Talent acquisition almost always finds its way into conversations that I have with my senior management network of security solution integrators, security dealers, product suppliers and even end-users. Those that own and/or lead business units understand we all get our growth through the efforts of other people we work with on a daily basis.
Establishing a rock-solid company vision and culture is the foundation that castles are built on. The right talent at all levels is crucial to putting stone on top of stone, digging the moat, safely housing your customers in times, and defending your castle against aggressive competitors. What talent do you need to build your castle?
The next generation of sales professionals comes to mind. Who will be manning the parapets and repelling the roving hoards of competitive banditos five years from now? How about 10? While the industry has many veteran salespeople, they will eventually be retiring to enjoy all the riches they have amassed on their campaigns.
Defining the next generation of sales skills, attitude and perseverance in a rapidly changing market is a must if you want to innovate, adapt and prevail.
Who Do You Need?
Well-trained, strong and loyal technicians are certainly vital to delivering the high-quality system installations, troubleshooting and customer service that will help build your brand. Their certifications and ability to be active learners is vital to the business and their careers as well.
Fostering loyalty and reducing turnover is a continual challenge, especially with new market competitors that sing the siren song of greener pastures and a few more dollars per hour. Consider commitment and loyalty when you recruit your technician talent pool by including appropriate questions in your interviewing process.
The Grit Factor
There are two other factors to consider with this important hiring decision – their “grit factor” and their work history. What the heck is “grit?”
I recently finished reading a book entitled Grit by Angela Duckworth, and it helped me recognize new things about myself and others. It defines “grit” as the focused perseverance of pursuing long-term goals and ignoring the speed bumps in the road to success. Gritty people view setbacks as minor inconveniences, not drama-laden events.
Have they had to pull double shifts or work long hours with less than optimal conditions in their past work experience? I find that people who can do this while performing at a high level in harsh conditions are pretty gritty. Where do you find these gritty unicorns?
From my perspective, U.S. military veterans who have attended intensive and immersive electronic training and worked on complex integrated systems is a great place to start. I know this because I was one myself – serving in Vietnam in the II Marine Air Wing.
Being deployed during these operations, we worked 12 hours a day and 7 days a week for extended periods of time supporting the electronic jamming birds that helped to protect our troops. This background and experience has served me well working 39 years in the security industry. So how does this become a game changer in our industry?
Putting Veteran Recruiting into Practice
First, the traditional model for recruiting veterans usually works with the bigger companies that are looking for management talent; and they have done a good job of placing veterans into operational management roles. They often focus on the officer-level candidates because they typically have a college education. A good education is a valuable career asset; however, let us not forget the efforts of NCOs (non-commissioned officers) who are the ones who actually get the work done.
Second, how you identify, vet, recruit, place, train and on-board is the difference between success and failure. Talking to veterans effectively is based on skill, experience and credibility.
Third, you need a platoon of qualified and committed partners to help you with this multi- dimensional task to accomplish your mission.
This mission of bringing U.S. military veterans into our industry has been a passion of mine that “pays it forward” to those that protect our country, families and castles. This idea is dedicated to one principle: Identify veterans that have the next-gen skills we need, engage them and educate them on our industry. From there, recruit them, place them with high-quality companies, deliver extreme training and on-boarding – veterans will understand.
Preparing veterans to continue their mission of protecting people, property and assets in a fast-track program enables them to immediately provide for their families, while pursuing career education and growth.
The Veteran Advantage
I call veterans “muscled millennials” – they have all the great elements that millennial employees offer, but perhaps with a bit more experience and discipline. Hey, they also respond to reveille.
Their most often underappreciated or misunderstood qualification is their ability to learn quickly and act decisively. Military schools are geared to teach people how do things well, in bad conditions and sometimes while getting shot at – that sort of makes you focus.
Those schools that include electronics, start at the basics and move through advanced theory and operations. Those veterans will be able to run double time through certification schools.
Those that have attended recruiting school have the biggest sales challenge I can think of – convincing parents to entrust their children to their care. It takes the ability to read people, say the right thing at the right time, read emotional situations, defuse them and “sell” their branch of the military.
Simply put, if you know what you are looking for, have clarity in the role and responsibility of the position you wish to fill, and have great interviewing skills, then U.S. Veterans should most definitely play a role in your next generation of talent.
SalesMarines.com is a good place to start...When in doubt, send in the Marines!
Learn More at ISC West and PSA TEC
I will have the honor of addressing this talent acquisition dialogue at two upcoming industry events, ISC West and PSA TEC.
My ISC West presentation, “How To Develop Your Next Generation Of Sales Professionals,” will be held on April 6 at 7:30 a.m. in room Sands 309. I will host a panel discussion at PSA TEC entitled “SalesMarines – Tech Marines: Innovating in Sourcing, Hiring, and Training,” which will be held on May 8 at 2:15 p.m. (more info at www.psatec.com).
Come join us to help understand how to hire the best and brightest to guard your castle!
Paul C. Boucherle, CPP, is Principal of Matterhorn Consulting (http://matterhornconsulting.com), which serves the low voltage system integration industry, including manufacturers, distributors, integrators, dealers & end-users. He has more than 39 years of diverse security and safety industry experience in operations, sales and management.
