Mike Goldman’s Post

Back when I had a staffing and recruiting firm, I had a woman working for me as a Staffing Supervisor. The job required meticulous attention to detail, crossing all the T’s and dotting the I’s. However, she was probably the most scattered person I had ever worked with. She struggled with details and wasn’t performing well in the role I hired her for. On the other hand, she had an incredible ability to walk into a room of 50 strangers and leave with 30 new best friends. She relished talking to angry, unhappy clients and had a natural talent for relationship-building. But in her current role, she was ineffective, so I had to let her go. When I did, I told her that while she was incredibly talented in certain ways, she didn’t have the skills or desire to succeed in the role I needed her to fill. However, I was confident that if she found a role better suited to her talents, she’d be a superstar. While she wasn’t thrilled about being fired, she eventually found a sales role in another organization and found amazing success there. When we keep underperformers around out of misplaced loyalty, we’re hurting ourselves, our company, and them. After all, everyone can be a superstar—somewhere. What are you doing to better understand the talents of your team members to ensure they’re in the right role, whether inside or outside your organization? #Leadership #TalentManagement #EmployeeEngagement #TeamDevelopment #BusinessGrowth #WorkplaceCulture #LeadershipDevelopment #RightPeopleRightRoles #OrganizationalSuccess #CareerGrowth

Ever had an internal candidate miss out on a promotion? Here’s why it matters to handle it with care. 👇 A few years back, I had a team member—let’s call him Jake—who had his heart set on stepping into a leadership role. He’d been with us for years, steadily growing and taking on more responsibility. When a leadership position opened up, Jake was ready to put his hand up. The catch? We opened the role to both internal and external candidates. Jake gave it everything—hours of prep, mock presentations, and a whole lot of heart. But in the end, we went with an external candidate who had a bit more experience. I’ll never forget the look on Jake’s face when I delivered the news. He tried to stay upbeat, but I could see how much it stung. Suddenly, his perception of the company shifted. All that loyalty and hard work felt overlooked, even though that wasn’t the intent. It was a tough lesson. It’s easy to focus on the successful candidate and the external hires, but the ones who don’t get the role—especially internal ones—can end up feeling lost and undervalued. Jake stayed with us, but he was never quite the same. And I knew that we had to do better to support our internal candidates, not just during the application process, but afterward as well. That experience taught me the importance of giving feedback, creating development plans, and ensuring that even those who don’t land the role feel valued and motivated to keep growing. Supporting our team members in their career journey, especially during setbacks, is key to keeping the trust and engagement that make our business thrive. So, if you’re managing a team or in the midst of a hiring process, remember—how you handle internal rejections can shape someone’s future with your company. Let’s make sure it’s a positive one. Plus—if you need a short-form video on this to make an impact now, you know where to find us. #Leadership #JobHunt #EmployeeEngagement #CareerGrowth

"It's not who you're attracted to, it's who you're attracting..." 💡 Anyone who reads relationship advice columns or skimmed the self-help aisle has heard this one. It's true. Especially when you're recruiting for key leadership roles. You don't just need to find the right person for the job, you need to make sure they're attracted to your organization and the opportunity or you'll waste time and resources on uninterested candidates who aren't right for the role. This is where we come in. A first step in our proven people engagement process is really getting to know your organization and role. Then we create a tailored talent attraction strategy and materials to go out and find the right person - the one who will be as interested in the opportunity as you are in having them join the team. 🎯 So, when you're ready to go out and find that perfect someone for your next leadership role, take a moment to ask, "who are we attracting and are they the sort of leader we actually want?" Then get in touch to see how TalentWell can help you find the right person so you can flourish. 🌿 info@talentwellinc.com Check out our site to learn more about how we ensure you're attracting the right person for your organization's professional or executive role: https://lnkd.in/dV3XHde6 #professionalsearch #executivesearch #talentacquisition #talentsearch #recruiting #executiverecruiting #recruitment #HR #talentmanagement #talentplanning #recruitingstrategy #talentmatters #talentwell

If you are a candidate seeking a senior leadership role, the bar is set higher for you. At this level, it is not about completing daily tasks and heading home. You have been hired to drive a long-term vision and make an impact. Role changes every couple of years (if not a contractor), over a 20+ year career, can indicate instability and unfulfilled commitments. Ultimately, this can affect your perceived market value as organizations want leaders they can trust to achieve these goals. The more senior the role, the higher my expectations, as a recruiter sourcing the right fit. At this level, experience alone is not enough, stability and demonstrated commitment play a large factor.

🚨 Are Job Titles Doing More Harm Than Good? 🚨 In today’s competitive landscape, job titles can often become a source of confusion and frustration. With many organizations experiencing job title ambiguity and inflation... Why should we care?... Well with ambiguous titles it often leads to mismatched expectations, making it harder for candidates to find the right fit. Then there is internal friction and inflated expectations. When teams lack a shared understanding of roles, inefficiencies and frustrations can arise all around. 💡 The Solution: More descriptive job titles that reflect actual responsibilities. Regular reviews and open discussions about roles can foster a more engaged workforce and a healthier company culture.

There will always be a time where you are or were the wiser choice for the role/promotion (better candidate). But someone with bias decision making chose the lesser qualified option. This doesn’t mean you’re less of anything. It could be purely you’re not a “Yes Man or Yes Sir/Ma’am or don’t fit their narrative. Or simply they may not like you. This is a sign of go where you’re valued and looked upon for your skillset and experience. Because it will be either them or you to shine the true light on the more qualified person. It’s not always who’s the loudest in the room. ♟️ ♟️♟️ Nothing worse than a boss or manager that doesn’t take the time to get to know you or what you can bring to the table/offer. “YOU KNOW WHO’S MORE QUALIFIED” 👀 #knowyourworth

When a senior leadership role ends suddenly it can be a confusing and emotional time.    I frequently chat with people looking for director-level roles who have been made redundant, or where contracts or companies have suddenly ended, so I wanted to share some of the advice I regularly hear myself giving.   📍Take some time to pause and reflect, resisting the urge to rush straight into the market. Get some inner clarity on what you’re looking for and what you bring to your next role/employer. A clear headspace leads to more focused applications and better interview performance.   📍Document your accomplishments from your previous role. Not only is it a positive exercise but it also prepares you for future interviews with solid examples of your impact.   📍Define what you want next. Use this time to clarify your career goals.   📍Update your CV and LinkedIn profile, then tap into your network   If you're navigating this transition, remember that support is out there, you're not alone and of course, if you'd like to chat about any of this I'm here! ❤️ #Change #ExecutiveRecruitment #SeniorLeadership

Candidate is 15 mins late. HR Manager says to cross him off. After 30 mins he arrives and his clothes are wet. He said, there was an accident so he got out the taxi, and walked and ran part of the way as it was raining. I didn’t even bother to interview him. I got him a cup of coffee and told him, "You are hired, go home and get some dry clothes." It was for a job in sales. He already had a great resume and if he showed so much heart, I wanted him on my team. He ended up being my Top Performer. Life happens! Maybe a candidate didn’t look the neatest or wasn’t the most confident, but that does not mean that they are not qualified for the job. If you want the best talent, stop looking for perfection. It does not exist! Focus on what value a person can bring. Look for passion and potential. Who took a chance on you? Maybe it's time you took a chance on someone. Agree? Pc: Brigette hyacinth #leadership #humanresources #management

What do hiring managers really want? 🤷♀️ It's a tough balance. Too long in one role, and there's concern you’re stuck in one way of thinking. Move too often, and suddenly you're a job hopper. Never worked in the industry? They might think you won’t grasp the business context. The truth is, these biases often reflect the hiring manager’s own journey. If they’ve stayed put for a decade, it’s likely they’ll value that stability. If they’ve moved around, they will be more open to varied experience. It's nearly impossible to satisfy every expectation, so don’t take it personally. Hiring managers, take a moment to reflect on your biases. Try look beyond the CV to see the broader potential a candidate could bring to your team.

I had advertised to hire for a manager’s position... and among those who qualified in terms of relevant experience, was a candidate who was a senior executive from a smaller company. She ticked most of the boxes in our requirements, as did a few other shortlisted candidates. I was surprised when she asked to start from a senior executive role – even though I would have gladly hired her as a manager. That made her stand out from the rest. I saw in her humility – an attitude to want to establish a good foundation. After all, she was joining our organization, which has relatively more complex processes and stakeholder relationships to navigate. I saw in her confidence – to do well enough to justify the portfolio and responsibility. I often say I value attitude above aptitude. She was just that person. Needless to say, she got the job and ended up working in my team for almost a decade. She was a star in my team, and I watched with joy as she grew in strength, knowledge, finesse, and maturity. I even watched her get married and have kids, like a proud parent. Now she is a respected marketing leader. Logic will get you hiring based on education and credentials. I was glad I went with my gut feel and read beyond what the resume stated. Would you? #Leadership #AttitudeMatters #Career