Hot Jobs Newsletter - November 2013

As we enter into this busy holiday period, we would like to give thanks to and for all of you, our clients and candidates. Your loyalty, support and trust in us to handle your recruiting and career needs over these past 20+ years is a big part of our success. All our best wishes for safe, happy, healthy and blessed holidays!

CONTROLLER- EXCLUSIVE- Client is in our office next week to interview so if you are interested contact us ASAP! Due to a promotion, our client is seeking a CPA or MBA with strong leadership skills and exposure to manufacturing operations. Client will consider a Manager directly from a large public accounting firm, a public/private mix, or straight corporate as long as they have strong general and cost/manufacturing accounting experience. Salary $115k- $130k ++

VP COMMUNITY PROGRAMS - This new retained search client is a pillar of the Rochester non-profit community. Due to a retirement, they are seeking an experienced professional with 10+ years in public policy, law, philanthropy, social services or other related work. Prior supervisory or management experience required. Masters or equivalent preferred. Must be a hands on doer who can also lead a team. Executive presence and excellent communication skills required as this key executive will represent the organization to the community at many different levels.

CORPORATE TAX- CPA and 5+yrs experience with corporate and partnership returns, expanding private company is looking to add a key player. Salary – Market.

FINANCE DIRECTOR(S)-Auburn, Rochester and Livingston County- Local non-profit organization is looking for multiple candidates for regional finance roles. Must have a BS in Accounting with 5+yrs experience preparing financial statements. Salary to $60K.

INTERNAL AUDITOR - Explosive growth international SEC service organization seeks a corporate auditor to join their exciting company. BS Accounting and 2+ years of audit in public accounting or corporate audit required. CPA +. Only 15% travel makes this an attractive opportunity to gain entry to the company and learn their operations before moving into other growth areas. to $57K plus bonus. 

BUSINESS ANALYST - This role has the perfect mix of systems and general accounting. The client is looking for a BS in Business and 5+yrs experience in general accounting or finance with 3 years working with GL, FA or PA modules within a ERP system, East side location. Salary $80-90k +Bonus.

STATE & LOCAL TAX (SALT) MANAGER- Local public accounting firm seeks a CPA with 3+yrs experience to manage state and local tax client work. Salary $50-$60k.

SMALL BUSINESS MANAGER- Public accounting firm seeks someone with 3-5 years experience and a CPA to work with clients $50-$60K.

TAX SENIORS/MANAGER(S) - Multiple CPA firms seek experienced public accountants with experience in compilation, review and both individual and corporate tax. These smaller CPA firms are looking for committed professionals who can be groomed for possible partnership succession plans within the firm. BS Accounting and CPA required. Competitive compensation based on experience/market. 

Interested in LinkedIn job posting updates?  Send a LinkedIn invite to cykb@ccy.com and yawmanbailey@ccy.com to connect with us.  Be sure to check Kym's Blog for all current newsletters and information.

Hot Jobs Newsletter - October 2013

Brisk Autumn temperatures have definitely come quickly, but the job market continues to heat up! Please review our new and ongoing postings thoroughly and let us know if you are interested in any of them. If you are not, please try to think of someone who would be and pass it along to them. We truly appreciate your referrals. If you have recently received a promotion or an annual review that included a pay adjustment, please update us with that info so we can be sure our files are current as we continue to search for new opportunities for you. Some of the opportunities below are looking to have the positions filled quickly so please let us know of your interest asap!

CFO - This CCY exclusive and retained search client seeks a dynamic and visionary finance professional to lead them through an exciting time of growth and transformation. Masters in Finance/Accounting/Business Administration or CPA required. 10+ years proven experience in fiscal operations including a proven track record of leadership/supervisory required. Experience with contract negotiations required. Knowledge of/experience with health care/non-profit operations a plus. Strategic planning and operations experience preferred.  

DIRECTOR OF FINANCE - Rapidly growing company South of Rochester seeks a hands on financial leader to work closely with the employee base to advance the mission of the company. Supervisory experience required. 5+ years of related experience required, manufacturing industry experience preferred. BS Accounting required. MBA +.  

VP COMMUNITY PROGRAMS - This new retained search client is a pillar of the Rochester non-profit community. Due to a retirement, they are seeking an experienced professional with 10+ years in public policy, law, philanthropy, social services or other related work. Prior supervisory or management experience required. Masters or equivalent preferred. Must be a hands on doer who can also lead a team. Executive presence and excellent communication skills required as this key executive will represent the organization to the community at many different levels. 

DIRECTOR - WEALTH MANAGEMENT - We have been retained by a well-established and prominent CPA firm to help them find a leader for their wealth management practice. This is an incredible opportunity to help exponentially grow a practice where most of the solicitation would be warm calls to existing clients. The ideal candidate will have 7+ years of client facing wealth management experience. Must have FINRA Series 7, 66, Insurance life/health licenses. One or more professional designations are a plus (CFP, CLU, ChFC). Successful candidates will have experience providing a full range of financial planning solutions, a professional image, and a consultative sales style. Prior supervisory experience a plus as it will supervise a staff of advisors. A clean U4, credit and background check is required. If you or anyone you know aligns with this profile, you owe it to yourself to call to learn more about this unique opportunity.  

TAX MANAGERS (2) – A growing and dynamic CPA firm has decided to invest in building the future management team of their firm by retaining us to focus on filling these key roles. We spent hours with them understanding the culture and their plan for the future and would like to share that with you. If you are a former public accounting person and are open to returning to public, or if you are currently in public accounting and would consider a change of an environment, please give us a call. Perhaps you are with a Big 4 firm and know that promotion to Partner will mean relocation, or your local firm is top heavy and you don’t see your path to partner as being clear as a result. This entrepreneurial firm is seeking a Tax Manager that would focus exclusively on Corporate Tax for larger corporations, as well as a Tax Manager who would focus on Small Business and Individual Tax. All of these positions would be hired with intent that they would be partner-track roles. Needs also exist for Staff and Senior level positions on the Tax side, a trust and estate accountant, and a pension plan accountant. 

SR ACCT/ACCTG MGR - Diverse Eastside company seeks solid general accountant w/BS Accounting and 2+ years' experience in fixed assets, account reconciliations, A/P, and general ledger. Manufacturing accounting experience preferred. ERP experience a plus.  

INTERNAL AUDITOR - Explosive growth international SEC service organization seeks a corporate auditor to join their exciting company. BS Accounting and 2+ years of audit in public accounting or corporate audit required. CPA +. Only 15% travel makes this an attractive opportunity to gain entry to the company and learn their operations before moving into other growth areas. to $57K plus bonus. 

TAX DIRECTOR/MANAGER/ANALYST - Several opportunities exist in corporate for all levels of tax professionals. These are high profile positions with challenging technical issues and great growth potential, Salary - Market!

SENIOR ACCOUNTANT – Two positions exist with this publicly traded company. Must have a BS in Accounting and 5+yrs experience with month end close, account reconciliations, and financial analysis. Salary to $60K.

BUSINESS ANALYST - This role has the perfect mix of systems and general accounting, the client is looking for a BS in Business and 5+yrs experience in general accounting or finance with 3 years of that working with GL, FA or PA modules within a ERP system, East side location. Salary $80-90k +Bonus. 

OUT OF TOWN OPPORTUNITIES

HOUSTON – CFO - CPA with strong manufacturing industry experience required. Must have ERP implementation experience as well as experience with foreign subsidiaries, acquisitions, plant operations, and FP&A. to $150k + bonus. 

SAN DIEGO – SR BUSINESS ANALYST-FINANCE – JDE experience required. 5+ years’ experience implementing enterprise level finance solutions. to $120k 

Interested in LinkedIn job posting updates?  Send a LinkedIn invite to cykb@ccy.com and yawmanbailey@ccy.com to connect with us.  Be sure to check Kym's Blog or @kymbailey for all current newsletters and information.

August Hot Jobs Newsletter

      

The weather is hot and so are our new job postings! Please call or email ASAP if you are qualified for and interested in any of the following. Several of the clients listed below are looking to come to our office to conduct interviews this week or next so don’t delay in responding! As always, please feel free to forward this along to friends, family, or colleagues who you think might be interested as well.

Cash Manager - BS required, CTP or CCM preferred and 5+ years of experience with cash management, hedge activity, and corporate disbursements. Publicly traded company has immediate need so call ASAP!

Senior Accountant – Two positions exist with this publicly traded company. Must have a BS in Accounting and 5+yrs experience with month end close, account reconciliations, and financial analysis. Salary to $60K.

Corporate Auditor - BS degree and 1+yr experience working with SOX or forensic accounting. Salary $50-55K. This position is ideal for one of Kym’s former students!

Business Manager - Local non-profit seeks a regional manager for three locations, BS degree and solid understanding of accounting including financial statements and month end close is required. Salary is to $45K.

Tax Director/Manager/Analyst - Several opportunities exist in corporate for all levels of tax professionals. These are high profile positions with challenging technical issues and great growth potential, Salary - Market!

HRIS Analyst - Salary $60-90k BS preferred and 5+ years of experience in SaaS required. Will analyze, develop, implement and maintain the HR information system for this publicly traded company.

Business System Analyst - BS degree in I/T or related field. Recent grads encouraged to apply. Salary to $45k. Will provide end user support for the company’s business SQL or relational database experience is required.

Cash & Credit Analyst - BS degree and 5+yrs experience with preparing consolidated cash flow projections and maintaining credit and collections policies and procedures. 

Director - Wealth Management - We have been retained by a well-established and prominent CPA firm to help them find a leader for their wealth management practice. This is an incredible opportunity to help exponentially grow a practice where most of the solicitation would be warm calls to existing clients. The ideal candidate will have 7+ years of client facing wealth management experience. Must have FINRA Series 7, 66, Insurance life/health licenses. One or more professional designations are a plus (CFP, CLU, ChFC). Successful candidates will have experience providing a full range of financial planning solutions, a professional image, and a consultative sales style. Prior supervisory experience a plus as it will supervise a staff of advisors. A clean U4, credit and background check is required. If you or anyone you know aligns with this profile, you owe it to yourself to call to learn more about this unique opportunity. 

Audit (2) and Tax (2) Managers – A growing and dynamic CPA firm has decided to invest in building the future management team of their firm by retaining us to focus on filling these key roles. We spent hours with them understanding the culture and their plan for the future and would like to share that with you. If you are a former public accounting person and are open to returning to public, or if you are currently in public accounting and would consider a change of an environment, please give us a call. Perhaps you are with a Big 4 firm and know that promotion to Partner will mean relocation, or your local firm is top heavy and you don’t see your path to partner as being clear as a result. This entrepreneurial firm is seeking an Audit Manager that would focus on M&A and larger client audit and advisory services, and an Audit Manager that also has tax background who would focus on audits, reviews, compilations and the related tax work of corporations/partnerships. They are also seeking a Tax Manager that would focus exclusively on Corporate Tax for larger corporations, as well as a Tax Manager who would focus on Small Business and Individual Tax. All of these positions would be hired with intent that they would be partner-track roles. Needs also exist for Staff and Senior level positions on the Tax side, a trust and estate accountant, and a pension plan accountant. 

Internal Auditing/Consulting – Professional services firm seeks experienced public accounting or internal audit backgrounds with 4+ years’ experience to work in outsource audit, M&A consulting, and business process improvement. Must be open to travel. These hires will be the future leaders of the firm!

Part-time Bookkeeper - A friend from a Non-profit organization asked us to help fill a part-time need,as a favor we are adding her opening to our newsletter. They are looking for someone to work about 6 hours per week to manage A/P, A/R and light Financial statement work. This is a great opportunity for our stay at home moms who want to keep a hand in things a few hours a week.

OUT OF THE AREA

•             Director of Finance- Jacksonville, Florida – 8+yrs experience and MBA required Public Company

•             Director of Accounting Transactions – Columbia, MD – Salary to $130k +25-30%, Straight Big 4               or Real Estate a plus.

•             Internal Audit- Raleigh 30-35% travel Salary $75-80k

•             Finance/Wall Street- CPA- Series 27 – NYC full relocation $150-180 base ++

Interested in LinkedIn job posting updates?  Send a LinkedIn invite to cykb@ccy.com and yawmanbailey@ccy.com to connect with us.  Be sure to check Kym's Blog for all current newsletters and information.

Recruiter of the Year 2012 !

Cochran, Cochran & Yale awarded

Kymberly Bailey and Cheryl Yawman Recruiter of the Year for 2012 !!



Cheryl Yawman - Outstanding Accounting Alumnus of the Year

NY Daily Record

St. John Fisher recognizes local businesswoman

by Daily Record Staff

Published: February 28th, 2013

Cheryl Lynn Yawman

Cheryl Lynn Yawman will be honored March 21 as the Outstanding Accounting Alumnus of the Year by St. John Fisher College.

She is a certified public accountant and practice director at the Rochester executive search firm of Cochran, Cochran and Yale.

Yawman, a 1986 graduate of the college and a resident of Fairport, was nominated for her professional and civic contributions which include her volunteer work with the college’s accounting alumni, mentoring, donor and advisory committees, board member of the Sojourner House, a transitional housing program for women and families; and as a member of the Catholic Diocese of Rochester Stewardship Council.

In her professional career as an executive recruiter at CCY, where she’s worked since 2005, Yawman serves as an accounting, tax, audit and finance recruiting professional.

She was named as a 2012 Athena Award finalist by the Women’s Council of the Rochester Business Alliance and has received the Rochester Business Journal’s Forty Under 40 Award. She is currently serving her second term as the president of the Rochester Chapter of the New York State Society of CPAs.

Complete URL: http://nydailyrecord.com/blog/2013/02/28/st-john-fisher-recognizes-local-businesswoman/

May Hot Jobs Newsletter

Summer is around the corner. As the weather gets warmer we are finding the job market is heating up as well. We have a national affiliation with AAFA. Our affiliate offices in larger cities have experienced heightened activity creating exciting opportunities that are out of town in addition to the local ones we have listed below. Please see the bottom of the newsletter for a sampling of the out of town affiliate opportunities if you are open to relocation. As always, please feel free to pass along the newsletter to family and friends and keep us in mind if you have any recruiting needs.

ASSISTANT CONTROLLER – Dynamic and growing company seeks CPA or CMA with 5+ years’ experience in mix of public accounting and/or corporate accounting roles. Must have prior supervisory experience. IFRS experience a plus. Big 4 experience preferred. To $100k plus bonus.

ACCOUNTING MANAGER - This is a great opportunity for someone looking for the first step from public accounting into corporate or someone in corporate looking to make a move. This financial manager will oversee a staff of 5 as well as all aspects of inventory accounting which is the true heart of this business. CPA or CMA required. To $80k

ASSISTANT CONTROLLER – Exciting role supervising 5 ee’s and handling financial reporting for this transforming company. Eight plus years in public/private mix or straight public with SEC client experience is required. Prior supervisory experience required. CPA or in progress required. To $100K plus bonus.

HYPERION ADMINISTRATOR - This international public company is looking to hire a BS in Business or Computer Science who has 3+yrs experience with business systems (Hyperion+), financial database management, and Visual Basic. East side location. Salary $60-88K.

INTERNAL AUDIT MANAGER – This publicly held company has been experiencing explosive growth and hiring due to having been in a major M&A mode. Due to an internal promotion, their Internal Audit Manager position is open. This is the highest audit position in the company and reports directly to the top finance person locally. CPA or CIA required and 8+ years experience in public accounting audit or corporate audit or a mix of the two. Prior supervisory experience required. To $95k plus bonus.

BUSINESS ANALYST - This role has the perfect mix of systems and general accounting, the client is looking for a BS in Business and 5+yrs experience in general accounting or finance with 3 years of that working with GL, FA or PA modules within a ERP system, East side location. Salary $80-90k +Bonus.

PUBLIC ACCOUNTING – Multiple CPA firms from large regionals to small locals have contacted us looking for experienced staff in both audit and tax capacities. We have been asked for everything from staff level professionals to senior managers/partners who want to be groomed to take over a practice. If you have prior or current public accounting experience and your CPA and would like to discreetly discuss such opportunities, please call and your inquiry will be in complete confidence. Compensation commensurate with experience.

CONSULTING – Multiple consulting practices are seeking new additions to their professional staff. If you are in public accounting and are seeking a more entrepreneurial environment in which to utilize your audit, SOX or business process improvement skills, this could be the right move for you. Also seeking CPA with global financial reporting experience for a consulting assignment.

Interested in LinkedIn job posting updates?  Send a LinkedIn invite to cykb@ccy.com and yawmanbailey@ccy.com to connect with us.  Be sure to check Kym's Blog for all current newsletters and information.

March Newsletter

Happy Spring everyone! During this season of growth and renewal, take some time to reflect on your career and whether it is time for a new and challenging opportunity in that part of your world as well. Please call or email ASAP if you are qualified for and interested in any of the following. Several of the clients listed below are looking to come to our office to conduct interviews this week or next so don’t delay in responding! As always, please feel free to forward this along to friends, family, or colleagues who you think might be interested as well.

ASSISTANT CONTROLLER, FINANCIAL REPORTING – Large, international, publicly held company seeks a CPA with 5+ years’ experience in financial reporting ideally including SEC reporting experience. Must have strong communication skills and be able to deal effectively with all levels of the organization. Experience coordinating with outside auditors and preparing financials for BOD and upper management a plus. MBA +. To $100k plus bonus.
ACCOUNTING MANAGER – Growing and dynamic manufacturing leader on Westside seeks an aspiring accountant with 5+ years’ experience in a mix of public accounting and private industry. Private experience does not have to be in manufacturing. Strong knowledge of GAAP and financial statements required. IFRS experience a plus. CPA strongly preferred. Advanced Excel skills required. To $80k.
VALUATION ANALYST – Long-time client has immediate need for an MBA with strong financial statement analysis experience, financial modeling, ratio analysis, excellent Excel skills, and solid verbal and written communication skills. Great opportunity for someone who really loves to dig into the numbers, analyze them and present their findings. Must work well in a team based setting and matrix organization. To $76k plus attractive bonus potential.
HYPERION FINANCIAL MANAGER – Global industry leading manufacturer East of Rochester seeks versatile financial accounting professional who is equally strong in financial systems to provide financial/accounting/Hyperion support and ensure accurate and timely reporting of global financial data. A Bachelors in Accounting or Finance is required. CPA and/or MBA +. Experience with Hyperion or a comparable software preferred. SOX experience a must. Experience with corporate consolidations, database management, financial data analysis, Lean Six Sigma concepts, project management and Visual Basic are all pluses. To $88k.
ASSISTANT CONTROLLER – Rapidly growing service company planning to double in revenue over the next 5 years seeks solid financial reporting professional to handle G/L, financial statement prep, and support of budget and forecast activities. Must have BS Accounting and CPA. Prior experience with budget prep and analysis preferred. 5+ years’ experience in financial reporting/general ledger required. Great Plains experience a plus, but not required. Must have advanced Excel and strong verbal and written communication skills. Excellent career path. To $75k.
ACCOUNTANT – Service industry client seeks Staff Accountant with BS Accounting and 2+ years related experience to assist with monthly close responsibilities including journal entries, allocations, account reconciliations, variance analysis. To $50k
CONTROLLER – Newly built facility East of Rochester leads to the need for a Controller. 7+ years’ experience including strong financial statement accounting, supervisory, and experience wearing multi-hats in a fast paced environment. CPA and manufacturing industry experience + but not required. To $95k.
TAX PROFESSIONALS – Well established CPA firm seeks accountants with BS Accounting and any level of corporate and individual tax experience to join their practice. Salary commensurate with experience.
Please feel free to check out the following link for some exciting news we want to share about Cheryl:
Outstanding Accounting Alumna of the Year

Interested in LinkedIn job posting updates?  Send an invite to cykb@ccy.com and yawmanbailey@ccy.com to connect with us.  Be sure to check Kym's Blog for all current newsletters and information.

January 2013 Newsletter Accounting & Finance

Happy New Year! We hope you all enjoyed the holidays and are refreshed and resolved to make your careers and job searches a priority in 2013. We look forward to partnering with you to make it a great year. With that in mind, below are some of the opportunities for which we and our colleagues are currently recruiting. Also, remember that we are part of a national affiliate network so if you are open to relocation, please send us the details and we will try to connect you with our colleagues in that geographic location.

Practice Administrator – Just received today! This exclusive retained search client is seeking a top notch health care financial professional to join their growing practice in a key role. Must have 5+ years in the health care industry, supervisory experience, and hands on accounting/HR/benefits experience. CPA/MHA and/or MBA preferred. BS Accounting required. Experience with QuickBooks and/or AllScripts a big plus. If you have this background or know someone who does, please contact us to discuss this exciting new opportunity further!

Business Optimization Analyst - Seneca Falls, NY- BS in Business and 6+yrs experience with general accounting and back office electronic transactions (p-cards or AP) in a company > $250m using ERP systems. Candidate must have strong project management skills. Experience in a shared services environment a plus. Compensation to $90k plus bonus.

FP&A Analyst – Rochester NY- MBA and 5+ yrs experience in financial analysis. Must be willing to roll up your sleeves and dig into the numbers. Salary to $60k.

Tax Positions - We have several permanent and seasonal tax positions available in both public accounting firm and corporate settings. Call for further details if you have a strong tax background and are ready to make a change.

CPA firm Audit - Local CPA firm is looking for a CPA who is either in public accounting and looking to join a growing regional practice, or someone who is in private and is open to entertaining a return to public accounting. The successful candidate would take over some day to day client management responsibility as well as developing staff. Definite track to management and excellent mentoring. Non-profit client or direct experience is preferred.  Salary commensurate with experience.

Sr. Internal Auditor (2 positions) - Rochester, NY- CPA firm or Corporate Audit exp. Salary $62-67k and only 10-15% travel!

Controller - Geneseo, NY Area- BS degree and 5+yrs experience working as a small manufacturing company controller responsible for human resources, IT and operations. This is the top financial position reporting directly to the owner. Salary to mid $70’s.

Financial Controller – International manufacturing company seeks experienced operations controller to oversee forecasting, planning, budgeting, financials and analysis for manufacturing and distribution sites. ERP experience preferred. MBA preferred. BS Accounting/Finance required. Must have prior experience in comparable large company manufacturing/distribution industry role. To $125k + bonus.

SEARCHES IN OTHER CCY PRACTICE AREAS

VP of Strategy and Research - Rochester NY – Marketing Company seeks top talent, BS degree and 6+yrs experience working with internal/external clients with; planning, and providing strategy-based research and advisory services, using statistical techniques to analyze and interpret market research data. Salary $130-150k base plus bonus and some relocation. 

Chief Operating Officer - Providence RI - Newly created role with 25 Million dollar consumer goods manufacturer. Strong background in operations and manufacturing management, lean implementation and international business management. Unique growth opportunity. Salary Mid $100’s base plus incentives.

CCY Newsletter January 2013

Below is CCY's Newsletter January 2013 from Gary Baker:

President’s Message

Wow, another year has come and gone. Winter has arrived both on the calendar and in the form of snow. As we enter 2013, I remain optimistic for the new year.

It looks like the fiscal cliff has been dealt with (or not).  Overall, the search industry has had a positive year even though statistics show reluctance to add to staff. I have included an article I found to be very interesting about the hiring process. So many companies do not hire the best person, but someone that happens to be available. They go through the process without really defining what they want in a person or putting together a strategy on how they will determine who is the best "fit". This is why search firms are still in business and certainly add value if they are allowed to do so.

Please consider our services should you require a personalized approach to the identification of talent for your organization. Our tag line still holds true “we build companies one career at a time." 

I wish everyone a Happy and Prosperous 2013. As always, I look for feedback and questions, so feel free to send me a note at gary@ccy.com. 

  

Gary M. Baker

President

585-785-5719

gary@ccy.com

Number One Reason Companies Make Bad Hires

Forbes\Mike Myatt

forbes.com 

Do you ever find yourself wondering how so many good companies can make so many bad hires? The fact is, all the rigorous and sophisticated hiring processes employed by the best companies in the world don’t prevent bad hires. The good news is, addressing one single factor can easily prevent bad hires.

The #1 reason companies make bad hires is they compromise, they settle, they don’t hire the best person for the job. Compromise has its place in business, but it has no role in the acquisition of talent. Leaders too often focus on the “nice to haves” instead of the “must haves.” They allow themselves to be distracted by disparate, insignificant factors, rather than holding out for the best person for the job.

My definition of irony: when leaders complain about their talent. I’ve always believed leaders deserve the teams they build. Here’s the thing – when leaders make a bad hire they have no one to blame but themselves. The problem is many leaders place the blame everywhere but where it belongs.

It doesn’t matter whether the candidate has great potential, what diversity segment they represent, if they’re an internal or external candidate, whether or not they have industry experience, or where they earned their degree. What matters is whether they are the BEST person for the job. Smart leaders don’t “give” someone the job because they’ve been with the company longer – they select the best person for the job regardless of how long they’ve been with the company.

How many times have you witnessed a company lose their preferred candidate over a trivial point of difference, and then have the company only proceed to compound their problem by settling for their second or even third choice? Smart leaders understand an open position is preferable to filling a position with the wrong candidate.

There is truth in the old axiom “talent begets talent.” Talent is a contagion. It’s talent that fuels creativity, collaboration, momentum, velocity, client loyalty, a dynamic corporate culture, and virtually every other positive influencing force in the corporate universe. It’s talent that designs sound business practices, develops strategic plans, understands the value of innovation, overcomes obstacles, breaks down barriers, creates growth, and builds a lasting brand. Smart leaders hire only the best person for the job. They don’t compromise on talent.

Good enough rarely is, and just checking the box is not the business of leadership. While it’s required to evaluate hard skills, track record, leadership ability, cultural fit, and any number of other criteria, it’s completely irresponsible to settle for anything less than the best person for the job. Don’t allow yourself to be bounded by time frames, compensation guidelines, or pressure from individuals or key constituencies – hold out for the best person, and when you find them, move heaven and earth to hire them.