Lessons learned from Charlie Sheen

DISCLAIMER: First and foremost, I don't condone excessive partying under most circumstances and never condone domestic violence or abuse in any form so spare me the moral and judgmental responses. I live in a glass house.

"We are all born originals - most of us die a copy" - Abraham Lincoln

Many consider Charlie Sheen a playboy, a genius, an addict, honest, an abuser, a top actor and in some circles, simply crazy. Perhaps all may true to varying degrees. But by any standard, Charlie Sheen is an original. And being such, he was the highest paid television actor (and seems that will continue...see below), he's sold out arenas...is the top story on every tabloid news channel...has the fastest growing twitter account in history (and commands 5K to simply reference a product in his tweets) and by no coincidence, rumor has it CBS wants to bring him back, with a raise!

Lessons learned:

1) Be an original. Copies can be replicated and as such are cheaper the more you make.

2) Be honest, regardless of the ramifications. You'll sleep better and be more respected.

3) Having the best product will always supersede having the best service. Think Soup Nazi!

4) The squeaky wheel gets the grease. These sayings were made up for a reason.

5) Any press is good press. See #4

6) Focus on "Winning". Based on the above, looks like he's right.

How to parallel this to recruiting?

1) Propose something unique. Saying you work harder, have the best technology, have the best people, and saying you work with the best candidates...just makes you look stupid (to anyone who will fill your pockets)!

2) If you have a superior product, clients will tolerate slips in service. The reverse is not true! Clients can care less about updates and emails about failure and how hard you're working...they want product, results. I recall one of my bosses who would get to work before anyone and leave after everyone. Some would say he worked hard...others would say he worked slow.

3) If a client screws you, tell them so and move on. Otherwise, you've given them a license.

4) Do anything you can to get your name out there. Be memorable and brand, brand, brand. I've met 100's of recruiters...but I only remember one. A guy walking up and down wall street during the recession with a sandwich board with all the wall street jobs he's working on. I remember him!

5) Keep your eye on the prize...MONEY! Don't be so pretentious as to believe this isn't the measure of success. Frankly, it's the only measure. And for those who wrap themselves in the Snuggie with hot cocoa on a Sunday afternoon and catch up on Oprah re-runs thinking the best measure is making the right fit, think again. If you are making the right fit, you're making the most money.

Fill your veins with Tiger Blood, people!

Comment by Julian Boylan on March 24, 2011 at 6:55pm: Christopher - I stand corrected. touché

Comment by Shalaka Katdare on March 25, 2011 at 1:02am: Love Charlie..Love Recruitment :)

Comment by Suresh on March 25, 2011 at 10:39am: Well we are in an age of Tweeting our own horn..He fits right in. He is in trouble and doesn't want to accept it. (I liked him as an actor though)

Recruiting lesson - a good brand takes ages to build and can be lost very quickly

Comment by C. B. Stalling!! on March 25, 2011 at 12:04pm: There is noting to learn for this guy

Comment by Gregory Caldwell on March 25, 2011 at 12:17pm: Between you, me, and the other 299,999,998 people who just lived through the last 3 years in this country, we don't need any more "Gorden Gekkos"

Comment by Yvonne on March 25, 2011 at 12:32pm: I believe this particular blog represents a mindset that disregards Recruiters as serious business people, and Human Resources professionals. It simply sounds like words of a sales person with little regard for the recruiting process, human resources, client service and candidate support. Money is important and I don't argue that point. But we also have a responsibility to provide quality services with integrity and professionalism to our clients and candidates. So let's not send a message that says making money is the recruiter's goal even if it means losing their integrity, suffering great personal loss (non-monetarially), bringing harm to themselves and others and having servere emotional issues gone untreated. I really like Charlie Sheen and do believe that he is entertaining as "Charlie Harper". However, the man, Charlie Sheen is a person in serious pain and on the road of self-distruction. In the celebrity world, that is not unique, but sadly common. Using this man's experiences as a model for differienting oneself, creating a unique brand and achieving overall success, deminishes the hard work that strong recruiters do to be top in their field and have obtained great success in reputation and monetary wealth.

Comment by Paul Alfred on March 25, 2011 at 12:47pm: @Yvonne .. I could not agree with you more Yvonne ...

Comment by Christopher Poreda on March 25, 2011 at 1:43pm: I have a few observations re: comments:

1) Those who believe their clients give two scoops about the recruitment process are more than likely those in the Snuggie. I've been a recruiter and the client of recruiters and have paid a lot of money and reaped more value than I've paid (therein lies your goal of a recruiter, value!). As a client, I can care less about the process and any attempt to impress me with such seems self-indulgent. Just be nice, professional and appropriate (given the situation). Everyone says the same thing! I care about results; that means getting the best candidate as quickly as possible or getting me a job. I don't care what time you get into work, I don't care what time you leave, I don't care that you email me everyday telling me how hard you're working and how tough it is, I can give a hoot that I was mentioned at your Monday morning meeting...just fill my position (or get me a job)!

2) Show me a third party recruiting office that doesn't measure success through billings and I'll show you an office full of folks in Snuggies!

3) Stop taking yourself so seriously. The client you take out on a Tuesday afternoon is the same guy whose hanging out with his buddies on a Saturday night probably saying something that will offend you (I know I'm being general but get the idea). Be their friend. All things being equal, we buy from our friends. All things being unequal, we still usually buy from our friends.

4) And finally, seems some didn't read my disclaimer and have a lot of stones to throw. To those, ask yourselves these questions: Ever speed, ever not completely stop at a stop sign, ever have two drinks at Applebee's and get behind the wheel of your car? All these things don't simply put yourselves at risk, but others. Who amongst us could possibly tolerate to any degree the constant scrutiny and the magnifying glass that is Hollywood? Whoops!...my soap box just broke.

Comment by Paul Alfred on March 25, 2011 at 1:59pm: Wooo ... So Reputation means nothing to you... I love it ..You must have not been in this industry for too long ... I have Big 4 Clients that really care what our process is like Let me not talk about Canadian Banking Clients ... Yes quality of candidate matters ... But your reputation in the industry takes time to build. I value that more than anything else ... I take that seriously. Its a small world Christopher.

The point you should be getting is Charlie Sheen Reputation is blown in his industry. So what if an Executive Producer wants to Risk it by giving him another chance now or in the future. Does Mel Gibson comes to mind he is DEAD in Hollywood.

Comment by Julian Boylan on March 25, 2011 at 2:08pm: Just can't agree with any of that. We need to take ourselves and our professions seriously. That doesn't exclude having fun. We don't need to have our clients as friends. Our clients need a service and they need to know that they are getting the best service that they can. And the best service is not always finding or filling the job as quick as possible. I think this mind set is somewhat applicable to volume sourcing, but even that is starting to change.

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