Money Isn't Everything

What's true for companies is also true for individuals: You've got to read the marketplace. You've got to think strategically about where your particular experiences will make you a desirable player. Do your own due diligence, or there's no deal.

If you're in finance, you might have the experiences that make you a hot prospect for small-cap companies. Companies that are on a big growth curve have a great need for facilities people. The critical thing to keep in mind is that the company is hiring you because you bring something that's key to its strategy for moving forward.

Rule #2: If you want to be in the game at the end, get in it at the beginning.

For companies, the rules of recruiting have changed dramatically. What's out is the notion that an employer can simply show up at interviews and collect the talent. What's in is pitching to hot prospects early and often. You don't start with the senior class at the top universities - you introduce your company to the freshman class. You sponsor research in the labs. You build relationships. Soon the top performers are using your software. You've given them free Internet access for four years. So when other companies show up on campus and host another cattle call, you've established your brand among the people who can take your company where it needs to go.

The same rule applies to individuals: To get into a great company, get noticed early. Even if you're in college, you have assets that you can assemble: You go to a top-flight school, for example, or you're working with a professor who's a leader in your field. To create some real leverage, seek out the companies that are funding your professors' research.

If you're already in the business world, remember that the time to look for a job is when you don't need one. So put up a Web site that shows off your best work. Pay a courtesy call to the companies that you most respect. They can't track you if you aren't on their radar screens.

Rule #3: If you want to grow, make sure you're in a fertile environment.

People are looking for opportunities to solve big problems and to do great work, and it's up to companies to create an environment where people can do just that. Rob McGovern, the CEO of CareerBuilder Inc., has staved off raids on his talent by giving his developers a lot of latitude in their work. With every release - the company develops Internet-based recruiting solutions - he lets them come up with a couple of features that they think are really cool. He's kept them on board because they get to work on stuff that they love.

But it's ultimately up to the candidate to get a read on whether the company's environment fosters excellence: You're the only one in a position to know whether the company is the best place for you.

When I was interviewing at Genzyme, I visited its Web site and checked out the staff pages. I followed discussions on the company's financials. What was I was looking for? Aspiration. I needed to know whether Genzyme was just another mediocre company. I discovered that it's trying to do something great.

Rule #4: If you want the match to work, change the way you check the fit.

Companies should forget about resumes and change the way they screen talent. They should focus on the experiences that candidates have accumulated: Experience is the critical benchmark for determining whether a candidate can perform.

You can get a good read on people's experiences by applying four screens: the school they went to; the companies they've worked for; the people they've worked with; and the projects they've worked on.

If you're the candidate, then before you can negotiate, you've got to navigate. Focus on what's really important to you, and then figure out where you're most needed. Smart salespeople don't knock on every door. They think about where their product will have the greatest impact. They segment industries, and then they segment companies within those industries. You do the same when you're navigating, until you come up with a handful of companies that you think will make a great fit.

Rule #5: If you want to make a deal, start by recognizing that there's a whole new deal in the recruiting game.

The big message for companies is this: The relationship between you and your employees has fundamentally changed. It used to be that people worked at the pleasure of the company. Now people work at the mutual pleasure of themselves and the company. Once the relationship was like a wrestling match. Now it's more like a dance. And if a company doesn't realize this - if it fails to create an environment that fosters great work, if it fails to give people opportunities to advance their careers - it'll never attract the people it needs most.