A Different Type of Search

Source: August 2011 Greater Lansing Business Monthly
by Sarah E. Wardell. Photograph by Terri Shaver.

Sandy Rich knows a thing or two about people. In fact, it’s sort of been her business over the past 24+ years. U.S. Metro Economies released a report recently that indicates by December 2014, over half of all U.S. metro areas will have returned to their previous peak employment levels. “That’s very good news for Greater Lansing,” Rich says.

Q: What services does Hiring Solutions offer to its clients?
A: We offer specific, targeted executive searches, recruitment and assessment, and human capital consulting. We also offer expertise in attracting top talent to an organization. To be 100 percent sure a candidate is the right fit for an organization, we do extensive screening, personality assessments and reference and background checks. We have a 90 percent success rate with our placements, and we always keep our clients’ best interests in mind.

Q: How long does the placement process typically take?
A: It can take from two weeks to two months, depending on the client’s needs. I’m not one who presents a candidate to a client who isn’t top talent. I take the time to go through a very detailed process to ensure client success. We have a large database of potential candidates, so we have a large candidate pool to pull from; but we’re very careful and thorough about who we select.

Q: Hiring Solutions is referred to as a boutique firm. Can you explain what exactly this means?
A: We’re not an agency and we aren’t headhunters; we work with top executives and we place them with the best companies and organizations. One of the benefits of being a small business is that we can respond to customer needs very quickly.

Q: What has made Hiring Solutions successful?
A: Simply put, the reason we’ve been around for so long is that we do excellent work. Our process requires candidates to be the best of the best, and the majority of our revenue is generated from repeat or referral business. Repeat business is the true definition of success for a boutique firm like ours.

We are a smaller firm that is successful due to client service, quality and sustainability. We’ve served our clients very well in 24 years. If that were not happening, we would have been out of business long ago. We help make organizations successful; we add value and increase competitive advantage.

Q: How reliable are the traditional means of the interview process in selecting the right candidate for an open position?
A: The interview is the least predictor of how well a candidate will fit in with an organization. The real fit comes with a job candidate’s background and skill set, leadership ability and personality—it’s not the interview. I would only have a 50 percent versus a 90 percent success rate if my business were based solely on interviews.

Q: How would you define the term human capital?
A: Organizations spend a lot of time on capital, such as new equipment, but human capital is the best way to ensure an organization succeeds in the future. How they attract and retain talent is the most important piece in ensuring an organization’s long-term viability. For us, it’s all about the client and the candidate and how well they match, because they sustain themselves. We do lots of research and thorough analysis to ensure the fit; it’s about so much more than simple placement.

Q: Can you give an example of a successful placement?
A: Bill Martin at the Michigan Association of REALTORS® is a perfect example. I helped place him eight or 10 years ago and he’s still holding the same position, which has been very rewarding for me.

An interesting aspect to this particular example is that Bill came from a State of Michigan leadership position, which goes to show that leadership is universal and can be applied to any position, and talent is interesting in that it can be found anywhere. Basically, if you’re a great leader in one position, you’ll likely be in another.

Q: How have the means of finding candidates changed since the economy is different than it was a few years ago? How have you had to change what you do to adapt?
A: Things have changed completely. It used to be I’d go to the Yellow Pages, but using social media methods like LinkedIn and Twitter are extremely effective [versus CareerBuilder and Monster] in seeking out and connecting with potential candidates. It also used to be that I’d only have a couple candidates for a position, whereas today I’ve got 10. Businesses also don’t pay sign-on bonuses anymore, and relocation issues are complex, which may change as the economy turns around.

Hiring Solutions is a little different in that we don’t advocate for candidates, but every search starts anew, and each week we have new job postings on our website.

Q: Any advice for those looking for a job now?
A: My best advice is to:

• Be persistent
• Network and do something meaningful every day
• Have a strong follow-up
• Have a top résumé and targeted cover letter
• Get out in the community and be seen; most jobs are found in networking

The day you lose your job is the day you should start looking for a new one—be as conscientious as possible.

Q: What advice do you have for small business owners who are just starting out, or are considering starting a business?
A: Look at successful small business people; they are personalities that can take rejection and continue on. Owning a business isn’t easy, but there’s something about showing up every day and doing a job and looking for more than monetary rewards. My number one piece of advice: persevere, because owning a business is the best way to make a living.

Hiring Solutions, LLC
Sandra Rich, Owner
2104 Jollly Road, Ste. 200
Okemos
517-347-0590
www.hiringsolutionsllc.com