Superstars and Knuckleheads: Your Employees Attract Your Applicants.

An assumption of many managers, and one that we need to dispel right now, is that teens choose where to apply for the same reasons that adults do. Adults choose where to apply for work based on interest, income potential, prestige, upward mobility, proximity to their home, along with a host of other reasons. Teens, on the other hand, choose where to apply to work for one reason: their friends work there.

For the vast majority of businesses, this presents a couple dramatic problems. The first and most obvious problem is that, based on our research, custsomers think that 95% of all businesses’ teen employees are Knuckleheads. (Unfortunately, business owners, execs, and managers think it’s only 80%. Of course, that doesn’t matter because the customer think its 95% and the customer’s impression is always reality - whether you agree with it, or not.) Since 95% of your teen workforce are Knuckleheads, then that’s who is telling their friends where to apply for work. With respect to who Knuckleheads have as friends, teens are just like you and I. They are friends with people just like themselves. Superstar teens have Superstar friends; and, Knuckleheads hangout with Knucklehead friends.

So, here's what's happening at companies far and wide: Superstars are applying where Superstars work and Knuckleheads consistently apply where their Knucklehead friends work. Furthermore, what’s really troublesome for managers is that for some reason it seems that the worse a teen's on-the-job performance, the more prolific of a recruiter he is. Knuckleheads can recruit, round-up, and bring in other Knuckleheads like nobody’s business. They are a lot like an Australian Shepherd bringing in a herd of sheep, only not as smart. And, I’m not talking about subtle suggestions about where to apply like, “Maybe you should stop by where I work and pickup an application.” That’s not at all how Knuckleheads go about it. Your Knucklehead teen workers are gifted, experienced, high-pressure, hardcore headhunters. Absolute closers! I’ve worked with teens for more than 2 decades and I can’t begin tell you how many Knuckleheads I’ve heard over the years announce to all their Knucklehead friends,

“Dudes! I’m telling you. You’ve got to come work where I work, Bro! It’s AWESOME! You don’t have to do anything and they’ll hire ANYBODY! Believe me, I know. Hell, they even hired me! It’s unbelievable. You’re gonna love it!”

You think that’s bad? Well, you’re right. It is bad. But, that’s nothing - it’s even worse than you think: “Check it out, yo’! I brought applications for EVERYBODY!! They interview on Tuesday afternoons. But whatever you do, don’t mention my name. I don’t think they like me ‘cause I’ve been there for 6 months and I don’t do a damn thing. Tell them that William told you to apply. He’s the only one that actually does anything. They love William!!”

I wish I was kidding. But, I’m not.

The second problem that occurs as a result of hiring average to below-average teen employees is that the more Knucklehead teens you hire, the more high-performing Superstar teens you lose. As I said, teens want to hangout with other teens who are just like themselves. The more low-performing Knucklehead teens you bring into your business, the faster your awesome Superstar teens start using their break-time to call their awesome Superstar friends to inquire about where they work. Superstars will even leave for a job that pays less, a lot less, if their Superstar friends work there.

Fortunately, there is a simple solution that not only attracts exceptional Superstar teen applicants to your business, but also it drives the Knuckleheads to your competitor’s doorstep. And, I'd love to share it with you. Send my website, send an email, or give me a call, and I'll let you in on the secret.

All for now.