“What a year this week has been.” -Steve Hall Having worked as an executive recruiter through the bursting of the tech bubble and September 11th, then throughout the global financial crisis, I felt prepared for the next downturn.

As an executive recruiter, I exist to create the very disruption this article aims to help leaders avoid. Curious right? Readers may understandably wonder about my motivation.

“An expansive discussion with 18 institutional distribution team leaders offering advice, personal reflection and candid insights for new managers coming up the ranks.”

“A mid-September launch provides hiring managers with a solid 3 months to run a thoughtful process before the Thanksgiving holiday arrives. After that, both sides are distracted and heads down with getting things closed and booking travel before...

“Great follow up notes offer a fantastic opportunity for job seekers. Why?  Because they are so incredibly rare. These notes contain every characteristic of outstanding initial outreach coupled with a willingness to offer something of value.”

“If you’re actively looking for a new role, relationships with all former direct managers (not just formal references) can make or break offers. Even if you’re 100% content, exploring this topic is worthwhile since former industry colleagues frequently serve as...

“As firms have expanded their dedicated consultant coverage teams, the increasing number of individuals calling on consultants themselves has made market share for attention a real concern. As a result, the qualities hiring managers look for in a consultant...

“Companies with a culture of flexibility, respect, and autonomy generally can attract and retain best-in-class talent. This may be particularly appealing to women, and is highly relevant to institutional fundraising—firm-level support for work-life balance can...

“The product specialist role can be one of the most complex and challenging hires for an asset manager to make. While the role has existed for some time, the global financial crisis and subsequent performance and industry pressures elevated the position and the...

“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” – Mary Oliver “I can assure you, email is nowhere on my pre-50 bucket list. It wasn’t even on my list of things to do today, a beautiful snowy Saturday. And yet, here I am....

“…..which leads to me ask the question, how can I graciously say no to this tsunami of possibilities and requests? In a way that protects my time and energy while leaving others feeling good about our interaction? And in a way that leaves me feeling good...