First, we want to take this opportunity to personally thank each and every one of you for your business, your friendship and continuous referrals. They are a vital part of our success and growth. Our team now consists of ten search professionals focusing on senior level executive positions for a variety of corporations.

Periodically, we stop to reflect on the past twelve months and compile some of the advice and comments we receive during the many searches we share with you. The executive search process provides us with unique insight and perspectives on some of the detail and dimensions required to be successful in corporate America today.

I. Key Characteristics for Career Success:

• Adaptability and flexibility. Change is so rapid that anybody that can not take it in stride will fail. Astute professionals know that they can deal with anything that comes across their path. Equally important; the projection of this "can-do" attitude to management. They must know you can adapt to anything.
• Commitment as a personality trait. Corporations expect personal commitment to the job at hand, hard work, competence, the ability to stick to a project; in short, a commitment to follow through and deliver. Professionals who commit are promoted first.
• Superb communication skills. They're essential to success, yet too few executives have them despite all the emphasis put on them. Those who make their points in short, clear and understandable language that their workforce responds to clearly succeed.
• The ability to think creatively. You don't have to be Michelangelo or Shakespeare to be creative. You do need the skills to apply reason and imagination to solving problems. Whenever you devise a novel way to remove an obstacle, or develop a new solution to an old problem, you are being creative.
• Decision-making skills. Quick, forceful and confident decisions are the hallmark of good management. Yet to be effective, they should always be backed up by research, analysis and trust in your information. Practice, reflection and learning will help you continually improve.
• Sound judgment. The ability to evaluate situations, people and problems is highly valued because they are the basis for decisions, your own or those of your superiors. You evaluate best by establishing standards, whether for measuring a performance review or ordering supplies.
• Independent action. In many organizations, the days of coming to work, being told what to do and going home are over. Self-starters make it today, executives who shape their own schedules and integrate their personal and professional lives for maximum results.
• Team building and playing. Teams are the new management gospel and rising professionals had better know all about structuring, coaching and winning within a team concept, no matter if you're coach, captain or right tackle.

II. Today's Employment Market:

In 1990-92, 2002-03, and today in 2009, many people ask us: "How do you continue to grow when there are no jobs?" First, great firms excel in tough times and in these times our customers turn to us. Second, the practical reality is that in both good and lean markets, there continues to be executive level positions available throughout North America. Statistically, the executive unemployment rate is one-half that of the overall unemployment rate in any market. Top performers move for the right combination of challenges, career advancement/growth, motivation, appreciation, quality of life, meaningful work, job security and remuneration. Boards today are continuing to upgrade and enhance their human capital as a key strategic competitive advantage and to generate a superb ROI.

In 2009, while there is a lot of average talent available, it is still very challenging to recruit exceptionally talented "A" professionals. In these times, "C" players don't have what it takes to help their teams successfully deal with the variety of challenges the current economy creates for businesses. Our specialty is that we bring exceptional talent to our clients and add significant value, whatever the state of the economy.

Today, we continually observe that when hiring "A" executives, four key qualities today's employers want are the ability to learn, to listen and convey information, to solve problems in innovative ways, and the knowledge of how to get things done. We look at each of these criteria closely and another of our success factors is we take very seriously the candidate development aspect of the search process. Careful screening and analysis of a candidate's capabilities and their chemistry/fit with your organization are the keys to long-term satisfaction for everyone. At Kiradjieff & Goode, our senior partners are integrally involved in all aspects of the executive search process, from actual candidate development themselves to in-person screening/evaluation, reference checking and closing. We take the process very seriously and commit that only those professionals who meet or exceed our rigorous standards are then presented as candidates.