By Marissa Peretz
When You Go After A “Halo Hire,” You Need The Right Game Plan
When the Los Angeles Lakers signed LeBron James as a free agent, the entire sports world gasped. It was “the road back to greatness” said the Los Angeles Times. From Arnold Schwarzenegger to Snoop Dogg, celebrities rushed to Twitter to welcome LeBron and praise the Lakers deal-making. “There is a God! There must be Magic!” exclaimed actor/rapper Ice Cube on his social media feed.
LeBron was the ultimate “halo hire.” In recruitment terms, this is person who raises the quality and legitimacy of a company, gives a huge public relations boost, or causes other people to want to work for or with the company. They provide a “halo effect” that changes the nature and reputation of the organization, so it is looked at in an entirely new way both from within and without.
A “halo hire” is a key step in the development of any startup, and the approach the Lakers took to landing LeBron can guide companies that want to win the war for talent. Consider the strategy the Lakers employed and how smart companies have used a similar game plan to fill key positions.
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