Just when we (The Law Offices of Hoyt & Bryan) thought we had a found our new communications coordinator (the face and voice of our firm often referred to as the receptionist), we are looking again. A few months ago we hired a young lady who seemed eager to learn and capable of handling the job. She also projected she would be committed as a loyal member of our team.
Well, about 90 days into her employment we are looking again. The reasons are unimportant. The reality is she won't be a permanent member of our team. The media tells us we have a high unemployment rate. As a result you might think there would be lots of talented individuals looking for a new work home. That's what I thought too, but I was wrong. It makes me wonder what has happened to the ideals of work ethic, personal and professional development, and loyalty?
That's not to say we don't have a full complement of people who have those qualities. We do. I am fond of saying, "I have the best team ever!" And when I say it, I mean it. There are members of our team that would be truly difficult or impossible to replace. There are people who have been with our firm for years and years. One has been with us for more than ten years, a few others more than five.
So I'm confident we don't have a terrible place to work. We try to be generous with salary, bonuses, time off, paid health insurance, and even a retirement plan with a match. We rarely require any overtime or weekend work commitments. We celebrate our team regularly. We have great clients and a beautiful office. We support our team in both their personal and professional development opportunities.
Here's where I get stuck. Why can't we find someone that wants to make the same commitment to us that we are willing to make to them? I'm hoping this is not just a rhetorical question to which there is no answer. So, we keep trying. Randy and I stay out of the hiring process until the team has had the opportunity to meet the candidates and evaluate their fit with the firm. We provide training, regular feedback and periodic reviews. We believe we offer a great place to work. We are busy and keep our team fully engaged Yet, here're we are, looking again for one of the most important positions in our firm.
The right person should be attractive, personable, have good phone and people skills, know how to competently operate a computer and be able to work within a team environment. Age, experience and education are really irrelevant. People skills, a learning aptitude and the ability to multi-task are really the more important criteria. An unwavering commitment to success (ours and theirs) would be a real plus.
Do you know someone who fits this description? If so, I wish I could clone this person. I currently know three (and maybe more) firms looking for the exact same person with the exact same described qualities. Are we seeking the impossible person? I don't think so. We've successfully found them several times before - its just those people now hold even more responsible positions within our firm. Every time we find the right person, they get promoted. Then we are back to the beginning. Looking for our next valued team. It's harder than it should be.
I'm open to your suggestions and advice. Thanks.
