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PR 2.0 Tactics

PR Squared

At our agency we strive to be highly competitive in terms of staff compensation.  We buy the industry reports; we query friends and competitors; we do extensive exit interviews on those rare occassions when people leave for new opportunities.  Overall, we do a good job of it.  Staff churn at our shop is waaay below industry norms.  

Still, it’s hard to keep up.  Because we compete with many larger firms for newbiz, we also compete for talent.  And lately, because this whole Web 2.0 wave has been bubblicious for business, we’re starting to hear the echoes of the talent wars that raged in the Bubble Days: when college graduates insisted on signing bonuses; when 25–year olds with 4 years’ experience wanted VP titles, etc.

An increasing number of the candidates we’ve talked to are demanding outsized salaries.  Salaries that simply don’t make sense, based on their experience (or lack thereof).  In every case, after a good-faith effort to find a reasonable middle-ground, we’ll simply back-out of the negotiation. 

Money is important.  But if ALL someone cares about is money, then we quickly lose interest.  Been there, done that.  We’ve learned that giving in to wrong-headed demands is just wrong for business.

Here’s my plea to job-seekers and agencies, to nip the looming Talent War in the bud…

Job-Seekers – FYI, you can always make more money.  Once you have landed a job, you can assume that you’ll be worth even more money to the guy down the street.  And sure, you can skip around from job to job and B.S. your way into an extra $10K of salary for a few years.  But at some point it’s got to STOP being just about the money, or else your patchwork resume will likely get you labeled as a disloyal careerist by prospective employers.  And, rightly so.

Agencies – Have we learned nothing?  Despite having been badly burned (financially & reputationally) in the past, agencies who are desperate for talent are now all-too-willing to give these job-seeking divas whatever salary they insist on.  It drives costs up all around, for themselves and for the industry.  It rewards careerism versus achievement.  The short-term ability to handle more newbiz will be canceled out by the HR & financial headaches you’ll create by hiring the wrong people, for too much money.

Job-Seekers, if you’re looking for happiness, work at a place that offers true opportunities, a competitive wage and a great culture.  Agencies, if you’re looking for long-term success, create that kind of environment.

p.s. – Despite my rant, we’re attracting lots of eager, reasonable candidates.  Are you one of ‘em?  Cuz we’re hiring.