Career

Technological progress is constantly reshaping the definition of work. Companies produce in new ways, markets expand, and societies evolve. Overall, technology creates opportunity – we devise new jobs, increase productivity, and deliver effective services.

Technology is changing the skills that employers seek. Workers need to be proficient at complex problem-solving, teamwork and adaptability. Digital technology is also changing how people work and the terms on which they work. Even in advanced economies, short-term work, often found through online platforms, is posing similar challenges to those faced by the world’s informal workers.

Who you work with makes a big difference. The intersectionality of skills, life experiences, business practices, professional development, success and failures, passions and yearnings make up a person… understanding this and the connection points between people drive valuable insights. Connecting with people worthy of attention that complement us professionally is critical to success.

Great business potential exists when industry visionaries connect with talented, experienced and passionate professionals. 

Great work gets accomplished when the right formula of people is present, focused on challenges.

People-Solutions are at the nexus of business challenges and talent acquisition. The new world of work requires more than recruitment or talent acquisition…it demands that we define the business challenges AND align the right professionals, in the correct engagement model to ensure ROI.

To prepare for the new challenges of digital marketing and the exponential market shifts, we – the professionals who understand the new world of work – align around a set of principles that transcend companies, contexts, and constraints. These principles include:

• Relationships over commodification
• Courage over status quo
• Transparency over obfuscation
• Connection over transaction
• Fulfill over just fill
• How we get to the goal is as important as the goal
• Who is as important as what

Code of Practice
The fulfill code consists of ten practices we adopt:

1. Think long-term – Understand that value increases and compounds over time. Resumes and job descriptions are a poor, one-dimensional substitute for conversations. True connection is possible when all parties are invested in learning and discovering opportunity – the company and/or agency and the talent – and are open to staying in touch to fulfill a successful working relationship.
   
2. Have courage – As we experience accelerated change, it’s tempting to want to bet on sure things. But business opportunity is often at the edges. The “best candidate” and “job” most times seem the safe choice but invite risk. Have a “Be Smart Early” mindset.
   
3. Communicate with integrity – Fulfillment depends on honesty and transparency in our dealings. This kind of communication creates a positive ripple effect in our relationships and supports continuous improvement through a constant feedback loop.
   
4. The power of connection – Interdependencies are essential for creating shared purpose and understanding. When we all work to improve the overall environment surrounding work through conscious connection, our work improves as well.
   
5. Walk the talk – Say what you mean, and mean what you say. Behave in a way that is consistent with the company’s beliefs, internally and externally.
   
6. Everyone has value – Every person has a role to play, and a voice to contribute. Fulfillment is as much a product of vision as of execution. Recognizing talent means appreciating the whole person.
   
7. Build capabilities and capacity – People can do, and they can also teach. Empower, promote, support, develop, test, and celebrate people. The best companies work with experts who expand capacity and help build internal capabilities.
   
8. See the whole person – A person is the intersectionality of skills, life experiences, business practices, professional development, success and failures, passions and yearnings. Embrace the diversity of thought, background, culture and experiences.
   
9. Means AND ends – How we connect and work is as important as our goals and ambitions. An investment in quality and thoughtfulness pays dividends in relationships for years to come.
   
10. Fulfill the future – Be willing to identify, qualify, and invest in the people who are right for the company and market of tomorrow. Seek depth of expertise and difference in points of view. Embrace width of knowledge and the energy it creates. This is how we fulfill the future together.

My intent for writing this manifesto is to share these ideas as broadly as possible, encourage conversations, influence thinking and recapture our humanity in the hiring process. People are the most important component of all endeavors; let’s acknowledge that and be mindful of it. If you agree– pass it along, champion and discuss these principles!

I’ve been searching for years to develop a better structure to the way I approach recruitment. How I understand and perceive people, drawing out the bits of seemingly insignificant information that will lead to deep connections with others….framing it in a concise way has just eluded me.

Over the years, I’ve told anyone that will listen, no one aspires to be a recruiter, much less in the staffing industry. We all stumble our way here. If you are lucky, you connect with a company or manager or co-workers that provide you with a good foundation. Maybe you get a modicum of training or pick up a mentor. That’s what typically leads to initial success. As you progress, honing your interviewing skills falls squarely on your shoulders. You learn from trial and error-you press on. This leads to longevity.

Truthfully, my recruitment skills have slowly evolved over the years…rapidly jumping at times but mostly growing at a slow grind. With time and experience, I’ve learned to understand and professionally assess people across a variety of industries (nursing, technology, marketing and digital). Mostly, that is the easy part. The challenge is understanding people; who they are, what they actually enjoy doing, what ignites their passions, what drives their engagement… then how all of that shapes what they do professionally. But how do you incorporate all of that into a meaningful and consistent process?

To me, understanding a person’s professional skill set is penultimate; uncovering the core of a person is the pinnacle of connecting.

Recently, I came across a term that I immediately recognized as core to the approach I take interviewing people. Leave it to the wisdom of the Japanese to truly capture the essence of how a person should approach the place where work and life intersect: Ikigai.

Ikigai is a Japanese word whose meaning translates roughly to “a reason for being”, encompassing joy, a sense of purpose and meaning and a feeling of well-being. A simple Ven Diagram elegantly explains how it is all interconnected.

When I meet people, I start with understanding what they love to do. Regardless of their current job or role, I want to understand what fuels their passions and what they are driven to accomplish. Then we discuss what they are currently doing and how it aligns (or doesn’t) with who they are. This always leads to a deeper discussion about how they got to where they are professionally-but with an understanding of how they maintained the path they had started down or veered off. It is eye-opening for some, an affirmation for others….but it affords insights you typically do not get in an interview. You are actually beginning to understand the person. 

We venture on to discuss what they excel at and how that shapes what they want their next role to be. This goes right to alignment of passion, skills, jobs, and compensation. After understanding a person, I can finally start thinking about the types of companies, opportunities and client partners that might be suitable. That’s when I am able to connect the dots.

It’s different, for sure. Many people leave a meeting with me probably feeling a bit confused. It may take a day or two for a few things to click, for them to understand that I am a long-term partner connection and not just a recruiter. 

Let’s discuss where Ikigai will lead you. Jack@qualifi.works