The Value of a Fishing Guide in Business

Michelle and I snuck away to enjoy a vacation week with family on Cape Cod. During the visit, I chartered a fishing trip. We had a blast; but further, the fishing adventure struck me as an excellent parable extending from the tides of Cape Cod into the waters of business.

My son, Nelson, works in Massachusetts and was able to join me on the trip. We chartered a Bluefin Tuna Fishing trip from an outfit recommended by friends -- Reel Deal Fishing. At 4:45 a.m., we met our captain – Chad Avery.

 Chad used his 27 years of fishing Cape Cod to raise the odds of catching one of the hardest fighting fish in the ocean – the bluefin tuna. We stocked up with the right baitfish before we headed offshore. To prepare, Chad shared notes with several locals to create a game plan to get us “on the fish”. He had done his homework -- noting weather conditions, barometric pressure, and tides. 

 Our captain used technology to his advantage, keeping his eyes on the fish finder. He watched for birds and whales that might indicate tuna feeding. Once we started fishing, he used several strategies for keeping our bait at different levels in the water.

At about noon we got a major hit on our line. It took Nelson and me over two hours of exhausting, joyous work to bring in our catch – a 450-pound bluefin tuna! We brought the fish alongside the boat and removed the hook – letting the bluefin monster disappear back into the depths. 

 What a wonderful adventure – an experience I will never forget.

 A great fishing guide uses experience and all the available tools to bring value to the customer. Chad and Reel Deal Fishing Charters certainly delivered in that regard for Nelson and me.

 You’ve likely noticed that the Accountants One logo resembles a fish. It’s a subtle nod to great fishing guides because as a team of recruiting and staffing professionals, we consciously work to embody the attributes of a gifted guide. We do this by listening to our customers and candidates, and then doing everything we can to help them attain their “trophy fish.”

 Heck, a trophy fish might be a few small whiting caught out of the surf, a mackerel hauled in from the pier, or maybe it is a 450-pound tuna. An exceptional guide listens and responds to your goals, setting expectations, and helping you chart the most prudent course to land the fish that fits your definition of success.

Likewise, a great fishing guide in business helps leaders achieve goals by aligning them with the right talent – be it the next great accounting clerk, accounting manager, tax professional, Controller, CFO, etc. An outstanding recruiter listens – understanding technical skills but digging deeply into corporate culture and aligning talent to ensure the perfect match.

Great recruiters mirror the traits of remarkable fishing guides in myriad ways, such as:

• They LISTEN to your goals
• They use a variety of strategies to align you with your goals
• They use technology to improve your odds of success
• They work constantly and quietly in the background to maximize the success of your experience
• They save you time – can you imagine how many years it would take me to learn how to successfully fish for and land a tuna?
• They tell funny stories to keep you amused along the way (OK, that might just be me, and the “funny” is apparently a subjective term.)

 You see the parallels though. A truly outstanding guide is a partner, keeping you keenly aware of what you do (and do not) want from your charter into the vast waters. Their expertise allows you to feel confident about the success of your voyage. Most of all, they’re with you no matter how choppy the waters get, or how long it takes to pull in your catch.  

At Accountants One, we strive to be the ideal guide to those who get on board with us. If your philosophy of recruiting matches with ours, we’d be delighted to share more fishing stories.