In this episode of Let’s Talk a Little Shop, Emilie Lewis interviews Jamie Grossman, the founder of Partner Recruiting. Partner Recruiting isn’t the traditional placement agency, they specialize in full-time job placements in consumer lifestyle industries. And unlike many recruitment firms, Jamie doesn’t work with just anyone. She only works in her zone of excellence and her company’s strengths. In their conversation, Emilie and Jamie start off by discussing:

• How to debunk misconceptions when it comes to recruiting,
• Mindful recruiting practices,  and only taking on candidates or clients that fit your zone of excellence,
• And why It’s okay to turn away business and/or refer it out.

Jamie goes on to share how the hiring and Human Resources practices are changing. She shares that before the pandemic, job candidates once got sick and vacation days; now she’s seeing mental health days added to those offers. Companies are putting more attention on creating systems that support mental health and employee well-being.

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Traditional Thinking Is Killing Your Company Culture

Now that people are returning to offices, she’s also seeing the WFH model being challenged by senior leadership because they want people back in the workplace. This is leading companies to lose great employees because they can’t meet the expectation of a daily commute.

Jamie advises that companies really take a hard look at how companies are operating in 2024 and beyond. Hybrid models are beneficial to both companies and their employees. They are ways to vet your employees to ensure that a hybrid or an entirely WFH model will work for both parties involved.

Rethinking Hire Slow, Fire Fast

When it comes to hiring in 2024, Jamie recommends that companies be very specific in their job descriptions and expectations in the roles they’re hiring for. Hiring smart requires clarity, as well as working with your other employees, to find the right hires versus just posting on LinkedIn or ZipRecruiter.

Emilie and Jamie also talk about the hire slow, fire fast mentality. The onboarding process is extremely important, so setting your candidates up for success needs to be taken into consideration before you extend an offer. No company wants to leave someone in a role they aren’t suited for, but you can avoid the wrong hires by thoroughly outlining what your company wants and needs in the role you’re hiring for.

Pro Tip: When it comes to hiring slowly, great candidates are gone in less than three months. People hiring slowly miss out on top talent. Streamlining your hiring processes will keep your company ahead of the game.

Three Signs of Great Talent

Jamie goes on to share the three signs of great talent. Great talents has:

• Excellent follow through,
• They always arrive early,
• and they clearly communicate.

These are the people you want to keep because they’re going to constantly deliver beyond your expectations.

Hiring for Trade Shows

When it comes to trade shows, companies can and should apply the practices as well. There are companies and recruiters that now specialize in trade show recruiting. People who understand how to represent a company at a show are in high demand.

The Future of Hiring

Hiring in 2024 isn’t going down, but it is changing and pivoting. People are scaling back to find the right people, but jobs haven’t decreased.  Jamie is also seeing strong, female leaders are starting to step up and be seen. She’s seeing women possess organizational and leadership skills that she isn’t finding in their male counterparts.

What impresses Jamie the most is that women are also very comfortable in asking questions to better understand why something is happening in a company. And they’re not afraid to dig into difficult situations. The future of the workplace includes transparency, clear lines of communication, and empathy. If you don’t have those, you’ll lose out.

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