I am now five months into my new career as an executive recruiter, and as I reflect back, the main thing I have learned is both clients and candidates have pain. It’s interesting that the majority of the research indicates that salary and benefits are not the primary reasons individuals change jobs. The main reason is some form of pain.

For me personally, I realize over the last several years of my banking career, I had pain. The following comments are not directed at any of my former employers… they all are great companies. My personal pains over the last few years included: uncertainty of bank sales/conversions, 100 emails a day on my blackberry, strategic differences, credit problems, and/or attending meetings that I thought were a waste of my time. Additionally, I struggled with what I really wanted to do for a living. I now have come to the conclusion that I did not do a good job of understanding or dealing with my employee’s pain, nor did I do a good job of elevating my pains to my managers.

To Clients – I think it is important that we take time to address the pain. Have you sat down one-on-one with your employees to openly and honestly listen to their pain? Employee turnover is expensive both from a bottom-line and day-to-day perspective. Lead by example and develop employer/employee dialogue that creates a sense of family. Sometimes pain cannot be avoided, how it is handled makes the difference. The VanZant Group offers intelligence services which can you help identify your employee’s pains.

To Candidates – Have you taken time to write a simple, straightforward list of your pain? To me, pain is not having the credit department turn down a loan, pain is repeatedly having loans turned down because your client/prospect base does not match the credit culture of your employer. Some pains are minor and easily overcome. Some are insurmountable, and if they are too great, you will not be effective to yourself or your company.

Remember the grass isn’t necessarily greener on the other side, but it is greener where seed is sewn and watered.

As an employer who has used contingent search firms or as a candidate looking for a job, have you ever felt like this is the way things work? 

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Everyone needs an advocate who understands their unique C5 – that’s why we’re considered the “Jerry Maguire’s of search” because we take the time to value each individual and organization uniquely to determine the best fit. The result: everyone wins!

In an exit interview, many people may claim that the reason they’re leaving one job for another is due to monetary upside.  However, money is rarely the main reason for employee turnover.  While financial compensation is a factor, most people truly change jobs due to “emotional” or “intellectual” compensation.  As the chart above indicates, monetary factors like pay and benefits account for about 20% of the reason why people switch jobs.  The other areas like career advancement (“Intellectual Compensation”), flexibility and job security (“Emotional Compensation”) and fit (“Culture” and “Calling”) are as important, if not more so.  We call it C5 compatibility and we’ve made careers out of aligning individual and corporate C5.   Want to determine your C5 compatibility?  Learn more by reading the rest of the article, checking out our website, or giving us a call to discuss.

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