said, “It is between them and God, it was never between you and them anyway.”

Loyalty Matters – I get 50 unsolicited resumes a day and 20 cold calls. Unsolicited means resumes of executives I don’t know.  Most Executive Recruiters, like me, only work with executives they know personally or by referral.  Why?  Because our clients expect us to personally vouch for the candidates.  Our clients expect us to be familiar with the candidate’s background, professionally history and even why they left their last two or three jobs.  So when I get a $500,000 CEO role who do I submit?  The executives that are cold calling me or the executives that have supported me and my charity work for the last 20 years?  That’s right, the executives I know personally because if nothing else, I’m the most loyal person you will ever meet. CONCLUSION: No matter what anyone else tells you…loyalty matters!

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No Comments September 4th, 2017 Uncategorized

Four Bozo Moves That Will Derail Your Career

My name is Mark Wayman, and I’m an Executive Recruiter focused on gaming and high tech. Or as some people call me: a Headhunter. Over the last 15 years I have placed 800+ executives. Compensation starts at $100,000, average placement is $200,000+, and last year I placed several executives north of $1,000,000. Most of my work is at the high end, however these tips are a good review for executives at all levels.

Disclaimer: I only represent executives I know personally, or that are referred to me by friends and clients. And there is good reason for that. At senior levels, my clients expect me to vouch personally for the candidates. Additionally, the executives in my network have supported my business and charity work for the last 15 years, and if nothing else, I’m the most loyal person you will ever meet.

Today’s topic is four attributes that will keep executives from moving up the career ladder.  So here comes $20,000 of career advice…pro bono.

Being a Taker…and Not a Giver – Let’s face it, “takers” are an American epidemic. You know the type. Only call you when they are asking for something. The conversation goes something like this, “Yada yada yada…can you get me a job/hotel room/tickets.” Your pick on the “ask”, but it’s ALWAYS an ask. And if you lose your big management job, you get to find out how many friends you really have. One CEO told me, “I thought I had 200 good friends. Turns out I had zero. None would return my call when I needed help.” As a Recruiter, I get executives that only call me every five years when they need a job. That is a transaction, not a relationship, and I’m all about relationships. So why not be the anomaly: a GIVER. These are the executives that ask my favorite question, “How can I help you?” Givers are constantly thinking of others, and understand that if you take the elevator to the top you have an obligation to send it back down for everyone else. Companies like givers; hiring managers like givers. Plus, it’s the right thing to do.

Acting Like a Narcissistic Megalomaniac – Another American epidemic: arrogance. After integrity, arrogance is the second most common attribute that will get you dropped from the interview process. Here is a secret – you are NOT entitled to anything. I don’t care what the government tells you. Working is a privilege, and most people don’t understand that until they are unemployed. There are plenty of executives that think they are the cat’s meow…until they are not. It is a short walk from Park Place to the park bench. Today you are family; tomorrow you are gone, a traitor and we are enforcing your non-compete. Humble and genuine is far more attractive.

Making Bad Personal Choices – “A” players don’t make bad personal choices. And more importantly, they take personal responsibility for their choices. Mediocre executives blame their parents, spouse, kids, boss, company and the dog’s Veterinarian for their troubles. It’s the blame game. It’s never their fault. Do you know how many of the 2,000 executives I interviewed told me there were fired? ZERO. They all resigned! And many seriously believe there is an “X Files” type conspiracy to “keep them down.” Make GOOD choices, and if you have an issue, own it and move on.

Bad Attitude: Bitter, Angry and Unhappy – Companies like smiley, happy people. It’s that simple. I’ll never forget the CIO that launched into his “miserable divorce” story during and interview.  Interview…OVER! Then there was the COO that spent 30 minutes bad mouthing his last employer because they laid him off after 20 years. Note to self…delete that resume. No one likes a Debbie Downer. No one likes a Drama Queen. Be happy! You are alive…you have choices.

And I’ll leave you with some of the best business advice EVER. Relationships trump talent seven days a week. Like your Mom said, “Play nice.”

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No Comments September 4th, 2017 Uncategorized

Candidates: Stop Interviewing if You have these 3 Issues

My name is Mark Wayman, and I’m an Executive Recruiter focused on gaming and high tech. Or as some people call me: a Headhunter. Over the last 15 years I have placed 800+ executives. Compensation starts at $100,000, average placement is $200,000+, and last year I placed several executives north of $1,000,000. Most of my work is at the high end, however these tips are a good review for executives at all levels.

Disclaimer: I only represent executives I know personally, or that are referred to me by friends and clients. And there is good reason for that. At senior levels, my clients expect me to vouch personally for the candidates. Additionally, the executives in my network have supported my business and charity work for the last 15 years, and if nothing else, I’m the most loyal person you will ever meet.

Today’s topic is three situations that will keep you from getting a job, so you might as well quit sending our resumes and interviewing. You are wasting your valuable time. So here comes $20,000 of career advice…pro bono.

You Can’t Relocate – If the job REQUIRES relocation, and you can’t relocate, stop interviewing! Just made an offer to a candidate that told me on three occasions he was 100% sure he wanted to relocate, then he declines the job offer stating “I don’t want to relocate.” So you wasted two months of your time, my time and the hiring company’s time? Another issue is commuting. Most senior level jobs require a strong commitment and long hours. Very rare that a company will let you telecommute. Maybe for a month or two until your kids are out of school and the family joins you, however beyond that, you are spinning your wheels. Not going to happen. If you can’t relocate, only apply for local jobs and find a LOCAL Executive Recruiter.

You are Too Busy to Interview – It’s OK to be a passive candidate. Passive defined as “have a comfortable job but always open to opportunities that move my career forward.” Let me tell you what’s NOT OK with Executive Recruiters and hiring companies – tire kickers and candidates that are “too busy” to interview. Nobody like a tire kicker. The person that is always asking, “Who is that CFO role for.” Nosy Nellies. Remember, curiosity killed the cat. As a candidate, it is incumbent upon you to clear your schedule for phone and on-site interviews. Being too busy will get your resume round filed pretty quickly. If getting a job is not a priority for you, it’s not a priority for me. Make your job search a high priority.

You are Unrealistic About Compensation – If you are making $150,000, no company is going to pay you $250,000. No one gives 50% pay increases. Mostly it’s $10% to 25%. Candidates that are unrealistic about compensation are quickly dispensed with. Compensation is based on education, professional experience, job requirements and market conditions. Right now the talent market is red hot, so salaries are above normal. In 2008 I saw $250,000 executives take $125,000 just to get health insurance. Let me tell you what is NOT relevant. Your mortgage payments, alimony payments, or any other personal attribute. I can’t believe how many people bring this up. Don’t make your problems the hiring company’s problems. Another area is “compensation sync.” Prior to interviewing most Executive Recruiters want to discuss your salary history to ensure you are “in scope” on compensation. They are not negotiating your compensation, simply making sure you are in range. I knew a CIO that flew across the company twice, then was offered $50,000 less than he was currently making. I said, “You never asked about the salary? Bahahahaha!” You don’t want to disclose your salary? Don’t believe it is relevant? No issue, you will be dropped from consideration. Time is the great equalizer, and hiring companies don’t want to waste their valuable time on people that play games. One last issue, the “I need a sign-on bonus to cover the equity I’m leaving behind.” There are three ways to deal with a candidate that is walking about from a bonus and/or stock options. First, if it’s a month or two out, they can start after they collect their bonus. Second, the hiring company may cover some portion of the bonus/equity with a sign-on bonus. Very rare. Third, the hiring company can walk away. Again, NOT the hiring company’s issue, it’s a candidate issue. If they truly are looking to make a move, you can’t have it all. Be realistic about compensation.

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