Author: Harlan Friedman

In the spirit of Halloween, what mask are you wearing?  When recruiters encounter a new candidate, we are well aware that the initial conversations that recruiters encounter are going to be well guarded by you, the candidate.  That is to be expected.  However, there comes a moment in the hiring...

I want to explore the idea that a lot of potential candidates have but don’t necessarily verbalize. “Can I really get what I want if I make a move to a new company?” The answer is yes… with one qualification being you must know what it is that you are...

Today’s blog is an open letter to practice leaders and hiring managers. If this was done right, there would be no need for recruiters, retention would be close to 100% for your desired employees, and I would be out of a job. However, the fact is that this is never...

Niche recruiters are recruiters fully immersed in their particular industry. It’s their responsibility to know everything that is going on within their particular field of expertise. However, niche recruiters can be too broad in scope. What you want is a niche recruiter that specializes in your extremely specific field. For...

This week let’s talk about background checks. This will pertain to both public finance bankers, bond counsels, and other people outside of our cottage industry. Since we are dealing with money, assets, and fiduciary relationships, the background check that all the firms do is paramount for someone getting hired. All...

Why does someone make a move to anything?  Generally speaking, a person or a group of people are either motivated by pain or pleasure. Let me explain: you are either motivated by the prospect of moving towards pleasure or improving your current situation, or you are driven by pain and...

“There is no such thing as a perfect fit.” This is an interesting and hopefully thought-provoking sentence. In today’s world, there is no such thing as a “perfect fit” anymore. As we all know, the days of going to work for one company and retiring are gone forever. What does...

We are back on track with sharing insights into the public finance and bond counsel recruiting world.  I want to share a part of an interview that just occurred when a new firm reached out to us to recruit for them.  After the typical questions of who we are, how...

I want to address questions I have received after making the announcement of our new affiliation with Core Wealth Search, in which I was hired as the President of this new and exciting recruiting company.  In this week’s blog, I will be a bit off base from the instructional content...

“I Know Everyone!” It is a very simple phrase, to say the least, but what does it refer to exactly?  It can mean one of two things when dealing with recruiting.  It can be a hiring manager saying, “I know everyone, so there is no need for your services.” It...

Do you want to be where you were at the end of 2023 at the conclusion of 2024?  So many people decide to kick the tires at their current company but don’t do anything more than that for various reasons.  In this blog, I want to examine the reason people...

As we conclude the recruiter tips for the hiring manager and candidate series of 2023, I want to end on the importance of conveying an adequate offer and having it accepted.  Without an offer being acknowledged and signed, everything that you both have worked hard to accomplish will be a...

As we continue with both tips for a candidate and a client company’s hiring manager, I want to discuss how to test for the actual commitment level of either.  I have found that a multitude of firms and candidates want to explore as many options as possible to determine who...

Timing: Your Worst Enemy Or Your Best Friend  As we continue with recruiter tips to make your 2024 even stronger, I thought about the total concept of timing and how it reflects on hiring.  As time dictates, timing can be your best friend or your worst enemy.  I am not...

How Do You Avoid A Counteroffer? As we start to wrap up the end of the year, starting today I will be sharing brief but poignant inside tips to help from a professional recruiter. Whether you are a candidate looking for a position, a hiring manager, or internal HR, all...

Insight From A Recruiter...That Affects Your Hiring Managers Too. I have thought long and hard if I wanted to write this one.  It’s one that has been circulating in my head over the last few months, but I have been hesitant to share this information for fear of offending anyone. ...

Last week we discussed if you can still make a move in 2023.  Today I want to explore the parts of the move process that many are starting to overlook as the anxiety to get a new position increases. What area exactly? The crucial area of the background check.  ...

As I sat down to write this week’s blog, I was reflecting on where all of my contacts and leads came from the previous week.  Was there a trend to the candidates that I was now talking to?  Were they all from bulge brackets or small regional firms?  Were they...

We’ve discussed the proper way to say no, but how and when to say yes is just as important.  It becomes even more critical if you are saying yes after turning down the offer previously or if you want to re-engage in the offer discussions after saying no. Saying yes...

“We interrupt our regularly scheduled broadcast to bring you a special announcement.”  I think I had too much of Hurricane Hilary these past few days. It is affecting my writing style.  In truth, our thoughts go out to those on the West Coast who were hit way worse than we...

We live in an information age.  Today anybody can find out anything about everyone with just a few quick clicks properly placed.  The internet has made the world your stage, and as such there is no longer the gap between the people that know and the people that want to...

There was nothing magical about June 1st. It was just an ordinary day, and I’m not even sure what day of the week it was. However, something in the world of public finance changed.  Firms were ready to move again.  I had noticed a hiatus in the hiring process up...

What Candidates And Clients Should Consider... I trust everyone had a fun and safe 4th of July - now onto today’s blog!  In today’s blog, I am going to look at the areas that over the last twelve years seem to be the most significant for both candidates and clients...

One of the things that I am continually asked is, “What is the right mindset for that first interview?”  Everyone knows that mindset is the key to what behaviors you display. Like the saying “As you think, so you are.”  So, what is the mindset for that first interview?  Most...

At the risk of maybe some redundancy over the last year, I think this is an important question you need to ask yourself.  If a recruiter is reaching out to you, is there any harm in talking to one?  The answer, like many answers in life, depends.  “What does it...

Why aren’t people getting hired?  Why aren’t firms hiring? Two very important questions and both are answered the same way.  No vision.  What do I mean by no vision?  We are still in a candidate-driven market, so it’s up to the hiring firms to sell the vision of the firm. ...

Over the years many people have associated being recruited with going out on a first date.  The similarities between recruiting and dating are significant and by examining these we can help you become a better recruit.  On your first date, everyone puts their best foot forward. As the process continues,...

What Does The Team Approach Look Like? As many of you are aware, over the last couple of weeks I have been helping my wife recover from a spinal fusion.  Not an easy surgery to say the least, but she is doing great.  The surgery was on the 27th of...

This week we conclude the two-part series about what opportunistic hiring really entails.  We left off with the first interview being completed, now let’s address the conclusion of the process.  Once again, we will demonstrate the effectiveness of the opportunistic hiring process compared to traditional job hunting with or without...

I shared last week that hiring managers are being inundated with a plethora of unsolicited candidates for one reason or another.  With the advent of a reduction in force and disappointment in bonuses, it's no surprise that managers are being inundated with applications.  However, as I shared last week, our...

2023 is in full force now. Everyone is back from their long holiday retreats, and current hiring managers are being inundated with unsolicited calls by bankers that are now looking at reality - their actual bonus checks.  Most bankers at this time have either received their actual check or at...

Unfortunately, this week we laid my mother-in-law who lived to the ripe old age of 94 to rest.  She left a family of ten grandchildren, and as the designated two grandchildren got up to speak and share their thoughts about their loving grandmother Ethel, they decided to build a theme...

As we get ready to wind down the year, I want to offer a few final suggestions for 2023 regarding the significance of relational recruiters: To The Candidate: Do Not Hesitate To Reach Out To Relational Recruiters First, if you have ever started with a relational recruiter and you did...

Throughout the many years of these blogs, I have referred consistently to the term and world of opportunistic hiring.  In this week's blog, we are going to dive deep into the term and what it can mean for your future.  Not only are we going to talk about the term...

As the year winds down, more and more firms are deciding to trim their excess fat going into 2023 whereas other firms are trying to add to their personnel roster, now the need for recruiters is continuing to grow.  However, some people are reluctant to use the services of a...

Last week we discussed the cost of hiring the wrong person from the company’s perspective and how important that was.  In this week’s blog, we continue with the cost to the candidate of choosing the wrong new employment situation.  This is such a significant question and one that should not...

In this week’s blog, I want to address the technical area of the debrief.  This will only apply to those candidates that choose to use a recruiter.  The debrief is after the interview conversation where you share your interview with your recruiter.  Not only does a candidate have a debrief,...

Over the last couple of years, I have touched on what I deem as “secret sauce.” In today's blog, I am going to delve into it in great detail. By utilizing this one idea while interviewing for any position, you will be a much better candidate. When using the words...