Define Your Wish List Prior to Embarking on a Job Search

“I am underpaid.”

“I can’t stand my boss.”

“I HATE my job.”

These are very powerful statements that I hear on a regular basis from normal people all around the country. These statements come from actuaries, bankers, food production professionals and sales people who are frustrated. Normal, talented, hardworking people are humbled every day by confounding professional situations that affect them both inside and outside the normal work hours – these frustrations permeate their personal lives, affecting spouses, children and others in their wake.

Aureus Group Annual Hiring Trends Survey

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported in January that job gains exceeded job losses for the first time since December 2007. In fact, job losses have steadily decreased from a high of 8.5 million in December 2008 to the lowest level since the series began in 1992. Is this a sure sign the economy is on a steady uphill climb? With unemployment stubbornly planted at 9% according to the most recent BLS report, 2011 hiring is on the minds of many.

Defining and Finding Talent

We talk about talent every day. Where to find it. What kind to find. Where to place it. More elusive; however, is how to spot it. What exactly is talent? Talent defined is “an unusual natural ability to do something well, especially in artistic areas that can be developed by training.” That makes sense. Think of Michael Jordan flying effortlessly through the air, Michael Vick sprinting from defenders toward the goal line, and Tiger Woods curving the ball next to the pin from 250 yards through the trees.

This kind of talent is unmistakable to the eye and easily linked to a sense of artistry. The rarity of skills possessed by these freaks of nature is what makes them “talented”. The eyes tell us that supremely talented athletes are doing things that we know few others can do.

In the business world, and more specifically the world of “talent” acquisition, we too are looking for rare skills that are absolutely essential to make our organizations elite. The type of talent we are looking for does not always tantalize the senses like an artist or an athlete though. We must be more cognizant of subtleties in an individual that makes them truly talented. Here are three traits I find consistently in talented people.

The Art of Negotiation

Negotiation. Does the word make you feel slightly uncomfortable, or does the thought of being involved in a negotiation stir up feelings of excitement and bring out that competitive streak you try to keep slightly under wraps? Negotiating is a part of everyone’s life, regardless of career path and position. So, in honor of Halloween, I’m going to share some negotiation “tricks” that will hopefully turn into “treats” for you as you go through the process.

The 2011 Salary Increase Question

Budget time is right around the corner. Senior managers and HR professionals are starting to plan for what their organizations will be doing as we get into the 2011 budgeting cycle. Since raises have been slim the last couple of years, I’ve been asking executives from all industries how they are handling the salary raise question. Our customers shared early forecasts that 2011 raises will be better, but not by all that much. This information was remarkably consistent across most industry sectors and positions from executives to middle management, technical, financial and clerical positions.

“Attitude of Gratitude”: Treat your Employees Like They are Your Clients

My best friend’s father and I became friends as I got to know him during college and beyond. His go-to phrase was, “Thank you, thank you, thank you.” He always said it in a way that you knew he meant it. He was an amazing man.

In his 30s he ran a major investment corporation on the west coast, and in his 40s he took over the family lumber business in Kansas City, which was the largest in the KC metro area and the only place to go before the dawn of Home Depot. The recession and housing crisis of the 80s killed his business and he lost everything but a little bit of land and real estate he owned.

I often asked this man about his life, what he had seen, and where he had been. He never so much as whispered a word of regret or despair for losing his wealth. He simply thanked the world for the opportunity to be alive and have the relationships he had. I knew him in his 50s and on into his 60s after he had essentially retired and became a humble candle-maker who enjoyed a round of golf and the close friends he made living on Charlotte Street in midtown Kansas City.

The story of his life, which ended much too early, is indeed a story unto itself which included close personal friendships with famous actors, musicians, and politicians. Through it all, his rise to the top, and his fall from riches, he maintained something authentic to him that any leader can employ: an “attitude of gratitude.”

Leadership Qualities that Our Clients Seek

The Executive Division at Aureus Group does a great deal of work in the retained search arena. We have helped companies fill high-priority executive-level roles within operations, finance, actuarial, lending, engineering, sales, and marketing in the past year. This work has spanned most industries as we have dedicated professionals who have their fingers on the pulse of different market segments including banking, investments, insurance, consumer goods, and manufacturing from sea to shining sea.

When we listen to companies talk about their needs from a leadership perspective, the functional requirements are never the same, but the leadership qualities that they desire are extremely consistent.

Are you Ready to Change Jobs?

Many indicators flash when someone is ready to change jobs. Maybe they clean up their resume, start perusing job boards, place a call to their favorite recruiter, or increase the complaint frequency to their friends and family about their professional situation. Sometimes the reasons for evaluating other opportunities are appropriate, but sometimes they aren’t. Sometimes the timing is good, and sometimes it is bad. We have spent a great deal of time as recruiters separating legitimate corporate wounds from those that are not.

Building your Network Through Mentorship

I have several professional mentors and continue to look for more. Recently I asked someone I admire for advice on how to approach a new business partnership. The candid, “keep it simple” advice was exactly what I needed. The words of wisdom and vote of confidence helped me to switch gears a bit, allowing me to put my best foot forward. When I thanked my friend from Pennsylvania, he responded by telling me, “It’s not that I’m that smart, I’ve been around a while; I listen to knowledge and repeat it”. He is so humble.

Defining the “It” Factor in a Great Employee

Think of your best employee or co-worker. Now, think about their most prominent traits. What makes them the valued business partner that they are? If they are a game changer in your organization it’s likely that there isn’t just one characteristic that sets them apart. There must be, however, a few ties that bind it all together. These overriding qualities displayed by the elite professionals you know are the “it” factor and are the traits that have you pining for more individuals just like them.

We decided to ask our top clients, across varying industries, this question recently: What are the top three soft-skill (non-technical) traits you find in your highest performing employees? Here is what we found, in order of frequency: