Welcome to the October Hire Score Newsletter. I just returned form a presentation in Philadelphia and it was really nice to talk with some people on the front lines. Mostly small and medium size companies, they are all feeling the pinch of the current economy. Two weeks ago I was with a group of software marketing executives and the message was pretty much the same.

These are difficult times. But, more fortunes have been made during hard times than all the good times combined. This is the single best market for recruiting that I have experienced in the past 15 years. There are some very talented people available. And, they are more affordable now than they have been for ages.

Let me share the analysis I did for the software executives. Everyone pretty much agreed that there are fewer deals to chase than there were 6 or 12 months ago. And, half of those deals are going to go to the biggest companies uncontested because that is just how it is. That leaves 50% of the deals to be fought over. My question is: Who gets these deals?"

The answer is the companies with the best sales people. I can guarantee that the "B" and "C" sales reps are not getting very many deals in this market. So the solution becomes crystal clear. You better have "A" players or you are in real trouble.

The good news is that 6 or 12 months ago the small guys might not have been able to attract or afford an "A" player. But that is not true now. Do you see the opportunity? If ever there was a perfect time to upgrade your staff, this is it

OK, so how do you go about finding, attracting and hiring these stars? Let's take the three challenges in order.

How do you find the stars?

This is where you have to do a bunch of homework. First, pay attention to what is happening in your industry. Which companies have gone out of business? Which companies are having financial troubles? Who has lost large contracts?

Reading your local paper and your industry trade journals should keep you on top of this information. Talking to people in your industry will help. Industry associations can be a great source of information on what is happening. Keep your eyes and ears open and you should end up with some good leads on where to find potential stars.

How do I attract the stars?

This is where your UHP becomes critical. If you are not familiar with the term UHP, it stands for Unique Hiring Proposition (you should stop reading this now and read my newsletters from last year where I introduced the concept. You can get there at www.selectingwinners.com/newsarchives.html). Why should these stars work for you? What makes you attractive? What about you is going to help them close the big deals? It has been my experience that the good people are always willing to listen to a credible argument. Craft your message and approach the people you have identified.

How do I hire the stars?

This is the most difficult part. You have to put together a package that is a true win-win deal. You might have to have a different compensation package than you use with your other employees. These are different times and you need to be flexible and creative.

One thing I will note. Since September 11th, I have noticed that many people's focus has shifted. It seems that non-monetary considerations are being emphasized more. In the past you might not have been able to compete just due to the economics. But now, your lifestyle message has a much better chance of closing the deal. It is most important that you find a common ground and mutual benefits with these people.

Now more than ever you need top people representing you and your company. Also, never has it been more important to choose the right person. In a tight economy, you are going to be punished much more severely for any mistake since the marketplace will not tolerate any missteps.

I am going to repeat what I just said because it is critical that you get the message. NOW MORE THAN EVER YOU CANNOT AFFORD TO MAKE A HIRING MISTAKE.

For the past few years, the real emphasis in the employment world has been on recruiting. Now the emphasis switches to selection. It is not hard to make a selection decision when you only have one person to choose from. But now, with a strong candidate flow available, how do you pick out that "A" player.

Our Selecting Winners workshops and products will help you make the best decisions.

Now for a couple of announcements. First, I will be conducting my web seminars Tuesday, November 6th and Thursday, November 8th. I will be sending you special email messages next week with all the details. You won't want to miss these, as I will be unveiling the Selecting Winners 5 X 5 Staffing System for the first time.

Also, I am very excited to let you know that I have worked out a deal with Tim Larkin (the former special forces instructor) to conduct a workshop for Selecting Winners clients, friends and associates. This is an unbelievable opportunity as I truly feel that what I learned from Tim could be the most valuable, life-saving, confidence-building, practical skills I have ever learned. As you might remember, I finished the training with Tim on September 9th. A key component of the training was how to deal with a threat from an edged weapon (knife, box-cutter, etc). Knowing now that our safety may depend on our ability to respond in a life-threatening situation, this training is a must.

I will have a special announcement about this training in the near future.

Commentary

There has been a lot written about we all can do to help support America. I want to share my suggestion with you. HIRE SOMEONE! There is not a single act you can perform that has greater leverage for our economy. Some people have suggested buying stocks but I just don't believe that. When you hire someone you create a lifecycle of events that puts more money into the economy and helps a much greater number of people. There isn't a single thing you can do that has more leverage.

That's all for this month. Please forward any questions you might have to info@selectingwinners.com.

Have a great month hiring!!!
Barry Shamis

As always, if you have any suggestions, questions or comments, please contact us by e-mail at mailto:staff@selectingwinners.com

Please feel free to pass this along to your colleagues. They can register for their own free subscription by sending an e-mail to join-hirescore@mh.databack.com

If for any reason you choose to cancel your subscription, send an e-mail from this address to leave-hirescore@mh.databack.com