Posts by Robert Houghton

One of the questions I quite often get from candidates is, “What are the disadvantages from working remotely?”  Naturally, I had my data guy go through our candidate data base and compile and analyze the candidate feedback received from January 1, 2021 regarding working remotely. Here is what we found: Lack of Community: Candidates cited…

If I asked ten business executives if having a Prima Donna in their organization was a good thing, I would bet you big money that at least 9 of 10 would respond, “No way.”  The word “Prima Donna” has a very negative connotation and it is most often used to describe an egotistical high-powered sports…

I just finished a very long productive with a client of mine.  They are a Top 20 independent insurance brokerage firm based in the WDC region.  Without mentioning any names, they are one of my favorite clients.  Since 2006, we have worked together to stockpile WDC metro sales and account management talent for their insurance…

A potential insurance client based in Maryland called me this past week and asked me, “Rob, you were referred to me by an existing client of yours…but, please tell me, why should I spend good money to hire a headhunter (executive recruiter) when my HR department already does this…?” I also had a senior insurance…

The past two issues of Rob’s Rants have addressed why producers and account managers fail.  I received many texts, emails, and comments asking me to also address why independent insurance agencies fail. This is my take based on a number of failed agencies I have coached and assisted in the past few years: Lack of…

On June 24, I will be giving a presentation at the Independent Insurance Agents of Virginia (IIAV) annual conference titled, “Rob’s Secret Sauce to Hiring Insurance Producers.”  While preparing, I have also been thinking a lot about the reasons why sales professionals fail at their jobs. Historically, across all industries, the failure rate amongst sales…

Did you know that, except for the Super Bowl, the NFL Draft is the most watched sports program of the year?  Amazing.  It is a three-day talent-hunting event broadcast live on ESPN this year beginning on Thursday, April 25th. Approximately 224 college football players (32 teams x 7 rounds) will be selected over a period…

It’s been a good week. We made three placements.  All superstars.  This is very unusual because although everyone I place with a client is in direct alignment with their requirements, they are not all superstars.  What makes a superstar a superstar?  What are their attributes and what are the most important ones to look for?…

Because my firm specializes in insurance brokerage recruiting in the Mid-Atlantic region, I get a lot of calls from insurance brokerage hiring authorities asking me, “Why are my insurance producers failing?” The answers may surprise you… I have fielded this question so many times this year that I now feel obliged to pass along my…

You turn on your computer and you notice a request to complete a personality/assessment profile in your inbox from the firm you are about to interview with – or maybe it’s from your own HR department.  So, you begrudgingly complete it, but never see it again – sound familiar? What should happen is that you…