Embrace the Burlesque: Recruiting Lessons from Chicago, the Movie

Oscar Wilde noted more than a century ago that "Life imitates Art far more than Art imitates Life".  And thus, it should come as no surprise that there are lessons to be learned about executive search when viewed through the lens of the burlesque. Burlesque is defined as humorous theatrical entertainment involving parody, grotesque exaggeration -- and, yes, even striptease.  So what is a discussion about burlesque doing in a blog about recruiting?  Stay with me.

My teenage daughter watched the movie Chicago for the first time. For me, it was the umpteenth, but I was taken by how many of its bawdy observations applied to the world of executive search. The song Mr. Cellophane could be just as much as song about a candidate struggling to be noticed, as it is about the character Amos Hart (John C. Reilly) who is the husband of Roxie Hart (Renee Zellweger), a woman who hopes to break into vaudeville, and gets there after killing her boyfriend and hiring lawyer Billy Flynn (Richard Gere). She teams up with Velma Kelly (Catherine Zeta-Jones), who killed her cheating husband to become a vaudeville act.

Cellophane
Mister Cellophane
Shoulda been my name
Mister Cellophane
'Cause you can look right through me
Walk right by me
And never know I'm there...

Frequently, I am approached by Mr. or Ms. Cellophane trying desperately to be seen and heard. While I try to help and while I have pro bono efforts to that end, I am not a personal career coach or agent. I am paid by very powerful client corporations to find the ideal candidate for a specific role or opening. That said, I regularly foster relationships with select executives who are counted among industry's best and brightest - luminaries and up-and-coming stars. However, what's a candidate to do if he or she isn't counted among the rock stars in the 99th percentile? What's the best way to to get on my radar screen? Again, there's a lesson to be learned from burlesque.

Executives and technologists regularly call executive search consultants asking for help to in finding their next opportunity.  However, calling up and asking a complete stranger to do you a favor is not the best way to make a good first impression. That kind of initial "how-dee-do" can make you sound needy and even selfish. As a result, you are practically asking to be rejected.

Networking is not about the get, it is about the give.  When you give, you become empowered. The give may be sharing industry insight, making an introduction, or offering to refer business. But when you go there -- when you focus on what you can do for someone instead of what they can do for you -- you will consistently yield better results. You avoid "graspiness", which carries with it a whiff of desperation.  I know it is challenging to do when you are, actually, in desperate circumstances.  Unemployment has a way of pushing families to the brink of homelessness so very quickly.  But still, focusing on the give help get your mojo working again. You put energy out there in the universe that will reap rewards. I have seen it happen, time and again.

So be good to Mama, my friends, be very, very good.

Comments

[Andy Martin]

Hi Krista,

What a great perspective! You have really nailed the essence of networking but without seeing your words in print I'm not sure it would have occurred to me. Of course it is about the giving!

You and I talked on a few occasions about ten years ago when I was in the top 1%. Over the last ten years I've kept busy with my own company and have enjoyed building technologies out of the limelight. I have pretty much kept my self in a networking black hole!

Over the last six months I have decided to make a little more effort and have begun networking again. Not with any pressing agenda, but just because I'm getting older and feel that it makes good career sense to keep in the loop. Wow, what a concept!

When I meet with CEO's I am really trying to figure out what they are looking for these days. I have found it quite pleasant in providing input and suggestions without any ulterior motive. If down the line something good comes out of it, that is gravy, but in the meantime I have interesting lunches and have been able to make a few suggestions that help people along the way.

Thanks for your great blog!

[Krista Bradford]

Hi Andy,
Thanks for your thoughtful remarks. What's great about networking without an ulterior motive is that it broadens the scope of your collective brainstorming: you frequently discover exciting, new ways to collaborate when you remove the filter of what someone can do for you. Moreover,to focus on "the give", my favorite question to ask is "What can I do to support your success?" I've found it is a question people enjoy answering.

[Dan Johnson]

Krista,
I love how you can tell the story -- many of us are guilty of, "What's in it for me!?" when it's time for job hunt mode. You've also just described the keys to successful networking in social media. People and companies can't fathom that it takes more time investment in the pay-it-forward efforts than, "Hey, look at me...buy this today!" See my faves Chris Garrett, Toby Bloomberg, Mike Wagner, Chris Brogan, etc... they all exemplify this.

And that may explain why so many recruiters (now solo) are doing quite well by adding social media skills to their consulting practice. Some of my best SMM peeps came from recruitment or still work in that space.

Now I've got to rent that flick again! Keep on keeping us entertained.
- Dan