Public Finance Blog

In today’s blog, I am going to mix it up on the topic of recruiting.  I’m sharing an actual story of a candidate that I have had the pleasure of recently working with.  What makes this story so relevant is that the candidate could not see what I, as the recruiter, saw for him.  This is not the first time this has happened; however, the depth of the situation is worth telling.  You may find yourself in a similar fashion and wonder, What’s next in my career?”

Once Upon A Time In Recruiting Land…

Our story begins when I was sent an unsolicited resume from a regulatory compliance professional who had been out of work for about six months.  His background prior to the hiatus was immense in the field of traditional banking, credit, regulatory and compliance.  All areas that we touch upon in our recruiting practice, but candidly do not specialize in the non-public finance arenas.  There was something about the resume and background that kept gnawing at me.  I just had this intuitive hit that I could help this man.

The Gnawing Gut Feeling

Fast forward about a couple of weeks, and I did respond to say we should chat.  My expectation of the chat was that I’d listen and do what I usually do when someone is on the periphery of my recruiting expertise. This would include making suggestions and contacts they can pursue on their own.  As I have learned over fifteen years, I am best when I stay in my lane.  Still the gnawing!  I did my normal fifteen-minute “get-to-know-you” talk, and then scheduled a 45-minute in-depth interview. Again, the gnawing.

Potential…And Reality

After the in-depth interview I have in my recruiting, I kept seeing the possibility of making this gentleman into a public finance bond counsel.  He recently passed the bar exam after graduating law school many (and I mean many) years earlier.  He had an itch to practice law after all these years.  However, with no experience, it was going to be hard for him to get an associate-level position at most firms.  And he knew that. 

The Possibilities Are Real With Recruiting

But what I saw with my recruiting expertise and gut was a budding bond counsel!  One who could immediately enter a program at a law firm as a higher-level associate and be mentored for quick growth.  At the same time, he could be offering his immediate expertise in the banking and finance area of which he’d been heavily involved with for well over twenty years.

Creating Pathways To New Futures

I immediately reached out to a firm that specializes in public finance transactions and presented my vision of this future bond counsel.  The head of the group saw my vision, and I am pleased to say he will be starting on his new career path in August as an Associate.  Sometimes it just takes a recruiter’s gut and persistence to help change their life.  That’s the beauty of specialized recruiting. Can we do the same thing for you?

Conclusion

You don’t need a resume to chat with us! If you would like to discuss your options, please reach out for a confidential conversation at 760-477-1284 or email at harlan@hfriedmansearch.com. He can also be reached on LinkedIn. Harlan publishes a blog every Thursday here. Subscribe to our monthly newsletter here, which is a compilation of our weekly blogs, so you never miss one. We have also been mentioned in this year’s Forbes, click HERE to read more.  

About Harlan Friedman, JD & Founding Member, H. Friedman Search LLC. Harlan is a thirty-year veteran Public Finance Banker turned recruiter who specializes in the placement of all levels Public Finance Bankers, Healthcare Bankers, Municipal Advisors, Compliance Officers, Issuers, and Bond Counsels.