Gee thanks, Time/Warner
I'm sure i had something to say yesterday, but since my internet connection was down virtually all day, i have no idea what it was. Since the tech is due here in about an hour, i'm sure the connection will be working fine until 20 minutes after he leaves.
I hope you get a chance to listen to the podcast of our interview last night with Tom Bonfield, Durham's new city manager, on Shooting the Bull. Mr. Bonfield shares his first impressions of the city, and his vision for the Durham of the future. It'll be interesting to watch him working with our current City Council over the next year or two. Nothing against Patrick Baker, but it's been some time since Durham had a manager quite like our new guy.
Here's a question for you. I've snarked in the past about how the Mercer Group, the headhunters who managed the search for our new manager, should give us a discount on our next search, since they overlapped the Wichita, Kansas manager search onto our own. Mr. Bonfield confirmed last night that he was also in fact asked to interview for the then vacant position in Wichita as well as Durham. I don't have much experience int he "executive recruiting" field. But am i wrong to think that there's some ethical conflict here in taking money from two different cities at the same time to basically give them the same pool of candidates from which to choose? If there really is only one very small pool of qualified city managers, what value add does the search company bring to the table. Why not just contact the professional organization that city managers belong to and post your job openings there?
I hope you get a chance to listen to the podcast of our interview last night with Tom Bonfield, Durham's new city manager, on Shooting the Bull. Mr. Bonfield shares his first impressions of the city, and his vision for the Durham of the future. It'll be interesting to watch him working with our current City Council over the next year or two. Nothing against Patrick Baker, but it's been some time since Durham had a manager quite like our new guy.
Here's a question for you. I've snarked in the past about how the Mercer Group, the headhunters who managed the search for our new manager, should give us a discount on our next search, since they overlapped the Wichita, Kansas manager search onto our own. Mr. Bonfield confirmed last night that he was also in fact asked to interview for the then vacant position in Wichita as well as Durham. I don't have much experience int he "executive recruiting" field. But am i wrong to think that there's some ethical conflict here in taking money from two different cities at the same time to basically give them the same pool of candidates from which to choose? If there really is only one very small pool of qualified city managers, what value add does the search company bring to the table. Why not just contact the professional organization that city managers belong to and post your job openings there?
Labels: local government, Tom Bonfield
Since 1949, Durhamites have slept soundly, secure in the knowledge that, in our town, erection can be depended upon. Now, thanks to the power of the internets, we can spread that security all over the world.
2 Comments:
I'm generally just not fond of headhunters. There's probably some grey area concerning presenting qualified applicants to multiple searchers, but - agreed - it seems rather shady to me. I'd be curious to know the terms of whatever contract was used to employ this company.
My Time Warner has been acting up today, too. Unusual, because I almost never have problems. I wonder if it's catching.
By
Unknown, at 8:29 PM
Barry,
Be glad that you don't have to deal with the special circle of hell that I've stumbled into with Time Warner tech support.
As Duke employees, my wife and I are offered a special "business class" package for our home. Whenever there's a problem, I've been advised to call TWCBC tech support, rather than residential support. Most of the time, whomever answers insists that because it's hooked up at a residence, I have to speak to residential tech support. (Pronounced, "I'm busy watching youTube, go away.) Residential support has no customer records for our account because it's business class service.
Usually, by the third lap of TWC's phone tree (and/or third "inadvertent" hang-up), the problem has resolved itself on its own.
By
Dan S., at 3:45 PM
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