Here is a great article Recruiting 5 tips from Quentin Tarantino and Paul T Anderson from Stephen Glasskeys where he looks at how a business finds, recruits, and hires employees that are good at what they do by looking at the way Quentin Tarantino and Paul T Anderson find and retain exceptional talent.
1. Connect talented candidates with people that recognize talent
Too often, good candidates with the right talent for the job are filtered out before making it to interview.
Lucky for Quentin Tarantino, the Reservoir Dogs script was handed to Harvey Keitel, who saved the movie after reading it. Keitel encouraged the project to be “green lit” by a movie studio.
Anderson has a similar story. Actor Philip Baker Hall recognized writing talent in the script of Cigarettes and Coffee. The script was handed to him after meeting a production assistant a young Paul Anderson on the set of a PBS movie. Hall went on to star in the film, helping to give the budding director exposure and name recognition.
Talent and skill are appreciated and admired by others, building friendly rivalries. This brings out the best work from each participant, making talented hires a ‘must.’ The winning test of a candidate is if their prior job history or work is admired by other people in their profession.
Peers’ opinions are far more relevant to an applicant’s suitability than a dozen keyword filters wielded by recruiters or HR.
2. The ‘OK employees know the job well enough. The great employees know everything about it
Anderson and Tarantino are famous ‘Grade A’ students, drawing inspiration and ideas using their vast knowledge of cinema. Neither director graduated film school. Both were self-taught, yet continue to create incredible films.
Does your candidates know about the history of your business? What about the history of the profession they practice? What business trends does an applicant foresee that could affect your business? Who does the candidate admire professionally and why?
3. If a person wants to be elsewhere, being the smartest in the room won’t help
Are your candidates genuinely excited about what they do? Do they genuinely care, or are they only applying for better paychecks?
4. Embrace Eccentricities
Creative personalities can be eccentric and can find the interview process daunting. Anderson and Tarantino both have been known for the occasional eccentricity or oddity in their behavior or appearance. Anderson has a reputation for unkempt hair and Tarantino is famous for his perpetually animated talking style. These types of behaviors and slightly ruffled mannerisms can be toxic during an interview.
Although requests are repeatedly made by companies to find ‘out of the box’ thinkers, paradoxically they’re often removed by the process that businesses rely on to recruit them.
5. Use Strength To Eliminate Weakness. So what’s the best way to find a Tarantino or Anderson?
Using an effective HR department to actively recruit candidates, eliminating keyword-filtering recruiters, is a great first step. Afterwards, involving department managers and team members, in concert with the vetting procedures of HR, will give your organization a cast of ‘great characters.’ It all adds up to a timeless ‘box office smash,’ that’s sure to fill seats in your organization for years to come.
If you have any questions or would like to know more about effective recruiting please contact me paul@paulgreening.com
