Thursday, Nov. 05, 2009

On the Job with Mark Fryer

Independent HR consultant: It's a job finding a job

Mark Fryer knows what it takes to get you hired. After all, he has spent more than three decades helping companies find qualified employees.

For 35 years, Fryer worked in human resource management in the manufacturing, distribution and service sectors, including stints as vice president of human resources for Tom’s Foods Inc. in Columbus and VP of global human resources for Dresser Inc. in Milwaukee.

In May, Fryer and his family moved back to Columbus. He set up shop as an independent human resources consultant with Lawrence, Allen & Kolbe the next month.

Fryer specializes in outplacement services, in which he helps executives and upper-level managers find a job after being laid off. He also offers executive coaching, partner relocation and organizational development services.

Fryer sat down with the Ledger-Enquirer to talk about challenges executives face when on a job search, the importance of networking and tips for snagging upper-level employment.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Tell me about what you do. You specialize in outplacement and executive coaching, correct?

Yes. If a company is laying someone off, they will hire me to help that person find a job. The client may have been given a severance package and outplacement package. I work very closely with them, developing their resumes. We look at accomplishments and results. What can they do for the company? It’s not what the company can do for them. ...

The biggest thing is networking. More people, in my opinion, find jobs through networking than any other way. It doesn’t matter if (a person you meet) would be the one to give you a job. They may know somebody. I help my clients understand the importance of that — getting yourself out in front of everybody. I do the same in my job. ...

Also, say a client gets an interview. I’ll find out what the job description is and I’ll do mock interviews with them. I’ll be the HR person, because I’ve probably interviewed over 1,000 people in my career. I help them develop their answers.

(I also specialize) in coaching. Say a company has a good employee from a technical perspective, but they have some behavioral problems. They may be really short with people, or they may use their position’s power where they shouldn’t, or they don’t treat people they way they should.

I’ll do a 360-degree assessment. The client would have their boss, peers and subordinates (give feedback). Then I sit down with them and explain what this all means. I help them develop two or three goals, along with the company and what they want the person to “fix.” I work with those people, maybe for a year. Number one, they have to want to change. And number two, even if they want to change, it doesn’t happen (right away.)

What’s one of the biggest mistakes executives make when they’re on a job search?

I think one thing is they start looking for a job before they have their resume (updated.) They’ll get terminated on a Monday and on Tuesday they’re already putting their resumes out on Monster.com. It might be a resume they used five years ago and they didn’t do much to update it, or they didn’t get other people’s opinions on it. Really, (it’s) developing a strategy.