Thinking of Hiring Talent From Cannes? Focus on the Skills That Led to the Awards

Too often, companies get overly enamored with award winners and are quick to court without thoughtful consideration about how the talent will actually work within their organizations. As a result, they often end with a roster of flashy senior talent that has more in common with fantasy football than an effective, cohesive team.

Hiring people with the biggest awards, the most famous campaigns or most notable agency pedigrees holds some definite PR value. These people can draw other talent or potential clients. But that only has short-term value. Eventually, the agency has to deliver. Much disappointment and turnover could be avoided if hiring managers were wary of becoming too enchanted with a decorated candidate. The interview process shouldn’t be a formality with a foregone conclusion, and a portfolio and CV, no matter how honor-filled, are not enough to determine success.

Hiring is all about casting. Dwayne Johnson is by some measures a top actor in the world, but casting The Rock as the male lead in The Crown doesn’t make sense. But it happens in the agency world. A celebrated copywriter with a flair for offbeat comedy who spent his entire career at boutique shops may not be the best choice for a multinational packaged goods agency. Too often people are placed into jobs with the best intentions, but without the vetting and internal soul-searching required to make sure the match will last more than one award season.

To start, focus on the talent and what you need from them. What do you need this person to accomplish: for instance, run the biggest account, restructure a department or coach younger talent? A clear vision of your corporate goals and how the talent you are considering fits into actualizing those goals is paramount.

Consider the skills you are looking to add to your team, whether your candidate has them and whether your organization can maximize those skills. Companies and highly-skilled talent should at least start with a clear understanding of expectations and tools the new hire will have at their disposal to succeed.

Delve into the details of a candidate’s work history and examine the context that led to their past successes. The skills that made them excel at their current job may be completely irrelevant to what will be required of them in the new position.

Think about the corporate cultures they’ve done well in, whether it be a large organization and if it’s comparable to yours. What was it about the agency system that nurtured this person’s success? Is there evidence that they could succeed in a different environment, system or country? Consider also the type of work they gravitate toward and whether it’s compatible with your client portfolio.

You also need to really investigate a new hire to find out what their shortcomings might be. Self-awareness, especially at a senior level, is critical. It’s a red flag if someone is unable to honestly identify areas that they have struggled with. A classic case is companies hiring great talent with amazing books but volatile personalities. Either the company is unaware—or most likely, in denial—about the impact that type of personality can have on an organization. Sometimes that person has been sheltered by the years of success they’ve had in a particular organization that has, for better or worse, been able to work around their personality. Find out how they execute their day-to-day responsibilities and think about whether or not that would work for your company’s needs.

It’s also important to think about what a person’s motivation may be for making a job move and to find out about how they have handled past failures. Are they committed to working through difficulties, or will they see a lack of success as a reflection of your organization and quickly move on?

Most importantly, you can’t have hiring success without doing your part. Be truly reflective about your organization with some tough questions. Consider if you’re hiring someone based on what you want the organization to be or if you are being realistic about where the company is at. Then determine if this person will have the ability to take you there.

Take a step back and assess your own company or group. Everyone has strengths and weaknesses. If you anticipate shortcomings in the star you are hiring, do you have the support system to help them succeed? Current leadership should support them.

While much of this may seem obvious, it should serve as a reminder to be vigilant. The answers to these questions will help avoid miscasting. You can have a true talent and a strong agency, but the two may be incompatible.

Sometimes it is OK to bring someone in that is going to make people uncomfortable, but it’s up to you and your organization to be prepared for the consequences.

Finally, I would also encourage a candidate to flip the script and ask themselves and the agencies that approach them similar questions. After a big year with big wins, many offers may be open to you. You want to put yourself in a position to maximize the timing and continue to succeed.

It comes down to everyone doing the hard work needed before any moves are made. During the hiring courtship when both parties are in the heady, in-love stage, people don’t like to get into the nitty-gritty about the job and the company. But without frank conversations about positives and negatives on both sides and an organization willing to do the work required to help new talent prosper, the new relationship is sure to fail.

Awards are just one metric of success. Without the proper vetting of everything else required, that pricey investment made on the Cote d’Azur will only be wasted cash and an unfortunate case of miscasting that, at best, will leave everyone disappointed, and at worst, could lead your business to years of unrest. Resist the temptation to pounce in the moment. Your organization will thank you later.