Episode 3~ MAKE MORE: How To MAKE Money BY RECRUITING New CO-WORKERS

TODAY I WANT TO TALK ABOUT A WAY TO “MAKE MORE” MONEY AT YOUR CURRENT JOB. I’M GOING TO FEATURE A LOT OF FREELANCERS AND ENTREPRENEURS ON EASY MONEY, BUT THERE ARE CLEVER WAYS TO MAKE MORE AT YOUR EXISTING JOB AND ONE OF THEM IS TO RECRUIT YOUR FUTURE CO-WORKERS! YES! MANY FIRMS PAY THEIR EMPLOYEES TO RECRUIT OTHER EMPLOYEES! YOU GET SOME CASH AND A COOL NEW CO-WORKER WHO YOU LIKE!
ONE FIRM THAT’S A LEADER IN PAYING BONUSES TO EMPLOYEES WHO BRING IN OTHER EMPLOYEES IS PWC, THE GLOBAL ACCOUNTING AND CONSULTING FIRM. AND ONE PERSON WHO’S A LEADER AT PWC IN TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT BONUS IS JOSHUA HARTLEY. JOSH, WELCOME TO EASY MONEY!

HERE I AM HYPING THE IDEA OF MAKING SOME EXTRA MONEY BY RECRUITING GREAT CO-WORKERS TO WORK FOR YOUR COMPANY, BUT YOU SAY YOU SHOULDN’T BE IN IT FOR THE MONEY. EXPLAIN.
First and foremost I care about helping them. I will talk with you about the money aspect of it, but really, for me, it is about being there for people when they need it and helping them. I am a veteran, so maybe they are veterans and served their country or, if not, they graduated and have skills and they want to get a good job. They see openings and don’t know how to bridge the gap. It is extremely rewarding to know that you were the person that was there for them and help make it a smooth transition.

SO LET’S DOUBLE BACK AND EXPLAIN HOW YOU FIRST STARTED DOING THIS. I KNOW YOU’RE A VETERAN AND WERE INTERESTED IN HELPING OTHER VETS.
I was a marine for 7 years. I transitioned out and I had a bad transition with another company. When I came to PwC I liked the people and the culture and I started bringing other people in and wanted to bring others in. It is a military-friendly company and I wanted others to get a shot. I started working with the recruiter that brought me in. I’m very passionate about helping people get into good jobs and mostly it is focused on veterans but I help non-veterans too.

THERE IS SOME RISK IN MAKING REFERRALS THAT THE PERSON YOU RECOMMENDED WILL FAIL, THEY WON’T BE A GOOD FIT. HAVE YOU HAD THAT HAPPEN?
In one case I didn’t screen as thoroughly and took what someone told me at face value and when someone got in they didn’t have the tech skills and expertise they said they did. Usually I do a better job vetting before I refer. This person I referred in didn’t have it. We have worked with the individual and gotten them to where they need to be, but they didn’t walk in and have the ability we expected on day one. But that is the way the world is. Nobody holds it against me. Companies are usually very clear that a referral is a referral. They will do the detailed screening on their own.

HOW ARE RECRUITMENT BONUSES BENEFICIAL TO COMPANIES, AS WELL?
PwC hires thousands of professionals a year. The referral program is designed to help people leverage their network from past employment, school, military and help them find their way to PwC We hope for 50% of them to be from referrals. You are doing well if you get 30%. We hover around 40%. PwC feels there is nothing better than getting a great referral. You want a relationship of some kind, vetting up front. Your existing employee knows the qualities the firm wants in an employee.

IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU ALMOST CONSIDER THIS ANOTHER PART OF YOUR JOB. HOW MUCH TIME DO YOU SPEND AT IT?
I spend easily 10 hours a week. I went into LinkedIn and to American Corporate Partners and a few different websites and signed up to support people looking to transition to corporate America and a number of people went there looking for advice and instead of just doing that I would also give them my contact info and said let’s talk through where you should go. A number of those people came to PwC and I would help them look for the right fit. The big part for me is if you are looking to generate cash and you want to quickly generate cash it will be difficult for you. But if you find what you are good at and find a way for that to be value-generating, that is where it is fun and easy in my opinion. The old saying is true: Do something you love and the money will follow.

IN FACT, YOU DIDN’T EVEN KNOW ABOUT THE RECRUITMENT BONUS AT FIRST. AT THIS POINT, HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE YOU HELPED AND HOW MUCH MONEY HAS THAT BROUGHT YOU?
Almost as an after thought they said we need people so bad they are offering people $5,000 per senior associate and smaller fees for lower-level people. If you can get us people, this is what we will pay you. I started bringing people in and PwC financially rewarded me for it. At this point I have helped with the referrals of about 20 people. I would say now my bonuses total $20,000-$25,000.

LET’S GIVE SOME ADVICE FOR PEOPLE WHO WANT TO DO WHAT YOU DO. YOU SAY BE GENUINE. WHY IS THAT IMPORTANT?
Your heart has to be in the right place. The part of it that is important to understand, if you are going to get into this it has to be genuine and has to be about finding the right fit for the person and the company. It has to be about that. If you want a quick bonus or a long haul, you have to put the people focus there.

YOU SUGGEST THAT PEOPLE FIND A PROBLEM THAT NEEDS SOLVING. EXPLAIN.
You need to find a way to generate value and that is what is important. That is how you make more money. Find a problem that needs solving. Not something that you think is a problem but something your firm thinks is a problem. Then become the solution.

YOUR ADVICE IS “GET YOURSELF OUT THERE.” WHERE? HOW?
I have had successful referrals from Facebook post, going to non-profits I work with and helping coach people there, to going and supporting people at hiring fairs. I was surprised I got a bonus on that one and they still gave it to me. You have to get yourself out there. Let people know that you work for a great company and there’s a referral program and that you want to help people get into the company. They will reach out and talk to you.

YOU CAN CHECK OUT MORE OF JOSH’S ADVICE FOR YOU, IN THE EPISODE 2 GUEST BLOG POST.

Guest Name: Joshua Hartley
Guest Title: Manager, PwC
Guest Contact: www.linkedin.com/in/jhartley518/
www.linkedin.com/in/brandondiehmrecruiting/

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