Unicorns are considered mythical creatures, the flying horse with the horn, a rainbow mane, this rare creature is so unique one has never been captured and has only been seen in fairytales and as a design on men’s dress socks. Could you imagine having a unicorn, this thing so unique and special there is just one? You might be saying ‘a unicorn’, I would never want one. When in all practicality you probably do want one, just not in the form of a flying horse with a horn.
A Marketing Unicorn
As marketing has moved more from creative to technical and also now spans into sales, the job description has turned into a laundry list of attributes that are so difficult to find – making these marketers ‘unicorns’ – mythical creatures that cannot be captured. So you want someone with two different automation platforms because you are migrating from one to another, CRM experience, know design products, can write a press release, and can align efforts to sales goals to help the team win? That is actually about six people and would cost a company upwards of $750,000 all in with benefits. But, alas, instead we look for the unicorn.
Companies spend months combing through the interwebs trying to find these specialized resources. Meanwhile, marketing is losing traction to hit their lead gen goals and time is wasting away. The fact of the matter is they do not exist. At least in the form that is being sought after.
How to Find a Unicorn
The most specialized skill sets require support from an organization that is connected to the industry and understands the requirements. If you are migrating – do you really need someone with both automation platforms or the one you are moving forward with? Could you use a third party to provide that level of expertise for 30 days and then be done? Your CRM – do they need to know how to run the CRM or be able to simply add a field? Would an online training course get them the skills set they need? Do any other resources on any other teams share any of the responsibilities?
This type of questioning can help you quickly target what type of unicorn you are really looking for. Three simple steps to get you ready for the hunt:
- Decide on the key attributes, must-haves, of the candidate. Note ‘culture fit’ should be on that list. You should also consider other characteristics that would ensure they can get up to speed quickly.
- Decide on key long-term priorities. The short-term ones you should outsource. From the scenario above, they need to know your old automation platform – but only for a minute, let that requirement go. Is the skillset general enough that a training course could get them enough knowledge?
- Take those lists along with your job description to experts in the field. You wouldn’t take a fishing guide turkey hunting? So why would you go hunting for a unicorn without a guide?
Expect to hire someone in 60-90 days. If they come sooner, great. But plan for a longer-term strategy to find the right person. In the meantime, don’t be afraid to fill in the gaps. At Leadous we find ourselves helping with the recruiting from our industry connections, at the same time, filling gaps with our consultants to help clients stay on track. It’s not a bad idea to have a guide, a trusted partner who knows the path that can lead you on your hunt and knows how to support you along the way.
You’ve Caught a Unicorn
It’s not impossible to find the perfect candidate, so long as your expectations are aligned, you can get close. By close, it may not have the horn or the rainbow tail, but you get one of them. Your work however isn’t done there. Unicorns, as one would imagine, require special handling, so make sure you have a development plan in place and are willing to pay to keep the unicorn healthy. Because just when you think you’ve captured one. They will escape. And you’ll be on the hunt to capture another one.
So how do you find a unicorn, you create one with the help of Leadous. Talk to an expert today!
Happy hunting.