Win the Talent War: Evan Weig of Burns and McClellen Inc.

Summary:

In this episode, Ryan interviews Evan Weinberg of Burns McClellan Inc., an organization providing IR services to private and public life science companies. Ryan and Evan discuss the topic of personal branding, especially in regards to one’s LinkedIn profile. They delve into Evan’s vetting and interviewing processes when it comes to finding those top employees. Tune-in to discover the value of asking targeted questions when interviewing prospective hires, how to build a strong, personal brand on social media, and why you NEED to share your passions with your employer.

Time Stamped Show Notes:

00:30 – Ryan introduces Evan Weinberg to the show
00:55 – Today’s topic of discussion is personal branding
01:02 – Evan does a great job building up a personal brand through LinkedIn articles
01:54 – Evan’s personal journey
01:59 – Works in healthcare communications with a focus on healthcare policies and issues management
02:07 – Evan got inspired seeing his wife’s work and changed his career course
02:38 – Wishes to be a “force of change”
02:44 – Healthcare and education are the two areas that Evan is passionate about
03:00 – Has experience working in large healthcare agencies as well as startups
03:11 – Currently working with a life sciences IR firm, Burns McClellan Inc. helping small to mid-cap biotech companies
03:50 – What would you say are some of your biggest challenges when finding those top employees? “Finding an employee with love and enthusiasm for healthcare”
05:27 – Evan is cognizant of the fact that employees might not be at the top of their game while being interviewed
06:00 – Evan gives short but targeted questions to gauge the employee’s understanding of the healthcare industry
06:17 – He quizzes the employee regarding his work process to determine whether he is willing to go the extra mile for his client
07:05 – “When it comes to interviewing, make sure that you are pulling out that authentic self from the candidate sitting across the table from you. Ask them real-world scenarios. Ask for their opinion. Try to dig deeper as opposed to just their job description”
09:12 – Evan’s vetting process to identify top candidates and save time
09:12 – Call up a colleague and find information about the job applicant
10:00 – Evan’s advice for job seekers
10:00 – Be careful while using social media. Build a solid, personal brand
10:15 – Never burn bridges with your past employer
11:03 – Have your own personal board of directors
11:07 – Get honest opinions regarding your professional life from friends and family
12:00 –  Building your personal brand via social medium
12:00 – Work within your area of expertise and passion
12:27 – Keeps your creative juices flowing, it helps you build your brand
13:04 – Distinguish yourself from your peers and highlight your abilities on social media
13:50 – “When you write something on LinkedIn, it is important that you are writing for everybody, not just for a small audience”
13:58 – No need to share your personal, social and political beliefs on LinkedIn
14:07 – Writing on LinkedIn is a great way to have recruiters notice you
14:50 – Evan’s recommended steps to recruit top talent
15:04 – Reach out to your network
15:12 – Check out your LinkedIn network for possible candidates
15:30 – Ask your colleagues if they have any candidates who will be a good fit
16:37 – A two-person team in Evan’s organization help with the initial vetting
17:31 – If you were to go back in time to your previous life, whether it was graduating high school or college, what advice would you give yourself? “Slow down and learn”
18:36 – “It is better to be quiet and listen and learn and ask questions than to speak up and make that name for yourself, and try and stand out because if it fails it is going to fail horribly”
19:18 – What do you do to manage their expectations?  “I want to hear what my folks want to do”
20:46 – “It all comes down to just being excited, telling me what you want to learn, what you want to do, and I will help you get there”
21:31 – Be transparent, and share your passion within your organization
21:36 – Share your passion with your manager
21:57 – You organization might end up contributing to a non-profit that you are supporting
22:19 – Employees will be grateful since the organization cares for their mental well-being
22:51 – Key takeaways:
22:58 – Gauge the applicant’s enthusiasm by asking the right questions
23:18 – Make use of Personal branding to distinguish yourself and your organization from your peers
23:34 – Check out our website to gain access to all previous episodes
23:48 – Access great content on recruiting, developing and retaining top talent as well as corporate culture, employee engagement and brand experience
24:05 – Reach out to Ryan on his email

3 Key Points:

1. Gauge the applicant’s enthusiasm by asking the right questions.
2. Make use of personal branding to distinguish yourself and your organization.
3. It is better to be quiet so that you can listen and learn rather than speak up in a bid to make a name for yourself.

Credits

• Show Notes provided by Mallard Creatives