Making a Case for the Outsiders
In the recent past, clients have thought more creatively about recruiting talent than they do now.
A few years ago, clients were open to, and sometimes even requested, out-of-the-box candidates for open positions, which gave search firms latitude to introduce people that the client had not given much thought to. Like if a fashion retailer wanted to hire someone who understood luxury goods, they would ask to see candidates from The Ritz-Carlton or Mercedes-Benz — people who would not necessarily have been on the list of usual suspects.
In today’s climate, clients require, even expect, exact adherence to their specs for a candidate. Even the industries that my firm serves, including fashion and consumer products, have become overly specialized. If I have a list of candidates for an open VP of marketing position at a luxury fragrance company, my client will only consider candidates coming from another luxury fragrance company. My clients are more reluctant to consider someone with marketing and brand experience in luxury apparel company or luxury cosmetics — related (but not exactly the same) backgrounds. There is just less flexibility and creativity in setting a job specification. Clients tell you what they want, and they expect delivery on the spec!
The recruiting process is much more creative when clients are less rigid in their requirements. For one thing, the pool of candidates is larger. And the candidates themselves become more interested when offered the chance to use their talents in a different industry. I do a lot of work in beauty and fashion, and I know who the industry’s top talent is — and so do my clients. But once you open up to candidates from a new category, it really expands the possibilities geometrically.
The pool of candidates also becomes fresher when you open things up. The candidates have more diverse educational backgrounds and work experiences. And when clients are more open to making out-of-the-box hires, very often those candidates from other industries come to the job with fresh ideas. Some of the most successful hires end up being outsiders with fresh approaches to problem-solving. That’s important today when you have outsider candidates who are hungry, who can and will do the hard work, and are less likely to fall into a company’s groupthink…but will the client consider hiring them?
Clients these days are concerned about the learning curve of candidates and what might happen if they go outside their industry niches for hires. I hear, “We can’t afford to take the time for that learning curve.” But can they afford to get the wrong candidate who might look great on paper but isn’t a good cultural fit? Can they afford hiring someone who can’t provide just enough of a difference to shake things up for the better?
Have thoughts on this article? Leave a comment, I’d love to hear from you.
About the authors: Martin Kartin and Rebecca Levin are expert recruiters at their family-owned and operated boutique executive search firm, Martin Kartin & Company. They have dedicated themselves to developing a robust talent network as well as maintaining longstanding client relationships. Email Martin at mkartin@martinkartin.com, email Rebecca at rlevin@martinkartin.com or tweet them: @MartinKartinCo.
