Smart hiring pays big dividends

Over the past year, the Cambiar partners have been writing, presenting and blogging about the winds of change within the MR industry. Leading companies across the value chain are listening, evaluating business models and setting strategy for the future. In addition, new entrants, many from outside our industry, are adding to the mix as well as challenging the status quo.

With all the change happening, executives are also realising that their talent needs are changing. Joan Lewis, global consumer and market knowledge officer at P&G, said in the recent Esomar Global Market Research Report: “The element of research that will have to change faster is the profile of people – people who can show integrated thinking, courage and leadership, with less emphasis on back-room analysis or sales… What we need are more talented people who can build the industry.”

We agree. Where in the past the individual project was king, now the relationship dominates. Corporations expect their business partners to know the business, bringing a holistic array of information to bear on the issue at hand.

All this is good, but are MR executives really embracing this ‘new talent for a new age’ concept? I asked Lock Collins, Cambiar’s human resources practice leader to weigh in on the topic.

Beth: In the area of human resources and talent, what do MR executives want these days?

Lock: Clearly clients are looking for those unique individuals with grounding in market research combined with the ability to understand and discuss with senior management the key business issues that they face. In our industry, that’s a rare combination. Of course, they need to have a track record of success and must be passionate about the industry.

Also, it seems that we’re moving away from the traditional ‘hunter-farmer’ models with companies structuring around account managers that ‘have it all’. Desirable candidates can listen to a client’s problem, develop solutions, oversee the project team and provide insights. These people are truly the renaissance men and women of the market research industry. On top of this, individuals will need to have a point of view on the new MR world and be storytellers. This is a tall order for most.

Are clients starting to hire specialists or mostly generalists?

Lock: Right now I think MR firms are still looking for generalists, especially at the account management level. We’ve had discussions with firms regarding their interest in hiring researchers outside traditional marketing and business channels. For example, some companies have hired graphic designers to support their reporting and presentations, and others are experimenting with hiring individuals that understand storytelling – journalists for example. I can see this trend picking up steam in the next couple of years as the new modalities gain acceptance.

No company can afford a wrong hire. What recommendations do you have for improving a company’s success rates?

Lock: Managers have to be serious about interviewing and selection. All too often hiring is treated way too casually. There are a number of best practices in this area that I’d be happy to share at a later point, but in my experience great managers are looking for candidates who possess those intangible behaviors that will lead to success in the position. We’re doing more to help our clients focus on the desired behaviours and characteristics, as well as a strong organisational fit vs the traditional list of research methodologies and knowledge of the end client’s industry.

On the flip side it still seems like a competitive employment market. Do you see any trends in what employees or prospects want from an employer?

Lock: Our sense is that individuals with 0-5 years of experience may be operating in a traditional employment environment, not much different to 20 years ago. At the more senior levels, where our practice is focused, candidates are consistently looking for a few things.

First, autonomy and the ability to develop solutions in an unconventional way – not the way ‘we’ve always done it’. With this autonomy comes a blurring of work and personal life, with individuals wanting to work on their own schedule in their own location. Some of our clients prefer to have employees engaged in the day-to-day activities of an office. We’re finding that more and more of our clients, however, are expressing the flexibility for senior-level employees to be located anywhere.

Among our candidates, we are also noticing the desire to walk away from the large established research suppliers. Many more are now attracted to entrepreneurial opportunities in which they can ‘build something’.

Finally, senior candidates are not looking for a job. They are interested in moving a vision forward and financially sharing in the results.