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Recruit Rockstars: The 10 Step Playbook to Find the Winners and Ignite Your Business
Ninety percent of business problems are actually recruiting problems in disguise. If you’re filling your company’s vacant positions with B-players, you’re playing with fire. Instead, hire Rockstars to build an organization with limitless potential. Recruit Rockstars shows you how to find, hire, and keep the best of the best.
Top-tier executive recruiter Jeff Hyman has hired more than three thousand people over the course of his career. Now, he reveals his bulletproof 10-step method for landing the very best talent, based on data instead of gut feel. From sourcing and interviewing to closing and onboarding, you’ll learn how to attract winners like a magnet and avoid the mistakes that result in bad hires.
Assembling a team of driven and innovative Rockstars is the most powerful competitive advantage you can have in today’s ever-changing business world. Recruit Rockstars will help you nail your numbers, impress your investors, and crush your competitors.
Top-tier executive recruiter Jeff Hyman has hired more than three thousand people over the course of his career. Now, he reveals his bulletproof 10-step method for landing the very best talent, based on data instead of gut feel. From sourcing and interviewing to closing and onboarding, you’ll learn how to attract winners like a magnet and avoid the mistakes that result in bad hires.
Assembling a team of driven and innovative Rockstars is the most powerful competitive advantage you can have in today’s ever-changing business world. Recruit Rockstars will help you nail your numbers, impress your investors, and crush your competitors.
234 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 28, 2017
240 people are currently reading
463 people want to read
About the author
Jeff Hyman
1 book4 followersJeff launched his recruiting career at Heidrick & Struggles and Spencer Stuart, the preeminent global executive search firms. Today, he’s Chief Talent Officer at Chicago-based Strong Suit Executive Search. Along the way, Jeff created four companies, backed by $50 million in venture capital. He currently teaches the MBA course about recruiting at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management and hosts the five-star Strong Suit Podcast. Jeff has been featured by Inc., Fortune, Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, CNBC, Bloomberg, and other media outlets. He holds a master’s degree from Kellogg School of Management and a bachelor’s degree from The Wharton School.
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December 30, 2022
Хотя умение подбирать правильных людей определяет большую часть успеха бизнеса, толковых книг на эту тему издают реально мало. Эта книга одна из немногих(на самом деле вторая на моей памяти после "Кто"). Здесь пошагово описан процесс поиска, найма и удержания ключевых сотрудников. Всё четко, без воды, с большим количеством примеров из опыта Джеффа и его клиентов. Recruit Rockstars одна из редких книг, когда автор откровенно и детально рассказывает свои наработки и дает ссылки на готовые формы и документы.
February 2, 2018
My journey with this book didn’t start well. I instantly bristled at the word “rockstar” in the title. Is that who we really need to hire? I dearly hope not.
By the end of the book I still didn’t like “rockstar,” but I did conclude that this was the best book about hiring that I have read in my forty-plus years as a C-suite executive, private equity partner, and board member. Jeff is spot on. What passes today for talent management and people development is anything but.
What is truly ironic about this book is that despite that “r” word in the title, Jeff offers no magic. “There are no secrets. I’ve held nothing back. It’s simple, but it’s not easy.” Isn’t that true of most of the most important things we do in business and in life? His plan is a plan with a capital P. Very deliberate; thorough; full of the kind of detail that borders on the obvious (e.g., ask people how they prefer to communicate); with precise priorities and do not overlooks.
And even then he is not promising perfection. He’s promising 80%. That’s pretty good, however, given that you are probably below 50% right now and it’s undoubtedly challenging your budget and your sanity.
“Per a recent survey by LeadrshipIQ, 46 percent of new hires are no longer with the company after eighteen months, and only 19 percent of new hires could be declared by the hiring manager as an unequivocal success.”
“Four out of ten CEOs fail during their first eighteen months…”
“A 2016 LinkedIn study stowed that 90 percent of all global professionals are open to a new job opportunity.”
Why are things such a mess? “The employer/employee bond was damaged irreparably a couple of decades ago.” It happened in the 70s and 80s. Lots of blame to go around, but we’re stuck with it now. Jeff doesn’t believe in lashing at windmills.
He does believe:
“I’m convinced that authenticity wins—be yourself.”
“Ban the annual review.”
“No matter how much we talk about diversity, we tend to hire people similar to ourselves.”
But here’s the real genius: “That said, be careful, because a Rockstar at one company isn’t necessarily one at another.” And “Bear in mind that there is no perfect candidate. You’re not even looking for the best candidate.”
I was made the president of a well-known consumer products division at the age of 32. That’s what the press release said and it was dead wrong. The board of directors granted me the authority to become the president. It made me nothing. That I had to do on my own. And thankfully I did and more presidencies were ultimately offered. More success. But I was fired twice. Oh how I wish I had read this book or had Jeff sitting down the hall.
Best advice: Forget the job description. Create a job invitation. You’ve probably heard that most senior jobs go to someone that somebody connected with the search has at least heard of. (The power of networks everyone talks about.) We assume that has something to with trust. More often than not it’s a function of the fact that no candidate on the planet fills the job description. They’re just figuring out whom to exempt. (Most of the “stuff”, Jeff further notes, has been shown to have little predictive value.)
The topic is dry. I’ve met very few executives who enjoy the process. It’s all about jockeying and gamesmanship. But Jeff is the ultimate non-gamesman and he’ll show you how to get through it and excel. Call them what you will. You get the kind of people Jeff is referring to sitting in every seat in your company and you, my friend, are in for the ride of your life.
Thank you, Jeff Hyman. (We used to say that more. I think Jeff would agree we should bring it back.)
By the end of the book I still didn’t like “rockstar,” but I did conclude that this was the best book about hiring that I have read in my forty-plus years as a C-suite executive, private equity partner, and board member. Jeff is spot on. What passes today for talent management and people development is anything but.
What is truly ironic about this book is that despite that “r” word in the title, Jeff offers no magic. “There are no secrets. I’ve held nothing back. It’s simple, but it’s not easy.” Isn’t that true of most of the most important things we do in business and in life? His plan is a plan with a capital P. Very deliberate; thorough; full of the kind of detail that borders on the obvious (e.g., ask people how they prefer to communicate); with precise priorities and do not overlooks.
And even then he is not promising perfection. He’s promising 80%. That’s pretty good, however, given that you are probably below 50% right now and it’s undoubtedly challenging your budget and your sanity.
“Per a recent survey by LeadrshipIQ, 46 percent of new hires are no longer with the company after eighteen months, and only 19 percent of new hires could be declared by the hiring manager as an unequivocal success.”
“Four out of ten CEOs fail during their first eighteen months…”
“A 2016 LinkedIn study stowed that 90 percent of all global professionals are open to a new job opportunity.”
Why are things such a mess? “The employer/employee bond was damaged irreparably a couple of decades ago.” It happened in the 70s and 80s. Lots of blame to go around, but we’re stuck with it now. Jeff doesn’t believe in lashing at windmills.
He does believe:
“I’m convinced that authenticity wins—be yourself.”
“Ban the annual review.”
“No matter how much we talk about diversity, we tend to hire people similar to ourselves.”
But here’s the real genius: “That said, be careful, because a Rockstar at one company isn’t necessarily one at another.” And “Bear in mind that there is no perfect candidate. You’re not even looking for the best candidate.”
I was made the president of a well-known consumer products division at the age of 32. That’s what the press release said and it was dead wrong. The board of directors granted me the authority to become the president. It made me nothing. That I had to do on my own. And thankfully I did and more presidencies were ultimately offered. More success. But I was fired twice. Oh how I wish I had read this book or had Jeff sitting down the hall.
Best advice: Forget the job description. Create a job invitation. You’ve probably heard that most senior jobs go to someone that somebody connected with the search has at least heard of. (The power of networks everyone talks about.) We assume that has something to with trust. More often than not it’s a function of the fact that no candidate on the planet fills the job description. They’re just figuring out whom to exempt. (Most of the “stuff”, Jeff further notes, has been shown to have little predictive value.)
The topic is dry. I’ve met very few executives who enjoy the process. It’s all about jockeying and gamesmanship. But Jeff is the ultimate non-gamesman and he’ll show you how to get through it and excel. Call them what you will. You get the kind of people Jeff is referring to sitting in every seat in your company and you, my friend, are in for the ride of your life.
Thank you, Jeff Hyman. (We used to say that more. I think Jeff would agree we should bring it back.)
August 10, 2018
Понятная схема для найма сотрудников. Выглядит практично. Есть все этапы, конкретные вопросы.
October 19, 2019
Невероятно полезная для меня книга. 6 из 5! Уже начал применять в своем бизнесе. Учебник по подбору рок-звезд, бери и применяй.
Первая книга, прочитанная на английском. Читал почти 2 месяца. Все заметки не влезли, публикую часть.
Getting talent right in your company demands spending 30 to 50 percent of your time on recruiting and retention.
A culture is an atmosphere created by the collective DNA of the individuals.
If you can’t attract them at every position, maybe your company’s mission isn’t very compelling. Or maybe it’s the leadership you’re providing… or failing to provide.
Rockstars will cost 20 percent more but can be two to three to ten times more effective than an average performer. “Recruit five, get the results of ten, and pay them like eight.”
Step 1 in creating the Scorecard is to envision what success looks like. Write down what the benchmarks of success are—launching five new products, closing $ 1.5 million of new business, putting the company in the black, turning around the division, etc. Be specific and quantify wherever possible.
Step 2 is to define the day-to-day accountabilities—typically five to seven. Determine what the individual would need to do in order to deliver the degree of success identified in Step 1. What will this person actually be doing every day?
Step 3 is to define the competencies—think of these as characteristics—required to successfully execute those daily accountabilities.
Finally, Step 4 is to determine the candidate’s DNA. Generally, the requisite DNA will not vary from position to position within your company, but it’s as important to assess as competencies during the hiring process.
The number one thing Rockstars look for is a challenge.
If you don’t develop a winning culture—a place where Rockstars are compelled to join and a place where they can do their best work, you’ll fail to recruit them.
I’m looking at their DNA. Do they have the three to five traits that we’ve identified as non-negotiable? If they do, they’ll fit well enough—and hopefully be additive to the culture.
Culture is the collective makeup of a group of people, while DNA is a given individual’s makeup.
If you’ve done a good job of defining it, the DNA of your employees may evolve as it grows, but it won’t radically change.
A clearly articulated DNA stands for something. It has a viewpoint. You must be willing to say, “This is what we are all about.” And you must be willing to part ways with people, even top performers, who don’t live the values you’ve articulated.
Have this team meet in person and ask them to identify three Rockstars already in the company (present company excluded, of course). These three people should epitomize the company, the ones who are the fabric of the company, who define its soul.
Next, discuss the characteristics they have in common. List them out on the whiteboard.
Organize this list into subcategories, grouping similar traits together. You are looking for three to five traits that define your company’s DNA.
Sharing the results, the essence of your company, is important. Create a plan to educate all members of your organization, regardless of their position. This is more than just a single email. It’s an ongoing discussion. Here’s what to say: From this day forward, because these characteristics define our company, everyone we recruit must have all of these traits. Not three or four out of five. All of them. It’s non-negotiable.
Be prepared because the day will soon come when an amazing candidate crosses your desk. He will have the numbers, the credentials, and the personality, but he won’t share all five DNA qualities you’ve identified as non-negotiable. Do not hire him, regardless of the pressure placed upon you by your manager, your Board, or your team. Just say no.
Of equal importance, the second piece of the communication plan is more delicate and must be done one-on-one. You need to begin exiting employees who don’t share the now-articulated DNA. Yes, this will undoubtedly be difficult. Some of these employees are top performers, some are in leadership positions, some have relationships with key customers. It doesn’t matter. If you’re serious about building a culture that attracts and keeps Rockstars, you must have consistency in your DNA. Have a conversation and point out the disconnects; give examples of the lack of fit. It’s easy to look the other way when an employee delivers results but doesn’t share the DNA. This is where so many leaders fail. Don’t be one of them.
When someone demonstrates the DNA of the company in a meaningful way, make a public example of them. Rewards are key, too—both financial and non-financial; we’ll talk more about this later. If someone consistently lives the DNA of the company, promote them. This sends an important message that it’s not only performance and results that matter.
Just as your head of marketing serves as the guardian of your brand, the head of HR/ talent is the guardian of your company’s DNA.
That’s why it’s important that your head of HR/ talent be one of your early hires. In my view, it’s the single most critical hire a CEO can make. And I encourage my clients to make it one of their first twenty hires.
Finding other companies with similar DNAs can give you ideas. Through research and asking around, you should be able to identify companies with like-minded values. Maybe you hire a lot of people from a particular company. Study what that company does. How do they live their DNA? What types of events, celebrations and promotions do they host? What is their talent strategy? What is their compensation design?
I realized how similar attracting Rockstars is to attracting customers.
Just as your company’s products have a brand, so, too, does your company as an employer. Create stories to help prospective candidates visualize what it’s like to work there. Use video to capture a sense of the company’s DNA.
Develop a candidate pipeline in the same manner that a head of sales and marketing develops a customer pipeline. This pipeline is the bench of talent. Develop it before you need it. Just-in-time hiring is too slow and results in hasty decisions.
An employer value proposition is the value the prospective employee receives from working at the company. It’s the career path, the challenge, the place where they can do their best work. That is the “product” you’re selling to prospective employees.
Marketers have pricing philosophy, and you need a compensation philosophy for decision making.
Just as you conduct retention analysis when you lose a customer, conduct exit interviews with employees. Where did they go and why? What could you have done differently?
www.RecruitRockstars.com/ Bonus
Just as strong marketing copy draws in potential customers, well-crafted Job Invitations draw in prospective employees. A strong Job Invitation should scream: “You’re going to love it here! You’re going to do the best work of your life! You’re going to have an opportunity to do things you care about! You’re going to be challenged!”
So, here are vital components that will catch the attention of Rockstars:
Be clear about your company’s identity and what it’s truly like to work there. Capture the spirit, the energy, and collective enthusiasm for its mission.
Be up front about your non-negotiables, such as location, hours, and the like. But distinguish first what is literally non-negotiable and what isn’t.
Ask your current Rockstars to help create a compelling message. Why did you join us? Why do you stay?
Hire a copywriter, engage your head of marketing, and include links to videos (they need not be professionally produced—in fact, the less slick, the better) of current Rockstars sharing their experience.
Give the position a creative title. Rockstars want a title that reflects the importance of their work. Give it to them. Director of Customer Service? Blah. Why not “Head of Making Customers Love Us?” I’d be interested in that one.
Make the “Careers” section of your website engaging. It should tell the story of who you are and what people can expect if they join your team. And—for God’s sake—don’t include an “Apply Here” button. Rockstars who are currently employed, don’t apply. The button should say “Let’s Talk” or “Let’s Have a Conversation,” and stress confidentiality.
We look for every compelling reason someone might want the role… things like equity, career path, the CEO’s track record, ability to work with a great manager, unique aspects of the culture, or the fact that it’s a high-growth industry. Ping pong tables no longer suffice. Dig deep to identify reasons that this role and your company will appeal to Rockstars.
I’ve learned that video is the perfect way to tell the story. Consider including a link from the invitation to a short video in which the hiring manager discusses the kind of person that she is seeking, and why the job is a great opportunity. Include a tour of the office—anything to help sell the company.
There are two components to the Job Value Proposition. One aspect is that of your company—its mission, passion, growth trajectory, etc.—and why your offerings are more compelling than those of your candidate’s current employer. The second aspect is that of the specific role. The position is secondary to the company, of course, because jobs have become so fluid. It’s important to show that the company is going places, and that the person who fills the job will be an essential part of the growth path. This is a bus you simply need to be on. And we’ll find the right seat together.
While others shrink from responsibility, Rockstars demand it.
Even an assembly line job can be made more challenging and meaningful. Rockstars can measure performance on an assembly line; they can find the challenge of fixing a broken line or improving a functioning one. They’ll be put in a challenging environment that will demand their best work to make things faster, better, smarter, and cheaper. Tie this particular job to the role of its department and to the larger company’s growth plan.
We’ll include the five to ten competencies that are necessary to do the job well.
Wrack your brain to pinpoint the 100 to 200 people in your life who might invest a bit of time to be a talent scout for you. Be concise about the person you’re looking for. Don’t ask: “Who do you know?” They know a lot of people—it’s too hard. Rather, ask: “Who’s the best software sales rep you’ve met in the past year?” or “Who’s the best product manager you’ve worked with here in Denver?”
Always ask if you can use their name when reaching out to the person they referred—you’re far more likely to have your email or call returned. Be sure to thank them whether you hire the person they referred or not, and always close the loop. Circle back with: “I spoke with her. Here was the outcome…” If you skip this step, don’t be surprised if it’s the last introduction they make.
Employee referrals are the Holy Grail of recruiting. They deliver the highest quality of candidates, the shortest duration of search time, and the lowest cost-per-hire. The reason is simple: Rockstars attract Rockstars. That’s why Rockstar cultures get stronger and stronger. If you can’t afford cash, use stock, vacation time, trips, or gift cards. Be creative, but provide a reward.
Never stop sourcing. You’re always hiring, which is why I insist that my clients invest 30 to 50 percent of their time on talent. You are proactively building a talent pipeline ahead of the need. I recommend forecasting your hiring needs for the next two years. How many people will you need, and in what roles?
I help my clients create a Candidate Relationship Management program, often in the form of an email newsletter—just as they have for their prospective customers. We’re always growing the list of recipients. Through this every-other-week email, we remind potential candidates about our company and what we’re doing. We include news about the company, funding, new customers, new hires, evidence that the industry is taking off.
You should also meet regularly with promising candidates—even if you don’t have a specific job for them today. Have two of those meetings each week to continue building your pipeline.
How to narrow the field to the twenty that I’d most like to speak with:
- Look at résumés in batches, rather than one at a time. You’re only spending time with twenty candidates, so working in batches helps you compare and contrast across them.
- Look for specific quantified accomplishments or achievements—growing sales, growing markets, turning around brands. Those are important markers of Rockstars because Rockstars deliver results; they make things happen and they are interested in telling you about those results.
- Look for evidence of progression. That could be in the form of increasing scope of responsibility, in promotions (particularly within a company, not just from one company to another) or in expansion of scope of duties (did their team expand?).
- Look for tenure with companies. How long has a candidate been at their current job? If you’ve got a candidate who hops from job to job, staying less than two years at each position, let them go. Don’t waste your time. Consider what I call the 3: 10 Rule. I’m looking for people who have worked for three or fewer companies in the past ten years. Commonly, I’ll see candidates who spent two years at each employer over the course of ten years. That’s five employers, and in my book, that’s too many. It tells me that the candidate either made bad choices about where to work or the company didn’t see them as having enough value to retain their services and advance them through the organization.
- Finally, pay attention to the presentation. How clear is the résumé or profile? This should be the candidate’s best work. If it has mistakes, it concerns me. If they’ve written a cover letter, is it compelling and authentic and insightful, or cliché and typo-ridden?
It’s time to reach out to those that look most promising. If they applied for the position, it’s relatively easy. They’re hoping for the call. So, make it. I send an email letting them know that I’d like to schedule a twenty-minute intro call (I block out thirty in my calendar). I make three attempts: an email, then a call, and then a text.
In my experience, outreaching to thirty or so of the right prospects with a short note will typically yield twenty phone conversations.
Intelligence and book smarts are useful, but cognitive ability—the ability to learn, make decisions, and adjust one’s approach based on new information—is far more valuable.
Three types of interviews are part of a winning recruitment process: phone screen, career deep dive, and DNA match.
Первая книга, прочитанная на английском. Читал почти 2 месяца. Все заметки не влезли, публикую часть.
Getting talent right in your company demands spending 30 to 50 percent of your time on recruiting and retention.
A culture is an atmosphere created by the collective DNA of the individuals.
If you can’t attract them at every position, maybe your company’s mission isn’t very compelling. Or maybe it’s the leadership you’re providing… or failing to provide.
Rockstars will cost 20 percent more but can be two to three to ten times more effective than an average performer. “Recruit five, get the results of ten, and pay them like eight.”
Step 1 in creating the Scorecard is to envision what success looks like. Write down what the benchmarks of success are—launching five new products, closing $ 1.5 million of new business, putting the company in the black, turning around the division, etc. Be specific and quantify wherever possible.
Step 2 is to define the day-to-day accountabilities—typically five to seven. Determine what the individual would need to do in order to deliver the degree of success identified in Step 1. What will this person actually be doing every day?
Step 3 is to define the competencies—think of these as characteristics—required to successfully execute those daily accountabilities.
Finally, Step 4 is to determine the candidate’s DNA. Generally, the requisite DNA will not vary from position to position within your company, but it’s as important to assess as competencies during the hiring process.
The number one thing Rockstars look for is a challenge.
If you don’t develop a winning culture—a place where Rockstars are compelled to join and a place where they can do their best work, you’ll fail to recruit them.
I’m looking at their DNA. Do they have the three to five traits that we’ve identified as non-negotiable? If they do, they’ll fit well enough—and hopefully be additive to the culture.
Culture is the collective makeup of a group of people, while DNA is a given individual’s makeup.
If you’ve done a good job of defining it, the DNA of your employees may evolve as it grows, but it won’t radically change.
A clearly articulated DNA stands for something. It has a viewpoint. You must be willing to say, “This is what we are all about.” And you must be willing to part ways with people, even top performers, who don’t live the values you’ve articulated.
Have this team meet in person and ask them to identify three Rockstars already in the company (present company excluded, of course). These three people should epitomize the company, the ones who are the fabric of the company, who define its soul.
Next, discuss the characteristics they have in common. List them out on the whiteboard.
Organize this list into subcategories, grouping similar traits together. You are looking for three to five traits that define your company’s DNA.
Sharing the results, the essence of your company, is important. Create a plan to educate all members of your organization, regardless of their position. This is more than just a single email. It’s an ongoing discussion. Here’s what to say: From this day forward, because these characteristics define our company, everyone we recruit must have all of these traits. Not three or four out of five. All of them. It’s non-negotiable.
Be prepared because the day will soon come when an amazing candidate crosses your desk. He will have the numbers, the credentials, and the personality, but he won’t share all five DNA qualities you’ve identified as non-negotiable. Do not hire him, regardless of the pressure placed upon you by your manager, your Board, or your team. Just say no.
Of equal importance, the second piece of the communication plan is more delicate and must be done one-on-one. You need to begin exiting employees who don’t share the now-articulated DNA. Yes, this will undoubtedly be difficult. Some of these employees are top performers, some are in leadership positions, some have relationships with key customers. It doesn’t matter. If you’re serious about building a culture that attracts and keeps Rockstars, you must have consistency in your DNA. Have a conversation and point out the disconnects; give examples of the lack of fit. It’s easy to look the other way when an employee delivers results but doesn’t share the DNA. This is where so many leaders fail. Don’t be one of them.
When someone demonstrates the DNA of the company in a meaningful way, make a public example of them. Rewards are key, too—both financial and non-financial; we’ll talk more about this later. If someone consistently lives the DNA of the company, promote them. This sends an important message that it’s not only performance and results that matter.
Just as your head of marketing serves as the guardian of your brand, the head of HR/ talent is the guardian of your company’s DNA.
That’s why it’s important that your head of HR/ talent be one of your early hires. In my view, it’s the single most critical hire a CEO can make. And I encourage my clients to make it one of their first twenty hires.
Finding other companies with similar DNAs can give you ideas. Through research and asking around, you should be able to identify companies with like-minded values. Maybe you hire a lot of people from a particular company. Study what that company does. How do they live their DNA? What types of events, celebrations and promotions do they host? What is their talent strategy? What is their compensation design?
I realized how similar attracting Rockstars is to attracting customers.
Just as your company’s products have a brand, so, too, does your company as an employer. Create stories to help prospective candidates visualize what it’s like to work there. Use video to capture a sense of the company’s DNA.
Develop a candidate pipeline in the same manner that a head of sales and marketing develops a customer pipeline. This pipeline is the bench of talent. Develop it before you need it. Just-in-time hiring is too slow and results in hasty decisions.
An employer value proposition is the value the prospective employee receives from working at the company. It’s the career path, the challenge, the place where they can do their best work. That is the “product” you’re selling to prospective employees.
Marketers have pricing philosophy, and you need a compensation philosophy for decision making.
Just as you conduct retention analysis when you lose a customer, conduct exit interviews with employees. Where did they go and why? What could you have done differently?
www.RecruitRockstars.com/ Bonus
Just as strong marketing copy draws in potential customers, well-crafted Job Invitations draw in prospective employees. A strong Job Invitation should scream: “You’re going to love it here! You’re going to do the best work of your life! You’re going to have an opportunity to do things you care about! You’re going to be challenged!”
So, here are vital components that will catch the attention of Rockstars:
Be clear about your company’s identity and what it’s truly like to work there. Capture the spirit, the energy, and collective enthusiasm for its mission.
Be up front about your non-negotiables, such as location, hours, and the like. But distinguish first what is literally non-negotiable and what isn’t.
Ask your current Rockstars to help create a compelling message. Why did you join us? Why do you stay?
Hire a copywriter, engage your head of marketing, and include links to videos (they need not be professionally produced—in fact, the less slick, the better) of current Rockstars sharing their experience.
Give the position a creative title. Rockstars want a title that reflects the importance of their work. Give it to them. Director of Customer Service? Blah. Why not “Head of Making Customers Love Us?” I’d be interested in that one.
Make the “Careers” section of your website engaging. It should tell the story of who you are and what people can expect if they join your team. And—for God’s sake—don’t include an “Apply Here” button. Rockstars who are currently employed, don’t apply. The button should say “Let’s Talk” or “Let’s Have a Conversation,” and stress confidentiality.
We look for every compelling reason someone might want the role… things like equity, career path, the CEO’s track record, ability to work with a great manager, unique aspects of the culture, or the fact that it’s a high-growth industry. Ping pong tables no longer suffice. Dig deep to identify reasons that this role and your company will appeal to Rockstars.
I’ve learned that video is the perfect way to tell the story. Consider including a link from the invitation to a short video in which the hiring manager discusses the kind of person that she is seeking, and why the job is a great opportunity. Include a tour of the office—anything to help sell the company.
There are two components to the Job Value Proposition. One aspect is that of your company—its mission, passion, growth trajectory, etc.—and why your offerings are more compelling than those of your candidate’s current employer. The second aspect is that of the specific role. The position is secondary to the company, of course, because jobs have become so fluid. It’s important to show that the company is going places, and that the person who fills the job will be an essential part of the growth path. This is a bus you simply need to be on. And we’ll find the right seat together.
While others shrink from responsibility, Rockstars demand it.
Even an assembly line job can be made more challenging and meaningful. Rockstars can measure performance on an assembly line; they can find the challenge of fixing a broken line or improving a functioning one. They’ll be put in a challenging environment that will demand their best work to make things faster, better, smarter, and cheaper. Tie this particular job to the role of its department and to the larger company’s growth plan.
We’ll include the five to ten competencies that are necessary to do the job well.
Wrack your brain to pinpoint the 100 to 200 people in your life who might invest a bit of time to be a talent scout for you. Be concise about the person you’re looking for. Don’t ask: “Who do you know?” They know a lot of people—it’s too hard. Rather, ask: “Who’s the best software sales rep you’ve met in the past year?” or “Who’s the best product manager you’ve worked with here in Denver?”
Always ask if you can use their name when reaching out to the person they referred—you’re far more likely to have your email or call returned. Be sure to thank them whether you hire the person they referred or not, and always close the loop. Circle back with: “I spoke with her. Here was the outcome…” If you skip this step, don’t be surprised if it’s the last introduction they make.
Employee referrals are the Holy Grail of recruiting. They deliver the highest quality of candidates, the shortest duration of search time, and the lowest cost-per-hire. The reason is simple: Rockstars attract Rockstars. That’s why Rockstar cultures get stronger and stronger. If you can’t afford cash, use stock, vacation time, trips, or gift cards. Be creative, but provide a reward.
Never stop sourcing. You’re always hiring, which is why I insist that my clients invest 30 to 50 percent of their time on talent. You are proactively building a talent pipeline ahead of the need. I recommend forecasting your hiring needs for the next two years. How many people will you need, and in what roles?
I help my clients create a Candidate Relationship Management program, often in the form of an email newsletter—just as they have for their prospective customers. We’re always growing the list of recipients. Through this every-other-week email, we remind potential candidates about our company and what we’re doing. We include news about the company, funding, new customers, new hires, evidence that the industry is taking off.
You should also meet regularly with promising candidates—even if you don’t have a specific job for them today. Have two of those meetings each week to continue building your pipeline.
How to narrow the field to the twenty that I’d most like to speak with:
- Look at résumés in batches, rather than one at a time. You’re only spending time with twenty candidates, so working in batches helps you compare and contrast across them.
- Look for specific quantified accomplishments or achievements—growing sales, growing markets, turning around brands. Those are important markers of Rockstars because Rockstars deliver results; they make things happen and they are interested in telling you about those results.
- Look for evidence of progression. That could be in the form of increasing scope of responsibility, in promotions (particularly within a company, not just from one company to another) or in expansion of scope of duties (did their team expand?).
- Look for tenure with companies. How long has a candidate been at their current job? If you’ve got a candidate who hops from job to job, staying less than two years at each position, let them go. Don’t waste your time. Consider what I call the 3: 10 Rule. I’m looking for people who have worked for three or fewer companies in the past ten years. Commonly, I’ll see candidates who spent two years at each employer over the course of ten years. That’s five employers, and in my book, that’s too many. It tells me that the candidate either made bad choices about where to work or the company didn’t see them as having enough value to retain their services and advance them through the organization.
- Finally, pay attention to the presentation. How clear is the résumé or profile? This should be the candidate’s best work. If it has mistakes, it concerns me. If they’ve written a cover letter, is it compelling and authentic and insightful, or cliché and typo-ridden?
It’s time to reach out to those that look most promising. If they applied for the position, it’s relatively easy. They’re hoping for the call. So, make it. I send an email letting them know that I’d like to schedule a twenty-minute intro call (I block out thirty in my calendar). I make three attempts: an email, then a call, and then a text.
In my experience, outreaching to thirty or so of the right prospects with a short note will typically yield twenty phone conversations.
Intelligence and book smarts are useful, but cognitive ability—the ability to learn, make decisions, and adjust one’s approach based on new information—is far more valuable.
Three types of interviews are part of a winning recruitment process: phone screen, career deep dive, and DNA match.
February 16, 2020
I read this immediately after reading
Who: The A Method for Hiring
in order to compare and contrast. As an aside, I highly recommend utilizing this strategy of reading two books back-to-back when you're learning about something like hiring that is incredibly subjective and generally unsolved. It reinforced the shared concepts and made it much more obvious what was open to interpretation.
Overall, 80% of my takeaways are the same. But there were more interesting and non-standard nuggets in this book around hiring for DNA instead of culture fit, creating job invitations instead of descriptions, tips and tricks for effective sourcing, when to hire a Head of HR, and the role of gut instinct in the process. I also commend the author for providing free sample materials. Anything to remove the barrier of actually implementing what you learn is a huge +1.
The framework presented in this book was also comparatively more applicable across all types of hires and sizes of companies. The only potential negative was that there wasn't as much quantitative evidence present outside of the author's own hiring experience. I didn't find that to be a significant detractor so left my five star rating.
Overall, 80% of my takeaways are the same. But there were more interesting and non-standard nuggets in this book around hiring for DNA instead of culture fit, creating job invitations instead of descriptions, tips and tricks for effective sourcing, when to hire a Head of HR, and the role of gut instinct in the process. I also commend the author for providing free sample materials. Anything to remove the barrier of actually implementing what you learn is a huge +1.
The framework presented in this book was also comparatively more applicable across all types of hires and sizes of companies. The only potential negative was that there wasn't as much quantitative evidence present outside of the author's own hiring experience. I didn't find that to be a significant detractor so left my five star rating.
July 19, 2019
Отличная книга про найм персонала! Поиск именно рок звёзд! Поиск, собеседования, отзывы, тестдрайв, оффер, интеграция, Увольнение. Очень понятно, кратко и по сути
June 29, 2023
Book Review: Recruit Rockstars by Jeff Hyman
Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Genre: Business Book
Published: 11/28/17
Review: For a business book, this one was really good. I really enjoyed learning some new things and having some of the frustrations I have with clients be addressed in the book. I definitely recommend if you handle recruiting for your company or work with outside staffing firms. It really points out certain things for you to do to get the best candidates everytime! And I even took a couple of the suggestions regarding phone screens and sending out LI messages and put them to use. I will say that they have paid off BIG time! I just implemented the new messaging this week and I received twice as many responses to my messages than I did before!
Summary: Ninety percent of business problems are actually recruiting problems in disguise. If you’re filling your company’s vacant positions with B-players, you’re playing with fire. Instead, hire Rockstars to build an organization with limitless potential. Recruit Rockstars shows you how to find, hire, and keep the best of the best. Top-tier executive recruiter Jeff Hyman has hired more than three thousand people over the course of his career. Now, he reveals his bulletproof 10-step method for landing the very best talent, based on data instead of gut feel. From sourcing and interviewing to closing and onboarding, you’ll learn how to attract winners like a magnet and avoid the mistakes that result in bad hires. Assembling a team of driven and innovative Rockstars is the most powerful competitive advantage you can have in today’s ever-changing business world. Recruit Rockstars will help you nail your numbers, impress your investors, and crush your competitors.
#mybookfeatures #bookstagrammer #bookstagramit #bookstagram #bibliophile #booksaremylife #bookasthetic #booktalk #readingtime #booklove #bookphotography #bookrecs #bookish #readingcommunity #readaholic #bookcollector #bookcollection #bookcommunity #bookstack #bookaholic #booklover #bookaddict #readinglife #bookshelf #bookrecommendations #bookreview
Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Genre: Business Book
Published: 11/28/17
Review: For a business book, this one was really good. I really enjoyed learning some new things and having some of the frustrations I have with clients be addressed in the book. I definitely recommend if you handle recruiting for your company or work with outside staffing firms. It really points out certain things for you to do to get the best candidates everytime! And I even took a couple of the suggestions regarding phone screens and sending out LI messages and put them to use. I will say that they have paid off BIG time! I just implemented the new messaging this week and I received twice as many responses to my messages than I did before!
Summary: Ninety percent of business problems are actually recruiting problems in disguise. If you’re filling your company’s vacant positions with B-players, you’re playing with fire. Instead, hire Rockstars to build an organization with limitless potential. Recruit Rockstars shows you how to find, hire, and keep the best of the best. Top-tier executive recruiter Jeff Hyman has hired more than three thousand people over the course of his career. Now, he reveals his bulletproof 10-step method for landing the very best talent, based on data instead of gut feel. From sourcing and interviewing to closing and onboarding, you’ll learn how to attract winners like a magnet and avoid the mistakes that result in bad hires. Assembling a team of driven and innovative Rockstars is the most powerful competitive advantage you can have in today’s ever-changing business world. Recruit Rockstars will help you nail your numbers, impress your investors, and crush your competitors.
#mybookfeatures #bookstagrammer #bookstagramit #bookstagram #bibliophile #booksaremylife #bookasthetic #booktalk #readingtime #booklove #bookphotography #bookrecs #bookish #readingcommunity #readaholic #bookcollector #bookcollection #bookcommunity #bookstack #bookaholic #booklover #bookaddict #readinglife #bookshelf #bookrecommendations #bookreview
November 25, 2017
Jeff's book is based on over 2 decades of his own experience launching companies and hiring executive candidates. In his book, Recruit Rockstars, he shares 10 easy to follow steps for improving the entire recruiting process. He addresses the current state of affairs and explains how these antiquated practices are not doing the companies that use them any favors. He then fills in the blanks with his tried and true processes that have predicted success with hiring, time and time again.
Recruit Rockstars is certainly positioned as a book to help other recruiters, HR departments, hiring managers, and so on, but I think there are also plenty of practical applications here for someone who's ready to make a career change. Understanding how people are hiring—whether they're still focusing on traditional practices or Jeff's practical updates (both touched upon in Recruit Rockstars)—is necessary to confidently prepare for the process.
Regardless of whether you're doing the hiring, or if you're the one seeking a new role, this book should be at the top of your list for finding success in 2018.
Recruit Rockstars is certainly positioned as a book to help other recruiters, HR departments, hiring managers, and so on, but I think there are also plenty of practical applications here for someone who's ready to make a career change. Understanding how people are hiring—whether they're still focusing on traditional practices or Jeff's practical updates (both touched upon in Recruit Rockstars)—is necessary to confidently prepare for the process.
Regardless of whether you're doing the hiring, or if you're the one seeking a new role, this book should be at the top of your list for finding success in 2018.
December 10, 2020
The title is a bit silly but it's a very good book. I have been doing recruitment for 6 years and I wish I had read the book on day 1.
The best thing is, as the author said, all the theories he had in this book are based on years of academic studies, with solid data to prove. I have been watching Coursera courses like People Analytics and the professors like to explain how they come to the conclusion. I have had enough of your "management wisdom" that someone just suddenly come up with and they believe it's true without any need to prove anything.
The book is strucutured following a candidate life cycle, from the company culture (before a position is ever created), to sourcing, selection, interview, offering, onboarding and development. You can start from where you're most interested in (I started from the interview chapter), and go back and forth.
The best thing is, as the author said, all the theories he had in this book are based on years of academic studies, with solid data to prove. I have been watching Coursera courses like People Analytics and the professors like to explain how they come to the conclusion. I have had enough of your "management wisdom" that someone just suddenly come up with and they believe it's true without any need to prove anything.
The book is strucutured following a candidate life cycle, from the company culture (before a position is ever created), to sourcing, selection, interview, offering, onboarding and development. You can start from where you're most interested in (I started from the interview chapter), and go back and forth.
January 4, 2021
Insightful book which turned some of my very misguided assumptions about hiring upside down.
Hyman’s approach to recruiting “Rockstars” or the top 5% Grade A performers made a lot of practical sense, and his methodical steps will pave the correct path towards building a better organization. I enjoyed the “customer centric” outlook he takes on job seekers as he shares these rare commodities are a resource to be fought over fiercely—to an extent even scientifically.
There are also bonus materials to be accessed that further solidify his approach. Excellent material for all managers including non-HR folks to create your ideal teams.
Hyman’s approach to recruiting “Rockstars” or the top 5% Grade A performers made a lot of practical sense, and his methodical steps will pave the correct path towards building a better organization. I enjoyed the “customer centric” outlook he takes on job seekers as he shares these rare commodities are a resource to be fought over fiercely—to an extent even scientifically.
There are also bonus materials to be accessed that further solidify his approach. Excellent material for all managers including non-HR folks to create your ideal teams.
August 30, 2021
Solid overview to hire rockstars
This book may not fit your business 100%, but you’ll likely find something useful. Few hiring managers have learned how to recruit and manage the best, yet it is the highest leverage you have. This book also works to help you find a better employer: now that I know how Hyman would craft a job advert, I will dismiss the positions where credentials have been prioritized over DNA and competencies.
This book may not fit your business 100%, but you’ll likely find something useful. Few hiring managers have learned how to recruit and manage the best, yet it is the highest leverage you have. This book also works to help you find a better employer: now that I know how Hyman would craft a job advert, I will dismiss the positions where credentials have been prioritized over DNA and competencies.
October 12, 2018
Business books so often disappoint me. This one is the exception to the rule. It's comprehensive, relatively easy to read, complete and thorough. If you recruit for a living, it will help you. If you're a C level executive and your organization is languishing, it may help explain why. It's worth the time to read.
July 15, 2019
I read this one in small bites over the last two months and it's good! I definitely gained some new ideas, some of which I already put into my process. It was also fun to reflect on what things my current and previous employers did or did not do and how I perceived it - which is validated in the book. I am inspired to find our next Rockstars!
January 8, 2022
You are looking at pure gold. There are some already very good reviews in here, so l will just add that this content is the most in depth hiring material I have ever seen.
The title and first chapter made me think this is going to be a lot of blabla, but I was so wrong. Jeff holds nothing back. Invaluable book.
The title and first chapter made me think this is going to be a lot of blabla, but I was so wrong. Jeff holds nothing back. Invaluable book.
August 11, 2018
I skimmed this for work. I thought a lot of the ideas were helpful and logical and often overlooked by busy working professionals when they are needing talent. I did not agree with the feedback on how to give offers/expect answers for candidates. But overall, it gave logical advice.
July 29, 2019
One of the best books I’ve read on business in general. This is ESSENTIAL for any entrepreneur who is building an organization. This is even highly valuable for any hiring manager who is going about making an important hire.
August 28, 2019
Great guide to recruit / retain rockstar employees.
I found the book very insightful with a detailed guide regarding recruitment of a superior workforce. Definitely beneficial to recruitment HR professionals and organizational culture enhancement.
I found the book very insightful with a detailed guide regarding recruitment of a superior workforce. Definitely beneficial to recruitment HR professionals and organizational culture enhancement.
July 10, 2020
Excellent for executive or more senior recruiting. It’s huge that Hyman has recruited a ton of people. His funnel metrics are exceedingly helpful.
Not as helpful for looking at recruiting remotely or a scrappy, small business environment.
Would recommend!
Not as helpful for looking at recruiting remotely or a scrappy, small business environment.
Would recommend!
November 9, 2020
Practical and Diligent
Quick, informative, to the point, and fairly comprehensive. Very good for those new to the ins and outs of recruiting, hiring, or managing high-performing talent.
Quick, informative, to the point, and fairly comprehensive. Very good for those new to the ins and outs of recruiting, hiring, or managing high-performing talent.
August 12, 2023
Too many things for begginers
Too many too common things. Most of the things written are evident for you if you hired from 10 to 20 people. I recommend reading it only to quickly go through the headings.
Too many too common things. Most of the things written are evident for you if you hired from 10 to 20 people. I recommend reading it only to quickly go through the headings.
January 18, 2018
Awesome book ever
Haven't had any book so far elaborating how to attract and retain best talent in such lucid form
Keep rocking
Haven't had any book so far elaborating how to attract and retain best talent in such lucid form
Keep rocking
March 16, 2018
Great stuff if you're trying to build a kick-ass company.
April 9, 2018
See my full review of this book: https://businessbookreviewer.com/2018...
January 16, 2019
Great read. Helped me rethink the interview and hiring process. I am looking forward to implementing much of what was taught here.
November 16, 2019
Great overview of the hiring process but I personally found nothing new. We do most of the stuff mentioned in this book but the hiring of top-notch talent still sucks.
December 8, 2019
Straightforward Recruiting Plan
Excellent book that lays out a simple (but not easy) plan to recruit talent to your organization. It’s clear and concise.
Excellent book that lays out a simple (but not easy) plan to recruit talent to your organization. It’s clear and concise.
January 7, 2020
Ignore the name, good book on recruiting. Tactics & strategy.
March 3, 2020
Good intro into HR for anyone who has no previous experience
August 10, 2020
If you were to read only one book for your business in your life, this one is the most important and will almost guarantee your success.
March 19, 2021
We changed our whole recruiting process because of this book. The Scorecard and the Test Drive are particularly genius. Well worth it's weight in gold!
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