As we study the marketplace and continually position ourselves as thought leaders in the industry, we are inspired to share our ideas and viewpoints. Below are a few editorials and commentaries written by Bell Oaks consultants based on our collective experience in executive search.
Practical LinkedIn
By Randy Hain, Managing Partner of Bell Oaks
How we build personal and business connections is ever evolving, and in today’s culture and economic environment it is a constantly moving target to keep up with the latest tools and trends. One of the fastest growing connecting tools of the past few years is LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com). According to a New York Times article on Aug. 13, 2008 by Sarah Jane Trimble, LinkedIn has more than 25 million members and is adding new ones at the rate of 1.2 million a month—equaled to about one new networker every two seconds.
Time To Think
By Randy Hain, Managing Partner of Bell Oaks
As busy professionals with compounding responsibilities, isn’t it becoming more and more difficult to find
time just to … think? Commiserating with colleagues and friends, we share how our work days are filled
with an almost obsessed focus on getting as much work done as possible, countless meetings and squeezing
every bit of air out of our schedules. In our other (and most important) roles as fathers/mothers and
husbands/wives, we’re faced with another harried stretch of time each evening filled with family dinner,
kid’s activities and the myriad other things that families require. Weekends are more of the same.
Thoughtful Leadership
By Randy Hain, Managing Partner of Bell Oaks
In today’s professional landscape, the term “thought leadership” can be interpreted any number of ways. You see the phrase included in a company’s laundry list of expertise areas, or voiced throughout the course of a strategy meeting. Some business executives embrace the concept more than others, and many bring it to life in a way that benefits the bottom line. Based on my understanding of the subject, I have come to define it this way: Thought leadership is the creation and advocation of an original idea that stimulates change for the benefit of an organization.
Leveraging Your MBA
By Jim Montembeau, MBA, Partner of Bell Oaks
You have spent the past two years trudging through business case after business case, creating pro formas, and working through discounted cash flows to evaluate an organization for a pending acquisition. You’ve read enough business books to forget what it was like to read for pleasure. Welcome to post-MBA life. Is it what you thought it would be?
Connecting … The Forgotten Art of Social Interaction
By Randy Hain, Managing Partner of Bell Oaks
First and foremost, this is not another article on networking. Most business people have been inundated by countless tips on how to meet people and exchange business cards. This is also not an article on building relationships. I’m talking about the often-overlooked, elemental skill you need before you can form a true relationship or become adept at productive and meaningful networking … the forgotten art of connecting.
Diversity of Thought : The Next Frontier
By Randy Hain, Managing Partner of Bell Oaks
The term “diversity” is taking on new meaning among companies that are focused on building
dedicated and strategic workforces. Most sizable companies today utilize some form of diversity
initiative in an effort to provide appropriate jobs and career opportunities for minorities and
women. They should be commended for their efforts and congratulated when successful. These
initiatives typically address race and gender, but how often do companies’ hiring policies target
candidates who think differently and don’t fit the traditional culture standard that has been in place
since the company was founded? Diversity of thought—often the last form of diversity to seep
into a company’s culture—is becoming an important recruiting strategy for today’s leading
organizations.
Headhunter to Trusted Adviser: The Future of Executive Search
By Randy Hain, Managing Partner of Bell Oaks
If you are a hiring manager for your organization, you have probably worked with a recruiting firm to help you fill your open positions. It is likely that you experienced frustration with the process of sorting through the large stack of resumes submitted for review and how few of those resumes were a fit for your opening. It also may have seemed curious that the recruiting firm never actually met you or interviewed the candidates in person before recommending them. Did you ask yourself if their consultants really knew you and your company at all?
Ten Ways to Attract Female Talent
By Erin Johnson, Associate Partner
In today's marketplace, it is imperative that employers hire and retain a diverse team of individuals to lead their companies beyond surviving and into thriving. And just as important as how you get there is who gets you there.
Knowing How to Work with a Professional Search Firm Will Get You the Best Results
By Todd A. Warshaw, Partner of Bell Oaks
You’re a professional considering a job change and would like to explore the benefits of working with an
executive search firm to maximize your opportunities and earning potential. How should you go about
selecting a firm and how does a mutually-beneficial partnership between you—the potential candidate—and the search firm work?
