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Posts from the ‘Ken Sundheim’ Category

Nov 9

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5 Lessons in Life and Business Part 2


In the first two lessons in life and business, I discussed my struggles with saving money when I was young, the stress it put on me as well as the fact that we are masters of our own fate are lucky enough to be given that chance.

 

One of the more important lessons that I’ve come to recognize while running my executive sales recruiting firm is to take enjoyment and smile:

 

3. Time goes quickly, enjoy things as they’re happening and take the time to celebrate your successes – When I started my executive sales recruiting firm I was simply not equipped to deal with our staffing firm’s growth. Instead of being happy that I started an amazing sales recruiting firm, I spent hours upon hours stressing out about events that were either out of my control or were very improbable.

 

Instead of taking the time to enjoy each success I had when starting my sales recruiting firm, I strove to be perfect something that none of us could be.

 

"ken sundheim, ken sundheim nyu, ken sundheim wasserman"

 

This took enjoyment out of business as I became obsessed with being the best sales recruiter which had me working non-stop. The 18+ hour days would always having me think about tomorrow and how to become perfect.

 

It was one success after another. The addiction lead me to miss family events and not be in contact with friends.

 

The last few months of Harvey’s life (see BusinessInsider.com article When You Find a Mentor Like Harvey Cohen), I was recruiting and doing work in the media. I wasn’t fully realizing that Harvey was not going to be around forever and I had to enjoy him while I could.

 

Chasing after the things that I didn’t have led me to not appreciate the things that were in my life. 7 years went by like the blink of an eye.

 

Nothing lasts forever; enjoy the things that are here in the moment you’ll be more successful and you’ll be happier. Smile and celebrate your success.

 

Part 3

 

In the next segment, I discuss making money once you graduate college and how to beat out those who are more intelligent as well as rising above corporate bickering.

 

Popular Articles

 

What is Poor Salary Negotiation?
10 Things Every Sales Resume Should Include

 

Jul 2

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Should Recent Grads Work With Recruiters


Upon graduating, many recent college graduates take the route of working with headhunters in conjunction with directly applying to hiring companies. While hiring companies are pretty straightforward, not many college graduates are well-versed on how recruiters work and the best practices when working with staffing agencies.

 

That raises the question as to whether recent college graduates should work with headhunters in the first place. It’s in my personal opinion, that the answer to this question is that recent college graduates should work with recruiting firms selectively.

 

Therefore, what parameters should recent college graduates use when selectively working with headhunting firms? Below are just a few of these variables:

 

1. Clarity – The more reputable headhunters are very clear about who their clients are, what they expect from the applicants as well as answer any questions that the recent graduate should have.

 

When working with headhunting agencies, clarity is crucial and should either be a green light or a deterrent for that graduate when choosing which headhunting firm(s) to approach.

 

2. Relevant Jobs – College graduates should only take the time to apply to recruiting firms with pertinent open jobs. Expecting to hear back from an executive level search firm will prove to be a waste of time and not to mention mentally taxing on some of these recent graduates.

 

Additionally, recent college graduates should ensure that they like the positions and companies that the staffing agency has to offer; they should not simply rely on qualifications.

 

3. Intelligent Headhunters – I’ve always wondered why some recent graduates work with any recruiter as a career is a very serious thing and there is no reason why a recent college graduate should work with a recruiter simply because they are recruiters.

 

Recent college graduates need to get a feel for these headhunters and their behaviors prior to trusting them with their career. My advice is to tread lightly, but don’t be over cautious to the point where you are closing doors that can find you that dream job.

 

4. Only After Research – Prior to working with headhunters, the recent college graduate should do research on the industry and have a firm understanding as to how recruiters work, how they are paid and what are the nuances of the industry.

 

This research includes how to write a cover letter and resume as you don’t want to continuously apply to these headhunting firms – one and done is my motto.

 

In Closing

 

If the above variables are considered, I think that it is more than fine that recent college graduates approach headhunters. While they should always diversify their search between applying to the employer directly, some staffing agencies can prove to be a great resource for finding that great job.

 

Relevant Articles

 
How to Submit Your Resume to a Headhunter
 
Top 5 Interviewing Tips From Recruiters
 

 

May 21

Continued Marketing Tactics Killing Entrepreneurs


First Part of Marketing Tactics Killing Entrepreneurs
 
 
 

1. Can marketing be taught? Yes. Marketing is very little about creativity and more about technicality with the search engines as you could find knowledge about best marketing practices highly readily on the web.
 
50years ago, I don’t think that marketing could be taught, but then again, I’m not 81. The best thing that I ever learned to do in marketing was learning how to program and closing

tags is not exactly Picasso level art.
 
2. Can sales be taught? Sales has to deal with liking and trusting people which comes from having a positive outlook on life. Therefore, I would say yes, but it’s a different kind of teaching and can be linked to maturity and experience.
 
3. Are sales and marketing necessary for just about all businesses? I would say so. My father-in-law who is a civil engineer swore up and down that having me do online marketing for him would do nothing. Within months, I had it doing something because it’s not 1990. Thus, people don’t care about relationships when looking for vendors. Instead they look for pricing, heightened competency and time of delivery.
 
In the End
 
The above are the basis for a company getting off the ground. When it was just me from an apartment, management and organization structure were me sitting at my desk – far from mission critical….in the traditional sense because I got every dollar worth from that Staples chair.

 
More Entrepreneurship Articles by Ken Sundheim
 
ç3 Biggest Mistakes I’ve Made As An Entrepreneur
 
Young Entrepreneurship in New York City
 
Become a Great Entrepreneur
 

 

May 18

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3 Ways to Get Your Dream Job After College


Every graduating student wants a job that is challenging, has a future and one they could be proud of. However, not every recent college graduate goes about finding their dream job in a matter that is conducive to finding a position that can jump start their career.

 

While many variables exist when discussing how to get one’s dream job after graduation, here are 3 tips that will help any recent college graduate seal the deal.

 

1. Dress – for women, I believe that interviewing dress is a little more versatile and that women should dress according to company culture. However, for men, it is imperative that they wear a suit and tie as anything less may be thought of as disrespectful to an interviewer who has been with the company for 20 years and who is giving their time to meet with a new graduate who seems like they don’t care enough to wear a suit (if you get what I mean).

 

2. Negotiating Salary vs. Negotiating Skills – for a recent college graduate, money is not something that should be of big concern. You only make money in your career if you can bring tangible skills to the table. Thus, the more tangible skills you acquire, the more money you are going to make. Treat the first few years of your career as a skills acquisition period to where you can become a versatile player at any company in 5 to 7 years.

 

To ensure that you are able to do so, don’t let a few thousand dollars prevent you from taking a job that is heavy on the skills acquisition. When I graduated college, I made the mistake of taking a job for the money so I had to acquire the necessary skills on my own to start a business. It’s easier if you are taught.

 

In the end, unless you’re going in the first three rounds in the NBA draft, don’t worry about money. Domestic beer never killed anyone.

 

3. Not Doing Industry Research Prior to Going on the Interview – every interview you go on, try this challenge and, if you succeed chances are that you will not only ace the interview, but you will get the job as well.

 

While not done by many recent college graduates, this very basic challenge does not take long, yet is crucial. It is to read up on more industry related current events than the person interviewing you.

 

Remember, the more research you do:

 

- The more competitive you are compared to applicants who may have gone to better colleges.

 

- The more impressive you are to the interviewer.

 

- The less you’ll be fumbling for your words while interviewing.

 

In the End

As a recent college graduate understand that the job you get is a reflection on how hard you worked to get it. It’s just like in college – slack off and you don’t do well.

 
How to Market Yourself When Interviewing
 
7 Questions To Ask On An Interview When Nervous
 

 

 

May 15

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14 Worst Career Mistakes Part 1


14 Worst Career Mistakes Part 1

 

1. Thinking It’s About Who You Know – When I attended University of Miami for a few years, there were a lot of students whose parents were accountants, financial planners, attorneys, etc. and I became very jealous of the Range Rovers and the cushy jobs waiting for these classmates after graduation.

 

I was jealous until it eventually hit me that these kids would have to work for your parents. Success isn’t about who you know. It’s about what you bring to the table for these individuals. That I can promise. Have the ability to make somebody money and you could have 2 green heads and they would not care in the least.

 

2. Not Learning to Write a Resume – Writing a resume is simply figuring out how to sell yourself to your target market. If you can’t do that, you have to take some time to learn about who you are, what your interests are and whether you are cut out for corporate.

 

Simply stated, a resume is a piece of paper that describes your skills in a well-written manner; hopefully, utilizing bullet points, but do your research on the web.

 

3. Bouncing From Job to Job – Training employees is one of the most tedious, large drain of financial resources in just about any firm. If the company is going to train you, they want you to stay.

 

Now, even though you are preaching that this is the time; you want this career, unfortunately the only thing the interviewer has to go by is your past behavior. 2 years at a job is average, 3 is good and 4 will get you a very good job following your tenure.

 

4. Not Becoming an Expert At What You Do – If you are going to do a job, don’t be average. Nobody pays for average, plus average work leads to a mediocre life. Now, this is only true if you love what you do, however if nobody wants to hire you, you’re not going to get a job that you love.

 
The Essentials For a Sales Resume Part 1
 
4 of the Worst Ways to Apply for a Job
 

 

May 15

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5 Golden Rules of Entrepreneurship


1. You must love the business you open – Many young people tend to open a business because they think it can be lucrative, however nothing can be lucrative if you don’t love it.

 

Even if successful, you must understand that you can make money in anything, but you can’t be happy in everything.

 

2. Failure should be the least of your hesitations when opening a business – Many young entrepreneurs are so afraid of failing that the thought deters them from opening a business altogether.

 

I must admit that I was no different, as during my first few years in business, I tended to drink away a lot of anxiety about whether I would “make it.” Looking back, all the excess alcohol did was make me come close to not making it.

 

3. Work ethic + creativity + intelligence + vision + resiliency – As far as I’m concerned, this is the most pertinent formula when it comes to entrepreneurial success at a young age, as well as at an older age.

 

The great thing is that all of these skills can be honed. I am a firm believer that one can even make themselves more intelligent with a lot of work.

 

4. For every 1,000 closed doors, you’ll find the opportunity – If you don’t knock, you’re never going to get in. When I started my business, I soon realized that nobody really cared about my cause and they weren’t going to come to me.

 

If you want something, you must be aggressive and go out and get it. Yes, you will deal with rejection, but eventually you will get the “Yes” that makes all the difference and opens career doors.

 

5. There is not a single type of personality that succeeds in entrepreneurship – Is your buddy slick and does this make you feel as if your personality is not going to work in the world of entrepreneurship? You could not be more mistaken.

 

There is no height, weight, intelligence, friendliness, etc. requirement to open a business or succeed as a business owner. Though, you still have to follow the Work ethic + creativity + intelligence + vision + resiliency.

 
The Day Entrepreneurship Nearly Killed Me
 
3 Lessons The Young Should Learn About Entrepreneurship
 

 

May 14

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Google’s Panda Should Fare Well For TV Advertising


The internet used to be the final and most cost effective frontier for advertising. After all, a 1,000px by 1,000px website could fit tons of ads on it and the advertisers could not be happier with the savings and the increased exposure without having to pay for TV time.

 

Well, Google Panda might just have advertisers looking again at more expensive media such as television which has been reserved for the past few years for either injury attorneys or large companies selling mostly business to consumer goods.

 

What Is Google Doing Differently?

 

Since online advertising has gotten to be a little much and is hurting the quality of the content on these sites, any website that has too many advertisements located (what is referred to as “above the fold”) or near the top of the page…where content should be is going to get less exposure.

 

Matt Cutts of Google warned, “If you have ads obscuring your content, you might want to think about it,” asking publishers to consider, “Do they see content or something else that’s distracting or annoying?” Source: http://searchengineland.com/google-may-penalize-ad-heavy-pages-100601

 

If the search engines detect ads on any site to be “distracting and annoying” these sites are not going to be viable advertising solutions for their current buyers.

 

Moreover, since the new Google algorithm is penalizing sites with too many ads as you read this, many ads are being dropped, therefore the low supply has prices on these ads significantly rising.

 

What Other Options Exist Besides the Web?

 

For many companies, there is Facebook advertising (not a huge fan of – decent, but not gangbuster) as well as Google PPC or Pay-per-click, however TV seems to have become a player again getting some leverage from the new Google algorithm most commonly referred to as “Panda.”

 

Should I Lie On My Resume? Should I Include a Picture?
 
Dealing With Manipulative Co-Workers
 

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