To be, or not to be, that is the question:
Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles
And by opposing end them.

Obviously this is brilliant writing but within the context of today’s complicated world of recruitment and career search, Shakespeare would have probably been clueless.  

In addition, he would have been completely lost as an employer in today’s modern world sifting through countless resumes and conducting countless interviews attempting to find the very best candidate to fill a critical opening.

“To be or not to be?”

Obviously, he never had to go through the recruitment process or to put together a first rate resume, seach for opportunities, go on multible job interviews, and wait sometimes excruciatingly long for a job offer.

So let’s examine this wonderful passage from Hamlet and apply it’s message to today’s employment and recruitment world.  Let’s start with “to be or not to be: as it relates to employment.” 

Most of us do not have the luxury to ponder this option (“to be or not to be employed”) because of obligations both personally and professionaly.  Except in very rare cases, one must earn a living.

To be, or not to be, that is the question:  With regard to employment-there is no question-most of us need to BE employed.
Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer:  To look for great candidates or to look for work is to suffer-plain and simple and there is nothing noble about it.
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,  We should all be slinged and arrowed and have an outrageous fortune.
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles The employment world is a constant sea of troubles.
And by opposing end them.  We would all like to oppose and end our sea of employment troubles, but who’s kidding who? The human dynamic is complicated and there will always be change whether or not one opposes this fact!

In conclusion, translating a Shakespeare quote in the context of  today’s world of sophisticated and complex recruitment and career advancement is tricky business at best.

However if “all the world is a stage” then employers must direct a Tony winning performance in recruiting and managing a world class staff.  If you are a candidate than you need to give an Oscar winning performance during an interview.

Oh, and one more great Shakespeare quote for all of us: “Be not afraid of greatness.“

Any questions or comments? I am Bernie Reifkind, CEO and founder of Premier Search, Inc.  I can be reached at 1(800) 801-1400 or email at ceo@psihealth.com

After an interview, most applicants need feedback almost immediately.  Employers who intend to further explore a professional relationship with a candidate should provide that feedback within 48 hours of an interview.

Why?

If a candidate does not hear back after an interview, the following assumptions are usually made:

• “They’re not interested in me”
• “I had a bad interview”
• “Do I really want to work for a company that takes too long to make decisions?”

The first impression of a new employer is just as important as the impression made by a candidate. 

Candidates often judge employers by their decision making abilities.  If too much time goes by (without reasonable communication) and then an offer is made, an impression might be inferred that the employer is unable to make timely decisions.

Candidates tend to wonder “what other decisions do they drag their feet on?’ and often times are hesitant about accepting an offer.  ”If I take this job, how long will I have to wait if I need more resources, or more staffing? How long will I have to wait for my employment review”?

In the recruitment world it is a given that “time kills all deals.”

On the other hand, employers should never make rash hiring decisions.  That is not the message being conveyed in this essay!  There should be no less than 2 interviews and of course references should be checked but this does not have to take weeks and weeks as it often does. 

If there is a legitimate reason why the interviewing process needs to take a long time, then it is incumbent upon the employer to communicate, communicate and communicate!  We are living in the digital age so an easy email is all that is really necessary to communicate  intent but why not pick up the phone and give it a personal touch? 

The personal touch goes a long way.  Communication is key.

In conclussion, employers should do their best to communicate the process with a prospective new hire during the interview process and never let time kill a deal!

Any questions or comments? I am Bernie Reifkind, CEO and founder of Premier Search, Inc.  I can be reached at 1(800) 801-1400 or email at ceo@psihealth.com

Dear President Obama,

I am a private business owner in Los Angeles, California operating a health care executive search firm, Premier Search, Inc.  We are in the employment business assisting health care organizations nationwide in finding staff. 

Although the current economic conditions have affected my business, I think that it is important to share with you some bright spots with regard to employment that might not show up in national labor statistics.

In the past two weeks alone my firm has been responsible for securing employment for more than 12 Americans.  That number might not seem a lot, but I assure you that there are 12 families whose lives have been changed.  We anticipate similar, if not higher numbers in the coming months.

In essence, my firm is directly responsible for putting Americans back to work.  

There is a message here that our fellow citizens urgently need to know.  There needs to be more of a spotlight on small businesses just like mine that are directly making a difference in America not just in employment, but the economy.

Small businesses are the foundation that America was built upon and the lifeblood of our economy.   I began my business from my dining room table in 1987, a classic American story.

It has been written that helping someone find a job is the greatest charity of all.   My firm course is not a charity but it is symbolic of what America stands for: opportunity.

Mr. President, I would welcome an opportunity to meet with you at the White House as a positive symbol of a small business that is directly putting America back to work.  Americans need to feel inspired about the future.  I would be honored to help put forth this message.

Yours truly,

Bernie Reifkind, CEO/Premier Search, Inc.

Any questions or comments? I am Bernie Reifkind, CEO and founder of Premier Search, Inc.  I can be reached at 1(800) 801-1400 or email at ceo@psihealth.com

It’s probably the most uncomfortable moment during an interview.  It’s the exact moment when an employer knows that the candidate is not the right fit, for whatever reason.  For most employers that moment can be within the first 5 minutes of an interview.

So why bother continuing the small talk that is essentially wasting both parties time, energy and resources?  Probably most employers want to be politically correct and at least spend 30 minutes to give an applicant a chance or to confirm what they already know.

An interviewing intervention should occur at the exact moment during an interview when clearly it’s a “no go.”  Healthcare recruiters are experts at knowing this.

Here are 5 ways to end an interview:

1.  The Stop Now- this is probably the most honest but brutal approach to ending an interview at the moment an employer knows the interview is over.  Quite simply the employer moves back in his/her chair stands up, shakes the person’s hand and tells the applicant the honest truth- (again this is brutal)- “I regret to say that although you have an interesting background, you are not what I am looking for and I will not be hiring you.  I do thank you for your time.”

2.  The Stop in 30- this is very similar to the Stop Now but it’s a bit easier on the nervous system for both parties.  Basically the employer knows in advance that the applicant will have 30 minutes minimum before informing the candidate that he/she is not going to be hired.  After 30 minutes the employer glances at the clock, thanks the applicant for the interview and wraps it up.

3. The Pre-Planned Interruption- 10 or 15 minutes during an interview, all of a sudden the employer’s phone rings and of course he/she takes the call, in essence interrupting the interview.  This is a very common technique.  In advance of an interview, an employer asks an associate or an assistant to call at a predetermined time giving the employer an opportunity to decide whether or not to excuse the interruption and terminate early the interview.  Conversely many times if the interview is going well, the employer can decide not to take the call.

4.  The Double Down- this is where an employer and another member of the team is a part of the interview.  It’s the old “good cop/bad cop” situation in which at the point when the employer knows that the interview is over, the colleague interrupts and promptly thanks the applicant for the interview and escorts this person out of the employer’s office.  Perhaps there is “paper work” that needs to be filled out and bit of “we thank you for interviewing but we have many interviews lined up this afternoon.”

5.  The Double Reverse- this happens when an employer knows the interview is over reverses the interview to fact find about what the employee’s company is up to- how they operate- maybe a time to learn how one’s competitors are operating.  It’s a complete reversal because the  interview is about the company in which the candidate is employed-not the candidate.   Albeit, this is a bit sneaky but at least the interview was not a complete waste of time.

In conclusion, an employer’s attention is a scarce resource and should not be wasted in a long winded interview in which the employer is convinced that this person is not a fit.   It’s perfectly OK to end an interview early.

Any questions or comments? I am Bernie Reifkind, CEO and founder of Premier Search, Inc. I can be reached at 1(800) 801-1400 or email at ceo@psihealth.com

As a healthcare executive recruiter with more than 20 years of experience, you might imagine the countless conversations that I have had with my clients- looking to fill job openings- and my candidates- looking for jobs!

After an interview I usually follow up with both the employer and the candidate to debrief and find out how the interview went.  My first question is usually to ask how long the interview went.  Obviously if the interview was less than 10 minutes long than chances are great that the interview was a disaster.

If however an interview lasts longer than an hour, that is a pretty good sign of some mutual interest.

There are so many questions that are asked by both candidate and employer during an interview as each party is learning about each other.  Some questions by employers are so completely lame that it is almost comical.

Here are the top 4 most annoying interview questions to a candidate:

1.  What are your weak points?- Like someone is really going to tell a complete stranger something incriminating about themselves.  Would someone really say  “I come to work late sometimes” or  “Sometimes I spend the entire day surfing the net” or “I am really lazy”? Of course not.

2.  Where do you see yourself in 5 years?- If you want the job bad enough you’re going to almost certainly lie and say something politically correct such as  “If it’s with your company, then where you feel my abilities will be of most benefit to the organization.”  Yeah, right.  Most people have no clue where they see themselves tomorrow!  It is such an annoying question.

3.  How would others describe you?- Well doesn’t that depend on who the “others” are in question?  If the “others” are your friends and family, they’ll say great things- they’ll would even lie for you.  If “others” are your co-workers, than each one would have a different description of you because each has had different experiences with you- and they too would lie for you.

4.  Why do you want to work here?- Wow, how original.  Another completely annoying question that does not provide for any useful information in getting to know someone at an interview.  Is anyone going to tell the truth and say “I’m unemployed and I’m broke- I couldn’t care less who I work for” or “I want to work here because I’ve been turned down by every one of your competitors”?

If you want some great responses to these difficult questions, feel free to contact me!

I am Bernie Reifkind, CEO and founder of Premier Search, Inc. I can be reached at

1(800) 801-1400 or email at ceo@psihealth.com