Overview of Episode #15:

Hear Talent Connections Owner and Founder, Tom Darrow, a leading Atlanta Businessman and Community Leader share this wisdom and insights from 30 years of professional experience in helping National Corporations formulate strategies to turn employees into their most valuable competitive advantage.

• Contact Host Suzie Price at 770-578-6976 or [email protected]

Find out about:

• The top two trends Tom shares on how corporations manage talent acquisition;
• Actions leaders should be taking right now;
• Top trends in employee retention and what actions you can implement immediately;

Timing on Recording: @ 4:25 ---

Topic #1: About Tom Darrow and His Extensive Involvement in Leadership in Business and Community

• Overview on Tom's 30 years experience in HR and recruiting
• Tom's company Talent Connections, in 2007 and 2008 was listed as one of the fastest growing companies.
• Tom serves on various boards in the community and is at the leading edge of national trends in HR.

Timing on Recording: @ 10:00 ---

Topic # 2: Tom Darrow's Background - Fun and Interesting Questions to Get to Know More About Him

• Tom designed and built his own mountain hideaway in Murphy, North Carolina. For some inspiration check out his mountain house at mountainmajesty.com.
• His most challenging moment in HR
• His most rewarding moment as a leader
• His journey as a leader and business owner
• One thing – most people do not know about Tom
• The one person who had the greatest influence on his career

Timing on Recording: @ 31:10 ---

Topic #3: What books and programs have helped you on your leadership journey?

• Business By The Book by Larry Burkett
• Leadership Counsel of 10 Christian business people
• Strengths Finder 2.0 by Tom Rath
• Create your life's purpose and build your life around that

Timing on Recording: @ 40:49 ---

Topic #4: Top Trends in Employee Selection

• The major problem now in talent acquisition is the volume of candidates and inundation of communications via email, phone, fax, mail
• Ask your employees. With an employee referral program, while it's necessarily automatically ideal for the role, it does go a long way
• How can you turn the impersonal hiring process into a positive experience of relationship building between the corporation and the prospective candidate.
• What is your sourcing strategy? The key is to specifically narrow down the role so that you have not just a job description, but also, key criteria of what the person is expected to achieve, an idea of their profile, their benchmarks, behaviors, competencies, and so forth.
• Be proactive - commence the process of creating the pipeline early. Most companies know within a year, what positions will need to be filled.
• Create an employment brand. Get out there, boots on the ground, so candidates want to work for you.
• It's not about getting a bunch of candidates for the role. It is about how to find the right one. To assist your client, you must go deeper than just the job description.
• Talent acquisition must be seen to be as important as anything else the company does. The objective is to think of talent acquisition as an investment where employees are the competitive advantage.
• THE Superior Performance Secret: Simple, Not Easy & Often Missed In this video I share THE main superior performance secret. It's something that most Leaders know, but without meaning to, don't focus on enough. Watch now: http://www.pricelessprofessional.com/superior-performance-secret.html

Timing on Recording: @ 55:40 ---

Topic #5: Top Trends in Employee Retention

• The new focus is engagement or re-engagement of employees.
• This is a challenge as many think they are not happy and are willing to search for other roles. They may be kicking the tires...
• Take a critical look at each of your people and sit down with each one. Do an employment survey once a year, talk to them, get their feedback - what do they like or don't like, help them understand how their role is critical to the company.
• Walk up to people every day. Engage them.
• Re-engage and re-energize your people.

Timing on Recording: @ 1:02:15 ---

Topic #6: How do you know if you're doing enough?

• You never want to be in a position where you think you've done enough
• How can you give exceptional client service?
• Ask and keep asking - what more can we do? Chick-Fil-A is a good role model for this.
• People want to know that they matter. It's not complicated but it is not easy either.
• Try to articulate the corporate culture you're moving towards. Have you mapped out what it looks like? What skills and attitudes will they need for tomorrow's culture?

Timing on Recording: @ 1:07:25 ---

Topic #7: What advice would you give to your 30 year old self?

• Focus on the long term. Don't get caught up in daily busyness.
• Three themes from interviews with centenarians - 1. spend more time with family and friends 2. take more risks 3. do more in this lifetime that will stand beyond your lifetime, that is create a legacy.
• What are you doing to build your legacy while you're building your resume?

Timing on Recording: @ 1:11:30 ---

Topic #8: If you were to create a Tom Darrow bill board, what would it say?

• "Jesus is The Answer"
• We need to heal people. The world is hurting. When we heal, they go on to heal others.

Timing on Recording: @ 1:11:30 ---

Topic #9: Reach Out

• Speaking engagements - recruiting, HR, Career Management, Leadership, How to Build A Legacy Not A Resume, Mis-employment, Optimize your career, Intentionally take charge of your career.
• Talent Connections specializes in HR, recruitment, executive level searches for key talent.

Best way to reach Tom Darrow –

• Email: [email protected]
• Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomdarrow
• Cell: 770-633-5242
• Website: http://www.talentconnections.net/

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