Hiring Diamonds in the Rough – Hunters vs Farmers

Diamonds can always be found; even when they lie hidden from view. Sometimes they will appear as crystals, even unto themselves. 

I am always asked how do you tell a Hunter from a Farmer when it comes to delivering the goods? 

This is my response to that question:

When training starts I always begin by asking the following question: 

In fifty words or less, tell me about your values with regard to business, and please include those in your personal life. These responses soon point to whether they’ll fit into your companies vision/mission statement or not. 

They should match yours without question! Like attracts like. 

 “The most valuable asset you have in business are your employees; what they’ll provide you with; is profit” Chanty Lang-Vermaas

Hunters and Farmers

I strongly believe it all depends on how you view a ‘hunter and a farmer’. 

This is my interpretation of the two:

Hunters are usually people who are motivated to produce results only when they’re feeling the pinch and therefore focus only on a short term solution to a long term request; they deliver only when necessity requires it of them. Hunters are usually big talkers in an interview; they have an air of arrogance about them, which usually moves beyond a healthy level of confidence and usually exhibit an all shine and polish veneer. Hunters in my opinion will eventually fall short of the mark when expected to step up and deliver; for me hunters are all about the kill, not about the long term results, i.e:. tracking, preserving and maintaining constant sustainability and deliverability on a long term basis; regardless of the climate. A kind of tortuous and the hare scenario. 

For my money, the latter description above are more indicative of the farmer attitude when is comes to bringing long term commitment to the table. Farmers tend to be people with a long range mentality which shows up in their delivery value. Farmers are committed to planning a year ahead, goal outcome oriented, willing to see pass issues facing them and will instinctively go beyond what is expected of them to bring home a bountiful harvest. In short; they never give up, they research, put in the hard work and are quiet drivers, thus commitment and persistence is their motto. Bringing the crop home IS their focus!

Whilst it can be said that both have there place in your business, I have found that farmers will tend to stick with the same vision you both hold long term, whereas a hunter will do so until they find another field more appealing. Farmers tend to care for their crop, hunters tend to gravitate toward their next adventure.

We all know it costs a fortune to hire a new staff member; with all the investment in hours of training to get them up to par, so wasting money on people not up to your expectations is an endless drain on your resources.  

Therefore paying attention to the initial stages of hiring is vital to your long term ongoing economic sustainability in the field of your business practices. Don’t go for a quick pick solution with a HR company. Take your time and be ultra choosey, after all, its YOUR time and money you’re investing.

I also use the most powerful tool at my deposal when interviewing potential staff; my first instinctual impression!

It never fails me, and has been around a lot longer then any profiling technique available today. For me, first impressions count and they pay off big time! Listen to them or you might just as well set fire to those dollars you’re spending to hire someone. 

And finally, when I’m asked about branding and hiring potential staff members who will carry a companies branding in a positive light for them, I believe strongly the following tells you everything: 

A persons personal attire and posture represents their branding attitude, and therefore speaks for itself in volumes, after all staff, are a companies branding, how they carry themselves will determine how they drive business to your door. First rule of business: people buy people first; everything else is a bi-product of that, don’t forget that.

“The best way to close a client; is to bargain with your ears” Chanty Lang-Vermaas

Hiring someone is no different to the above quote; just replace client with potential staff member and you’ll have what you’re looking for!

With the right mental aptitude you’ll find your Diamonds in the Rough and distinguish the Hunters from the Farmers.

Until next time

In Abundance

Chanty