13 minute read
Jack Farrell – Managing Director, Jack Farrell & Associates
Coordination between Libraries is Lacking
The International Internet Preservation Consortium (IIPC) was formed in 2003 and now has member institutions representing over 45 countries. The IIPC focuses on supporting the acquisition, preservation and long-term accessibility of global web content. Through its working groups and conferences, it offers web archiving practitioners the opportunity to collaborate and share information. It has sponsored the creation of a limited number of web archive collections on Archive-It. A similar consortium of key web archiving libraries has not grown on a national level in the United States, although there have been effective collaborations such as the End of Term Web Archive.
Not surprisingly, the web content that has been archived to date by various institutions is not easily located by researchers, despite efforts such as the Memento Project. There is no one source through which it can be determined whether a site is being archived, and, if so, by whom. So, discovery at the site level is problematic. Discoverability of specific content within web archives can be just as vexing.
Achieving the Dream
It is our responsibility to ensure that researchers in future generations have access to a wide range of archived web content from our generation and from the web going forward. The content should be easily discoverable. It should include materials that exist behind paywalls and sign-ins. The functionality of sites that are based on search queries of an underlying database should be preserved. To make this happen will require the collaborative action of major collecting institutions, both within the United States and beyond.
A first step on the national level would be the establishment of a consortium of libraries in the United States to: • Support advances in crawler technology. • Expand collecting while strengthening related coordination and communication. • Develop standards for reporting holdings. • Improve searching capabilities across and within web archives.
This consortium could also coordinate with website owners to have them employ best practices to enable archiving and to allow for harvesting behind paywalls and sign-ins.
As the numbers show, most of the websites that have been created over the past quarter century are now inactive. What significant content has disappeared without being archived? The staggeringly robust counter-flows of new sites being created and existing sites going dead creates a monumental challenge for libraries. No single institution can successfully meet this need. However, an energized consortium of libraries that collect for the long-term can come together and get it done. Now is the time for collaborative action so that libraries can provide a full historical record for future generations.
ATG Interviews Jack Farrell
Managing Director, Jack Farrell & Associates
by Tom gilson (Associate Editor, Against the Grain) <gilsont@cofc.edu>
and Katina strauch (Editor, Against the Grain) <kstrauch@comcast.net>
ATG: Tell us about Jack Farrell & Associates. You started the firm more than 14 years ago. What was it that drew you to executive recruiting as a career and what factors compelled you to start your own company?
JF: I was a publishing lifer who spent most of my career creating products for academic libraries and their patrons. After September 11, I started to reassess how I was spending my time and wondered if there was a way to achieve a higher quality of life for our family. I was with Mcgraw-Hill in New York City at the time. I loved my job but was working long hours with lots of business travel. We had five young children at the time, and my wife was working pretty hard. Riding the train home one night I had an epiphany that recruiting was something I could do without a lot of investment or lead time. After twenty-two years as an educational and STM publisher, I always prided myself on my ability to make good hires and enjoyed “schmoozing” and networking with industry colleagues. So, from the train I called my wife and said, “I think I got it…recruiting!” She said, “ok…let’s give it a go.” I left Mcgraw-Hill in May 2006 and Jack Farrell & Associates (JFA) was born. We are a recruiting firm that brings the best talent to publishers and academic libraries in North America, UK, Europe and Asia. In November, we completed our 592nd
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hire. Most importantly, the upgrade in quality of life for my family over these years has been incalculable.
ATG: We were also wondering about the competition in the executive recruiting space? How many competitors do you have? And what has enabled you to be so successful in spite of all the competition?
JF: There are probably a half dozen recruiters that focus on publishing and probably fewer that work in the library space. All of them are quite good.
I think two things distinguish us from our peers. The first is that all five members of my team and I were successful hiring managers in publishing who also had close connections to libraries. We can talk the talk here because we’ve walked the walk. Those experiences help us make the winning match for our clients. We align not only skill sets with job requirements but also have a keen sense of chemistry and fit. The result is that over 97% of our placements thrive long past any probation period and become key contributors to their new organization.
The second piece is we make every effort to stay atop what’s happening across the publishing and academic library landscapes. We incessantly network with the top talent in each sphere by attending industry meetings, and reading publications like ATG, and following the leading blogposts. As a result, our antennae are attuned to the many factors roiling these worlds. And we know the individuals who are driving these changes and thriving amidst them. In a time of upheaval…more than ever, the BEST TALENT wins. That’s what we deliver.
ATG: In looking at your website it appears that your focus is on recruiting and placing executives in the publishing industry and in varying educational fields, including libraries. What are the similarities and differences in your approach as you work with clients in these differing disciplines?
JF: Our recruiting approach to both — publishing and libraries — is similar in that we start with our own proprietary database of over 20,000 contacts. About 70% of our wins stem from this outreach. Someone will either be directly interested in an opportunity or refer us to someone who might be. The personal connections and trust we’ve built with the people in our network are critical to our success.
Regarding the differences between the two, since hires within the library environment occur within the university setting there often are more participants in the process so the timeline can be slightly longer. Publishing usually has a flatter decision-making structure…but not always. Another obvious difference is most library hires will occur in synch with the academic year while publishers are not aligned with that cycle.
ATG: Jack, can you take us through your process with potential new applicants or firms? In other words, how does executive recruiting at Jack Farrell and Associates actually work?
JF: I mentioned the importance of our own network as a starting point. We supplement that outreach via social media channels and job board postings in germane venues. Then, once an interested applicant or candidate emerges the fun starts. We have a series of questions to vet each candidate, making sure her/ his skills align with what the position at hand. I also rely on the experience of my teammates to assess the “chemistry match” between candidate, the position and the hiring party. This is so important. If all the lights are green, we’ll enter that candidate into the process and serve as coach/ colleague/mentor to help her/him succeed. We prepare candidates for their interview and generally serve as catalyst to bring the hiring process to a successful conclusion. Fact is, we represent the client as well, so we attempt to bring both parties to a point of convergence. This will occasionally call for some frank conversations, but the goal is always on turning the right match into a winning hire.
ATG What would you say is the key to aligning the right people with the right opportunities? What have been your most effective strategies in matching the right person to the right job?
JF: It might sound trite but the key thing about making the right match is listening! On each assignment we spend a great deal of time with the hiring party to understand fully the nuances of the position, the culture of the organization and the pain points they are experiencing. Once that’s digested, it makes the job of gathering a strong candidate pool fairly straight-forward. The same goes for candidates. Our deep experience as hiring managers guides us in asking the right questions that reveal a candidate’s strengths, weaknesses and potential fit within a new organization.
Another technique we’ll use is to ask the candidate to prepare a cover letter that addresses what impact they might have “on the organization over the next five years.” This can shed light on the candidate’s skill as a strategic thinker as well as their ability to convey ideas in a cogent way. Both can be strong indicators of a potential match.
ATG: Overall, how many people has Jack Farrell and Associates placed over the years? And in what kind of positions? What proportion were placed in libraries? What about in publishing? How about in the varying educational fields you work with?
JF: As mentioned earlier, we recently completed our 592nd hire. About 15% of those have been in the library setting with 75% in the publishing sphere. The remaining 10% occurred in education technology and medical communications. We are increasing our presence in academic libraries as it plays directly to our strengths. Some of the positions we’ve filled for libraries include Head of Scholarly Communication, Director of Technology Initiatives, Director of Production Services, and Licensing Specialist. We just started a new search for the California Digital Library who is seeking a new Shared Collections Program Director. Interestingly, the winning candidate can either be in CDL’s Oakland office or fully remote. We’re excited to get started.
We have also enjoyed great success in university presses — a world that sits at the nexus between publishing and the library. Increasingly, libraries are taking a leadership role here as the synergies between the two are too great to ignore. We have placed more than a dozen Press Directors in recent years which has given us the chance to work closely with library leadership.
ATG: In the markets you work in, what are some of the trends you’re seeing across the hiring landscape these days?
JF: Without question, the changing models and the migration to more open content is affecting the type of talent that’s in demand. Whether its Plan S, transformative agreements, or open access in general, the ways to create, curate and disseminate content are shift-
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ing. This is having a dramatic impact on publishers and academic libraries alike. The overturning of traditional models requires that talent be more facile, more open and able to find solutions with new partners. This is fueling the demand for those with the skills that can thrive in this environment. I don’t see this trend diminishing any time soon.
The other trend I’m seeing is the active drive to assemble a more diverse workforce. This is great news as we believe that a workforce that mirrors the society in which we live is more vibrant and more productive. We are having some real success here as 25% of our hires this year are candidates of color — an alltime high for us. I’m seeing companies commit to this goal at the highest levels, and I believe that’s what’s required to drive this change. JFA is trying to play an active role here as I’ve participated in Career Days at HBCUs and we post jobs to diversity-centric job boards. But most importantly, my team is constantly working to identify candidates of color and move them along their career arc. The last two hires we made were African American women who are well on their way to becoming stars in their respective fields. I’m encouraged by that.
ATG: With a global pandemic, 2020 has been a particularly difficult year! How has it impacted you and your firm? What actions have you taken differently?
JF: The virus has absolutely had a muting effect on hiring. The biggest enemy to hiring is uncertainty and that’s the overriding sentiment lately. While the volume of jobs for us is down 50% year over year, we’ve had some success focusing on higher level leadership positions. This has been a fruitful strategy because in times of duress an organization needs a strong leader more than ever. We have actively pursued these opportunities, and thankfully had some big wins here during the year. But, for our palette to be complete, we need an array of mid-level positions too and those have almost completely dried up lately. I’m confident they will return once the world returns to a degree of normalcy in 2021. I can dream…can’t I?
ATG: We suspect that a number of our readers will be very interested in the services that your firm provides so we’d be remiss if we didn’t ask about your fee structure. How exactly is Jack Farrell and Associates compensated?
JF: Our fee is a percentage of the winning candidate’s annual salary. The rate is confidential, but I like to think it’s fair and represents a very good value for the service and results we deliver. Now…there are two types of searches: contingency and retained. A contingency search is non-exclusive such that several firms could be competing for the hire and the client is likely looking as well. We are paid only if we deliver the winning candidate. Two thirds of our searches fall into this category. On a contingency search, the client is afforded a 90-day guarantee. If the candidate fails during that 90-day period, we will issue a full refund or ideally, find a replacement with urgency. Over 97% of our contingency hires succeed. A retained search is exclusive and typically involves a higher level position or perhaps one with pressing urgency or confidentiality. Success on a retained search is guaranteed…we do not rest until the hire is complete. One third of our searches are in this category. A retained search comes with a 180-day review period. We’ve done close to thirty retained searches in recent years and 100% have been successful. Whatever talent needs our clients have, we are equipped to address those quickly, professionally and, always with a smile!
ATG: On a lighter note, we always want to hear what fun things our interviewees do in their down time. Are there any leisure activities that you particularly enjoy? Do you have any hobbies that help you relax and recharge your batteries?
JF: I used to answer this by saying I spend lots of time with our five kids, but they are big now and seem to need me less and less. Still, spending time with them is great fun. I play keyboards in a local rock and roll band but COVID had put a big damper on that. I’m also head coach of the varsity basketball team at my sons’ high school. I just learned that we WILL have a season this year which is good news. My wife and I try to take walks together most days and that’s always a great tonic. I will say that I enjoy what I’m doing so much that getting lost in it almost feels like a hobby. It’s energizing and keeps me in contact with colleagues whom I treasure. I’m very thankful for that.
