Why I enjoy Head Hunting

Sometimes I giggle and think of myself in the jungle, bone through nose, spear… But seriously I do enjoy and love the challenge of this side of my business found us as I work in the advertising, media, and marketing industry.

As a general rule I “head hunt” or carry out “search and selection” for senior roles, e.g. working on a recent Executive Creative Director role. But on the odd occasion, to help a business contact, I’ll look at less senior roles. It is something I get a lot of pleasure out of, and explain why below.

But I do want to make one thing clear. I am not a fan of the terms “head hunting” or “search and selection” as I feel they de-personalise human beings, and after all companies are people, are they not? It also adds a feeling of “commodity” to the service provided, i.e. throw enough poo at the barn door. I am not trying to be facile, criticise others, or say my approach is better. Far from it. I just do my thing, which is people orientated and reflects me.

Me, finding people, money, being happy, making people happy

I’ve always had a knack of knowing people, getting to know people, looking for the best in people, and with the OCD I suffer from an excellent memory for people. So it kind of made sense to set up found us in 2014. Here we are 7 years later, with a few more grey hairs, well quite a lot actually. Initially the plan was to build and staff up a company… blah, blah, blah. Earn money, be successful, be one of the “people” etc. I then realised it was actually my 7th Circle of Dante’s Inferno. My proverbial vision of hell, or Basil in Fawlty Towers discovering Manuel’s Siberian Hamster is named after him.

I was not bothered about money, status, running a business and all that comes with it any more. I realised I was happy talking to people, helping them, and getting pleasure from that.

So this is why I enjoy working with senior people on senior roles. (As said I do not like the phrases “head hunting” and “search and selection”.)

So what do I do?

You can adopt methodologies for finding people, but I base mine around working with and getting to know people, plus my years of experience in sales and commercial director roles.

I’ll examine a brief if there is one with the contact, and maybe discuss it with another contact who is independent and confidential. Take it apart, put it back together again.

Where there is no brief, I’ll work with the contact to get to the essence of the business need that a potential person could fulfil and from that a brief/role can be created.

Another key area for me is introductions. Suppose you could call it talent spotting, or my being a glorified wedding organiser for want of better terms. I’ve always had a gift for putting people together and introducing them to each other.

But importantly, people work with people, and when in sales I learnt the old phrase “people buy from people they like”. There is truth in this old salesman’s adage. For me examining the culture, people, and psyche of a company is vital when working on roles. Likewise, getting to know a candidate/contact and how they tick is crucial. Otherwise you won’t get that right fit, and it is not just about getting the fee. It is about bringing people together in a symbiotic bilateral relationship where both are happy and can fulfil goals. Otherwise what would be the point of doing it and found us? I get pleasure from it. People have to work with people, and I don’t want a phone call or e-mail further down the line saying it has not worked out, as I would argue I have not done my job correctly and people then lose out with consequences.

Process, tools, and experience

When I work I do believe strongly in process, as it was drilled into me by companies that I worked at such as RELX and ITV. They were very much into training in the years earlier as I built my career. I also was lucky to have some great mentors to learn from when in London those years ago. Process is important as is the storage and use of data to allow you to form conclusions, see patterns and so on. But don’t follow it slavishly. Sometimes you have think on you feet, and as the next paragraph explains it is as much about sales.

You can put in place methodologies, and I am sure there are few, but suspect that they can be variations on one common theme. And I also believe strongly in the KISS principle. So, in essence and without sounding infantile you simply have to find people and talk to them. You are therefore effectively selling yourself, your client, the role, the candidate. And to me that is bread and butter as an old school salesman.

My process when on a “role” is to use a simple approach. In this scenario I’d be looking for a candidate.

• Do I know people?

• Do People I know, know People?

• Do I need to cold call People?

The process can be reversed when looking at contacts when I have a good senior candidate looking for that right fit in a company. I am now often contacted by people looking to relocate from London to the North for example.

From there the process begins. But in effect you are building a pipeline, recording data and studying it. It is then about honing down the data you have, to achieve the required result for a client or candidate, and not necessarily about phone bashing. But like any sales operation, you do have to pick up the phone or send an e-mail. And this does not bother me as I like talking to people.

I do use technology to help. For example I use Nutshell that I have customised, obviously LinkedIn, and other tools.

Reading

I read a heck of a lot of material where I can, including books, to try and extend the breadth of my knowledge and learn more about ME and PEOPLE. Don’t get me wrong I do also read for pleasure otherwise I would go mad. I also enjoy chatting with and being mentored by the likes of Mike Pegg.

I am not suggesting you read every positive mental attitude book, or sign up for Steven Covery’s “7 Habits” methodology for example. Been there, done that, bought the T-Shirt. One system did not suit me, but what I found was I took what “I” needed for ME, for how I wanted to work, grow as a person. This was an amalgam of systems, experience, People, self-learning, success, and a HUGE amount of setback, mistake, bad luck, pain.

An example of interesting reading is Business Balls, or my recently read Irresistible.

Humanity

Underpinning all is the constant real-time memory that I am working with People, who have feelings, wants, emotions, good points, bad points… this list goes on.

I treat People as I would want to be treated myself, but accept we all have flaws.

Honesty with people is a key rule on both sides of the fence, even bad news. No one likes telling someone they were pipped at the post for a role they really wanted, or that they need to examine themselves as person. Honesty counts but it can also hurt; on both sides.

The end

How I work does work and delivers desired results over the 7 years of trading, but like anything there is graft involved.

But the main thing is I enjoy and make people happy.

Back to work on Monday 26th April 2021

A brief post to let people know I am fully back to work as of today as restrictions ease over Covid in the UK. Head Hunting, Consultancy, Sales, Directorship, and mentoring.

We have been established since 2014 and strive to follow our MAXIMS.  

• We enjoy listening to people, always keen to understand 

• We try our best to offer impartial advice to those we work with 

• We have a knack for finding the right match, when it comes to bringing people together in business 

• We give always at every moment, working hard to deliver advice, results, and help 

We have a great reputation for looking after people, for finding the right people for senior roles in the advertising and marketing industries, for helping people grow their careers and themselves, for new business sales, and for consultancy work with businesses to help meet their goals. 

Resisting the Present Through Obsessive Thinking

I thought I’d write a piece on a really interesting talk that I listened to on Insight Timer about obsessive thinking, which I suspect will plague a lot of people as business begins to open up. Something of interest to me as a sufferer of OCD.

It is Monday 26th April and I am sat at my desk typing away and listening again to a wonderful talk by Roxanne Pigeon on Insight Timer; I would argue as being one of the best Apps as to talks, meditation, courses, music for wellbeing.

It is worth a look at the App/Website because I assume that a number of us will come out of Covid (and Brexit) quite frazzled. I know for a fact I have been through the mill at times in being honest.

So Roxanne? Well she caught my attention as I suffer from OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder), with mine being more concerned with intrusive thoughts and the analysis of them. Both a gift and a burden. A gift in the form of an analytical mind, a burden with a mind that does not turn off and is constantly bombarded with thoughts (just to keep it simple.) I found Roxanne’s talk on Insight Timer, which I found fascinating.

The reason I highlight the talk is not actually that it is about OCD, but the fact that it can help people with a racing mind. I suspect that people in business will be bombarded with information, meetings, decisions as we begin to ramp up the economy. And this can lead to obsessive thinking that takes you out of the present and can be very discomforting and stressful.

So just to make clear this is not about OCD.

Some Pointers

(Please note this is a blend of my experience and Roxanne’s talk.)

• When stressed the mind naturally races, usually due to the number of tasks it is trying to process.

• Thoughts can then become obsessive. You can’t get them out of your head. Something is bothering you.

• The more we fight/make effort against a intrusive or obsessive thought, the stronger they get - we argue with them - and we then drown within the though(s) that carry us away from the present and can be distressing. This is natural.

• This is counter intuitive to other aspects of life where putting effort/fighting for something gains results. Very pertinent to business people. It is very confusing.

• Ceasing to think about something, does not mean you cease to exist. (See below.)

• Thoughts are not you. They emanate from the mind, and are not you or your psyche or the mind itself.

• In a nutshell, your past is throwing thoughts at you - intrusive/obsessive - and this interferes with the present. Listen to the talk.

What should I do?

• Embracing silence, sets you free. Your mind is liberated. By that I mean make time for yourself during the day in which to “not think” and find a quiet spot if you can. Let your mind flow - a stream of consciousness - even if only for 5 minutes.

• Listening too much to thoughts and not observing them, means you are choosing illusion over reality. The present becomes blurred. You cannot revisit a thought as to something - it is past, and an interpretation of the past. And reality, the universe is ever changing.

• Don’t try and control “things” which is what you are trying to do via ruminating on an obsessive thought as to something. As mentioned you cannot control reality, as reality changes all the time. And what is past is past, or yet to come. Holding onto a thought is a contraction of the mind.

• Choose acceptance of a thought and let your mind “flow”.

• But do recognise the tension, as it is natural.

• You can let go any time, and moment of thoughts. I know this is not easy, but do listen to the talk as it is only 11 minutes long and gives great insights.

• You are not your thoughts.

Loving yourself, but not too much.

After a rather hot fell run, shower, dinner my mind wandered again as to People in the Media, Marketing, Advertising Industry and the handling of anxiety, stress, and bluntly low self esteem.

Sunbathing by the Trig Point on Kerridge Hill.

I really don’t want to waffle as I am notorious at times for that. Nor lecture, or proverbially ask people to suck eggs. Ahem.

Based on my own experience from March 2020 to this point I must confess to having suffered from anxiety, worry, stress, and low self esteem. Some of this naturally comes from running your own business as a sole trader, where you do everything. But I think Covid (and interestingly enough Brexit as well) added a whole new dimension to “doing business” for all People who work.

As we grew deeper into lockdown business dried up, people could not be seen etc. etc. etc. As a precaution I furloughed myself, having been a good boy and paid all my taxes and kept accounts up to date. I happily took calls from contacts old and new as they sought advice. But with one eye on market conditions. Which deteriorated to be honest.

The interesting Stuff

What I did notice was anxiety at times, or worry, and interestingly some low self esteem. A lot of this was grounded in Sales, Revenue, and business comms’, i.e. phone and e-mail traffic had decreased.

I started to have “stinky thinking”.

• Was I running my business incorrectly?

• Was I incapable?

• Was I losing my touch?

• And so it went on….

As a Person what did I learn?

What I learnt was that it is okay to worry. It is actually quite natural, just as anxiety is, and low self esteem. It is part of the human condition. And what I discovered was not to be frightened by it and recognise it as natural and sit in the emotion rather than act spontaneously, or fall to pieces. Which I appreciate is easier said than done. Sitting in the emotion (of worry, anxiety, low self esteem) allows you to recognise it, to know it won’t last, and I discovered such feelings normally turn themselves on and off, or come in waves. Avoidance of such emotions can be counter productive as you lose an ability to recognise them and sit in them.

A useful ACRONYM I discovered is RADAR when you suffering.

• Recognise that there is a problem or situation.

• Accept the problem or situation.

• Detach from the problem or situation.

• Ask for help and advice if needed to the problem or solution.

• Respond to the problem or situation if necessary.

It has helped me before now and the crucial ones for me are remembering to detach and ask for help if necessary. We People can be very insular at time, especially people in Media, Marketing, and Advertising.

Reflecting on People

Today I have been mulling over People in the advertising, marketing, and media industry I work in, as well as people generally.

White Nancy overlooking Bollington and Kerridge, near Macclesfield.

The weather has been marvellous this week, especially in Cheshire. And I feel this could be a sign of change, of positive things to come as the country comes out of the terrible Covid period.

Some businesses have thrived in lockdown, a lot have not. But importantly, for me anyway, are People. Businesses are effectively People, and this is a business blog. Sometimes I think we cannot see the “wood for the trees” and this can be the case with the faceless organisations that Capitalism creates. By the way I am not criticising Capitalism, after all I run a Limited Company! I am merely trying to point out that people occupy businesses.

And people like businesses have either thrived or suffered during lockdown. I suspect a number of people, of which I have no idea, have really struggled mentally, financially, physically.

Over the months I took a large number of calls from contacts both old and new suffering the effects of redundancy, furlough, or just plain worried. One of the main concerns for people was the sheer uncertainty facing them, especially those with dependents.

I also noticed a dynamic change in my LinkedIn advertising where I had chosen to promote a role. Traditionally, for example, a Manchester based role would garnish candidates from Manchester and its surrounding areas. But I seen a shift to applicants from all over the country, especially the Southern region. People are genuinely facing employment hardship across the country, and with that financial and mental pressure.

I was happy to help, provide free advice, reach out, or just plain comfort people in the best way I could. Can I just point out that I am not a Saint, and flawed like all and sundry. Sometimes there was pleasure in this effort, sometimes sorrow and desperation for people due to the gravity of their situation, or simply mental health and wellbeing.

I’ve always tried to build found us around people, and will continue to do so, even if I don’t earn, make a fortune, as that is what “floats my boat”. And always has done.

The Point I Make

Where you can in the current climate try to remember “others”, and not just work colleagues. That person you work with, deal with, or know may have their World collapsing about them. I think this is common.

Don’t forget to help people where you can. 5 minutes of your time could literally “sort someone out”. Maybe a referral, a contact name, a reference, or a simple 5 minute call to perk someone up.

I’m ready and waiting for business as things improve, and yet there is still uncertainty. Don’t hesitate to contact me for any advice, or just a plain old natter. I like natters.

April 2021 - 7+ years On

Hi all,

Yes I mean all of those people that this blog post reaches and also choose to read it. But I do appreciate that there is so, so much content flying around in this day and age. If not personal, then certainly business. The breadth of posts I now see on Social Media is astounding (this included), and do wonder if all is read. In fact will this slip into the gutter? And this is meant as an honest and not snotty question. Anyway, if you choose to read this blog post, great and hope that you get something from it.

So, a recap. Where are we? Well, Found Us as a business is fine and we have re-launched the website and tweaked the logo. Why?

• It is nice to refresh the website after 7 years of business.

• It is nice to refresh the logo and style after 7 years of business.

• I have time to do it; funnily enough due to a little something called Covid.

I could go on, but a key reason is to be reflective of the development of the business and of how our business has morphed over time to meet needs; well actually to reflect what we are happy doing. Sounds selfish, but not really as we do genuinely try and give our best to the people we deal with and we enjoy this.

Found Us was always about senior Head Hunting in the Advertising and Marketing arenas.

• But it was always about Consultancy, Director, Sales, and Mentoring work; which we kept hidden away.

• Now is the time to use the re-launch of the website to better reflect what we do, in fact what we love doing, and do well.

• Gone for example is the list of candidates and jobs, as we are not a recruiter and this positioned us as one. And we like to think that we certainly offer services over and above “CV harvesting and spraying”.

• Have a look at the new website to get an idea of what we do, and what we do well – we are passionate about it.

7 Years On…

It has been a tough time for a lot of people and businesses as of late. To think 7 years ago we would be 7 years old is an oddity, in what can be a ruthless, cramped, and Machiavellian marketplace. But here we are. We do genuinely think it is about our caring about what we do, and caring for the many, many people we have dealt with. And tenacity, luck, help, and maybe some Pixie Dust.

And as of late it has been tough, what with Brexit and Covid it is coming up to two years of hard trading I suspect for a lot of companies and people in this area of business; not everyone I hasten to add. All I can say is hang on in there as it will get better, and sometimes the size of the fight in a person is not always about picking yourself up after a fall, but just stoically plodding on. Change is universal, it is in fact life, and something to embrace. And whether we welcome or despise this depends on us.

The Universe is transformation; our life is what our thoughts make it.”

- Marcus Aurelius Antoninus

(A genuine thanks to all those people who helped us along the way. You know who you are.)