Russ Riendeau

Recruiter Russ Riendeau has heard it all in conducting about 90,000 interviews with business professionals in the past 27 years. He gave some common-sense pointers during the Plastics News Executive Forum. "We need to do a better job at finding good candidates," said Riendeau, senior partner at East Wing Group Inc., an executive search firm in Barrington, Ill. Riendeau, a behavioral psychologist, has written six books. But his Executive Forum talk was more common sense than Ph.D. dissertation. For example, all job applications ask for the current salary. Make them prove it by showing a W-2 form. He encouraged companies to cast a broader net but only after you have developed detailed job descriptions. "Do you have a list of the key initiatives that this person is expected do to in the next 12 months?" he said. Include specific metrics and goals for 30 or 40 days, and hold new hires accountable.