Keys to making a good fourth quarter producer hire

Like a good bargain on Black Friday, making a producer hire in the fourth quarter has many advantages.  On Black Friday you do have to deal with your alarm clock going off at 2:00 am, long lines upon arrival, grumpy and tired customers, and even trampling in some extreme cases.  Obstacles also tend to hold back our clients from making fourth quarter hires -- 1/1 renewals, fourth quarter budgeting, the holiday season, and much more.  But I would like to point out three main reasons why making a fourth quarter producer hire could provide huge dividends going into a new year.

1) Get a jump on the pipeline -- if we were all honest with ourselves, we would acknowledge that many producers actually take it easy during the last six weeks of the year.  So what better time to be calling on your competition's clients than during this time of the year.  People are generally in a good mood, they are likely not getting many other calls, and would be amenable to receiving a call or email.  You may not close any deals (especially 1/1's), but will have made valuable introductions to get your name out there.  Plus now when January 1 does roll around, the producer will be knee deep in the process and not lethargic themselves from the holiday season.

2) Eliminate chances for "window shoppers" -- if a producer is having a bad year, they are likely to survive through the end of the year and perhaps kick start a search as a New Year's resolution.  If their numbers were low the previous year, they are likely to feel the pressure going into a new year.  Instead of digging in and really trying to make things work, they may just shop around to see if another company would hire them and provide a two-year guarantee.  That is the textbook definition of an active candidate vs. a passive candidate.  And exactly who you want to stay away from.

3) Increase chances of finding a "steal" -- although holiday shoppers often buy things on impulse during Black Friday, I would argue that not many actually have buyer's remorse.  They may not get as big of a deal as they thought advertised, but they likely save a little money for their shopping acumen.  In the same regard, an agency especially could really get a good producer by "advertising" a bit during this time of year.  Rather than pointing out the obstacles I mentioned earlier, get the word out that you are looking to make moves before the end of the year.  That will pique a producer's attention and if the story is told right could motivate them to talk before the end of the year.  Now you have that producer on board and ready to make an impact rather than waiting for January or February to even start the conversation.  It is common sense for a company to be considering adding to staff at the beginning of the year.  Perhaps even have a specific number in mind of how many "new" producers they want to hire.  But that is conventional and expected.  To get true talent you must consider being unconventional and catch everyone off guard.

How to find a passive employer - the keys to an opportunity hire

We all know the difference between a passive and active candidate.  Our best clients understand that a passive candidate who is currently happy in their job, but attracted to a new opportunity when presented, is the ideal next hire.  But how often do we talk about a candidate looking for a passive employer?

This is a bit more of difficult proposition as candidates typically have a very traditional approach to their job search.  They start with job posting boards or the local "help wanted" ads.  Then perhaps move onto their professional spheres of influence for ideas from people they already know.  Last resort might be approaching who they consider to be hiring authorities or Human Resource professionals through Linked In or other sites.

But why not instead research the companies in your geography that are always making the news as good places to work?  Or perhaps the organizations that always seem to get publicity for growth, innovative ideas, employees in the public spotlight?  The best companies to work for often don't need to do much traditional advertising on job boards when opportunities come available.  You need to already be visible to them when they get to the point to add to staff as opposed to always being reactive.  Otherwise you will be left behind and others that took a proactive approach will snag those jobs.

So how do you get on their radar screen?  Here are three functional ideas to consider -->

1) Get connected on Linked In with key employees within the organization.  Not necessarily hiring authorities in each case, but influential leaders in a company are usually tied in some fashion to hiring decisions.  You will instantly be in the "loop" with other connections they have that might provide critical information regarding the company's growth plans or areas of need.

2) Look on the company's website for information about current employees.  Where are they tied into the community?  Are there any natural connections?  Can you find a common group that might make sense to join so that you can get to know some of the company's top employees.

3) Find someone you know this is connected in some fashion to the company you have interest in.  You can do this on social media, by simply Googling the company's name, checking online publications, and much more.  Companies are much more prone to talk with an "opportunity hire" candidate if they have some familiarity with them or an instant credibility reference.

As a quick plug for my profession I will also state the obvious -- working with a well-informed third party recruiting firm could instantly connect you with the people you need to know.  Oftentimes our clients will listen to our advice and guidance if we source a candidate that is just flat out someone they should know.  Some conversations begin informally, while others are more formal.  They won't always have current or upcoming openings, but can create something for the right candidate.

It is still a very competitive workplace and the great jobs are hard to come by.  If you want to find a long term career move and not just a job, your best bet might be to find a passive employer willing to take a chance on a quality candidate that fits their culture and knew about their needs before they even were public knowledge.

Preparation is the key to a good first impression

I can't tell you how many times I have encouraged candidates to learn as much as possible about an organization before an interview, only to find out afterward that they knew little or nothing.  I thought about this over the weekend as I watched E.T. with my kids for the first time.  Hard to believe that movie is already thirty years old.  Wow.  Well, my nine-year old daughter was a little freaked out at first, so I tried to loosen the mood a bit by asking her what she would do if she were to have an encounter with an alien.  She became even more terrified until she realized I was messing with her.  We ended up pausing the movie to assure her there was no such thing as aliens and that it was only a movie.  We had obviously not "prepared" her for what to expect with this historical piece of cinema that was 100% made up and not real.

So what are some keys to prepare for a first interview especially?  Most of these will fit into the "no duh" category, but I am always amazed at how many are skipped.

1) Research the company online.  Notice I didn't say to simply look at the company website.  That one is such a no brainer that if you aren't doing that ahead of an interview you likely don't even know what the internet is.  What I am referring to is checking industry publications to see if they have any recent articles about them.  Or perhaps an award was received by the company or an individual in the company.  Or perhaps there is an employee that is highly visible in the community and could hold a nugget of information helpful to know as an ice breaker.  Google is an amazing tool.  And completely free.  Use it!

2) Here comes the Kevin Bacon reference -- look for six degrees of separation.  There is always a chance someone within your spheres of influence are also within similar or connected spheres with someone at the organization you have interviewing with.  You'll never know if you don't check.

3) Use LinkedIn to find out more about some of their employees.  Or even some of their ex-employees.  If you use an advanced search you can find profiles of people that have worked there in the past.  What do they have in common?  What was their job tenure?  Do you know any of them?  LinkedIn is to a lot of people like my new smartphone is to me.  Is it really a useful tool if you are only using 15-20% of what it is capable of doing? 

4) Ask questions.  Talk with people you know and trust to see what they know about the organization.  Do they have a good company culture?  Do they have a good reputation in the industry?  Is there room for improvement and promotion?  This can prove to be a slippery slope if you are attempting to keep a low, confidential profile with your search, but you can be creative in the manner in which you ask.

5) Think ahead of time what questions they might have for you based upon their job description, company history, etc.  Like in chess, you want to stay a step ahead if possible.  Even write out some questions and answers and practice them.  It may feel like World History in college -- studying 1,500 years of history for three essay questions -- but it will provide some rehearsal time regarding your answers.  They will simply become more polished if you have thought them out and practiced them ahead of time.  Maybe even do some role play with your spouse or a close friend.  Fortunately my wife is in HR and really good at this.

I could probably list another 10-12 ideas, but these are at least five that you can utilize pretty easily.  Preparation may not always get you the job, but it will nearly always guarantee a positive first impression!