Are You Trying to Recruit Frankenstein’s Monster?

Frankenstein’s monster is real and probably an integral part of your daily life. This chimera isn’t a bunch of different body parts sewn together, instead it’s a person whose job has been pieced together either as new responsibilities arise, or as co-workers leave the company. They might have started out with one specific job description that has morphed into a job that covers a little bit of this and a little bit of that over time. People who are able to do this are fantastic and I bet that most companies have somebody like this (even if they don’t realize they do). But an important thing to realize is that these beautiful monsters are almost impossible to replace.

The Myth of the Modern Prometheus

Sometimes this impossible role is created by an organization in attempt to fill gaps. One executive might be thinking, “Hey I need someone one can do this!” While another might say, “I need someone to do this other thing!” and in the end they decide, in a stroke of genius, that they can just hire someone to do both of these things. And while on paper, this position might seem to make a lot of sense, it’s when you get to the hiring process that it becomes a bit of a nightmare. For one thing, you don’t want someone who is a jack of all trades but doesn’t do any of the individual jobs superiorly.  

To add to that, everyone is entitled to their own set of expectations, as long as they are realistic. Finding someone who is a rockstar when it comes to marketing might be easy, but trying to find someone who can do that and take on payroll is like trying to find a unicorn. And if you do find this magical being, chances are they are already doing the same job at their current place of employment—good luck trying to get them to make a lateral move when they may already be pretty comfortable at the place they work. No one really wants a magic unicorn, anyways. What they really want is someone who can do the damn job.  

Your Monster Might Be in the House Already

Other times these Frankenstein-ian roles are created because you have someone awesome on your team. One of our clients recently had an employee that they eventually turned into a Frankenstein’s monster. Her transformation started when someone left the company, and she picked up that slack and just kept on rolling, picking up duty after duty. Then one day this company wised up about how fantastic she was and promoted her. Sounds great, right? The only hitch was that they didn’t seem to have or couldn’t find anyone to replace her. By the time we joined in the search, we were able to find several dynamic candidates to fill the position—but the company realized in speaking with outside candidates that it was going to take a lot of effort to train a new employee on this wide range of duties. So, in the end, they decided to promote someone from within.

We can bring you someone else’s Frankenstein’s monster, for sure, but each one is a bit different and probably won’t fill your needs. We can search high and low for the right candidate but, unfortunately, the person you want or need might not exist. Some jobs are easy to fill because there is an education infrastructure out there to teach lots of people how to do it well. It’s when you are trying to replace your master-of-all-trades that hiring can be tricky. Usually it’s a great idea to take a step back and ask yourself if the role you are filling is one that can be filled by one person, which can be tricky if you’re too close to the project or have had someone do the job you need previously. At Highline we know a monster of a role to fill when we see it, even when you may not. We will work to find the right person as well as help you identify whether the role you are trying is better suited for one or more new hires or if the perfect piece to your hiring puzzle exists in the first place. This is the job that we do and we do it well. If you think you’re trying to hire a Frankenstein’s monster, give Highline a call today.

—Tony O’Neill, President

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About the Author: Tony O’Neill is the Founder and President of Highline Outdoor Group — the purpose-driven executive search firm for forward- thinking outdoor industry and sporting goods companies and brands.

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