Are you Tired of Playing the Game of Phones?
We understand.
One of the most difficult aspects of the recruiting process can be the time suck of spending far too much effort on the phone trying to reach the right people. You’re busy running a business and managing your own clients, but you are spending an eternity trying to track down that one winner candidate that constantly eludes you.
Seeing as how we have mastered the game of phones, allow us to lend a hand. Not only do we make an excellent addition to your war counsel, we also love what we do.
Now that Game of Thrones has ended its fifth season and the sixth book of the series appears to be nowhere in sight, we thought that we might fill the void (OK we realize that’s impossible) and have a little fun discussing what this famous book/TV show can teach you about recruiting. And I guess it needs to be said that yes, there are possible SPOILERS AHEAD!
Your war counsel is the heart and soul of the business
Early on in the story, King Robert Baratheon rides across the country for a month to recruit old buddy Ned Stark to join his counsel. He knows that the time and effort to get the right person for the job is absolutely worth it, no matter the cost.
Your closest advisers and partners can make a tremendous difference in your level of success. Whether you are the company president or the reliable secretary, everyone has a circle of trust they keep close in the working environment. Some of the strongest teams are forged over time. This bond holds them together through thick and thin, unbreakable like Valyrian Steel.
For those of you who watched the latest season, we all know what happened when Cersei Lannister began to lose control of her counsel. That didn’t end well, did it.
Someone handles the billing. Another the marketing. You leave the technical matters to the nerds. When important decisions need to be made, you look to your consultants to help guide you down the path to success.
Give us a seat on your counsel and we’ll handle the staffing. We’re the experts, and that’s what the seat is for!
Some people are only in it for the money
How many times does a GOT character have to be betrayed or backstabbed because someone didn’t understand the fact that countless people are only in it for the money? Many of the characters in Game of Thrones turn their coat the second someone flicks a bit of gold their way.
We insist that knowing everything we can about the job opening and company culture goes a long way in finding the correct match. There are many individuals that will take the money for any old job until someone else offers them a higher salary. It’s better for everyone if the person is actually interested in growing with their new job long term. Do they care about the industry? Are they interested in your success, or just their own? Do they constantly talk numbers during the interview?
It’s better to avoid a candidate that you feel unsure about in order to find one that truly adds value to the team.
Leadership potential is highly desirable
When Jon Snow gets recruited to join the Night’s Watch, it is clear that most of the men there were accepted just to fill much-needed holes and add greater numbers to the fort. But it turns out that Jon is no average fighter and also brings an innate leadership quality to the group.
When you are adding members to your own team, it’s not always a good idea to simply fill chairs with bodies in order to push more work through the chain. You should take the time to learn about the person’s prior experience or their supplemental skills to determine if they could serve as a mentor to your other team members. Are they confident, or cocky? Could trust them when times get rough?
Recruiting someone with skill is one thing. Recruiting a leader is quite rare and requires patience and understanding to track one down.
If you get turned down during an interview, demand a trial by combat
Kidding, but it would be kind of funny.
Stay in constant communication with your recruiter
The spymaster Varys insists that “information is more valuable than gold.”
When it comes to efficiency in the workplace, communication is everything. You must learn to share as much detail as possible about your goals, your current strategy, the task at hand, and the people you are trying to attract.
This requires total honesty and a sense of pride in the mission at hand. Regroup with your team as often as possible to share information and reroute course as needed. If you hire a recruiter to help you discover much-needed talent, then you should give them as much information as possible!
Of course, we could all use a Varys in our lives, someone who somehow knows everything about everyone. But in reality, communication will require a team effort and a strong partnership that grounds itself on trust.
If you are looking to fill the next seat on your war council, send us a raven. Give us a call. Shoot us an email.
We’ll happily share our resources with you and when the White Walkers finally come, hopefully you’ll have attracted enough talent to withstand the challenge!
