Answer: If an opportunity were brought to their attention and Millennials thought it was interesting and something appealing, that was all that mattered. They were in such demand that they were constantly being asked to consider new assignments. Employers contacting them were under tremendous pressure to get work done and overlooked the short term nature of SM career tracks. Of course, moving at this pace, salaries were artificially inflated as increases happened at each move.

With permission from my client, I jumped into the competitive fray and laid out precisely what these potential candidates wished to know. I named the company, revealed the salary range for the position and provided a detailed description about the challenges and innovative potential of the new job. My responses as soon as candidates replied were always within 24-hours and most of the time within 4-hours. That worked. I was talking their language. From that point on I was able to attract the candidates most qualified for the job.

To eliminate candidates who were not interested in a management track, I clearly explained that this was a path to a leadership position. I was rigorous during my interviews to explore the motivations of the candidates. In one extreme example, a candidate could not follow instructions about preparing suitable materials for my client, including a resume, and was eliminated. She was an example of a self- made entrepreneur that had no understanding of how to function in a corporate environment despite impressive successes that she achieved for her clients.

During the research phase, I explained to my client that the track record of these professionals was very short-term since they were in such demand. There was nothing to be done about it. Ultimately, as much as organizations are seeking stability, hiring managers recognized the reality of the marketplace. I succeeded in developing a strong group of finalists that were eager to interview for the position. They were excellent agency as well as corporate professionals. As expected, an agency candidate was the most attractive. The issue as anticipated, however, was her salary. She was above the range that fit the company.

From a client perspective, the reality of hiring in this competitive environment means hiring practices need to be evaluated and adjusted. The speed at which interviews are conducted, offers made (at competitive levels most likely above the established range) and accepted require streamlining their processes. This is no easy task and candidates can be lost before the hiring team decides how to proceed.

In cases where there is a learning process about creating a new position, the search may evolve. The position can be redefined and restructured. That was the situation here. The company decided not to hire the finalist. While the need to develop the function continued, reporting lines shifted. The search was discontinued, and alternate directions were pursued successfully.