Gather Your Courage and Get Wisdom

Paul Freed on May 12, 2024

A job change can be humbling. You will likely feel the urge to retreat and go it alone. But this slows down your success and prevents insight on things you could learn that will help you for many years.

Other people confirm, or challenge, our assumptions which leads to better outcomes. Wisdom is waiting for you, but you need to ask for it.

In almost two decades of marriage, there are many times when my wife Rachel has pointed out food in my teeth. This makes me wonder how often I unknowingly embarrassed myself before she came along! I don’t feel bad when she tells me about the spinach on my smile. I’m grateful that she cares enough to help me. She is pointing out what’s obvious to her and others, but it’s something I totally missed.

Find a mirror

True friends will speak the truth in love about what they see, if you ask them. They are like a mirror that reflects things you wouldn’t see otherwise. It can be surprising. It can be scary. We may fear hurting the relationship in some way.

Ironically, the opposite tends to be true. Deep conversation like this can draw you closer. They feel appreciated you would ask. A successful job search is won out of such humility and listening, not pride and boasting.  

In addition to friends and family, take time to read and invest in learning new ideas and perspectives from other respected sources.

A doctor needs to ask you questions and do a physical exam to understand your medical issue before prescribing any sort of treatment plan. To make change, you need to first understand yourself and your career starting point before you can make a plan for the future.

Ask good questions

Once you have somebody to ask, what should you ask them? Here are a few questions you could raise with friends, family, and past co-workers:

  • What are some times in my life or my job when I seemed to be especially energized and excited? On the other hand, what have you heard me complain about over the years?

 

  • If I had to start from scratch, what sort of jobs could you see me doing, with my personality and background?

 

  • What are three areas of work where I’m strong?

 

  • Where do I need to improve? If I had to choose one weak spot, where do you feel I should focus to make the biggest difference?

 

  • Outside of work, how would you describe my personality?

 

  • Do I need to apologize to you for any way that I’ve hurt you in the past?

 

  • What favorite books would you recommend to help me learn and grow?

 

  • What do you feel is the greatest misperception about me?

 

Listen, receive, recite

When you ask these questions and start hearing feedback, you might be tempted to get defensive and raise certain examples and counter-arguments. These interruptions stop the flow of listening, and you could miss something important or cause the other person to stop sharing. So keep quiet, engage with your eyes, nod your head, take notes, and just soak it in.  If they pause in their answer, keep mining for that next treasure by saying, “This is great stuff, anything else come to mind?”

Let the other person finish entirely. Say thank you and how much you value the feedback and appreciate the honest insight. Then read back your notes. This will reinforce key items, and demonstrate respect for the other person, as they’ll see you were actively listening. Reciting the main points also provides an opportunity for any clarification if something was misunderstood. Ask follow-up questions on specific examples or anything that confused you.  

Use your job search to take a risk, be vulnerable, and grow as a person. What do you have to lose? If you have spinach stuck in your teeth, you want your friends to point it out, not an employer. The benefits that could impact your career and life far outweigh the overblown, temporary fear you may feel.

 

For more helpful job search tips: Ultimate Job Search Guide: Recruiter Insider Tips

Heidi Daniel – Executive Director @ King County Library System (KCLS)

Paul Freed on April 12, 2024

In 2023, our executive search team was honored to partner with King County Library System, on a nationwide retained search to find their new Executive Director.

The King County Library System (KCLS) envisions a world where knowledge allows diverse communities to prosper and grow. To support this vision, KCLS creates opportunities through meaningful connections as a knowledge sharing center for over 1.5 million diverse patrons.

KCLS is one of the largest and busiest public library systems in the country. More than 900 engaged and passionate staff members provide library services at 50 locations and community engagement initiatives through direct outreach, virtual assistance, and curated programs. The KCLS service area includes cities, towns, tribal lands, and unincorporated districts of King County, with the exception of the city of Seattle.

KCLS values Intellectual Freedom and believe that everyone has the right to seek out information, ideas and expressive content of any kind within the law. They are committed to supporting Intellectual Freedom by facilitating and safeguarding equitable access, privacy and an extensive range of constitutionally protected opinions, perspectives and viewpoints.

Check out the KCLS Press Announcement
 
Learn more about Herd Freed Hartz’s:
CEO executive search practice | Government & Public Sector executive search practice

Building Your Executive Band: Harmonizing Different Eras of Talent

Paul Freed on April 12, 2024

By Scott Rabinowitz, Partner @ Herd Freed Hartz – Executive Search

Imagine Elvis Presley, the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll, creating a band that includes modern icons like Keith Moon, Sheryl Crow, and Marvin Gaye. This unique blend of talents from different eras and genres in one band provides a powerful metaphor for the art of executive hiring. Check out this video below of Elvis introducing his band – it’s amazing.


The Art of Harmonizing Diverse Talents

In the hypothetical supergroup led by Elvis, each musician brings their distinct style, era, and genre. The challenge and beauty lie in harmonizing these diverse talents into a cohesive and dynamic band. Similarly, in the corporate world, bringing together leaders from different backgrounds, industries, and expertise can lead to a harmonious and innovative executive team.

Understanding Each Member’s Unique Contribution

Elvis’ band would need to balance the rock ‘n’ roll rhythm with Keith Moon’s explosive drumming, Sheryl Crow’s versatile vocals, and Marvin Gaye’s soulful melodies. In a corporate setting, this translates to understanding how a CEO’s visionary leadership can complement a CFO’s analytical prowess, a CMO’s creative strategies, and a COO’s operational efficiency.

Cultural Fit and Era Blending

Just as blending artists from different musical eras requires a deep understanding of their individual cultures and styles, assembling an executive team involves more than just skills. It’s about finding leaders who can blend into your company’s culture and adapt to its evolving narrative.

How We Can Help

At Herd Freed Hartz, we view executive hiring like forming this eclectic band. It’s about more than just finding the industry’s top players; it’s about creating a symphony of skills, experiences, and personalities that resonate with your company’s culture and goals.

Conclusion

Assembling an executive team is akin to creating a band with legends from various eras. It requires a keen understanding of how different talents and backgrounds can harmonize to create something greater than the sum of its parts. At Herd Freed Hartz, we specialize in conducting this complex orchestra of executive hiring, ensuring that each member contributes to a masterpiece of business success.

Brian Thomas – President & COO @ Patriot Erectors

Paul Freed on April 12, 2024

Our Herd Freed Hartz executive search team was honored to partner with Patriot Erectors, on a nationwide retained search to find their new President & COO.

Patriot Erectors is the premier steel fabrication & erection company in the fast-growing Central Texas region as well as operations in Dallas/Fort-Worth and Houston. They uniquely provide both steel fabrication (structural and columns, beams, bracing, trusses, stairs, railing, frames and custom elements) and steel erection (welding, bolting, erecting, rigging, layout, material selection and logistics coordination).

They have grown to $125M+ annual revenues and 450 employees across all locations. Client projects range from a mix of large-scale projects in Central Texas including: college football stadiums, airports, commercial development, hospitals, residential towers, and manufacturing plants. They have a mix of fabrication plants and steel construction teams who deliver high quality work to ensure the project is done right – on time and on budget.

Their rapid growth in a hot commercial construction market (Austin/Central Texas) has led to its own challenges along with inflation and staffing demands. Patriot Erector’s track record of success attracted private equity investment from Ranch Creek Partners and Hillstar Capital.

Parley Dixon, CEO, shared “Herd Freed Hartz did a solid job of understanding what we were looking for regarding talent, competencies and fit – and ultimately delivered. Their team listened intently to the particular needs we had for the positions, and crafted a search and screening program that generated an excellent candidate pool. When it came to filling this new President & COO role, we were comfortable using them based on their prior success filling our CFO role the prior year.”

Learn more about Herd Freed Hartz’s:
COO executive search practice
Manufacturing executive search practice
Private Equity executive search practice

William Marks – CEO @ Alaska Power & Telephone

Paul Freed on April 12, 2024

Our Herd Freed Hartz executive search team was honored to partner with Alaska Power & Telephone, on a nationwide retained search to find their new CEO.

Alaska Power & Telephone (AP&T) has provided affordable utility services to meet the evolving needs of rural Alaskan communities since 1957. Today, AP&T provides services in over 40 communities and villages spanning 1,100 linear miles. 75% of our energy generation comes from renewable hydropower, with excesses available in some communities to support beneficial electrification (heat pumps, electric vehicles) and sustainable growth.

AP&T works diligently to deploy advanced high-speed broadband to support the telecommunications needs of rural Alaskans far into the future. AP&T supports other carriers with middle-mile transport, via assets like the Lynn Canal Fiber project, the Southeast Alaska Microwave Network, and the SEALink fiber optic cable currently under development.

Their employee-owners live and work in the communities they serve.  AP&T is proud to partner with diverse indigenous organizations, local governments, state and federal agencies, industry associations, and conservation groups to undertake innovative projects that improve quality of life for all.

APT Press Release (CEO – Feb 2024)

Learn more about Herd Freed Hartz’s:
CEO executive search practice
Alaska executive search practice

Rachael Moss – Chief People Officer @ Inventprise

Paul Freed on April 12, 2024

Our Herd Freed Hartz executive search team was honored to partner with Inventprise, on a nationwide retained search to find their new Chief People Officer.

Inventprise (IVT) was founded in 2012 by Dr. Subhash Kapre with the goal of improving global health. Their mission and focus is on developing efficacious, affordable vaccines for global populations most in need.

Over the years, the company has grown from a small R&D lab, operating out of a start-up accelerator in South Lake Union, Seattle, to a clinical-stage biotech organization with sights on commercializing the novel vaccine candidates in our pipeline. Bill Gates cut the ribbon on their new manufacturing facility in 2022 as they are supported by funds from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Herd Freed Hartz is continuing it’s long-term partnership with Inventprise after also filling other executives including their CEO, Chief Medical Officer and Chief Financial Officer.

Recent news about Inventprise’s Phase 2 Pneumococcal vaccine candidate

Learn more about Herd Freed Hartz’s:
Chief People Officer & HR/Talent executive search practice
Healthcare & Biotech executive search practice

Corey Scott – CEO @ Midwest Dairy

Paul Freed on April 12, 2024

Our Herd Freed Hartz executive search team was honored to partner with Midwest Dairy, on a nationwide retained search to find their new Chief Executive Officer (CEO).

Midwest Dairy Association®, proudly represents over 4,000 dairy farms to 41 million consumers across the midwest region. They work on their behalf to build dairy demand by inspiring consumer confidence in their products and production practices. They bring dairy to life for a better world with exciting flavors, convenient products, memorable experiences and credible information.

Midwest Dairy Association® is funded by farmers across a 10-state region, including Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas and eastern Oklahoma. As part of the national dairy checkoff, they focus on dairy promotion, nutrition education and research and committed to health and wellness through different collaborative programs.

“Working with Fred Pabst of Herd Freed Hartz far exceeded my expectations. He was a true professional throughout the entire process. We had a strong talent pool to interview and select our next CEO from. I would highly recommend Fred to any organization going through an executive search.” (Charles Krause, Board Chair of Midwest Dairy)

“The hiring process for the CEO role of Midwest Dairy was well organized, dynamic and expedient thanks to Fred. He kept in regular communication and set expectations for the process very clearly and frequently.” (Corey Scott, New CEO of Midwest Dairy)

Learn more about Herd Freed Hartz’s:
Food & Agriculture executive search practice
CEO executive search practice

Darcy Engle – VP Sales @ First Choice Health

Paul Freed on April 12, 2024

In 2023, our executive search team was honored to partner with First Choice Health, on a nationwide search to find their new VP of Sales.

First Choice Health, headquartered in Seattle, WA, is a provider-owned healthcare organization offering employers a forward-thinking alternative to traditional health insurance. They have been serving employers of all sizes and across many industries with exceptional health benefits administration for over 35 years, providing unparalleled access to a growing number of clinically integrated networks (CIN) and a traditional PPO. Alongside their Employee Assistance Program (EAP) addressing mental health and work-life balance, their services collectively support members in every step of their healthcare journeys.

At First Choice Health, they are proud to deliver the personalized, quality service our clients deserve, while reducing costs and keeping their members healthy. Uniting providers, employers, and individuals, they deliver sustainable solutions that elevate the health and care of their communities.

Just over one million people use First Choice Health’s array of products and services in Washington, Oregon, Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota and South Dakota. Their network helps to reduce costs while maintaining quality and convenience. Their Health Plan Administration offerings include custom networks, flexible plan designs, and medical management. Their EAP offers counseling and referral services to complement our health benefit-oriented services.

 

Learn more about Herd Freed Hartz’s:
Healthcare executive search practice | VP Sales executive search practice

ROLE ACTIVITIES

Paul Freed on April 12, 2024

OVERVIEW:
Describe your role activities and responsibilities that will answer common questions about the job.  You do not need an exhaustive list of everything the role does – just cover what matters to explain the job. Less is more.

Examples: Key responsibilities and activities. Describing a “typical week” and what % of the time is spent on that activity and the team this role would work closely with.

WHY IT MATTERS:
1) Realistic job preview – Explaining what a “typical week” and a realistic overview of the time spent on certain activities will help someone understand the real job. This will help answer common questions, but also help screen in (or out) candidates.

2) Weighting – Not all activities are equally important in value or time spent during the week. This is a great opportunity to provide clarity on what you want and not have all activities be of equal importance.

3) Less is more – This is a key section, but will only be important if you have inspired someone earlier in the description. Good to include, but less important in attracting the talent to consider applying for the role.

WHAT TO INCLUDE:
Key job activities listed – The key activities and responsibilities are covered with a few bullet points of explanation.  Balanced list – not too many, but not too few.  This does not need to be an exhaustive, complete list of everything someone would do (like an HR onboarding internal document) – you just need to cover what matters to explain the job.

Ratio of key activities – When listing key activities, it can be helpful to weight how much is spent in each area to provide some context.  For example: “25% phone – answering customer calls / 25% database reporting / 40% research / 10% administrative”.

Typical week – Proactively answer the question “What would a typical week look like?”.  This explains the role, but also is a realistic job preview of what someone can expect.  Think about the problems being solved, the team members’ (or customer) interaction and the setting.

Who you work with/interact with – It’s good to include the tasks, but knowing the teams and groups this role would work with helps someone visualize the role.

Aligned with key outcomes – Ideally, the activities would have a linkage to the key outcomes in the first year as the role is about accomplishing key objectives and not just being busy.

Good job – You now completed #6: ROLE OUTCOMES

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QUALIFICATIONS

Paul Freed on April 12, 2024

OVERVIEW:
You want to have measurable candidate criteria to screen a potential candidate for this job.  Avoid having too few/vague qualifications (“everyone is qualified”) or having too many qualifications where it’s not clear what is really important.

Examples: Screening criteria are specific and measurable and a clear difference between “required” and “preferred”.  Don’t fill up this section with just a list of personality traits.

WHY IT MATTERS:
1) Focus & Efficiency – When you know what you want, you save time by not interviewing people who are not qualified. By challenging each bullet point in the qualifications section, you likely can remove 30% of them which makes it more focused. This enables you to spend valuable time with people you are truly qualified and quickly decline those who are not qualified.

2) Empower your HR/Recruiting team – This also gives better screening criteria to the recruiting/HR team who are reviewing the candidate options. One frustration with vague criteria is this leads to interviewing too many people which will waste time and slow the hiring process.

3) Clear reasons to decline – Looking ahead, if you interview 10 people for the job, you will need to decline 9 of them as “silver medalists”.  When you can explain how you decided to hire someone who had more of a particular requirement (or more preferred) – it provides more measurable and tangible feedback.  Candidates will respect and appreciate that you took the time to provide a professional reply.

4) Required vs. Preferred – By clearly separating these before the recruiting process begins, it will save time later when assessing a pool of candidates and providing clarity on what is more important.

WHAT TO INCLUDE:

Measurable and specific qualifications – Would you be able to screen someone in (or out) by each qualification? Is it clear how you could assess if someone has this or not? If you can’t truly measure it and you will not be assessing it, don’t make it one of the screening criteria.

Top 3 outcome connection – Look back at your Top 3 outcomes in Year 1.  Make sure these are reflected in the qualifications section as they are the most important part of the job.

Required vs. Preferred – Distinguish between Required (“Got to have”) and Preferred (“Like to have”).  Typically when reviewing the qualifications in detail you realize that only 3-5 are truly required and rest are preferred.

Minimal “Boy Scout/Girl Scout” traits – We all want to add team members who are hard working, trustworthy, loyal, collaborative, good team players, high integrity, right?  These are not bad things and OK to mention if they are specifically part of your Company Values/Culture.  But filling up the qualifications section with normal “good employee” traits is not the best use of space.  In my 25 years of recruiting, I’ve never heard a candidate say “I was going to apply for that job, but it says you are looking for someone who is trustworthy and loyal….and I am not.” You can assess these in-person, as no one will self-assess they do not have these traits.

Good job – You just completed #7: QUALIFICATIONS

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