Finding Talent with “Good Bones"

I love home improvement shows, especially 'Property Brothers'. Enter: a stressed out family who has outgrown their space and are using their bedroom as a nursery, office and bar. The Property Brothers whisk them off to their dream home, and after many “wows”, “yeses” and “when do we move ins”, they reveal that the house is WAY out of their budget. But, the brothers announce that the potential owners can have everything that is in this house and more…The catch: they need to buy a fixer-upper–a house with “good bones”, which means the foundation is solid. It will require some investment of time and money, but once they’re done, they’ll have their forever home. After visiting numerous dated and run-down homes, the family makes the commitment. After some unexpected issues for dramatic effect, and some paint and throw pillows, the finished project is even nicer than the house that elicited the initial “ooos” and “aaahs”.  Plus, the new owners get to feel the pride of contributing to the finished product.

The same concept applies to attaining talent. Every statistic says that there are not enough people to fill job openings, and employers either need to buy or build their talent. At times, I feel just like the Property Brothers. My clients come to me stressed and needing to find the “unicorn” of employees.

• Like those swanky homes in the coveted neighborhoods, much of the top talent is too expensive.
• Companies, more than ever, see the value of their top employees, and try their best keep them comfy and settled in.

TURN-KEY HIRES

Like all those perfectly manicured homes, we show our clients that the complete, “perfect” package of a candidate comes at a premium. If you want a “turn-key” employee, then expect to pay for it-and not with just money. It will take titles, benefits that include stock, free lunches (yes really), pet insurance, pensions, breaking non-competes and anything you can image. Expect to offer flexible work schedules or working remote. If your office is in Chicago, but the top talent is in Dallas, then figure out a way to make Dallas work. Keep in mind you are not just buying the services of the employee, but their past training, relationships and competitive intelligence.

BUILDING YOUR TALENT

You can also build and develop talent. Of course people are not houses, and I don’t suggest you hire the equal of an old house with bad plumbing. But the best way to develop talent is to hire employees with potential, or as they say, “good bones”. This includes soft skills such as intelligence, work ethic, communication and problem-solving skills. Talent with these types of skills can often be found in professionals from other industries, those who are looking for new challenges, or their industries are becoming obsolete or are in decline. For example: years ago I placed the branch manager of a car rental company with a major insurance company. He stayed with the company for 14 years and rose the ranks to VP.  His previous business skills translated well and sure, he required some basic training - but who better to teach insurance than an insurance company? He was a good businessman, so he knew how to make good business decisions and the ramp up time was fairly short. This type of employee will often be loyal to you and will be an excited, challenged worker who brings a new perspective to the job.

There are creative solutions to finding and building talent...Just like the cute house with potential, the rare gems of employees should be recruited and paid accordingly. Offer them a fair wage, good training, and all that your company has to offer, and you could have a long-term employee with a good foundation and your own personal touches-no paint or throw pillows required!  

TELL ME ABOUT THE TALENT OR JOB YOU’RE LOOKING FOR.                                                                                                    Get in touch with me today!