OVERCOMINGHIRING

you shouldn't be looking for the Brad Pitt of insurance. However, it may not be in your best interest to hire the new kid on the block either. “There's a bell curve, and most likely your business is going to be in that middle section," says Suzanne Lucas, founder and owner of the Evil HR Lady. “You've got to look for the people who are there, too; otherwise, they won't be happy with you."

When it comes to adjusting your parameters to find the appropriate talent, there are three variables that an agency has to work with, according to St. John: “geography, pay and experience."

1) Geography. “There are lots of great candidates out there that may not be in your geographic area," St. John says. “You may find somebody who's amazing three time zones away, but a lot of agency owners are reluctant to do it because it's their personal preference to have folks in the office. Well, if you can't find somebody locally to satisfy that, then consider changing your geographic requirements."

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Specialty Risk Insurance in Carthage, Missouri, has been rapidly expanding its team since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. With a book of business primarily focused on agriculture, the agency is seeking a full-time marketer.

Willingness to go remote has “helped us get new people," says Chance Morgan, head of sales and product development at Specialty Risk Insurance. “One of the key things we're interested in is someone who is skilled at marketing but also has a large, consistent background in agriculture. Someone like that isn't sitting here in Carthage going, 'Man, I wish I could get a job.' They're in Oklahoma City or Austin."

2) Pay. “If you're having a hard time finding top talent, are you paying enough?" St. John asks. “Agencies should be looking at their job pricing from the perspective of the ideal candidate that they want to hire."

“You don't need to be paying top dollar, but you do need to at least pay an appropriate amount and