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    Leaders Share Tips to Build Career Resilience as a Woman in Tech 

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    No career journey is complete without some level of uncertainty along the way. Discover tools to support you in times of uncertainty, whether you’re an individual contributor or spearheading a team. 

    In this blog, we share insights from the “Building Career Resilience in Times of Uncertainty” workshop led by: 

    Erica Yamamoto, SVP of Marketing & Partnerships at Hired

    Kelly Griffith, Global Director of Coaching Services at Ezra Coaching

    Use their strategies to thrive amid the unpredictable waves of today’s job market.

    The state of the hiring market

    The recent hiring market has been characterized by uncertainty, volatility, and contradiction. We’ve seen layoff trends fluctuate significantly over the past several years. We’ve learned to brace ourselves for change. Big picture, we’ve faced a potential recession, significant hiring freezes, and layoffs. 

    Related: Recently Laid Off? A Jobseeker’s Guide to Bounce Back Better Than Ever

    Unfortunately, these effects disproportionately impact women. 

    Prior to COVID, average attrition rates at companies were actually higher for men. However, during the pandemic, 1 in 4 women considered leaving the workforce or downshifting their careers. That compares to 1 in 5 men.

    In fact, globally, women lost 64 million jobs in 2020, amounting to a 5% loss. Black and Latina women comprised almost half of COVID workforce losses. For men, that was 3.9%. 

    2022 saw improvements in women’s labor force participation. However, it was still behind participation highs and below rates for men – who have regained all the jobs they lost during the pandemic.

    As of December 2022, women’s labor force participation was at 58.1% compared to 70.4% for men.

    Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

    The gender wage gap

    Inequality in workforce participation and unemployment also impacts wage equality. Hired’s 2023 State of Wage Inequality report reveals the wage gap – the difference in salary between white males and underrepresented groups – continues to be prevalent in the tech industry. 

    According to the data, Hispanic men, Black men, Hispanic women, and Black women saw widening expectation and wage gaps. These groups earn $0.97, $0.93, $0.92, and $0.90, respectively, for every $1 a white male counterpart earns. 

    Asian women and white women reported improvements in the expectation gap. Data shows increases from $0.97 to $0.99 and $0.94 to $0.95, respectively, for every $1 a white male counterpart earns. This has consequently driven improvements in the wage gap. 

    Further improvements arise from recent salary transparency laws, which show potential to reverse gender wage gaps in tech.

    Related: Read the full 2023 State of Wage Inequality report

    We are making some progress, albeit slowly. The challenge lies in sustaining this progress even as the economy wavers. 

    Prioritizing women’s health 

    The increasing shift to remote work is associated with increases in imposter syndrome. As employees gather more evidence about the quality of their work over time, their confidence grows. 

    However, remote work and isolation from colleagues usually mean less face time and feedback. With less input, employees have less reassurance of their work quality, regardless of their performance level.

    In an effort to champion women in the workplace, many organizations are paying closer attention to how they might support women’s health. This includes supporting employees through menopause. CIPD estimates that 1 million women have already quit their jobs because of menopause. 

    Given that women over 50 represent the fastest-growing employee demographic, organizations have much to gain by enhancing menopause care. After all, this pool of talent is also likely to aspire to leadership roles. This aligns with many companies’ goals to boost female representation at senior levels.

    Related: How AND Digital & Dropbox Boosted Women in Tech Talent Hiring Pipelines

    In terms of health for leaders, stress tends to be an inevitable part of work. Regardless of how much planning you do, there will likely be moments when things do go wrong. In these situations, stress may actually be a good thing. A pounding heart and a flood of adrenaline help you galvanize your team, handling what needs to be done to solve the problem.

    However, long-term stress is associated with a host of difficulties. Chronic stress causes health problems such as anxiety and personality disorders, obesity, eating disorders, and more. 

    To mitigate these risks, consider partnering with a coach or mentor to build personal resilience. This is a great strategy to greatly reduce burnout and boost confidence. 

    Career resilience

    What is career resilience? 

    Resilience is the ability to swiftly rebound from difficulties. As for career resilience, think of it as the ability to adapt to career changes as they occur. This might include: 

    Anticipating risks 

    Feeling comfortable with change 

    Limiting damages during turbulent times

    Regrouping and bouncing back when facing the worst-case scenario

    Related: Insights for tech and sales careers

    Perhaps you are active in your job search or are optimizing in your current role. Actively building career resilience will give you the strength to:

    Endure uncertainty

    Adjust to changes as they arise

    Position yourself for success in future opportunities

    Career resilience also enables you to be an effective leader for teams when they need it most. 

    Building career resilience is an active process. It needs just as much attention as building job-related skills. Make these resilience-building activities a habit – you’ll soon see the impacts in your career.

    Start building career resilience

    As a leader, you often have to absorb other people’s stress, work through difficult situations, and bounce back. You’re expected to be ready to take on the next challenge. 

    That’s not easy. Sixty percent of leaders say they feel “used up” by the end of the day. Twenty-four percent are considering leaving their company because stress levels are so high. 

    The trick here is to develop strategies allowing you to lead your team effectively through difficult situations – without destroying your well-being in the process. 

    Pause to reflect on areas of strengths and areas of continued focus. This is a strategy to self-assess and identify gaps in skills or your network you might want to develop.

    Your personal SWOT analysis 

    SWOT stands for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. This model is often used for project management but is an effective tool for reflection too.

    Simply pausing helps us create awareness and new insights. In turn, this enables us to focus on the areas that are most important.

    Here’s the recipe for resilience:

    Be self-aware: Even for senior leaders, having more resilient teams starts with ensuring you’re leading by example regarding reflection and positivity.

    Set reasonable expectations: “Above and beyond” is a great buzzword. However, make sure the goals you set for yourself and your teams are SMART.

    Ask for help: An often-underplayed component of resilience is the ability to understand your limitations and seek help when you need it.

    Get dedicated support: Are you a leader or aspiring to be one? An external viewpoint will help you navigate challenging situations, which can be invaluable to your growth.

    Revisiting this exercise regularly is a great way to pause and take stock of what’s going well – and where you can make adjustments or improvements. 

    This quickly instills an increased feeling of control over what may be a turbulent situation. It ultimately enables you to keep pushing forward.

    Resilient leadership

    A fundamental element of being a good leader is being able to instill confidence in your team. You need to keep the boat steady during times of uncertainty. How might you apply these personal insights to your experience and actions as a leader? Let us introduce you to The Change Curve.

    Applying The LHH Change Curve

    Research and experience tell us that people have a common transitional process they go through in times of change. People gradually accept the details of a new situation and the changes that come with it. 

    The five-stage LHH Change Curve Model is applicable to both positive and negative change.

    Food for thought: 

    Consider an example in which you’ve been through this curve (either as a leader or team member).

    Considering your personal SWOT, how can you leverage your strengths to support your team through change?

    What areas might you focus on developing to support your team even more?

    Having seen the change curve model, is there anything you’d add into your SWOT?

    Related: 10 Books to Add to Your List for Insights in Leadership and Management

    Moving forward (with resilience)

    The world has experienced some major shakeups over the past few years. Along the way, each of us felt anxiety and stress at levels we had not felt before. Everyone at some point has had to demonstrate some level of resilience.

    Building resilience is an essential habit to grow in your career and maintain your well-being along the way. It’s also a critical priority for businesses. They need leaders who can inspire a workforce and keep people focused, confident, and productive in times of uncertainty. 

    Give yourself space to habitually self-reflect on what brought you to where you are now and where you still have to go. This regular practice creates a map to follow amid turbulent times. It keeps you on the path to success in your career. More

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      How to Foster Psychological Safety in the Workplace, from Interviews to Management

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      Why it’s Important to Create an Environment for Employees and Candidates that Welcomes Feedback

      The workplace hasn’t always felt like a safe space to speak up or out. Because of that, issues can go unaddressed and ideas can go unmentioned. Savvy organizations know an environment strong in psychological safety is more conducive to innovation and employee satisfaction. Haven’t heard of psychological safety before or don’t know what it is? Learn why it’s important in the workplace from interviewing to managing teams. Find out how to establish and nurture it within your company.

      What Is Psychological Safety?

      According to Harvard leadership professor Amy Edmondson, “psychological safety is a belief that it’s absolutely ok, in fact, it’s expected, to speak up with concerns, with questions, with ideas, with mistakes.” Everyone feels comfortable being themselves at work. There’s no fear of punishment or humiliation for one’s thoughts or ideas.

      This doesn’t mean work is sunshine and rainbows all the time. Conflict will happen. The difference is people are willing to speak up. There’s mutual support with psychological safety.

      Psychological safety lays the groundwork for innovation and adaptive performance. This can occur at all levels of an organization. It establishes an environment where team members feel comfortable expressing concerns. They ask tough questions because everyone’s input counts. They’re not afraid to throw out ideas for fear of rejection. When team members feel safe, they’re more likely to take risks, share new ideas, and challenge the status quo.

      Anabel Morales, VP of Talent Acquisition at Worksome describes psychological safety in a nutshell as “really just having the ability to speak your mind and being open to candor.”

      Tyler Parson, Head of Talent at Chili Piper explains how creating this space stems back to the organization taking initiative. “If you create a culture where it’s okay to say those things, then it takes all the fear out of it, or at least most of the fear out of it.” 

      Company Values & Culture Foster Psychological Safety

      Reinforce and promote psychological safety through the company’s values. Doing so allows you to set the tone for its development throughout the organization.

      Worksome’s company values are “Speak data, be brave, and have fun.” Anabel Morales explains how these values work to build an environment of psychological safety. 

      “Being brave really connects to letting people be authentic, speak their minds, and have fun. I think it’s not just about social events and team building, but it’s also about actually having a passion for your work and having fun at your job because of what you’re doing.” 

      “Our cultural framework is made up of trust, transparency, and inclusion. We try to approach everyday interactions with our colleagues in this way and also throughout the candidate journey.

      Culture promotes psychological safety for internal employees seeking changes too. Tyler Parson shares how this works.

      “What we’re trying to build at Chili Piper and have been successful in doing so far is creating a culture where if you want something new, you always ask for it internally first. If it’s in the realm of possibility and our growth plan, then we try it.”

      With clear values and a positive culture, employees can feel comfortable expressing themselves in the workplace and building trust with the company.

      Psychological Safety in Interviewing

      For far too long, an interview hasn’t always felt like an opportunity to speak up without fear of backlash. Or worse, getting the boot from the recruitment process. Building psychological safety in interviewing will change that.

      Anabel explains why Worksome makes an effort to provide psychological safety in the interview process. “We want to ensure people feel free to speak up and share failures as well as successes because we know that’s really where the learning happens and that’s just important to share.” 

      This welcomes the opportunity for candidates to share the adversity they overcame to achieve success!

      So, how do you set a precedent of psychological safety for a candidate in an interview? It starts with the interviewer.

      Tyler shares that Chilli Piper ensures during “interview trainings, hiring managers are equipped with how to create a basic positive candidate experience. Part of that is understanding how to make candidates feel comfortable, welcomed, and [empowered] to talk about their experiences in a way that doesn’t shy away from talking about their failures.

      Gauge a candidate’s ability to foster psychological safety in the workplace. Ask questions focusing on empathy and respect. Assess if this person will be a good fit in a culture of psychological safety.

      How do you go about building trust with your team?Provide an example of how you showed empathy in your current role.How would you help someone progress after a failure?Share how would you respond if someone else’s view on a task or project differed from yours.

      Psychological Safety for Management

      Creating a psychologically safe workplace starts with strong leadership. Leaders need to model the behavior they want to see in their team members. They need to encourage open communication. Give employees the space to voice their opinions.

      Anabel believes “top leadership” setting a precedent has a ripple effect throughout the organization. “I think if they are living out their values then it will naturally trickle down to the rest of the company.” 

      “You can always use the values when you are trying to make tough decisions and when you reflect on the values, it’s [even] helpful in navigating your day-to-day.”

      “When we hire managers or if we promote somebody into a management role, right away we introduce them to our leadership principle, educating them on just how to live up to those values.”

      Tips to Build Psychological Safety

      Here are 3 important tips from Amy Edmondson to create psychological safety as a leader: 

      Frame the work as a learning problem, instead of an execution problem. Needing everyone’s involvement creates a rationale for speaking up.

      Ask more questions to invite sharingActively request opinions from those who tend to stay quiet

      Acknowledge your own fallibility to create more safety for speaking up. Tyler Parson supports this saying, “It starts with… you as a leader practicing vulnerability”

      Apologize when you make a mistakeAsk for help when you need it

      Model curiosity and ask a lot of questions to create a necessity for voice.

      Promote equal speaking time for everyone involvedEncourage feedback sharing and use it to build on ideas

      Psychological Safety Is the Foundation for Innovation

      Psychological safety establishes a baseline. Everyone can feel safe to speak up and feel heard when they do. In this sort of environment, innovation comes easily with the free flow of ideas. 

      Want more insights into recruiting tips and trends?

      Tune into Hired’s podcast, Talk Talent to Me, to learn about the strategies, techniques, and trends shaping the recruitment industry—straight from top experts themselves.

      Finally, want to listen to the full episodes featured in this article?

      Editor’s note: at the time of the podcast recording, Tyler was Head of Talent, in June of 2022, she was promoted to VP, People. Congrats, Tyler! Likewise, when her episode was recorded, Anabel was VP of Talent Acquisition, in August of 2022, she became VP, People and Culture. Congrats, Anabel! More

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      How to Effectively Respond to Candidates’ Final Interview Questions

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      The seismic shift during the last two years has turned the labor market on its head. Today, there is a near record of ~11.2 million jobs available, with almost two job openings for every unemployed American. And with the constantly shifting landscape, companies continue to face high employee turnover and difficulty acquiring quality talent to fill open roles. Sixty-nine percent of recruiters believe attracting and hiring talent will be difficult for the remainder of the year, per the latest data from Employ Inc.’s latest Quarterly Insights Report.
      To overcome this challenge, it’s key to determine whether the role aligns with the expectations and preferences of job seekers. One of the best ways to find out is during the interview process. By opening the interview floor to questions from a job candidate, you have the opportunity to better understand what is important to them and make authentic connections in a highly competitive hiring environment. In the past six months, 72% of recruiters have encountered candidates who have, at one time, received multiple offers at the same time.
      “What motivates you [Recruiter or Hiring Manager] to stay on the team at your organization?”
      Job seekers know what they are looking for in their next position and want to be satisfied with their future employment. In fact, new research shows that 32% of workers would quit a job without having another one lined up if they don’t feel content or fulfilled with their job. Answering this question truthfully will help the candidate determine whether or not your organization is a good culture fit. Especially since 21% of job seekers cited poor company culture as the top reason for leaving a job in the last 12 months. Another thing to consider is welcoming the candidate to ask that same question to others. The different perspectives of your hiring team can help the candidate really understand the organization and how it might align with their values.
      “What has the company implemented to help drive improvement in the organization?”
      While this question is broad, your answer can help your organization stand out. Tie this answer to the initiatives implemented to build your company culture or improve the well-being of employees, such as mental health benefits, strong work-life balance, and flexible work arrangements, among others. Per Employ data, poor company culture is one of the top reasons employers switch jobs. You might also pull an example from how the organization was faced with a challenge, made a change, and was ultimately able to overcome that obstacle. In addition to a strong culture, reinforcing how your team solves problems collaboratively can really help improve the candidate’s understanding of why they would want to join your team.
      “How has the organization been performing against goals this year?”
      Job seekers want to know whether an organization is setting and achieving its goals. This is especially important for roles where reaching individual goals correlates with salaries, as compensation continues to be a driving factor in today’s hiring climate. Per Employ’s latest data, 42% of recruiters found making adjustments to compensation and total rewards to be the most helpful strategy in overcoming the tight labor market. That’s why it’s crucial to leave interviewees with a clear understanding of compensation, how attainable the goals are, and whether the organization has successfully achieved them.
      “What is [Hiring Manager’s] leadership style?”
      Misalignment on leadership styles can cause significant workplace issues and future career paths. That’s why job seekers need to understand their potential manager’s leadership style and for you to know how candidates like to receive direction and feedback. Answering this question with transparency is critical. Otherwise, you risk hiring a new employee who may not mesh well with the team. Employ data found that nearly one-third of workers who left their job after 90 days claim unsatisfactory company leadership as the primary rationale for departing.
      “Do you have any concerns about recommending me for this position?”
      If you have concerns about gaps in skills or experience, take the time to explain why those are important to the position and allow them to respond. The candidate’s response to the feedback can also signal how well they handle critical feedback and if they’re willing to grow in the areas they’re lacking. Pay attention to what experiences they highlight to help reduce your potential concerns. The conversation surrounding this question could ultimately make, or break, your decision to move forward with a candidate or their decision to accept the job.
      Overcome Hiring Challenges with the Right Technology
      Before an interview even takes place, sourcing the right talent for open roles is crucial. However, our data reveals the biggest challenge for over half of recruiters is finding and hiring quality candidates, while 62% said improving quality-of-hire is their top priority. In today’s tight labor market, recruiters must adapt their tactics and processes to identify the best possible candidates, which can be accomplished by investing in intelligent talent acquisition technologies to meet hiring goals.
      When determining the best solution for the needs of your talent acquisition (TA) team, ensure the technology has extensive experience in delivering recruiting results within your specific industry and business size. Identify solutions that go beyond applicant tracking and integrate a wide range of capabilities to support your hiring goals, including recruiting AI and automation, employee referral tools, analytics, and more. With these solutions, organizations will have everything needed to identify the best candidates for every job opening and the opportunity to dig even deeper during the interview process.
      Corey Berkey serves as Senior Vice President, People & Talent, at Employ Inc. 
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      Why the Best Leaders are Also the Most Authentic

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      I attribute the positive impact I’ve been able to have on the teams I work with and the business itself on leading from a place of authenticity. Being openly gay in the workplace is an important part of that.
      The concept of authenticity, and bringing your true self to work, has been the subject of much discussion in recent years. There is often a fear of showing vulnerability in leadership, leading many to feel as if they cannot be honest about who they truly are.
      I have been fortunate to experience the opposite effect – being my authentic self has helped me feel less vulnerable and more impactful at work. As an openly gay man, I experienced the difficulty and immense reward that can come from this, particularly as a leader.
      The stress around ‘authenticity’
      Staying true to oneself in the workplace is not always easy and I’ve found it has often been a tough climb. When I was hired as a consultant by McKinsey out of university, I was thrilled to have my dream job. But I was then faced with the decision of whether I should be openly out in the workplace or do what many have done and refrain from being myself to avoid the judgment of others.
      Remaining in the closet throughout my time as a student had taken its toll on me. Everyday life felt high-risk. Not knowing if I could discuss the life that I shared with my partner at the time made it difficult to truly connect with those around me. Casual Monday morning conversations left me unsure as to whether it was appropriate to bring up my personal life with my partner if, for example, we’d gone away for the weekend. The lies and vulnerability placed immense stress on my soul.
      Leading with courage and integrity
      My experience at university and the problems caused by being closeted led to me making a personal pact to be truly open about myself at McKinsey from day one. I became the firm’s first openly gay consultant in Germany when I joined in 1993. This experience of being able to be a truer version of myself in the workplace has been an undeniably positive one as my honesty meant I was able to truly feel connected to others around me, instead of feeling like a fraud.
      The direct link between my own honesty and successful leadership is clear to me. Inspiring others to follow you and having a clear view of how to shape the future are key ingredients of leadership, and by being open about your identity, you encourage honest connection with your team which helps build a strong foundation. I truly believe that people are quick to spot leaders who try to represent themselves as something they’re not, and that lack of authenticity can lead to toxic workplace culture.
      In my own situation, I found that being genuine about my life to my team members and colleagues led to them seeing me as someone with courage and integrity – qualities that are invaluable in leaders. Whatever their views on homosexuality may have been, everyone saw me as both real and relatable.
      A leadership challenge for everyone
      Regardless of your sexuality, exhibiting authenticity can be challenging for any leader. Our goals at the C-suite level may well feel at odds with being vulnerable about our authentic selves. To the skeptics, I’ll offer that the points of commonality that openness facilitates can generate real business value.
      While working with a client’s CFO, I noticed a rainbow flag on the wall behind her chair. The mutual respect we quickly felt resulted in a successful partnership, which may not have been solely due to her allyship, but it was a shared bond that helped make negotiations more productive.
      I won’t pretend that this process has always been easy. Due to my sexuality, I’ve faced my fair share of setbacks. For example, I once reported to a boss whose homophobia created a lot of problems. I eventually found a way to report to a different executive, choosing to focus on areas in which I could succeed, rather than getting caught up with forces I couldn’t change. But it was tough having to deal with a person who did not accept who I was as a person.
      On the other hand, I’ve been fortunate to have had some amazing moments too, where it was clear to me that authenticity was the right choice in the grand scheme of things. On a visit to a delivery center, I noticed a cubicle decorated for a wedding and offered my congratulations to the associate. Unaware of who I was, he proudly showed me the photo of himself and his husband, saying, “we have this CFO who is out, and it sends a wonderful message.”
      More often, rewards are smaller in nature. Employees who see open and authentic leadership feel more comfortable bringing forward both the bad news and the good, which can improve buy-in for programs and strategies. Not only this, but it encourages a positive workplace culture, one built on empathy and understanding.
      The bottom line is faking it doesn’t cut it – and it can even interfere with the ability to lead. Authenticity isn’t the only quality that helps leaders make a difference. Integrity, fairness, commitment, and being approachable and able to share all help us to have a greater impact. My experience has shown me that my team members and other colleagues have concluded “I can work with this guy because I know who he is” and that’s truly the highest praise a leader can get.
      By Jan Siegmund, Chief Financial Officer at Cognizant.
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      How Smart Companies are Solving Post-Lockdown Working (4 New Trends)

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      From ‘swarm teams’ to the metaverse, innovative ideas take on the challenges of the new world of work…

      In late 2021, Professor Lynda Gratton of the London Business School asked 150 executives from companies around the world for their take on the biggest challenge currently facing businesses. The answer came back loud and clear: “retaining people,” closely followed by “recruiting people.”

      It picked up on a problem destined to grow. The Great Resignation, the result of lockdown-fuelled dissatisfaction with our jobs was first. Then it was followed by the Great Reshuffle, as workers leapt from job to job in search of fulfillment. As we entered post-lockdown working, how would companies evolve?

      In May this year, the UK’s Office for National Statistics revealed that there were more job vacancies than unemployed people in the country for the first time since records began. The marketplace has since begun to settle, but a July survey of 1,100 US professionals showed that 31 percent were planning to quit within the next 12 months. In other words, employers still need to focus hard on hiring and keeping the best talent.

      Post-Lockdown Working at Home vs In-office

      According to Josh Brenner, CEO of Hired, the largest AI-driven recruitment marketplace for tech workers, what is most likely to attract and retain employees is the offer of flexible working. In a recent Hired survey, less than two percent of respondents wanted a full, five-day return to the office.

      “We’ve seen really high rates of attrition when companies have forced people back to the office for a full five-day schedule,” he says.

      With that comes the need to make the best of hybrid work, potentially across disparate geographies. In order to retain employees, companies also need to work harder to engage them. They need to help them feel aligned with the organization’s values, Brenner believes.

      “When we hear about companies losing high numbers of staff, a lot of it is because employees feel disconnected. They lack a solid understanding of where the company’s going, and how their work  bubbles up and contributes to goals.”

      Throw in the need to prepare for a fast-changing world – technologically, geo-politically – and you have a cluster of problems for companies to solve in post-lockdown working. Those that do so most effectively stand to gain a competitive advantage – so what are the most innovative trending ideas? 

      In WIRED’s report, readers learn about the:

      AI company that has done away with managers marketing company making a four-day week pay dividends professional services company using the metaverse to engage its workforcerise of a new C-suite role that’s re-shaping business… More

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      How to Make the Right Executive Hire

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      Last year, many executives opted for early retirement when COVID-19 hit. Others were let go by their companies due to perceived redundancy in roles or the need for financial cutbacks.
      More than a year later, the economy is bouncing back and companies (both new and old) are trying to recruit quality leaders. And they’re discovering that hiring the right executive is more challenging than ever. But now is the time to invest in visionary, long-term leaders who can help your company adapt to the new future of work.
      The consequences of the wrong executive hire
      The consequences of making a bad hire at the executive level can be felt across the entire organization. The wrong leader — especially in the C-suite — can have lasting repercussions that continue long after they’ve left your company. Here are just a few potential outcomes:

      Lost productivity: A bad executive may lead their team down the wrong path in pursuit of goals not aligned with the company as a whole. Bad leadership and the wrong attitude can also bring down an entire team’s morale and productivity. In addition, all the time and money spent recruiting, onboarding, and training an executive hire will have to be reinvested — potentially costing your organization six to nine months of the desired position’s salary.
      Tarnished reputation: In the digital age, a bad hire can quickly tarnish your company’s reputation. They, or their dissatisfied former direct reports, can drop negative reviews on job review websites which can affect your ability to recruit top candidates, regardless of level.

      Turnover at the executive level also sows seeds of discontent and dissatisfaction into your workforce. Employees may question your company’s stability, and even worse, look for a job elsewhere.

      Decreased valuation: Effective leaders determine company success and shareholders often react negatively to executive turnover, especially if it’s unexpected. According to PwC, CEO turnover reduces median total shareholder return to -3.5% and a forced turnover can cost $1.8 billion more than a planned succession. If your business is service-based or project-based, a bad executive hire and changes in leadership could also impact customer satisfaction and retention.

      5 ways to recruit the right leadership
      Strong executives are vital to any business. They bring innovative ideas and energy that help your organization evolve. So, even though today’s hiring landscape is extremely competitive, you can’t afford to hire the wrong executive. The following tips can help you recruit, close and retain the right leaders in the current environment:

      Know your company: Before you start the hiring process, make sure you understand your company’s culture, values, workflows, and weaknesses. Then, practice how you communicate it. Hiring a good fit means they need to want to work at your company. This requires setting accurate expectations during the interview and hiring process.
      Know your goals and challenges: Similar to knowing your business, you should know where it’s headed. Identify your company’s goals. Then, consider the challenges your organization, industry, and sector will face in the next five years. This will help you determine the ideal experience and expertise of the type of executive hire who can get your company to the place it needs to be.
      Be clear about your remote work policy: According to a recent survey, 55% of the workforce wants to be remote at least three days a week. A company’s remote work policy is now a key consideration for candidates, so determining how often you need your executives to be in office (and whether it is negotiable) will help set expectations and ensure long-term success.
      Maintain momentum: Once you’re in the hiring process, make sure it doesn’t drag on. A slow process can frustrate candidates and cause you to miss out on a good hire. When you find the right person, be decisive and clearly identify next steps. In this way, recruiting is like sales: Time kills all deals.
      Lean on networks and partners: The best hires aren’t always those looking for a new job — the right person for the job may be an internal candidate, a referral from an employee’s network, or a product of outbound recruitment. A talent partner who has the experience, expertise, and existing relationships can help you uncover the perfect candidate, even if it’s someone who isn’t raising their hand.

      Good people power success
      We’re at the precipice of a new era of work. The pandemic continues to change the hiring landscape, accelerating digital transformation and popularizing remote work. Companies need strong leaders to ensure they not only evolve, but stay ahead of the competition. With the proper practices and partners in place, you can make the right executive hire to help propel your business forward.
      By Phil Gaddis, President of Executive Search, Addison Group.
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      Leading Employer Brand in a Tech Company

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      Thanks to media and the headline-grabbing office quirks of industry giants like Google, tech culture’s reputation precedes it. Jobseekers perceive tech companies as fast-paced, innovative places to work, and many assume a “work hard, play hard” attitude is a necessity. These preconceptions have a major impact on employer brand, as Klook’s Marilyn Yee knows well.
      Yee serves as Senior Manager of Global Employer Branding and People Communications at Klook, a travel tech company. With over 10 years of experience in the industry, she’s an expert on what tech demands from leadership. Employer branding, Yee reminds us, is a long game—even in a field that embraces rapid growth.
      Tech culture isn’t a monolith, but there are a few characteristics that unite most tech workplaces. These characteristics inform employer brand, what being a “culture fit” means at a particular company, and who self-selects to apply.
      Moving fast is one of those characteristics. “If you’re someone who gets bored easily, or you love a challenge, consider a career in tech,” Yee says. “Change is the only constant. It’s like an organized mess every day.”
      Another is the tendency for teams to skew young. At many top tech companies, the median age of employees falls in the late 20s. While those in management positions tend to be slightly older, tech employees above the age of 50 are in the minority.
      Tech also has a different relationship to diversity. According to Yee, a diverse team is a must-have, rather than a nice-to-have. “If you’re building global products,” she says, “you need diversity of perspective.”

      Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or Soundcloud.
      To follow Marilyn’s work in employer brand, follow her on LinkedIn. If you want to know how your employer brand measures up to others in your industry, talk to us about the Employer Brand Index.

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      Your Employer Value Proposition and COVID-19

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