Sanford Rose Associates- TRX Executive Search

🗓️ Talent Report | What Top Performers Are Really Looking For I’ve had some incredibly honest conversations this month with experienced sales and manufacturing leaders. They weren’t just updating résumés or casually “open to work.” They were unpacking why they’re looking. Here’s what they told me: 🔹 “I want stability, not churn.” Many have been through back-to-back acquisitions: uncertainty, layoffs, leadership turnover. “I’d still be there if they hadn’t sold,” one said. The message? Great people leave when leadership loses focus or constantly shifts direction. 🔹 “I don’t want to lead if I’m not given the freedom and tools to succeed.” Several execs said they’re open to leadership roles, but only if they’re set up for success. Coming into an organization with no metrics, no buy-in, or legacy bottlenecks isn’t appealing unless there’s a real commitment to change and the latitude to lead it with full support from leadership. 🔹 “I want to work somewhere I can make an impact.” Whether it’s a growing territory, a smart business model, or a company investing in the right areas, top talent wants their work to matter. They’re not just job hunting. They’re looking for an organization worth investing their skills in. As we head into a week focused on aligning business plans with hiring plans, here’s the takeaway: Top talent isn’t just looking for a job because they need a job. Most are currently employed in positions, but wanting to make a strategic move. They are actively seeking a rewarding position and are highly targeted in what the next step looks like. They’re looking for stability, aligned leadership, and purpose. If you’re seeking proven leaders who can grow your business and your people, you have to show them where they fit in and that your company is truly investing in the vision, not just using it as a carrot to close the hire.

Is Your Hiring Process Engaging Top Talent Or Are You Just Hoping to Get Lucky? 🍀 Some companies treat hiring like a roll of the dice. They post a job, wait for applicants, and hope the right person shows up.They expect top talent to prove they deserve the job instead of showing why the job is a great career move. They assume the best candidates will jump through every hiring hoop just for the chance to work there. But hiring isn’t about luck, it’s about strategy. It’s amazing how many companies won’t engage with a recruiter because of the expense, yet leave critical roles open for weeks or months while struggling to find the right candidate. They are hoping their strategy works because it has in the past. The real issue? Many companies have job ads, compensation structures, hiring processes, or people that are actually pushing talent away rather than attracting them. Another issue? Too many organizations use the same hiring strategy for all roles. Everyone agrees that hiring an hourly worker is different than hiring a CEO. Yet, many companies approach salary-based roles the same way they do high-volume hiring. Today, job boards and advertisements aren’t yielding the same results they did even five years ago. The ROI on outreach is dramatically different. Case and point: - Two accepted offers last week. -Both candidates were people I reached out to directly, they didn't apply. -The hiring process was intentional and streamlined. From initial outreach to accepted offer? Less than 14 days. The Secret Sauce? Strategy. First, I have candidates willing to engage with me because I’m a specialist in their industry. - My outreach is targeted and specific. -I listen and provide a clear, concise overview of the opportunity. -For lesser-known companies, I build a compelling narrative: who they are, what their reputation is, and why they stand out. -I bring people to the table, but it takes a holistic approach to get them to say yes. What It Takes to Secure Top Talent Hiring isn’t magic. You can’t land an all-star player unless you’ve invested in what it takes to attract them. Recruiters and talent scouts bring players to the table. Coaches and leadership create the environment that gets people to sign. If a company has: Strong compensation, benefits, and career growth opportunities A hiring team that’s invested in the process Clear messaging on why a candidate should want to join Then great talent will want to engage. Ensure your recruiters (internal or external) represent your brand well. Can they explain your company’s value proposition? Do they understand what success in the role looks like? Are they selling the opportunity or just pushing resumes? How to Shift from Luck-Based Hiring to Strategic Hiring? -Have someone selling the opportunity, not just screening candidates. -Make your hiring process intentional. -Invest in the process for strong results.

Talent Tuesday: The New Rules of Resume Creation—What Actually Works in 2025 If a recruiter or hiring manager can’t tell within 6 seconds what job you’re targeting, what industry you’re in, and why you’re qualified, your resume isn’t working. Hiring teams don’t have time to guess what you do or where you fit. If your resume doesn’t get to the point quickly, it’s getting skipped. Here’s how to make sure your resume actually works in today’s job market. The Old Resume Rules That No Longer Work ❌ Generic resumes sent everywhere → Tailor your resume to your industry & skillset ❌ Long paragraphs → Use bullet points for easy scanning ❌ Responsibilities-focused resumes → Show impact, not just tasks ❌ Overstuffed with keywords → ATS-friendly doesn’t mean unreadable ❌ Fancy formatting & graphics → Keep it clean, white space matters The New Resume Rules for 2025 📌 Make your job title & industry obvious Hiring teams should instantly know what type of job you fit If you’re in sales, marketing, engineering, or leadership, say it clearly in the first few lines 📌 Keep it clean & easy to read Use bullet points, not paragraphs Prioritize white space over cramming in every detail Avoid tables, graphics, and over-designing—they don’t play well with ATS software 📌 Tailor your resume to the job you want Cut experience that isn’t relevant Highlight skills that align with the role Lead with results, not job duties 📌 Hiring managers don’t just want to know what you did—they want to see the impact you made 🔹 Instead of: "Managed a regional sales team." ✅ Say: "Led a team of 8, driving a 27% increase in revenue and securing $3.2M in new contracts in 2024." 📌 Make key achievements easy to find Length isn’t the issue, clarity is. A resume can be long if every word serves a purpose 📌 Quantify your impact whenever possible Numbers grab attention. Instead of "Improved processes," say: ✅ "Redesigned workflow, reducing project turnaround time by 30%" 📌 Ditch outdated fluff "References available upon request" → They know. No need to state it "Proficient in Microsoft Word & Outlook" → These aren’t selling points in 2025 "Hard worker, team player" → Show it with results, not just words The Bottom Line Your resume isn’t a life story, it’s meant to spark interest and start a conversation 📌 If someone has to hunt for key details or guess, you’re making them work too hard 📌 If you don’t differentiate yourself, your competition will have the leg up 📌 With hundreds of applications for some roles, how you position yourself can be the difference between an interview and a generic rejection email

Sunday Talent Report (Belated!): What Candidates Are Actually Experiencing in Today’s Hiring Market Every week, I speak with candidates who are actively looking for a career move. Many are exhausted by what they’re encountering in the hiring process. Many have told me they’re frustrated, discouraged, or completely disengaged from traditional job searches because of the disconnect between how hiring should work and how it actually plays out. Here’s what I’m hearing: “I applied, but I never heard back.” They spent time tailoring their resume, filling out the application, and answering screening questions only for their application to sit in an ATS abyss. “I had five rounds of interviews, and they went with an internal candidate.” Companies are dragging candidates through multiple rounds, only to hire someone they already had in mind. Candidates are starting to say no to drawn-out processes. “I talked to their recruiter, but they couldn’t even answer my basic questions.” Too many candidates get vague, scripted pitches from recruiters who haven’t taken the time to understand the role, team, or company. “They lowballed me and acted surprised when I declined.” Candidates know their worth. If the offer doesn’t match the market, they move on often without even negotiating. The Disconnect: Why Top Talent Isn’t Engaging Companies are spending time and money recruiting, but many of their best potential hires aren’t even considering them. Why? Hiring processes are built around filtering candidates out, not drawing them in. Vague job postings, unrealistic pay ranges, and disorganized hiring practices signal red flags to candidates. I hear over and over: "Talking to you has been a breath of fresh air." Why? Because I do something radical, I actually listen. I also have tangible information beyond the job description that isn't based upon a google search. I don’t just match resumes to job descriptions. I have real conversations about: ✔ What success looks like in the role ✔ The realities of leadership, culture, and opportunity ✔ Whether a move is truly the right next step for them What Companies Need to Understand Top candidates aren’t just looking for any job, they’re looking for the right job. If your hiring process is slow, vague, or disconnected from reality, you’re pushing talent away before they even reach the offer stage. Instead of blaming “a tough hiring market,” ask: - Are we making it easy for great candidates to say yes? -Are our recruiters engaging talent or just screening resumes? -Are we attracting career professionals or just hiring people who need a paycheck? The best candidates aren’t ghosting you. They’re choosing who to engage with. Is your hiring process worth engaging with?

Feeling Stuck in the Hiring Process? You’re Not Alone. Lately, I’ve had so many conversations with job seekers and hiring managers who feel completely frustrated. The hiring process feels broken, and people are feeling alone, discouraged, and unsure of what to do next. Job seekers tell me: 🔹 "I’m applying to hundreds of jobs and hearing nothing back." 🔹 "I see 100+ applicants on a posting hours old why even bother?" 🔹 "I’m rewriting my resume to beat ATS filters, optimize for AI, and still getting auto-rejections" 🔹 "I don’t even know if a human is ever seeing my application." Hiring teams are feeling it, too: 🔹 "We’re getting more applicants than ever, but still struggling to find the right fit." 🔹 "ATS and AI tools rank candidates, but for roles with specific backgrounds or requirements, they’re missing the mark." 🔹 "Posting a job now feels like inviting chaos we get flooded with applications, many from unqualified people who haven’t even read the description." The reality? This job market isn’t just competitive, it’s overwhelming. Tools meant to make hiring easier have created new barriers instead. AI, ATS filters, and automated job applications are making it harder for the right people to connect with the right opportunities. But here’s what I know works: ✅ Relationships over algorithms. The best candidates aren’t always hitting “apply” they’re being referred, recruited, or found through networks. ✅ Industry knowledge beats keyword matching. AI can’t always identify the best talent for specialized roles, but people who know the industry can. ✅ Calibrated hiring. When hiring teams refine their recruitment strategies and interview processes, they attract stronger candidates and make better hires, faster. If you’re frustrated, you are NOT alone. The system may feel broken, but there are still ways to stand out, get noticed, and find the right fit.

All too often, when companies strategize their succession and growth plans, they overlook a critical step; actually communicating with their employees. A successful succession plan isn’t just about identifying people for roles they’re qualified for; it’s about aligning them with jobs that match their career goals, aspirations, and comfort zones. When companies fail to do this, they risk losing top talent either by pushing employees into roles they never wanted or by leaving high achievers feeling stuck with no clear path forward.

Interviewing for the Job You WANT – Not Just the Jobs You’ve Had Too many candidates get stuck in the past during interviews. ❌ They focus on what they did instead of what they can do. ❌ They describe how they worked instead of showing why it worked. 💡 Hiring managers need to see that you’re ready for their role, not just that you’ve had a job before. ✅ Shift your mindset from past-focused to future-ready ✅ Translate your experience so hiring managers can envision you in the role ✅ Use storytelling to showcase why you’re the right hire