What is the Best Recruiting Line of All-Time?

September 20, 2012 at 7:51 AM by Jon Bischke

What's the best recruiting line you've ever heard? You know. Stuff like "Do you want to sell sugar water for the rest of your life, or do you want to come with me and change the world?" (what Steve Jobs said to John Sculley to get him to join Apple) Quora has a great round-up of these including the following lines:

Don’t be an idiot. Get on a rocket ship. When companies are growing quickly and they are having a lot of impact, careers take care of themselves. And when companies aren’t growing quickly or their missions don’t matter as much, that’s when stagnation and politics come in. If you’re offered a seat on a rocket ship, don’t ask what seat. Just get on.

(Eric Schmidt to Sheryl Sandberg via Michael Chen)

I can’t offer you money, position or fame. The first two you have; the last, from the place you now occupy, you will no doubt achieve. These things I now ask you to give up, I offer you in their place work—hard, hard work—the task of bringing a people from degradation, poverty, and waste to full manhood.

(Booker T. Washington to George Washington Carver via Ken Parker)

Wanted. Men for hazardous journey.
Low wages. Bitter cold.
Long hours of complete darkness.
Safe return doubtful.
Honor and recognition in the event of success

(Ernest Shackleton via Dan Rosenberg)

And of course, no proper summary of recruiting lines would be appropriate without a Darth Vader quote!

Join me, and together, we can rule the galaxy as father and son!

(via Andy Mroczkowski)

More here.

What's yours?

Download our free eBook!

comments