A true story from executive recruiter Joe Pelayo

I was talking with a friend of mine who was getting close to retirement. For about five years, that was all he could talk about. Great jobs would come in, and I would call him and give him my best recruiting effort. This happened three or four times, but it was to no avail.

“I’m sorry Joe, I’ve scored all my runs. I’ve rounded the bases. I’m just looking forward to doing ___ in my retirement,” he said. (I left it blank to protect his privacy.)

So a year or two passed, and I bumped into his LinkedIn profile. Lo and behold, there he was, smiling at me in his profile picture… at a new company!

So I called him and said, “What gives? I had an excellent job for you several times, and you said you were retiring.”

He said, “I tried, Joe! They would not take no for an answer.”

“They came to me five separate times, each time with a higher salary offer. The fifth time, they said they really needed my skills, and they all but offered me full time pay for one day a week of work.”

“So you’re literally getting a full time salary for one day a week?” I asked.

“Yes!” he said emphatically.

“Wow,” I said. “Maybe you should have retired 30 years ago.”

And we both had a good laugh about it.

The lesson? Great talent is always in demand, and smart companies get creative to win it. If you’re hiring, don’t take the first no as the final answer.

Hiring? Call the recruiters at Joseph Michaels International at 1-800-786-1099. Job seekers, watch my 18 interviewing tips video before your next interview.

Questions? Email info@josephmichaels.com.

Joe Pelayo, C.P.C.
Managing Partner
Joseph Michaels International Recruiters
josephmichaels.com