Each Sunday on HBO, the wealthy, ruthless, ambitious Aristocrats of the Seven Kingdoms wage war in medieval fantasy thriller, Game of Thrones. While it's mostly swords, sorcery, and manipulative whispers in the
dark, the cunning moves and tragic missteps of our favorite (and most hated!) characters provide us some valuable lessons in what it takes to surround yourself with only the best, build something lasting, and see your enemies driven before you (nonviolently, of course).
"In the game of recruiting, either you source, or you die."
--Cersei Lannister
In this only slightly modified quote from the Queen Regent, we can clearly re-instate the importance of adding top talent. With an ever-raging War for Talent bound from a huge need for skill and considerable lack of talented tech workers, your outbound processes need to be exhaustive, refined, and tireless. Unsure where to start? Check out our free eBook to help you on your way to building a well-tuned messaging machine!
"Where are my purple dragons?"
--Daenerys Targaryen
Forget purple squirrels. What your company needs is some purple dragons. For an entire season, the tough-as-nails Khaleesi totes around three dragon eggs, dubbed by many to be no more than shiny, precious stones. Daenerys stands by them, however, and in a fiery climax, they hatch into three magnificent beasts. Let this serve as a two-fold reminder:
- Retaining top employees can be just as important as finding new ones
- Developing junior employees can pay off massive dividends once they've grown
"The contents of a man's GitHub are far more valuable than the contents of his purse."
--Lord Varys
While the master of a web of spies here promotes espionage, his words are easily cross-applicable to the question of compensation. Keep in mind that often, a matter of a few thousand dollars makes a huge difference to a candidate, yet is a small concession for a company. The benefits an all-star performer can bring to your organization over their tenure can total a sum that would make even Tywin Lannister blush, so don't miss out on your next great hire if a small change to the offer can bring them in.
"Everyone is mine to torment."
-King Joffrey
As a general policy, do the opposite of anything Joffrey Baratheon says. While the lack of top talent sometimes necessitates widespread, mass messaging, it's important to toe the line between obvious templates and personal outreach. Bear in mind that sending templated cold emails or LinkedIn Inmails can have a negative effect, souring a candidate to your organization and even being considered spam. When it comes to sourcing, everyone is not yours to torment.
"Hodor."
--Hodor
Although the motto of the affable oaf can scarcely be misinterpreted, Let's take just a moment to unpack. Bran Stark's companion shows us the absolute ideal of consistent messaging/branding, unwavering loyalty to your team and candidates within the hiring cycle, and willingness to put the team on your back. Go forth and do likewise, recruiters!
What are some of your favorite Game of Thrones quotes, and how can we work them into our recruiting strategies? Leave a comment or tweet @EnteloRob!
