During these first few weeks of January, I think we’ve all spent some time looking in that mirror at our nekkid beings, taking a critical eye to ourselves, and making some resolutions to change. Let’s just say the arrival of the TZ snack machine was not a good thing for the junk-in-the-truck. Some people like a lil’ extra padding. Others, not so much. I don’t appeal to everyone, and that’s okay. My mother said that people should like me for what’s inside anyway. So there.

I would encourage agencies to take the same inventory of themselves. I hate to break it to you, but if you are a smaller place with mostly local accounts, maybe a few national ones that don’t lean so much toward the sexy side of things, that Account Director from NYC who pulled off the SuperBowl ad everyone is talking about probably isn’t on your short list of new boyfriends. He is out of your league. He dates lingerie models and spends most of his free time working out and tanning.

But hey! Look over there! Who’s the nice looking quiet guy in the corner? That very handsome guy in the corner. I caught him looking at you. He thinks you’re kind of cute. He prefers the intimacy of local accounts. He likes a work/life balance. Money isn’t the most important thing to him. He’s not as tan or as fit as the other guy. He’s got a bit of scruff, for sure. But he’ll open your car door and treat you right.

I recently got a request from a great little place in a smaller market. They have a great relocation package, a signing bonus, excellent training and benefits. The job, itself, is a pretty sweet deal as well. It’s a fun and creative place. Big enough to have established policies and a book club, but small enough to really know the folks you work with every day.

They called me and right out of the gate said that what they wanted was someone from “a really big agency, like from New York or San Francisco.” They just had it in their mind that they needed a heavy-hitter and so they are seeking what they think is the best. What they don’t realize is that the “best” is relative.

My goal is to find the Best Fit. Not the Best. Tom Brady is not the guy I need when I’m looking for someone to cut my hair. That guy from the big NYC agency may not understand your market or your client. He may have ideas of where to take your agency or your client that really don’t fit. When you and I discuss who you’re looking for, tell me about who you need and I will find someone who has that set of skills. Not just some random set of great skills that worked well for someone else.

Everyone thinks they want the quarterback. The prom king. But do you really think he’s going to be happy? How much time and money are you going to spend trying to get him and then hang onto him? In addition, he is pursued by every other agency in the country. You may be better off with his best friend–the designated driver who knows all the plays but only uses the ones that matter most. He may not be as flashy, but if the point is to get the job done, who cares if he’s tan or not.

[tags]candidate, job, agency, snack machine, hiring revolution[/tags]