Downsizing’s Effects on Middle Managers
Greg Miller’s article, “Middle Managers Find It’s a Buyer’s Market” (Valley Business, Feb. 28), was interesting, but, I believe, somewhat misleading.
Unquestionably, employers recruiting middle-management personnel are enjoying plenty of applications as a result of corporate downsizing, or “right-sizing,” companies leaving California and dramatic reductions in defense spending. Therefore, if a company advertises an opening, they are going to be deluged with resumes. It does not necessarily follow, however, that this situation eliminates the need for, or economic advantage of, using a reputable executive search firm.
As a successful executive recruiting firm in Southern California, what we have found over the last few years is not that the demand for our services has diminished but that the emphasis has changed.
Like never before, every new hire is critical. Especially in the cost-conscious climate of today, companies cannot afford a mistake. So, while there may be scores of applicants available for job openings, very few can meet the demands of 21st-Century world-class competitive management.
What this mandates is a new breed of executive search professionals, no longer simply “headhunters” or “body snatchers.” The emphasis is now on functioning as a consultant for organizational planning and job engineering, crystallizing objectives, developing a realistic profile of their candidate requirements and developing compensation packages to attract and retain the top-notch candidates they are seeking.
Companies rely on the search professional not only to recruit, but to screen and select candidates who have not only the right experience but who also fit the corporate culture of their clients.
Perhaps the companies you cited in your article are exceptions, but few companies have the staff or expertise, nor do they consider it cost-effective, to plow through 1,200 resumes and numerous interviews to find the right person for their critical requirements.
That’s why our phone continues to ring.
RAYMOND L. EXTRACT
Extract & Associates
Calabasas
* This letter is in rebuttal to Greg Miller’s article “Middle Managers Find It’s a Buyer’s Market.”
When all variables are examined and analyzed, one glaring fact stands out. Employers, whether they are large or small, public or private, are only concerned about two things: themselves and money. Companies today are less concerned with having the most qualified and productive personnel than they are with saving a few dollars. Employers would rather have two or more lower-paid employees do a job that barely maintains minimal standards (and the employer’s revenue source) than one higher-paid and more productive.
After helping a company grow and working into senior management, I was laid off after 14 years due to the loss of several major accounts from circumstances beyond our control. Instead of keeping me, even at reduced rate of pay, and attempting to rebuild the business, the owner was content with the multimillion dollars I (helped make) for him. That type of thinking is prevalent and continues to be a factor when job hunting.
Some time later I was hired as a general manager for a company that was losing money. The owners thought an experienced managing executive could turn the business around. To cover themselves, I was offered a lower salary with a lucrative bonus structured on performance and results after 90 days. In less than 90 days I had totally restructured operations, developed new revenue sources and realized a profit. The company books painted a pretty picture; on the 89th day of my employment, the company was sold. No bonus, no job.
Back on the employment search, the same situation arises repeatedly. Although I take great care not to allow (my) previous (salary) to enter the conversation during an initial screening or actual interview, my experience (is that many jobs are) not available to me because the position probably pays less than I would like.
My experience has shown the most difficult part of a job search is getting past human resources and reaching the people who can recognize the qualifications and abilities of candidates who are able to competently fill a company’s needs. In most cases a human resource department’s only worth is keeping employee records and handling payroll. There are agencies and services who claim they have the system or know-how to get you and your resume in front of the decision makers. These organizations are as useless as human resources, and a lot more expensive.
RONALD A. FRANKEL
Granada Hills
