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By Heidi Ehlers.
Declaring hiring freezes during an economic downturn is like shutting down the oil wells during an energy crisis.
Why is the first response in an industry famed for its creativity to declare hiring freezes?
Now, I'm no economics major. Far from it.
But I know a thing or two about what makes agencies prosper and achieve supernova status.
After you strip away the logos, and Philippe Starck ghost chairs, and $3,500 light fixtures, and wide plank flooring and Sub Zero fridges and mind blowing projection systems, and auto lowering shades I know what agencies sell.
What they sell is talent.
And what makes them win is talent.
And what makes them attractive to the best talent is the best talent already there.
And what gives them a competitive advantage is talent.
David Ogilvy said it best. "The Agency with the best people wins." I agree. They win on every level. They win more new business. They win culturally. They win more awards. They win financially.
In fact, any way that an agency can win, it wins because it has the best people.
What I find interesting about Mr. Ogilvy's quote is that although it was written circa Mad Men, it still applies today. But when Mr. Ogilvy wrote it, there wasn't the War for Talent that we've experienced for the past decade.
I recently heard that "The War for Talent is Over. The War for High Performance Exceptional Talent is On." Couldn't agree more.
In these times, a job that was once done by two people will now have to be done by one. One and a half if we're lucky. So if that's the case, isn't it more important than ever to make sure that one person is the best they can possibly be?
This isn't the time to make do. This is the time to demand that you are surrounded only by the best talent. The talent that will ensure that you win and continue to win.
If you've used the last few gravy years to make sure you have the best talent possible, congratulations. The pitching will become more fierce, everyone and their brother will throw their hat in the ring for everything, BUT you'll be entering that boardroom surrounded by superstars.
Is my agenda showing? Of course it is. But I believe in the importance of what I do. I believe it when times are good, and when times are bad. Regardless of the economy, I believe that the best talent can make or break a company. And the worse times are, the more important it becomes.
I'm not saying hire more people, I'm saying hire better people.
I believe people (or talent) is why Apple is Apple and why Las Vegas is Las Vegas.
It's because of their people.
So again, why is the first response in an industry famed for its creativity to declare hiring freezes?
Declaring hiring freezes during an economic downtown is like shutting down the oil wells during an energy crisis.
Isn't it?
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