The Hired Guns

In a recent interview for WeWork’s 2019 Global Impact Report, Hired Guns CEO Allison Hemming describes how quick decision-making in the hiring process gives “agile” companies a true advantage. In order to be taken seriously, Hemming recommends “selling” the company to the candidate during the interview process and reducing the time needed to make an offer. Then, instead of bringing in one candidate a week for five weeks, front-load first-round phone interviews, and then move finalists into a meeting with the hiring manager—possibly all within a week. The WeWork 2019 Global Impact Report was developed by an independent economic development and public-policy consulting firm that serves as and economic development advisor in over 200 cities, from London, New York, and Los Angeles, to Medellin, Hong Kong, and Sydney.

I am super-psyched to announce that The Hired Guns has been recognized as one of 2017’s Inc. 5000 fastest-growing private firms in America. According to Inc., the average company on the list achieved a mind-boggling three-year average growth of 481% and the 2017 winners collectively generated 619,500 jobs over the past three years. First off, thanks to our “Hired Guns,” the good folks who we parachute into our clients’ offices, delivering amazing digital and emerging tech experiences. The last two years have been an incredible journey that has culminated in developing a recruiting process that not only delivers results in terms of accurate match-making but also surprises and delights our talent and clients alike.

In a ceremony at the 26th annual Staffing Industry Analysts’ Executive Forum in San Diego, The Hired Guns was named one of the 2017 Best Staffing Firms to Work For. The Hired Guns focuses on representing the top-tier of digital talent and succeeds, according to Ally Hemming, the firm’s founder, “by working with the kind of people who become the nucleus for innovation in a client’s organization — technically-sophisticated change agents, evangelists. Known for her fun-loving management style, CEO Ally Hemming was the creator of the dotcom-era Pink Slip Parties and has been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and CNN. In 2016, The Hired Guns was featured in Crain’s New York and, in 2015, Inc. Magazine named the firm to their Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing firms in the country.

And my recommendation if you are really serious about, and dedicated to, improving your life this year is to start your New Year by reading any one of the following 17 inspirational and impactful books on this list. But if you’re really serious about making a change, and taking your career and your life to a whole new level this year, think about the potential ROI (Return on Investment) that making the time, and taking the time, to read just one ANY ONE of these books could potentially bring! While most of the 50-plus new business books I read each year simply end up on the shelf afterwards, these are among the special few that I keep within arms reach for regular, repeated reference all year round: 1) 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, The: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change (Stephen R. Covey): One Piece of Paper: The Simple Approach to Powerful, Personal Leadership (Mike Figliuolo): What if you could capture, on a single sheet of paper, in meaningful maxims,your own personal guide to leading yourself, leading the thinking, leading others, and leading a balanced life?