 Did you know the way in which you recruit your legal team (from initial engagement through to hire) can give clues to your character and indicate how you operate in other facets of life? From romance and dining through to car selection, the behavioural character hints come thick and fast.  The romantic experience / picking your provider Open to all opportunities: In the world of romance some are more discerning than others. A hiring manager that isn’t too concerned about who they work with or if they use any external resource at all to find them the right candidate is unlikely to consider too deeply the means by which they find a romantic partner. As long as someone seems to tick their boxes, how they connect is of no significance. Dating app: Some thought has gone into picking the right app that will hopefully introduce you to a suitable partner. You may work with one or two recruiters in this scenario; some are more sophisticated than others. Whether you prefer Elite Singles or Tinder will have an impact on how smoothly the process runs and the lasting impact at the end of your search. Trusted introduction: How Harry met Meghan. When you are important (or lucky enough to be born into extreme privilege) this seems like the only solution. This is executive search. For sophisticated requirements and the greatest possibility of success working with someone who knows you well as a trusted adviser will yield the best outcome in romance as well as recruitment.  The dining experience/ recruitment process Fast food: You have a need, you are hungry, you aren’t too concerned with how the sausage is made as long as it arrives promptly and is of a minimum standard at a low price. This type of recruitment tends to be advertising led, not a lot of thought has gone into the search, but the low hanging fruit has been plucked and speedily and delivered, you must trust to luck that it tastes good. Bistro Dining: This isn’t just about getting fed promptly and on the cheap. You want to enjoy the experience and at the end of the meal feel satisfied that you ate something delicious for a fair price. Here you worked with a recruiter or head-hunter to discover how best to run an efficient process to find your lawyer. It wasn’t a particularly special occasion, but you wanted to enjoy the meal and not have an upset stomach the next day. Michelin Star: For occasion dining one likes to make the meal an event. No stone has been left unturned in the search for perfection. The service has been attentive, and every course improves upon the last. Here a search consultant has anticipated your needs almost before you realise you have them, filling up your wine glass before it is empty and recommending pairings for each course that will be suitable for your tastes. All options have been vetted and whatever you choose should be a triumph.  The car experience / deciding who to hire Runabout: This car gets the job done, get from A to B and C the car is O K, result. Toyota Aygo’s are unlikely to set anyone’s pulse racing but a good quality one will hopefully be reliable and transport you as required. This candidate is keenly priced, hopefully for the right reasons and seems steady enough. you have decided that they will work well for at least 3 years and as the role is fairly pedestrian in nature there is no point pushing the boat out hiring someone more expensive. Vorsprung Durch Technik: German engineering is essential for those that want balanced comfort and power. This lawyer has the experience and personality you need to perform well in the role. They ask for more money than you might have hoped but back it up with solid fundamentals and should last a long time within the organisation. Supercar: Power. Money. Excellence. If you have the cash to spend the experience is unrivalled. You hire someone that is mind-bogglingly expensive but also truly transformative for the business, they come up with ideas that never occurred to you, drive change and perform at peak efficiency, at least that is the hope. If these cars are not maintained they have a habit of breaking down, make sure that you choose wisely and consider the long-term costs associated with ownership.  I know what you are thinking. Okay, maybe not exactly what you are thinking but in outline: “Ken, this was an informative (as usual), hilarious and at times insightful piece, but I am not sure this relates to my personality or that of those hiring managers I know”. Perhaps not in direct correlation, however, those lucky enough to have some flexibility to choose the car they want or where they want to eat (i.e. the situation isn’t entirely dictated by financial circumstance) will tend towards one of these three groups just as those hiring legal talent will. I recall one of the most financially successful people I worked with always being the first out of the taxi and the last to the bar. Where we have and exercise choices on how we behave they do indicate personality traits; examining these through the lens of the hiring process can prove insightful.  Author: Ken Collins is a legal and compliance search partner with Greenway Collins covering the EMEA region from London.
https://greenwaycollins.com
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |