IRA ZIFF

CORE COMPETENCIES: EXECUTIVE SEARCH/RECRUITING

Over 16 years of retained executive search, I gained a reputation for adding immeasurable

value to clients' corporate eco-systems versus just adding talent.

SECTOR KNOWLEDGE Running a boutique retained search firm required the versatility to

take on searches in various sectors and job functions with zero

How have you recruited for different contacts. By understanding how to structure a search and leverage

roles in various sectors? social media with intensive networking, I could immediately come up

to speed and deliver results that exceeded management's

expectations.

SECTORS (Fortune 500 Firms)

Corporate Finance, Structured Finance, Commercial Lending,

Commercial Leasing, Asset Based Lending

ROLES (Mid-Senior Level)

Accounting, Credit, Compliance, Finance, Legal, Portfolio

Management, Derivatives, Treasury, Project Management, Sales,

Marketing, Human Resources, Operations, Risk, etc.

SECTORS OF INTEREST

Over the course of developing a proprietary language/ reference tool

I use for recruiting and coaching, I've been immersed in the

technology start-up arena, and therefore bring familiarity with

Robotics, Block chain, Artificial Intelligence, Big data analytics,

Natural language processing and Computational linguistics.

FINDING CANDIDATES Finding the right talent is an art. While I use various social media

outlets ATS tools to accelerate the search process, there's no

How do you rapidly pinpoint and

substitute for deploying sophisticated research and networking

magnetize the interest of the best

initiatives.

available candidates in the top 5% of

the talent pool? I have a sixth sense to tactically identify, attract and recruit highly

desirable passive candidates who are deeply entrenched in

competitive firms. I aggressively "x-ray" companies to target them

with speed and accuracy, then I execute a surgical approach to

extract them.

Many searches that I've conducted had languished with other large

search firms for 6-12 months. I've made global heads of recruiting

for GE and CIT look like superstars by closing these critical searches

in 1-6 weeks. One of my clients said that I can "find the unfindable

and recruit the unrecruitable".

1025 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10028 617-959-1800 IraZiff@gmail.com ~~~~~~~~~~

DIVERSITY CANDIDATES Since it's culturally more difficult for foreigners and diversity

candidates to speak about their successes, I take the time to

State your success in harvesting determine whether they are diamonds in the rough. I've also

highly desirable diversity candidates: cultivated a skill for finding hints in resumes that point to diversity

status. 30% of my placements were diversity candidates and over

50% were female.

SECRET SAUCE I developed a reference tool called a "Success Thesaurus" in

What unique tools do you bring to the conjunction with a Ph.D. in Industrial and Organizational Psychology.

search process? The tool contains thousands of combinations of phrases critical to

defining attributes and outcomes that drive success. I literally

changed the conversations I had with managers and candidates,

which ultimately facilitated better alignment of their respective needs

and aspirations. This tool gives hiring managers more control and

clarity, reduces staff time wasted on evaluating inappropriate

candidates and decreases the need for external recruiters.

I've leveraged this tool to:

a) Power the development of job descriptions, interview

questions and performance appraisals

b) Reduce the inordinate cost of bad hires due to generic job

descriptions that yield generic candidates

ENSURING CANDIDATE Most search assignments end with a much different candidate than

ALIGNMENT the client first expected because of the difficulty in articulating the

various nuances of a position.

Explain how you work with clients and

candidates to ensure the best By using the above-mentioned "Success Thesaurus", I hurdle over

possible alignment: this obstacle by asking provocative questions about behavioral

competencies and introducing market realities into the equation.

Then I develop an environmental scan of the talent pool and make a

definitive case for a slate of candidates.

Most candidates are also challenged with articulating what they're

seeking and the value they bring to the table. Once I understand a

position I use a therapeutic approach to capture the essence of a

candidate to ensure that their value is properly aligned.

PRESENTING CANDIDATES I use my "Success Thesaurus" to construct relevant questions for the

How do you make the case for a candidate to respond to in a Qualification Matrix. Like this

candidate who you believe is best document, it aligns the soft and hard skills to a specific role. I work

suited for a role? with management to frame these questions, and then they become a

handy tool for the interviewing process.

BUILDING TEAMS

At GE I built out two large Captive Leasing sales forces and at CIT I

Have you ever built out entire teams built out nearly the entire Healthcare and Real Estate Finance teams

to actualize a new business initiative? that included the Chief Credit Officers along with their corporate

executive staff and business acquisition teams.

1025 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10028 617-959-1800 IraZiff@gmail.com ~~~~~~~~~~

ATTRIBUTES

Bring an unrelenting intensity and urgency to deliver beyond

PERSISTENT expectations. I'm all about using "persistence to beat resistance" to

rapidly find the "unfindable" candidates and negotiate mutually

beneficial agreements.

GETTING THINGS DONE I have the determination of a hunter, the persona of a therapist and

the stamina of a marathon runner. I'm known for executing goals

while working within tight implementation timelines. Also, I flexibly

handle the unexpected by adjusting to unexpected marketplace

shocks, demands, and realities.

I bring a healthy dose of collegiality by subordinating my personal

COLLABORATION

needs to those of the team. Also, I have a genuine interest in

helping others succeed.

COMMUNICATIONS SKILLS

INFLUENCING: CANDIDATES I have a facility for opening hermetically sealed minds by breaking

through a wall of cynicism, as well as inspiring the undecided to be

favorably disposed to new ideas.

INFLUENCING: MANAGERS I work with all stakeholders to build a consensus for the "must-

haves" in a job order. When necessary, I diplomatically get decision

makers to see beyond their biases.

LISTENING SKILLS I listen with 100% intensity to ensure that people feel heard

regardless of the outcome. Also, I'm able to identify hidden agendas

that lead to misunderstandings.

1025 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10028 617-959-1800 IraZiff@gmail.com ~~~~~~~~~~

LEADERSHIP TRAINING

LEADERSHIP Managed up to 5 employees to actualize their potential and deliver

results that exceeded expectations. Did this by:

• Leveraging a keen eye for exceptional talent

• Providing inspirational leadership to achieve highly focused

outcomes

• Creating an adaptive and solution-driven culture

• Finding opportunities and re-aligning vital employees during

challenging periods of change

• Creating an environment built on trust, support and mutual

respect