Relationships in Corporate Security, Do They Matter?

Here is a real story of….well you decide what this story represents.

Up-Coming Security Magazine Article

After recently being asked by an editor at Security Magazine to write an article for an up-coming issue, I decided that the most valuable information I could collect to build the article’s content from would come from corporate security leaders who have global responsibilities. This article is supposed to cover the challenges US corporations have when they hire security professionals in other countries.

Late last week I built a carefully worded email that was sent out to 15 or so highly targeted global corporate security leaders whose information and contact information was in my database. For the most part, these people had all reached out to me in the past.

Several global security leaders in the US have been kind enough to get back to me with their thoughts. These thoughts will serve as the core information that goes into my Security Magazine article.

Unsolicited Resume Sender (This is okay with us by the way)

One particular recipient of my email sent his unsolicited resume and cover letter to us in 2009. Because was a Director of Global Corporate Security and had been in his most recent company for over 10 years, I assumed that this person’s point of view might be valuable to me and ultimately to you, the person who might read my article in Security Magazine.

Trying to be respectful of the time I’m asking for and the favor I’m asking for, I kept my query short and sweet.

Question: When hiring corporate security professionals outside the United States, what are your three greatest challenges?

So far, several people have gotten back to me with very useful information and my guess is that answering my question likely took no more than 2-5 minutes.

A Different Response

One person who sent unsolicited resume and cover letter information to SecurityRecruiter.com in 2009 responded in a different way.

Before sharing this person’s response, you should know that when this person’s professional information arrived in 2009, I invested my time to review his professional information and then my assistant invested even more time to individually and personally respond to this person even though we didn’t have a position on our desks that was in line with his background.

We’ve been handing out this kind of courtesy 5-20 times per day for the past 16 years.

Here is exactly what we got when asking a simple question from a person whose data is in my database because he previously reached out to me.

The Former Director of Global Corporate Security’s Response to me:

“Mark (My name is Jeff, not Mark by the way)


I must regretfully decline your request for the following reasons.


1) I do not know you and I find it highly irregular a recruiter. would be asking for my assistance in writing an article


2) If CSO of Global organization does not know how to recruit talent outside the US they have no business having that Position. Little less time studying for CPP or PSP or being a Powerpoint Commando and more time spent in the Field will do them a world of good


If my answers seem abrupt it is because I have no desire to assist people that look good on paper but are operational inept


Very truly your,”

I sat on this email for several days while I thought about how to respond. After several days, here is what I came up with as a response to the email content you see above.

My Response to The Former Director of Global Corporate Security:

Thank you for your courteous response. Just one question I need to ask.

What should I do with the unsolicited resume and cover letter you sent to me in January of 2009?

As we do every day and have done for 16 years, we invest an enormous amount of our time to review and to personally respond to every security professional who sends their professional information to us whether we have a client need or their background or not. This courtesy was extended to you.

You were responded to on this time and date according to my records:.........

The Former Director of Global Corporate Security’s Response:

“Throw it out I have my own business no time for recruiters or posers”

What’s Wrong With this Picture?

I write many blogs after being on the phone with really smart CISOs and CSOs. I summarize these security leader’s comments regarding the reasons why they hire some people and not other people.  You see it in every job description you read. Something like this:

“Candidate must have strong verbal and written communication skills”

Although a phrase like this is overused in job descriptions, it is a real request. As corporate security evolves, it is entirely necessary for corporate security professionals to not only demonstrate an understanding of the business they’re employed to serve, they must also blend into and be part of the business they’re there to serve. They need to understand the value of building relationships.

Choices

It is fine for someone to not want to answer the question I dropped into their Inbox. Perhaps I caught them at the wrong time. Perhaps they’re about to leave for a trip and don’t have time for my email. Perhaps they just don’t want to assist me! There are a thousand reasons why it is okay for someone to not want to help me with my article.

The former Global Director of Corporate Security whose correspondence is shown above clearly does not understand the value of relationships or the impact he has on other people.

By the way, I keep referring to this person as a “former” Director of Global Security because his resume was sent to me at the time when he loast his job.  His job was eliminated in a "corproate downsizing". Could this person's attitude have had anything to do with his job elimination?

Seriously, I’m Not Making This Up

A CSO client recently told us that he didn’t want to hire another “Bull in a China Shop”. What did he mean by making that statement?

He was talking about soft skills, relationship building skills, someone who could align security and risk solutions with the needs of the business, etc. I’m convinced that the person who wrote the email shared above doesn’t have very well-developed relationship building skills. What do you think?

On top of being charged to deliver security professionals to our clients who are at the top of their subject matter expertise game, the searches that land on our desks at SecurityRecruiter.com requiring information security or cyber security and/or high-level corporate security talent always require outstanding communication skills, outstanding relationship building skills, business skills, outstanding negotiation skills and so much more.

Result

By sending one poorly written and not-so-well-though-out email, and then following it up with another rude email, this former Director of Global Corporate Security just eliminated himself from any future consideration when we’re engaged to recruit a Global CSO for a SecruityRecruiter.com client.

Choices

This person could have not responded at all. He could have responded politely explaining that he doesn’t have time to answer a question. He could have responded by explaining that he has domestic experience but not international experience as one of his peers did.

This person instead showed his colors. He burned a bridge with me that could possibly have led him to a future career opportunity when we have a search on our desks that is in line with his career progression.  I wonder how many other bridges he has burned along the way?

Future Predictions

Corporate Security professionals who were once hired because they demonstrated an understanding of guards, gates and guns will find their job opportunities limited in the future.

Today and looking into the future, major corporations need to hire corporate security professionals who understand that they’re jobs exist to serve the needs of the business. Only security professionals who demonstrate an understanding of business issues will step into the top corporate security jobs of the present and future.

Relationships

Security professionals may have been employable in the past based on their authority. Looking forward, only those security professionals who understand the value of building relationship both inside and outside the organization will be successful.

Conclusion

What kind of security professional are you today and what kind of security professional are you striving to be in the future?

Where are you getting your education, certification and training?

Who is your mentor? Are you getting career advice from someone who understands security, someone who understands business or perhaps one of each?

Learn, learn and continue learning. Then you’ll be the corporate security professional employers want and need now and into the future.