At SkyWater Search Partners, our Private Equity experts understand the unique challenges faced by investor teams looking to fill key leadership positions within their portfolio companies. While every investor – and every company – is different, we have identified 5 critical success factors of PE portfolio company leaders. When it’s time to bring in new leaders, make sure your recruiting strategy focuses on these 5 non-negotiables.
This is Part 2 in a SkyWater Search Partners Private Equity series
You remember it all so clearly. You were pouring coffee into your favorite mug at work one morning when all of a sudden it hit you: your great idea to reach a new, untapped market for an underselling product. Excited about the possibilities, you rushed back to your desk and used the few minutes you had before your next meeting to type up your thoughts and check a few facts and figures online. A coworker joined you as you walked to the conference room and you bounced your idea off him. You said you were hoping to have a fleshed out draft ready to run by your boss next week. Your coworker didn’t seem that impressed with your amazing idea but, ok, whatever.
It’s no secret that telecommuting is a growing trend across most industries. In fact, despite recent decisions by a handful of organizations like IBM to call their remote workforces back to the office, telecommuting, it seems, is here to stay.
I follow two studies that explore turnover in the IT world. The Tech Career Outlook report by Spiceworks, asks IT professionals how they feel about their jobs, workplace satisfaction, salaries and future prospects. The second, the Tech Leavers Study, conducted by the Kapor Center for Social Impact and supported by the Ford Foundation, begins with this provocative headline: “Unfairness-based turnover in tech is a $16B a year problem.”
We are kicking off our 4th Annual “Walk a Mile for a Smile” in an effort to raise awareness and donate to Smile Network International.
You’ve sifted through stacks of resumes. You’ve found that elusive, perfect specimen of a candidate. Even better, they’re just as interested in the job as you – and the hiring manager – are in them. Best of all, they ace their interviews, leaving their competition in the dust. Your client is happy. You’re happy. And you pull together a great offer. It’s all systems go.
You get a call from a headhunter. Or a friend mentions that their employer is hiring. Maybe you’ve just been keeping your ear to the ground, daydreaming about a new job. And that new job pays more money.
The longer you’ve been job hunting, the sweeter it is when you hear the words, “we want to extend an offer…” Yes! You’re in the final lap of the race. But it’s not over yet. So don’t lose your focus now. It could end up costing you, big time.
You know the three rules of job interviewing: 1. PREPARE, 2. PREPARE, 3. PREPARE. But as you gear up for a great first interview with a potential employer, you may be so focused on what to do — that you may not give enough thought to what not to do. During your first interview, you’ll likely be asked if you have any questions. No matter how well you may have answered their questions, it is equally important that you ask your own questions masterfully. The interview is an audition. And asking questions is your opportunity to showcase your leadership skills, your ability to ask insightful questions and conduct yourself intelligently during high-stakes meetings, your knowledge of the company and the industry, and your career priorities. It is also a moment fraught with risks and potential pitfalls. Before your next interview, do your homework, write down your questions, and be sure you avoid the kinds of deal-killer questions we’ve listed below.
What does your company do?
Never, ever ask your interviewer for information that you’d already know if you had bothered to do a few quick online searches. That said, if your intention is to better understand the specifics of how the company functions, ask your question by prefacing it with what you do know about them.
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