About Cathleen Litz


I am Cathleen Litz.  I have worked in the recruiting/executive search field for the past five years and am currently a Recruiter with That's Good HR.  My focus?  Recruiting the best Accounting and Finance talent in Indianapolis and matching these candidates up with potential employers.  Prior to my time in staffing, I started my career with Deloitte & Touche in their audit practice.  While I am a relatively new blogger, I look forward to sharing some of my professional experiences which might be helpful for job seekers and employers.

What sunglasses and staffing have in common

Tuesday, March 23, 2010 by Cathleen Litz
With That's Good HR recently recognized as one of the 2010 Best of Staffing firms, customer service has been an even more dominant topic of conversation at this Indianapolis staffing firm. 

We always strive to provide outstanding customer service.  However, I think it can be easy to get removed from what is truly outstanding customer service when you are the provider.  I recently had an experience with awesome customer service which really made me step back and ask myself what I can be doing to differentiate myself from other executive headhunters. 

Last week, my dog chewed up a pair of sunglasses.  While chewing up ANY pair of sunglasses is bad enough, they weren't even my sunglasses!  They belonged to a friend who was visiting our home.  The good news was that our dog just managed to chew up the temples of the glasses.  So I called the manufacturer, Maui Jim, to see how they could help me.  The customer service representative was so unbelievably helpful.  She was sympathetic to my issue (yes, I was honest and told her that my dog chewed up the sunglasses) and informed me that the temples could be replaced for free and the service would take less than a week.  I got off of the phone call and was literally smiling because this person made me feel so much better about the situation.

So what can That's Good HR do to help you resolve your Indianapolis staffing issues and leave a smile on your face?

How much is too much?

Tuesday, March 9, 2010 by Cathleen Litz
Much of the reason I enjoy working for That's Good HR is due to what makes us different from other Indianapolis staffing firms.  We pride ourselves on our authenticity, honesty, relationships and customer service when working on accounting finance jobs Indianapolis. 

We don't call our clients multiple times a week, or sometimes even once a month because we are not a transactional staffing firm like many of our competitors.  I was out to lunch with a client recently who commented on many of our competitors who continue to call her multiple times a week despite her not returning our calls. 

While we definitely aren't an "annoying" Indianapolis staffing firm, we still want to be aggressive and top of mind with our clients.  So what is the right balance of contact without pestering our clients with too many calls?  How much is too much contact to you?       

Relocating in the Recession

Thursday, February 11, 2010 by Cathleen Litz
With unemployment at record highs, many Central Indiana job seekers and unemployed folks around the country are expanding their job search criteria.  As an Indianapolis Executive Recruiter, I always ask my candidates if they are open to relocation.  While most people, even in a normal economy, will consider relocation for their "dream job," hiring trends indicate more people are looking at relocation especially if they have been unemployed for several months.

I always encourage my candidates to be open to various central Indiana jobs but relocation is tough right now.  Gone are the days of generous cross-country moving allowances, home buy outs, closing cost reimbursement and furnished corporate apartments.  If you want to relocate for an accounting job Indianapolis, be prepared for a long haul.  Unless a position requires a very unique skill set, companies currently have their pick of qualified candidates.  

My advice is to really think long and hard about whether you are willing to consider relocation.  Why are you willing to relocate?  Is it to be closer to family?  Or, are you just looking for a change?  What kind of a personally and professional support network do you have in the city you are targeting? 

Last, but definitely not least, consider the financial costs.  Below is a basic list of what you should be willing to pay for:
  • Interview travel expenses - many companies are not willing to pay for travel expenses.  If you want to be perceived as a viable candidate, don't ask for help.  If they offer, then it's okay to take them up on it.
  • House/apartment hunting trips - if you get to the offer stage, it's realistic to expect to have to make at least one trip to determine your living situation in your new city.
  • Moving expenses - packing materials, movers, storage, etc.  It all adds up and can be expensive. 

Up in the Air

Wednesday, January 20, 2010 by Cathleen Litz
Up in the Air just won the Golden Globe for Best Screenplay.  While Up in the Air is a great movie and highly recommended, it is especially relevant given the economic events of the last year.  While some of the trailers depict it as being a love story, it is really a social commentary about valuing meaningful relationships. 

George Clooney's character, Ryan Bingham, is essentially a "Corporate Firer".  Companies hire Ryan to conduct mass lay offs of their employees.  Ryan's life is void of relationships.  He lives out of a suitcase and one of his main goals in life is to join the 10 million mile club.  When a recent Ivy League grad threatens Ryan's position by implementing a program to expedite the firing process via Skype, Ryan has to deal with the possibility of being grounded.

So what does the message in the movie Up in the Air have to do with Indianapolis staffing or Executive Recruiting?  I will tell you, one of the reasons I work for That's Good HR is due to the company's value of building personal relationships.  So many other Indianapolis recruiters conduct their business over the phone or via email and rarely meet their clients or candidates in person.  Guiding candidates through the job search process is a very personal and sensitive process.  Meeting with candidates and getting to know their work experience, job search criteria and personalities is critical and you can only scratch the surface of these issues absent a personal relationship.
 
Some staffing agencies may eventually resort to interviewing candidates via Skype, and we say, let them have their fancy technology and their time saving electronic and automated techniques.  More power to them.  Our clients and candidates, however,  can continue to trust That's Good HR to value relationships and we will always want to get to know you personally before we help you do something as important as changing your job.

The Dreaded Resignation

Tuesday, December 29, 2009 by Cathleen Litz
Lets face it.  You might have just accepted your dream job OR be totally miserable in your current job.  But resigning from a job is just painful. 

So what is the best way to resign when engaged in an Indianapolis job search?  Here are a few tips:
  • Get it in writing.  Make sure you have received a formal job offer in writing before you quit your current job.  Don't get fed up with your job or boss, have a bad day, and then quit.  It is much easier to find another Indianapolis management position if you currently have a job.  Before you resign, make sure you have worked through the logistics with your new employer like salary, start date, and job title and description. 
  • Do it in person.  Schedule some time to meet with your current boss in person as soon as possible after you have formally accepted a job offer.  Unless your manager works in another city/location or is on vacation, you should tell him/her that you are leaving face to face.   
  • Don't be negative.  As unhappy as you may be, it never behooves you to badmouth your current employer.  Simply let your manager know that you have found a better opportunity and it is time to move on.
  • Give it to your boss in writing.  When you give your notice, have a short resignation letter prepared.  Here are some tips on resignation letters. 
  • Wrap it up.  Let your boss know when your last day is going to be and work with your boss to identify what you need to accomplish before you leave.  Two weeks is a standard professional notice period.  Many candidates often feel that they need to give more notice which can often be distracting to your current employer and co-workers.  Giving too much notice can also send a signal to your new employer that you aren't very enthusiastic about starting your new position.
  • Be prepared for the counteroffer.  Your current employer might try to lure you to stay with promises of additional compensation, responsibility or promotions.  While a counteroffer might be enticing, why weren't you worth that additional money or compensation yesterday?  Does it take you leaving to get something that you should have been getting anyway?  Is that the type of company that you want to work for?  Also, once you give notice you are breaking a trust with your employer and no longer known as a loyal employee.  Also, hiring trends and statistics indicate that if you accept a counteroffer, the probability of you leaving that company within six months or being let go within one year is extremely high.
  • Again, keep it positive.  During those last few weeks with your current employer, it might be very tempting to be negative.  However, remember that the Indianapolis job market, or the job market in almost any city in America, is a small community.  You never know when you might run into your current manager or co-workers and need their help.          
Congratulations and best wishes to you in your new opportunity!

Job Seekers Can Learn from Tiger Woods' Mistakes

Friday, December 18, 2009 by Cathleen Litz

We have all been inundated with media reports on speculation surrounding Tiger Woods over the past few weeks.  And while it may seem that the allegations against Tiger have nothing to do with an Indianapolis job search, job seekers might be able to learn a lesson from him. 

As an Indianapolis headhunter, I frequently ask my candidates questions such as "Have you ever been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor?"  Or, "Why did you leave your last position?"  Over the past five years I have spent as an executive recruiter, I have frequently experienced candidates who incorrectly or inadequately answer these questions.  
This can be detrimental to any job search.  Part of my job is to help my candidates address these questions and any issues in their past when applying for accounting jobs Indianapolis. 

Lets first look at the criminal background question.  First, most Indianapolis companies complete criminal background checks on prospective candidates so be prepared for this question.   Just because you have been convicted of a misdemeanor or felony does not mean that a company will eliminate you as a candidate for a position (as long it is not something of a very serious nature).  What most companies are looking for is honesty when answering this question.  If you had a DUI in your past, then be honest about it.  While it is definitely not something to be proud of, DUIs are one of the most common offenses and will typically not elimate a candidate for consideration for an Indianapolis finance job.   What will elminate you from consideration is not disclosing the DUI (or other offense) when applying for Indianapolis job openings and a potential employer when asked this question.

The second important question is regarding why you left your previous position.  If your position was elminated (again, which is extremely common in this economic environment), then disclose it.  It will not elminate you from consideration for an Indianapolis job opening.  Potential employers will call your previous employers to verify employment and your reasons for leaving.  Employment laws typically prevent employers from providing significant detail  surrounding this question.  However, most employers will reach out their individual networks to see what others might know about your work history and performance.  Executive headhunters like to call this "backdoor referencing" and it is often a great source of information on a candidate.    

I think we are all ready for Tiger to directly address the current allegations in the media.  Being direct and honest in your job search will enable any candidate to signifcantly improve their chances in the Central Indiana job market. 

Are personality assessments worth it?

Thursday, December 10, 2009 by Cathleen Litz
As an Indianapolis Executive Recruiter, my job is to help my clients make the match for Indianapolis job openings and minimize their risk of hiring the "wrong" candidate.  This means we are always looking for ways to differentiate our firm in the Indianapolis staffing market.  The validity and value of personality assessments are often a topic of debate among Indianapolis headhunters. 

While there are several personality assessments available including the Predictive Index, DISC profile, and Myers Briggs, our firm has had great results utilizing the Caliper Profile for over seven years.  I recently used the Caliper Profile for an Indianapolis six figure job search and my client loved the results.  The Caliper takes into consideration a job's responsibilities and company culture and management style.  Then, the Caliper Profile compares a candidate to the job to determine if there is a natural fit.  If an individual is in a role which plays to their strengths, the probability of success is dramatically higher.  

The Caliper Profile costs around $300.  While some might complain about the cost, hiring the wrong candidate can cost a company thousands of dollars.  Or, you could try the personality test in this video but That's Good HR does not endorse its effectiveness!
 


Is it over yet?

Monday, November 30, 2009 by Cathleen Litz
After a few months of pretty positive economic data, the past few weeks haven't been quite as optimistic.  While I am certainly not an economic expert, I have worked in the staffing industry for 5+ years so I hope I am a little more qualified to comment on hiring trends.

So here's the bad news.  As you would probably expect, this year has not been pretty for the staffing industry.  Most recruiting firms have experienced declines ranging anywhere from 20 to 60%.  While our firm hasn't escaped without a few bruises, That's Good HR has a solid reputation and network as an Indianapolis staffing firm so we are in a good position going into 2010.

The good news is that we are starting to see a recovery.  Temporary staffing picked up over the summer.   On the direct hire and executive search side, we are starting to see things pick up.  However, not quite to pre-recession levels just yet.

Many people assume unemployment levels directly impact our business.  And with unemployment recently crossing the 10% thresholds, it is often assumed that we might just be seeing the worst of the recession.   However, for the direct hire and executive search division, non-farm employment is the best indicator of our business.  Earlier this year, non farm job losses ranged from 650-750K per month.  For the month of October, the preliminary data indicates that non-farm job losses were closer to 190K which is a great improvement for our business's outlook.

What's in a name?

Monday, November 2, 2009 by Cathleen Litz

I am fortunate to work for a great company.  Even though the economy has forced our firm to eliminate free Coca-Cola and company paid Treos, we still have weekly Pilates classes in our office and Fun Fridays

When sales prospects ask me about That's Good HR, the following is the typical dialog which follows:

Me:  I work for a company called That's Good HR.
Sales Prospect: What HR?
Me: I work for an Indianapolis based recruitment firm.
Sales Prospect: Ok.  So you are a headhunter?
Me: Well, I am am a headhunter but prefer to call myself an Indianapolis Executive Recruiter.  However, Our firm does more than just executive search.  We also do temp, temp-to-hire, direct hire (i.e. permanent placement) and government staffing. 

So it is kind of a mouthful to explain to sales prospects what we do.   While we are not industry focused, we are discipline focused in the areas of accounting, finance, administrative, operations and human resources.  Essentially, we are here to assist Indianapolis companies with staffing needs ranging from an hourly receptionist up to a Chief Financial Officer with a six figure job.  We pride ourselves on being the Indianapolis experts on hiring trends.   

Our business model is focused on being flexible for our clients.  While we engage in retained and contingency searches, we also offer a modified retainer options.  This enables our clients to engage us on an exclusive basis and split up the payments over a few months.  

So while our company's name might be a little confusing at first, we are very passionate about providing great customer service to our clients and candidates.  If you are reading this blog and are a sales prospect, we hope you will give us the opportunity to work with you for your next Indianapolis staffing need.   

 


The Flip Side of Social Networking and Google

Tuesday, October 13, 2009 by Cathleen Litz

In August, you might have read this post where I warned about the dangers of social networking.  One of my colleagues recently made me aware of the flip side of this perspective.  In this economy when most Indianapolis Executive Recruiters (or recruiters in any other city for that matter) are inundated with resumes of unemployed candidates, using Google is a good approach to make yourself identifiable to headhunters looking to fill six figure jobs.  

Have you  tried to Google yourself recently?  If you have a common name, it may be a little more difficult.  However, for most folks, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter profiles are typically the top hits in search results.  Make sure these pages contain information regarding your professional profile to make it easy for recruiters to understand your background within a few seconds of reading.  Blogging is another great way to publicize your background to potential employers.  Also, make sure these social networking sites do not contain any negative information regarding your background.  If your Facebook page contains pictures of a recent Friday night out with friends, then you should consider making your profile private. 

One Indianapolis-based social networking and job search tool is Careerscribe.  This website enables candidates to "scrapbook" about their professional accomplishments ranging from posting letters of recommendation to college transcripts to potential employers and recruiters.  .  Utilizing social networking sites effectively should ease some of the burden of your Indianapolis job search.  Hopefully it will enable recruiters to find you instead of you seeking them out. 

Effective Self-Promotion

Friday, September 18, 2009 by Cathleen Litz

This year That's Good HR became a member of the Diversity Roundtable of Central Indiana.  Earlier this week I had the opportunity to attend the DRTCI's monthly meeting where Dr. Melva Covington, Director of U.S. Health Outcomes for Endocrine and Women's Health, at Eli Lilly was the speaker and presented on "The Power of an Effective and Diverse Network."   

One of the most influential aspects of networking is self-promotion.  I think "self-promotion" sounds like a dirty word to most people.  After working in the staffing industry for five years (the past three of those years have been spent in as an Indianapolis Accounting and Finance Recruiter), I have realized that self-promotion is critical for success in almost any career.

The major misconception about self-promotion is that it is not related to how much you talk about yourself.  It's about establishing yourself as credible and understanding and playing up your strengths and accomplishments. 

Many of the Accounting and Finance professionals I meet who are engaged in an Indianapolis job search have a hard time understanding the difference.  I think many folks in more analytical and technical jobs have a more difficult time with self-promotion.  However, is it possible to land an six figure job without a little self-promotion along the way?

Recently, I have been spending a lot of my time with my candidates discussing and strategizing how to effectively communicate their strengths and accomplishments when looking for job opportunities Indianapolis.  The first steps in self-promotion to ensure a successful job search area:
 

  • Make your resume as accomplishment focused as possible.  What have you made, saved, or achieved in your current and previous positions?
  •  Be prepared to discuss these accomplishments once you get the interview and how they pertain to the specific position.

Over 45 & Unemployed

Thursday, September 3, 2009 by Cathleen Litz

I thought twice when blogging about this article as I didn't want to be the "Debbie Downer" of our blog.  However, I really encourage you to read it.  While it is a little depressing chronicling Michael Blattman's, a former Sallie Mae executive, job search, it is very insightful as to the realities of our current employment market.  And it brings up a few really good points.  Regardless of whether you want to call it age discrimination, workers over the age of 45 are facing the unemployed ranks for longer periods of time than their younger counterparts. 

Just based on reading the article (I obviously don't know the intricate details of Mr. Blattman's job search), it appears there are some things he could be doing to improve the effectiveness of his search.  Here are my thoughts:
  • Network - Mr Blattman has applied for 600 jobs online.  I talk to many candidates everyday who literally sit at home and apply for jobs on Monster, Careerbuilder and corporate recruiting websites all day.  While these sites can be great to find out who is hiring and hiring trends, focusing your search only on these job postings if very limiting.  Tell everyone you know that you are looking for a job.  Re-connect with former colleagues.  Attend networking lunches.  
  • Have Confidence - Even if you have taken an emotional beating during the course of a job search, don't let potential employers know it.  Mr Blattman describes telling an interviewer that he would take any job.  While that may be the case, who wants to hire someone who is desperate or has no self-confidence?  Not to sound harsh, but think about it from the employer's perspective.
  • Consider contract work - While a permanent position is ideal for many, consider a contract or temporary position.  It can be a great way to get back into the work force and keep your skills sharp.  That's Good HR  has a temporary services division and works with many job seekers who are in between positions. 

Last, at That's Good HR, my focus is to provide assistance to individuals engaged in an Indianapolis job search.   Please contact me if you are looking for Central Indiana jobs or would like additional information regarding the above topics. 

No such thing as work life balance?

Tuesday, August 25, 2009 by Cathleen Litz

Jack Welch, former Chairman and CEO of General Electric and icon in the American corporate world, recently said in a speech at the Society for Human Resource Management's (SHRM) annual conference, "There's no such thing as work life balance."  Now, this quote may sound a little more harsh than Welch intended as he went onto say, "There are work-life choices, and you make them, and they have consequences."

While I think Welch was referring to folks who are really looking to climb the corporate ladder and become an executive with a Fortune 100 company, his words definitely bring up a good point when it comes to job hunting in our current economy.

While we all seek some sort of work-life balance, it is important NOT to bring this up in the very early stages of the interview process.  I recently had a candidate who was eliminated after the first interview not because she didn't have the right technical skillset (she was actually a perfect match for the job), but she asked about working from home in the first interview with the hiring manager.   

So when is a good time for you to address work-life balance?  If you happen to be working with a recruiter, then it is a great question to ask him.  Executive recruiters are much more likely to have the "inside scoop" on their clients' work environment.  If you are not working with a recruiter, then wait until at least the second interview until asking any direct work-life balance questions.  When you do ask the question, make it more of an open ended question.  Some examples include:
  • What is a typical work week in the office?
  • Does the job have a busier season?  If so, when is that time of the year/month and what can I expect?
  • Does your company provide resources (i.e. cell phones or laptops) to enable employees to stay connected outside of the office?

Can you get fired from social networking?

Tuesday, August 4, 2009 by Cathleen Litz
 
Facebook, Twitter and other social networking media have become extremely prevalent over the past year.  Many companies are encouraging their employees to utilize these media to promote their products and services.  Is this really effective?  What about the risks to the employees?

 
A friend who works for a Fortune 500 company recently encountered some issues when combining social networking sites with her job.  Her company strongly encouraged their employees to use Twitter and Facebook to promote their brand and products.  So when she was attending a meeting discussing a change in the materials of one of the company's existing products, she got very excited.  A deck was distributed at the meeting which did not contain any confidentiality disclosures and the product launch team had mentioned that their competitors were already aware of the launch.  There was no indication that this was confidential information as even competitors and customers were aware of the change.  Plus, the change was scheduled to go live in less than two weeks so it was very imminent.  So my friend, as a dedicated employee who was excited about the change in the product, went to her Twitter account and tweeted about the change. 
 
A few hours later, my friend received a call from her company's public relations office reprimanding her for tweeting on what they considered to be confidential information.  She was incredibly embarrassed and worried that this was going to impact her career.  Fortunately, my friend is a top performer who has received several promotions and has a reputation as an extremely ethical and hard working employee. 

Of course, there are the obvious tweets which employees should avoid such as stating negative information about your manager or company.  But what about cases such as this where there was just a miscommunication about the confidential nature of some information?  Does Twitter's risks outweigh its benefits?

 

Indianapolis Brain Drain

Friday, December 12, 2008 by Cathleen Litz
 Yesterday I had the opportunity to hear Rebecca Ryan, founder of Next Generation Consulting, speak at a lunch for the Economic Club of Indiana.  Rebecca has been working with several organizations around Indianapolis to address the topic of our brain drain.

First, if you have the opportunity to hear Rebecca speak, then I highly recommend it.  She is very dynamic and interesting.  While sometimes these types of luncheons can be a little dry, Rebecca was quite refreshing and funny.  Her perspective really struck a personal chord when she made the recommendation that cities impacted by a brain drain should target graduates from area colleges ages 28 and up who have moved away.  This demographic couldn't have described me more perfectly as my husband I, both Indiana University grads, moved to Indianapolis two and a half years ago.  After living in Chicago for six years (an experience I wouldn't trade for anything) , we decided to make a lifestyle and career shift and relocate to Indianapolis. 

Over the past months, my calendar has become filled interviewing unemployed candidates.  While my immediately goal is obviously to match any candidates with open and active positions, I always try to help guide unemployed folks in the right direction.  Whether it's considering a temp to perm opportunity or signing up for TheLadders, I try to help my candidates in this situation as much as possible.  I have found myself increasingly recommending to candidates to potentially consider relocation.  As Indianapolis is stepping of its efforts to retain new grads and recruit recent grads back to the area, I wonder how the recession is going to impact this initiative. 

Luckily, accounting and finance positions are not being hit as hard as other job disciplines.  I am a strong believer that Indianapolis is a great place to live and work.  However, no matter how much organizations invest into finding a solution to this problem and retaining and recruiting talent to Indianapolis, at the end of the day, it's all about you.

Cathleen Litz, Recruiter

Friday, December 12, 2008 by Cathleen Litz
Searching for a job can be a fairly stressful experience.  Since I work with organizations in the Indianapolis area looking to hire new Accouning and Finance talent along with active job seekers on a daily basis, I want others to know what to expect throughout the process.