The Golden Spoon and The Scrapper: Who to Hire for Your Sales Team.

Today, I want to talk about the hiring process for salespeople and the type of candidate to consider during your next hiring plan.

A Ted Talk by Regina Hartley titled "Why the best hire might not have the perfect resume" changed my perspective on hiring.

​In the talk​, Regina discusses two main personalities to consider when looking at resumes: the Golden Spoon and the Scrapper.

The Golden Spoon refers to someone who graduated from top universities, had a comfortable life, had food on the table, and had the support of family and friends.

The Scrapper is someone who had to overcome many struggles, such as poor parenting, poverty, and dropping out of school. They may have also had to take on various jobs to get by.

In light of the current state of the world, this topic is more important than ever.

Learning and career paths are no longer a straight line. The traditional notion of graduating from a top university and finding a top job with consistent promotions is no longer a guarantee.

Therefore, if you are building a sales team, it’s essential to be aware of these two personalities and who to choose.

While most leaders hire based on experience, top universities, and top companies, this approach may not be effective in the current complex environment.

Companies like LinkedIn, Google, and Facebook still have a biased equation of hiring based on top universities and logos.

While there’s nothing wrong with hiring Golden Spooners, it’s important to consider that someone who graduated from a top university and worked for a top company may not necessarily perform as expected in their current job.

Therefore, it’s essential to broaden your hiring criteria and look beyond the traditional markers of success.

In today’s market conditions, scrappers are most likely to succeed.

Why?

Scrappers have had a life full of adversities, whether it be poverty, family issues, or dropping out of school.

They may not have attended a top university or worked for top organisations, but they have fought their entire lives to pursue their dreams.

They may not have found their place in the world yet, but they keep looking.

When looking at scrappers from the outside, it’s easy to be judgmental and label them as accomplishing nothing, never settling, or being unsatisfied, leading to not hiring them.

But what if I tell you that Steve Jobs, a man with dyslexia, who was adopted, left his job to go to India for some years, never finished college, and was fired from his own company? Would you hire him?

I have talked to people and studied scrappers, I have also interviewed some of them and here are the characteristics you may find when meeting one of them along the way:

Positive Mindset:

Scrappers have an optimistic outlook and view challenges as opportunities for growth rather than insurmountable obstacles.

Emotional Regulation:

Scrappers are very good at managing their emotions, acknowledging both positive and negative feelings, and regulating emotional responses.

Strong Social Connections:

Scrappers recognised the importance of a support network. They build and nurture strong personal and professional relationships, providing them with a sense of belonging and security.

Adaptive Problem-Solving:

Scrappers approach problems with a proactive mindset, seeking solutions and adaptable ways to overcome obstacles.

Flexibility and Adaptability:

Scrappers show flexibility in their thinking and behaviour, allowing them to adapt to changing circumstances.

Sense of Purpose:

Scrappers have a strong sense of purpose, guided by their core values and long-term goals, which provide them with direction and motivation even in the face of adversity.

Self-Care and Well-being:

Scrappers prioritise self-care and well-being, understanding the importance of maintaining physical health, mental clarity, and emotional balance.

In Summary

Top universities and organisations do not always give the best prediction of success.

Considering the latest market conditions, Covid, war, inflation, layoffs, and reduced investment, companies are going to confront difficult situations.

Their employees need to be prepared to navigate it.

If one is not prepared, they may fail badly.

Scrappers, who by definition have already struggled and never had an easy life, are more likely to perform better during these times.

When faced with the choice of who to hire, consider hiring someone with grit, resilience, passion, and purpose over the shining university.

You won’t regret it.