Does Every Hire Need to Be a Rock Star? Ask Madeleine
Published on March 11, 2023
"Dear Madeleine,
I read last week’s column with interest and it sparked a question for me.
I am hiring right now for a position that requires someone to simply keep their head down and get the job done. Our company isn’t growing very fast, so there won’t be much room for advancement.
I have a number of good applicants—some young people who clearly want to grow and some middle-aged folks who seem happy to get into a swim lane and stay in it.
My boss is advocating for me to focus on the younger, ambitious ones, but I think that is just setting people up for frustration. I think it makes more sense to hire someone who will not be disappointed with the lack of a career path.
What do you think?
Race Horse or Work Horse?"