One of my favorite things in ministry and business is to hire people. I love the thrill of the hunt. I love to dig into people’s callings. I love to get to know their hearts and passions. And I love it when I find the right person and get to invite them to join our team.
It’s great to be a part of an organization that’s committed to bringing the right people on board to accomplish our mission. In fact, the president of SpringHill Camps, Michael Perry, has written extensively on the qualities and characteristics of the kinds of people we hire. We’re confident that a person with these characteristics can be successful at SpringHill.
I’ve found some great people over the years who possess many of these important qualities. Some of them are the people I see every day around camp, expressing those qualities with excellence as they serve, lead and minister.
But sometimes, especially lately it seems, finding the right person—with the right mix of these and other important qualities and skills—is like chasing what my friend Clint Dupin calls a magic unicorn.
“If you see one,” he said to me recently, “take a picture.”
Apparently, they are extremely rare.
And sometimes, the way we define a particular job or position, makes it hard to find any one person that meets all of our expectations.
So what do we do? Do we settle? Do we give up?
Absolutely not.
Here are a few things I’m learning to do as I continue the search:
- Keep the primary need in focus. Is it the single horn? The wings? The glitter? What is it that’s most important to the success of a person in this particular position? For some positions, it’s technical skill. In other positions, skills can be taught or learned, and what we really need is a visionary leader.
- Observe others in their natural habitat. Stalk the websites, blogs and Facebook pages of other organizations that employ people who are successful in similar roles. Reach out to them and find out where they went to school, where they worked previously, and who else they know that might be a good fit for your job.
- Scout far and wide. Magic unicorns are elusive, but they do exist. Get the word out far and wide about what you’re looking for. And keep looking.
- If you see one, go after it. I think it has been my habit to wait for people to come to me. But the truth is, often the best people are not out looking for jobs. They’re happy where they are. They’re loyal to their current ministry or company. And they might just be the person you need to hire.
Are you a magic unicorn? Do you have the perfect mix of technical skills and leadership? SpringHill Camps might be looking for you. Check out the summer and year-round job opportunities we’re currently hiring for.
We’re also looking for a new pastor at my local church. You can find the posting for senior pastor at Crossroads Community Church here.
