Talent Acquisition Tips from a Print Industry Executive Recruiter

Guest Interview

Michael Brenk, Managing Partner and Professional Recruiter, Global Recruiters Claredon Hills

Graphics-communications firms that plan to grow their companies before selling them should realize that a lot more talent is now available.

Many good employees furloughed or laid off from troubled graphics companies are actively seeking new opportunities. But the best candidates may not be on the market for long. Share on X

One professional recruiter who understands these pandemic-related opportunities for employers is Michael Brenk, owner/managing partner of the Global Recruiters Network office in Clarendon, Hills, Illinois. He recruits business development, sales, and production/operation managers for the POP/display-graphics industry as well as advertising and marketing managers for agencies and corporate clients.

Brenk focuses on these fields because he spent more than 20 years working at ad agencies or selling for national large-format graphics companies, packaging, and visual communications firms. He lived through the dramatic changes in skills and services required during the 1990s transformation from analog photography and film processing to digital prepress, desktop publishing, and large-format digital graphics printing.

In December, we asked Michael Brenk about what it’s like to be a print-industry recruiter, especially during the uncertain post-COVID recovery.

How has recruiting changed over the past two years?
MB: In the years prior to the pandemic, most of my clients wanted me to help them find good salespeople. At least 75% of my time were assignments that focused on experienced sales/revenue producers. When the economy was humming, most sales people were generally happy with their jobs. They weren’t necessarily looking for new positions.

That has changed tremendously since the pandemic. Right now, hardly any employers are looking for salespeople. In this year, I have placed more production and operations managers than in any prior year.

Now the number of salespeople looking for work is bigger than it has been for a long time. Some very good people have been furloughed, put on straight commissions, or are working in niches that will be slow to recover due to the effects of the pandemic. Many are evaluating whether their current company is right for them and are doing a reset.

Some owners will want to bring their furloughed salespeople back if possible. But some really good people who have been in the industry for 10 or 15 years are thinking of leaving the industry entirely.

Why would good salespeople want to leave the wide-format graphics field when they know it so well?
MB: Wide-format has become a mature industry, with more people chasing a smaller volume of retail graphics programs and project type work. Some remember selling wide-format graphics when the margins were high. The money was good, and there were fewer competitors.

During the pandemic, sales people who formerly earned a base salary and commissions at six figures suddenly found themselves earning much less. Listen, I’m aware that companies need to adjust their bottom line to the current economic reality so they can survive this year and possibly much of 2021. But many have not pivoted well or properly adjusted. Some have not sat down with their best sales talent to tell them they are appreciated and are still important to the future success of the company.

Communication and listening are the keys. That’s where I believe I’m able to come in and offer help or suggestions. Also, smaller companies that specialize in exhibits, events, and experiential marketing have really been hammered and may not survive. These firms will either be bought out by large companies with deeper pockets and more diverse markets or go out of business. Other problems driving wide-format salespeople away from the business are restrictive non-compete clauses, trouble meeting production deadlines, or interference from micromanaging bosses.

Because I worked in the graphics industry, I know how hard it is to find potential clients, develop relationships with them, and win their business. If the production team fails to get the client’s job out on time, it is the salesperson who gets screamed at by the client. There has always been a yin and yang relationship between sales and production. But a good salesperson shouldn’t have to roll up his sleeves to help get the job done when a true sales hunter’s time could be better spent developing in new business. Managers who expect daily reports from their salespeople can unwittingly discourage a good hunting salesperson. Show me a salesperson who likes to do daily reports, and I will show you a bad salesperson. Sure, every salesperson must enter job specs and customer data in an accurate and timely manner. But some salespeople have to spend 3 to 4 hours a night on reports, when in their hearts and DNA they would rather be preparing to go out and sell.

Will companies consider hiring candidates who are still bound by non-compete clauses?
MB: It depends on the candidate and the location of the hiring company. Some companies will not even consider a candidate with a non-compete. For other employers, the non-compete clause isn’t an issue. But about 60% -70% of hiring managers will consider it on a case-by-case basis.

The risk of hiring someone with a non-compete clause is lower in states with laws that support the rights of employees to work where they want. In some cases, the employer will consult with a labor lawyer to better understand the risk of hiring a specific candidate bound by a non-compete.

How have compensation packages changed?
MB: These days there are all types of different comp packages being offered. Ten years ago, the industry standard was 10% of what a sales exec brought in. That generally was a base plus commission totaling whatever he or she produced (minus packing/shipping).
For example, a person who produced $1.5 million in revenue would earn a base component of $40,000 to $75,000 plus commissions that would bring the total to $150,000.

Now compensation programs are much more individualized and complex. I’ve seen programs that have a base/commission at different and lower percentage levels. Some have where a base is paid only until a threshold at a certain level is made before an incentive is paid (and many times at just a few percentage points.) At other times, a program is offered where there is a smaller base and a sales exec is incentivized by what type of margin they can sell the product/service.

Flexibility is the key both for hiring managers and sales executives. In my experience, any company that draws a hard line on their standard compensation program will not be able to attract top sales talent. There is just as much (and sometimes more) risk for the sales executive to join a new company as there is for the hiring manager to add on a sales person.

What advice would you give clients who want to get the most from hiring a professional recruiter?
MB: To help me find and recruit the best qualified candidates, I offer these four tips:

1. Be clear about the type of talent you need.
   A key part of my job is to find out exactly what type of candidates my clients want me to look for. After we agree on what I call my assignment profile, we will get to work looking for the best-qualified candidates.

   Be transparent in describing your strengths and weaknesses. Every company has them. If you are a client, I will never share this information within the industry. The more time and info that can be shared at the beginning of the process, the less time is needed at the back end.

2. Be honest, open, and timely with your communications.
   Don’t misrepresent your company. When you are candid about your pain points, perhaps I can help you resolve them. But I don’t want to place a great salesperson with a company that hasn’t told me they have as much as 30 to 40% failure rates in terms of on-time production deliveries.

   When I do present you with a candidate that I believe meets your requirements, get back to me promptly about your level of interest. As a recruiter, I like to come back to the candidate and give them a yes or no as soon as possible, so I don’t leave them hanging.

   I understand that everyone is busy and no company is perfect. But when a hiring manager takes 3 weeks or more to get back to me, it not only reflects badly on me as a recruiter, but also poorly on the company doing the hiring. Word gets around by these people who have interviewed and have been ghosted.

3. Respect the employee.
   Don’t be one of those unethical companies who hire a good salesperson, take their client list, and then lets the employee go just a few months after being hired. You would be surprised how often I hear of this happening. Word gets around quickly and I am definitely not interested in working with any company that does that.
4. Use LinkedIn to raise awareness of your company.
   Attract talent by showing some of the successful projects your firm has recently completed. Or share some information about who your company is and what you stand for.

When should graphics companies start staffing up for the rebound?
MB: Right now. There may be a rush for talent when it’s clear that the economy is starting to recover.

I am starting to see light at the end of the tunnel. Financially stable, forward-looking companies have already started looking for good candidates, both on the production and sales sides.

If you are looking to grow and sell your business over the next few years, I can help you keep an eye out for salespeople that can help bring in new revenues or production managers that can cut costs and improve your on-time delivery record.