How to Hire A-Players: Finding the Top People for ... - GIT home page

106 How to Hire A-Players
Run employment ads that emphasize the advantages of your
role in the restaurant section of job boards such as craigslist
.org, Monster.com, and CareerBuilder.com.
Teachers
For years, life insurance companies and stock brokerage firms have
had special programs set up specifically to recruit teachers. A senior
executive in the brokerage industry told me that he loves to hire
teachers because they are great communicators, know a lot of people,
have strong interpersonal skills, and are vastly underpaid. His
company enrolled teachers in special programs that allowed them
to begin their financial services careers during the summers while
teaching during the school year. Without fail, some got a taste of
financial success and moved into a full-time financial service career.
Beyond the financial services industry, I know companies involved
in everything from home remodeling to retail that have successfully
turned teachers into A-player employees. The key is to
create a program in which teachers work full time during the summers
when they are not teaching and then have a scaled-down
schedule during the school year. They get a feel for your business
during this program, and you get a feel for their drive and abilities.
Over the course of a couple of summers, you discover which individuals
could be full-time A-players for your business.
We, of course, need A-player teachers. But not every sharp person
who begins a career in the classroom will stay for the duration.
Some of those who leave could be great for your team. If you think
former teachers fit your A-player profile, establish a program that
gets them on your farm team and working in your business.
How Do You Find Them?
Start asking around your community for contacts in the world of
teaching. Many teachers are looking for additional ways to make
money. If your program for them is strong, you should have no
trouble coming up with contacts. Consider running a ‘‘Teachers’
Night’’ where you introduce them to the opportunities at your