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When I'm working with a candidate that considers making any sort of change in their career, I try to put myself in their position. This is different from empathizing with somebody. This is allowing me to see what I am suggesting through their eyes. I believe this is one of...

It is time to discuss the bonus structure that firms are offering. This is a continuation from last week where we discussed the differences between bulge brackets and regionals.  I did not want to convey that bulge brackets have only one type of bonus structure that they offer, or on...

I want to address how you choose between two competing offers for public finance bankers.  Similar questions can be raised by our bond counsel candidates as well.  For example, the differences between a bulge bracket type firm or a regional based firm.  In a candidate driven market, which does exist...

Last week we looked at the junior banker and analyst and how they went about communicating with a recruiter about their current circumstances. The essence of the article was that for one reason or another they did not want to be honest with the recruiter and/or themselves. As we look...

Recently I have seen a new trend with junior bankers and analysts that may be surprising to you.  They are not admitting to themselves, or least of all to a recruiter, their true feelings about their current situation.  I am not sure what is causing this; whether it’s the lack...

The Candidate And The Company: What To Expect After The Initial Interview Process In this three-part series, last week we covered the initial contact, the resume, first call and the debrief.  We ended with the prospective employer asking for a business plan for those revenue producing bankers or bond counsels....

What does a qualified recruiter really do? The simple answer to that question is we get people hired.  Let us delve more into what that entails.  Most hiring managers think all we do is present a resume, sit back, and collect “fat checks”. Recently I was being interviewed for a...

When looking at trends recently, I have noticed one regarding what a “no” really means. Previously, a “no” meant that it is over, move on, or anything else that your mind may hear.  I grappled when choosing this as a message for a blog, but I felt as though it...

One of the trends that has changed drastically over the last three to five years is the reference check.  When I was first in the industry, it was the responsibility of myself as the recruiter of record to do all reference checking before a final offer would even be contemplated....

As many of my readers are aware, I look at trends that are occurring in the field of public finance and bond counsel recruiting. This current trend that I am seeing is not as applicable to the bond counsel world but is most definitely applicable to the world of public...

Continuing with the theme of new firms reaching out to us, I must share an observation that will shed some light on what opportunities really exist. When I talk to a potential candidate about a firm, I try hard not to share the name of the firm until I have...

As I started reviewing my previous blogs, I realized that all I frequently talk about are bankers and attorneys. The reason being that these are the professionals we are consistently representing. However, this week I saw a new trend occur. I saw firms reaching out to me looking for not...

Every conversation that I have with a prospective candidate or client I discuss the elements that make us are different from other recruiting firms.  During those daily conversations, I always reference the term opportunistic hiring. I also reference opportunistic hiring situations in many of my blogs.  Over the next two...

It is time to address the types of people getting hired, generally speaking. It does not matter if you are a public finance professional, underwriter, trader, or even bond counsel; this categorization will apply across the board. There are two types of individuals that are prime to be hired. You...

It’s time for me to address job boards. There are numerous types of job boards that a candidate can look at. There are the paid job boards and the free job boards. There are job boards on specific firms’ websites, then there are job boards on many recruiters’ sites. Depending...

Before diving into what a traditional or functional resume says about you, I want to share a quick story. A friend of mine convinced me to set up a ring doorbell camera for our house. After the doorbell was set up, he suggested we add an additional camera to our...

I believe I have done my readers a disservice by not distinguishing job orders from opportunistic hiring, which is an area we specialize in.  First of all, let me clarify that 95% of all the recruiters work are job orders - we do not.  Why is that important to you?...

It is time to look at the word “experience”, and what it means as it relates to getting hired from both perspectives of the candidate and hiring managers in public finance. This should be a simple topic as if you are experienced, you would be in demand; however, that may...

As I pondered what to start the 2021 blogs with, I thought about some conversations that I have had over the last month or so regarding compensation issues. I also thought of a specific conversation that recently occurred with Jennifer and a potential bond counsel candidate. Jennifer, as you may...

I want to share a lesson that took me over three years to truly understand. "Going Dark" by both client companies and your hiring managers is the worst situation for a recruiter to help manage with his/her candidates. On the converse, for their clients too. We all tend to, as...

Last night as I was reading one of my books, I came across an interesting quote from Tom Landry who was a famous and historic coach of the Dallas Cowboys.  While reading this quote, I cannot help but be struck by the similarity between a good coach and a good...

The phrase “show me the money” should be familiar to most movie watchers. It comes directly out of a quote when Rod Tidwell (the unappreciated football player) states to Jerry Maguire (his sports agent), in essence, enough talk and to show him the money. We are going to address that...

Today's blog is going to be a little bit more self-serving than most. I am going to really delve into why everyone, no matter what your position or your company, you should be working with a recruiter. This does not matter if you are a candidate looking for a new...

As we begin to turn the final page of the calendar for the year, I have people asking me, “Should I make a move?” I know you have heard this question before, but today I want to focus on a different aspect of this. Typically, I will ask if the...

It is time to address when the right time to move is. We're not going to look at if it's the right time to move or if it's the right company to make a move to; incidentally, we're going to assume that all of those concerns and questions are already...

Complacency can prevent you from making the next exciting and right move in your career.  Too many good bankers, bond counsels and those with public finance careers remain at their old firm for one reason. That one reason being they will not leave their old firm behind, even if it...

My intent with these weekly writings is to share with you real experiences that other candidates and hiring managers are dealing with on a regular basis. Today's discussion relates to a conversation that I recently had with a candidate who will most likely be making a move by the end...

“Is working with a recruiter going to affect my likelihood of getting hired?” This is a question I am asked often. I have also been asked, “Does working with a recruiter cost me any money?” Lastly, I have been asked, “Will working with a recruiter hurt my chances of getting...

The key ingredient to get hired these days as a producing banker or public finance attorney is your business plan.  What are you going to do to grow your practice? How will you generate significant revenue to your new employer? Under normal circumstances these are rather easy questions to answer....

As we continue to get our hands around COVID-19 as it relates to hiring, I want to discuss the compensation model and compensation in general. COVID-19 has caused a rise of angst throughout our entire community; however, it really has not caused a major disruption when it comes to compensation....

Due to this pandemic I have my intelligent daughter across the hall to me.  Not something I had ever contemplated upon her completion of business school at a top university, but I digress. I am still a proud father.  As I read an article the other morning, there was the...

Recently, we've looked at the questions you should ask yourself and questions for your potential employer. Let’s say that you’ve finally made the decision to make the move; and sooner rather than later, you realized, “I made a mistake!” Maybe the firm that you thought hired you is not the...

We have addressed the important questions you need to ask yourself in preparation for an initial interview in a previous blog.  Now I want to address the questions that you should be prepared to ask your prospective employer to determine if this is the right place for you. If you’ve...

After determining that there are definite positions in both public finance and the bond counsel world, we need to address the interview itself. Going a step further, let’s specifically look into the initial interview preparation. Most candidates that we have the pleasure of working with usually interview every five to...

We have previously discussed the new skills that you need to convey while you are being interviewed. Let’s now shift the focus from your external approach to your internal approach. We have all heard a great deal about mindset, and that you need to be in the proper mindset before...

Firms that are hiring are looking for these new set of skills. Do you have them? Are you ready to acquire them? As the country continues to re-open, I started thinking about how public finance professionals will have to evolve in order to thrive in this new environment.  As I...

The future of careers in public finance rely on video interviews. Can you get hired strictly by a video interview? This is a question I pondered, and the answer is yes. Recently, I had a candidate, who never had a face-to-face visit with the company or the hiring manager, get...

At one point I was going to write about the virus and how it is affecting the hiring markets, hiring managers, and candidates. Gears shifted, and I thought I should write about the markets in general and the effects on the hiring process. Then I considered just sitting back and...

Whether it’s a professional recruiter or someone that can represent your interests to both parties and manage the process, a third party in the recruitment process is instrumental. As mentioned in previous blogs, communication is key.  From tax exempt finance experts to entry level positions, you must be capable in...

Empathy is an interesting word. It’s not a word you’d think to use in reference to capital markets recruiting or anything else related to public finance. Should it be though? What exactly does it mean? By definition, it means “to feel what someone else is feeling or concerned about.” I...

Three years ago, I wrote a blog about answering the question, “Why do I need a recruiter?” The most popular response then was: “I don’t need a recruiter. I know everyone.” Do you know who says this? Both the client companies that we are privileged enough to represent and the...

First, may I wish each of you a very Happy and Healthy New Years! I apologize for missing the first blog of the year. While on vacation, I got that dreaded text saying, “Call home.”  My dad of 92, who is very healthy, was taken into the hospital because he...

In previous blogs, I have addressed the idea of "Radio Silence" or others may call it patience. Radio silence is the time that passes when you are waiting to see if a firm is going to want to move forward. But today, I want to address patience as to waiting...

I do not know about you, but a new decade is both nerve racking and exciting. In the world of getting hired, the game has changed drastically over the last decade or so. We are going to explore these changes. More importantly, what these changes mean to you, the candidate,...

Who is on your team? Sounds like a simple question, doesn’t it? However, there is a significant dialogue hidden in this question. Capital markets recruiters or any recruiters in the financial industry will recommend that you know your team. Knowing who is on your team is a critical element to...

Today I want to share, in my experience of executive recruitment and more, two of the most important things you can do after your interview has ended.  Both will be elaborated on in this blog.  Even when you read these two things, you may say, “I know that already.” But...

In a previous article discussing what was so special about $800,000, many of my readers enjoyed and commented on extensively.  I want to pick up on the main premise of that article, which was talking about the importance of a good business plan.  This is what I believe to be...

“A new focus to my 2015 blog,” was a slogan that was bantered about in the early stages of the PC wars. Managers were so afraid to make a purchasing recommendation, other than IBM, that they missed out on some great technological advances. More importantly, great deals on new innovative...

"STAY!" That’s right, you read it correctly: stay. A word that most finance recruiters do not use in their normal vocabulary. I am not saying I am the only recruiter that recommends this, but I truly believe that most finance recruiters do not recommend this option enough. Why? Recruiters are...

In previous blogs, I’ve talked about time killing deals. As a public finance and bond counsel recruiter, I want to address the very serious issue of background checks.  As we are in a fiduciary relationship with our issuers, whether we are public finance bankers or bond counsels, we can be...

Today's blog is going to be more instructional than most.  This is not meant as a catalyst for companies to let people go prematurely, but as a precautionary message to all job seekers with or without staffing and recruiting on their side.  There seems to be a growing trend that...

In a candidate-driven market, time can still kill deals. What do I mean by candidate-driven market? Simply that candidates have multiple options when choosing their next firm. I have seen more candidates change their mind about what firm they want to go to as time goes by. The firms that...

As a Capital Markets recruiter exclusively for almost ten years, I am asking you to read this blog carefully. Share it with your associates on both the Public Finance as well as the Bond Counsel business. As many of you know, I had stopped writing my blog on a regular...

We are continuing with our current theme: getting you a new position!  Today we talk about the interview. Everyone knows about the interview and the questions that are usually asked.  If you do not, you should Google popular interview questions and likely responses. I am not going to address that...