The How #1
Welcome back! Now that we've got the introductions out of the way, we can get down to business, because who likes small talk anyway?
Katie here. Since we last spoke, our team has been heads down on a number of big client projects that NDAs preclude us from telling you about, so instead, I’ll share a silly anecdote. Of the many, many (did I say many?) emails I subscribe to, the one I read every day is “A Note from the Universe.” On May 2, the day after we told you all about The How, I received the following note:
Katie, you don't have to, nor can you, figure out all the "hows"!
Besides, you opted for the “Surprise me often!” life package.
Brace yourself,
The Universe
Apparently, The Universe has jokes, and this one was on me. Nevertheless, we persist, because if there’s one thing The Devon Group is known for, it’s our persistence. You might say it’s part of our How. And in our next edition, we’re going to share more about what that looks like on a daily basis, so stay tuned. But for now, I’d like to introduce you to …
How do I?
Otherwise known as “Ask an Expert.”
Dear Laura,
I’m in sales for an HR Tech vendor. How do I connect with today’s buyer?
Signed,
Polite But Pushy Prospecter
Dear Polite But Pushy Prospecter,
Connecting with today's buyer means connecting with HR, and well, that takes some nuance. HR Pros do NOT like to be sold to; in fact, I've never met anyone who enjoys a cold call (most will hang up on you. Sorry, but you heard it here first).
HR Pros want to be heard, so you're better off doing more listening than talking. They need you to understand them. If you start selling a solution without hearing the problem, they'll shut down. To keep the armor down, and the convo flowing, listen more and be willing to bring empathy, compassion and true connection. Pushing may work on some departments, but in HR, it'll close the door for good on your face before you've even walked in.
Your friend,
Laura of East Side Staffing
How work is working.
Jeanne from Devon joined Jon Reed and Brian Sommer of Diginomica for their Enterprise month in review to sort through “vendor hype and PR gotchas.”
Over at WorkLife, security experts weigh in on the myriad ways fake job candidates sneak by overwhelmed HR departments - and what to do about it.
‘Everybody’s Replaceable’: The New Ways Bosses Talk About Workers. Ouch. Follow the gift link for Chip Cutter’s coverage of the war ON talent.
ICYMI, from around the space.
HR Tech introduced the media & analyst accreditation criteria for the 2025 Las Vegas event, if that’s your thing.
HireBrain took top honors at yet another industry startup competition. These folks continue to be ones to watch. h/t
- covered recent Fosway Group research that found that half of HR pros think their organization’s employee experience is “average” at best.
Upcoming HOW opportunities.
2025 SaaS Awards (due May 23)
2025 A.I. Awards (due May 30)
HR Icons 2025 (due June 6)
And finally, a break.
Reading: When the Going Was Good by Graydon Carter. Because some of us are nerds about the media even in our spare time.
Watching: The Four Seasons on Netflix. The 2025 version and the 1981 one.
Listening: The Meg and Amy Show. Wit, wisdom and foresight say it all.
Exploring: Presti. A fun way to reimagine your space.