Placement of the Month # 24

I know nothing!

Schultz!

Hogan’s Heroes was an entertaining show when I was a youngster. Somehow they made a war internment camp comical. It was never my favorite program. Kind of like Barney Miller. Watched it simply to get to the next show. Old school version of binge watching. Hard not to like Sergeant Schultz, though.

He was the lovable guard who was always being tricked by the prisoners and then getting yelled at by Colonel Klink.

His catchphrase when all else failed was, “I know nuh-thing!”

Long way for an introduction so appreciate those of you that stayed with it. Trust me, it gets better.

So many times in our lives we can choose to know nothing. Certainly is easier than trying to learn it. Or so we think….

With this little teaser – welcome back to Placement of the Month. 

We are officially two years old, by the way. Using a Hogan’s Heroes premise could certainly put us in the “Terrible Two’s” category.  If anyone has read all 24 please respond with a simple “SCHULTZ!”

After working in this space for 18 years, it is easy to get complacent. Simple to assume that we have heard everything. Blissfully ignorant is a beautiful state of mind.

Technology has changed the world. Mostly for the better. Kids and parents, both of you, put your phones down at the restaurant and speak to each other. Yeah, I said it.

So our searches are becoming more technical. The advancements are coming as quickly as the obsolescence. It is critical that we keep up. What client is going to want us representing their firm if we cannot grasp their system? What individual is going to listen to me describe an opportunity where I jumble the acronyms and abbreviations?

That’s right, everyone.  Crickets.  

This month I worked a search in a fascinating area. Digital Marketing. Truly amazing the depth of data determined through search engines, past purchases, demographics and future analytics. They know what you are going to buy before you do. I know that is not news to many of you. Sounds like a chapter from 1984 to me. Read it.

Our client has developed a great product. Truly a difference maker for patients. The role was to run all of their commercial efforts with much of it focusing on digital marketing. As a recruiter, we have to understand enough to have an articulate conversation. It takes research. It takes a client willing to explain (using small words) the specifics of the technology. It is a learning process every time. We have to be able to tell a story that is compelling. Part of that story is steeped in the minutiae.  

Sometimes you will get a call from a recruiter. They will get the pronunciation wrong or switch two buzzwords. The easy response is to assume they are not knowledgeable about the topic. That is like not ordering the best bottle on the wine list because Chateauneuf du Pape was misspelled. Do not be impressed, I looked it up.

Be patient with us. We are trying to learn in a few hours what you have been doing for years.

Fortunately, the person we uncovered for this role was sensational. So quick to explain how everything worked. This is a tactic for the initial conversation. It is used to determine social skills, ability to explain without being pedantic, depth of knowledge and to hear what you sound like when you are “lit up”. This is important. Once the client determines that you have the right skill set, they will ask about your personality. Your openness and ability to articulate what you do in an enthusiastic fashion shows your true colors. Authenticity is key.

This person was in a close competition with some talented folks. This was the deciding factor. They imagined a meeting with their most important customers and this person leading the dinner. This sealed the deal.

All started because this person was willing to explain the nuances of the technology to me. Now I can speak Search Engine Optimization (SEO for those of us in the biz) with the best of them.

I appreciate those of you that have continued to read my ramblings. For those of you new to the group, thanks for giving this a chance.  

Happy 2nd birthday to the ……Placement of the Month.

Matt Kaufman works for and with the Mullings Group. We approach the medical device world with creativity and enthusiasm. Simply love what we do and it shows. Matt watched a fair amount of television in his day. Stunted his growth but not his mind. HOH-GAANNNN!