Tag: head hunter

Same Craft, Different Tools – How thinking digital transformed my business

Same Craft, Different Tools – How thinking digital transformed my business

Posted on by peter

When I set out to build a digital network of industry-related professionals—convinced it could transform the recruiting industry—I had no idea how profoundly it would reshape my own practice. What started as an experiment quickly became a catalyst for scale, reach, and—most importantly—better outcomes for both candidates and clients. Today, that network has grown to nearly a million, enabling me to connect exceptional people across real estate, construction, and architecture with companies worthy of their talent—faster and more thoughtfully than ever before.

While the tools have evolved, the underlying lessons remain timeless. A few themes from my experience continue to surface in modern recruiting and are just as relevant for today’s job seekers and hiring leaders navigating an increasingly digital, noisy, and competitive talent market.

Reaching Far but Looking Close

There’s an old New Yorker cartoon of a dog sitting at a computer with the caption, “On the Internet, nobody knows you’re a dog.” Years later, the joke still lands—because ambiguity remains one of the biggest obstacles in digital recruiting.

I often come across profiles that appear to align perfectly with a search—until I look closer. Job titles like “Vice President” or “Director” can mean vastly different things across organizations. Without context, they tell a recruiter very little. Specificity, however, tells a story.

“Vice President” is vague. “Vice President of Sales and Marketing for the Northeast region, leading a 14-person team and driving 22% revenue growth over three years” is not.

In a world where hundreds—sometimes thousands—of professionals may view a profile, clarity is what converts interest into conversation. If a hiring leader cannot quickly understand the scope, scale, and impact of one’s role, they’ll move on. Precision isn’t about oversharing; it’s about making it easy for the right opportunity to find you.

First Impressions Count—They’ve Just Multiplied

Today, first impressions rarely happen in a single place. They might occur on LinkedIn, through a Google search, in a webinar attendee list, or via a photo posted after an industry event. Digital presence is no longer supplemental to a career—it is part of the résumé.

This doesn’t require perfection, but it does demand intention. Professional platforms should reflect the role one aspires to, not just the one currently held. Profile photos, bios, and public-facing content should be current, polished, and consistent. Sloppy details—outdated logos, cluttered email signatures, unproofed summaries—send quiet but powerful signals.

No one expects constant formality, and authenticity matters. Still, career-specific spaces deserve the same thoughtfulness one would bring to a first in-person meeting. The goal is not to impress everyone—it’s to resonate with the right audience.

Technology Amplifies the Human Element

Digital tools have unquestionably transformed how people connect to opportunity. For job seekers, access and visibility have expanded dramatically. For companies, the ability to identify, evaluate, and engage talent has become both faster and more strategic.

At Christopher Frederick, embracing digital networking—while preserving the discipline of one-on-one executive search—allowed us to scale without sacrificing quality. We’ve grown our internal team and routinely identify qualified candidates in weeks rather than months. More importantly, we’ve consistently helped clients secure leadership talent that drives long-term value.

Our experience reinforces a simple truth: technology doesn’t replace relationships—it amplifies them. When used thoughtfully, digital tools sharpen judgment, expand reach, and elevate outcomes for everyone involved.

The Craft Endures

Recruiting is still about discernment, trust, and understanding people—not just roles. The tools may change, but the craft remains the same. Those who learn to pair timeless principles with modern platforms will continue to stand out in a crowded, fast-moving talent landscape.

For more than three decades, Christopher Frederick has partnered with leading real estate, construction, and architecture organizations to secure high-impact executives who drive long-term success. Learn more at www.chrisfred.com.

The Most Important Career Skills You Didn’t Study in College

The Most Important Career Skills You Didn’t Study in College

Posted on by peter

A recent study exposed a huge gap in the expectations of employers and entry-level job candidates when it comes to the characteristics they value in the workplace. An overwhelming 93 percent of surveyed employers weigh so-called soft skills like problem solving more heavily than academic credentials, while a mere 16 percent of entry-level candidates considered soft skills important. Looking back on the executive positions I’ve filled over the years, I’ve noticed the critical role these professional attributes play in the careers of managers, as well.

Critical Thinking

This is a classic example of an extremely valuable skill set that’s rarely reflected in resume bullet points or job titles. Yet the higher up the job ladder you climb, the more an employer expects you to make competent decisions that affect the company. Leading real estate firms don’t just look for executives who can hire employees and ensure things get done on time. They need people with the capacity to reason their way through unexpected problems and opportunities. This makes it even more crucial to point out specific decisions you’ve made and problems you’ve solved in past jobs when courting potential employers.

Communication

A great idea is useless if people can’t quite wrap their heads around what you’re talking about. Companies don’t expect their leaders to be English scholars with half-finished novels in their desk drawers. But they do need people who can get their ideas across in a way that doesn’t seed confusion and misunderstandings. Practices that demonstrate this skill set can be as simple as giving a second read to emails, memos and presentations to be sure your intentions are clear and the text is free of basic errors. Respect language and seek continuous improvement in how you use it. This might seem rudimentary, but just consider how many times you’ve seen “excellent communication skills” required in a job description. Keep in mind that effective communication now goes beyond traditional inter-office messages. The ability to convey ideas succinctly through texting and social media has also become invaluable. Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and the like may have changed the format of our communication in the last five years, but keep in mind that their effective use requires more writing than ever. Regardless of the medium, persuasive written communication will set you apart.

Humility

It’s not enough, though, to be a smooth talker. I don’t know how many construction-related positions I’ve filled where employers emphasized the ability to communicate well, not just with executives, but also with site foremen, subcontractors, tradesmen and municipal officials. Hiring managers know first hand that you can’t manage a large team unless you feel at ease with its members at all levels. That requires not just confidence, but a sense of humility as well.

For more than 20 years, Christopher Frederick has helped match the skills of high-value executives with leading companies in real estate. Visit our website at www.chrisfred.com where you can find exclusive job listings for real estate professionals and read more about our one-of-a-kind approach to executive recruitment.

Ambition’s Back: A Rebounding Market Calls for Career Confidence

Ambition’s Back: A Rebounding Market Calls for Career Confidence

Posted on by peter

It’s taken seven long years, but the shadow of the financial crisis has finally receded from American real estate. Residential property values have seen sustained increases across major markets. Commercial activity has picked up, and in many cities builders are scrambling to meet a significant under-supply of multifamily housing. For professionals in the industry, guarded optimism has given way to justified confidence about the future of their careers.

Good News for Builders

Recent job statistics from the Associated General Contractors of America back up the trend. April saw the construction workforce expand in 220 markets compared to the same month the year before. Employment remained stable in another 49 markets and declined in 70, partly because of reduced spending on government projects and the impact from Hurricane Sandy. Job gains ranged between 10 percent and 11 percent in the greater Los Angeles area and came in at 9 percent in Atlanta and Dallas. A handful of smaller markets experienced a small gold rush, with the construction workforce increasing by 42 percent in El Centro, Calif., 35 percent in the Steubenville, Ohio, region and 27 percent in both Pascagoula, Miss., and Springfield, Ill. These numbers don’t just represent tradesmen. In my recruiting practice, I continue to see consistent demand for construction professionals in purchasing, acquisition and development, regional/divisional leadership, investment management and other areas.

Make it yours

Confidence is empowering. It helps people work harder, take risks and broaden what they consider possible. An optimistic future for real estate should inspire those who work within it to seize the potential for advancement and professional growth that might have been delayed during the recession. Now is the time to redefine your goals for the next five years. How can you assert yourself in your current position to make them happen? Who in your professional network can help you? Is the organization you belong to the best place to grow? A rejuvenated market affords us the chance to explore these questions to an extent that wasn’t possible in the fairly recent past. As you do, remember: Mindset matters. I’ve found that success isn’t necessarily a product of one-off opportunities, but rather the result of decisions we make based on the circumstances at hand. In real estate, at least, today’s circumstances are as promising as they’ve been in a long time.

For more than 20 years, Christopher Frederick has helped executives and the companies they lead seize opportunities in real estate. Visit our website at www.chrisfred.com where you can find exclusive job listings for real estate professionals and read more about our one-of-a-kind approach to executive recruitment.

Job Happiness: How Smiles Can Get You Miles

Job Happiness: How Smiles Can Get You Miles

Posted on by peter

It’s no secret that an enthusiastic attitude, a positive outlook and a likeable disposition can bolster a career. Particularly for leadership positions, employers seek not only professionalism but an authentic passion for the job at hand.

What’s harder to divine from the advice of career coaches and business books is where all those positive feelings actually come from. Even people in a line of work they love face the same career risks, periodic setbacks and daily frustrations as everyone else. A positive outlook at work takes more than the right job title, a good salary or even a generally upbeat personality. What I’ve learned from the leaders I’ve placed at some of the country’s top real estate companies is that their success comes, in part, from a perspective that allows them to thrive within whatever environment they find themselves in.

I saw this spirit expressed in an unlikely place the other day. I love music, and when I watched the video for the song “Happy” by Pharrell Williams, I was struck by the sincerity of its underlying message. The soulful lyrics expound on the artist’s sense of joy despite any of the bad news or challenges around him. Meanwhile, a cast of diverse characters dances to the catchy hook: “Because I’m happy, Clap along if you feel like a room without a roof, because I’m happy, Clap along if you feel like happiness is the truth …” There are good dancers and terrible dancers. Old faces and young. Business leaders and famous athletes. Mothers and kids. But they all seem to get what he’s talking about. Despite their differences and whatever unique circumstances they face in their lives, they acknowledge and celebrate the things that make them thankful in life.

That’s also the type of outlook that can have a meaningful effect on work satisfaction. Instead of dwelling on the stresses of every day, it helps to be reminded of the satisfactions and rewards that drew you to a position in the first place. Whether that’s the rush of a high-stakes deal or simply the satisfaction of earning a living for your family, allowing yourself to be happy for what you have now and what might lie ahead can help give you the positive outlook employers and coworkers value so much.

For more than two decades, Christopher Frederick has helped recruit tomorrow’s leaders in real estate. Visit our website at www.chrisfred.com where you can find exclusive job listings for real estate executives and read more about our one-of-a-kind approach to executive recruitment.