Our Seven Step Proven Process

Above all, at The Spencer James Group, we foster open communication. At all stages of the hiring process, candidates will share concerns and questions with us that they might not feel comfortable sharing directly with you. We are able to walk around the table and see everyone’s cards, which significantly increases the odds of everyone coming to feeling good with the terms at the offer stage.

This is our tried and true process to helping our clients secure a great match for their specific needs.

  • Understand the opportunity Understand the opportunity Understand the opportunity
  • Create the correct job description Create the correct job description Create the correct job description
  • Research Research Research
  • Recruit Recruit Recruit
  • Build relationships Build relationships Build relationships
  • Interview Interview Interview
  • Make an offer and close the deal Make an offer and close the deal Make an offer and close the deal

Case Study

The Problem

The Problem

In 2007, the Reliance Standard office in Denver was struggling. They were in last place out of 32 offices, and hadn’t shown solid numbers for five years. The office had suffered turnover, service issues, and an overall lack of traction.

Andy Orear, the new RVP, needed to turn it around. The office, in the Denver Front Range, serves a diverse and growing economy. They had high potential, and needed to reflect it in their performance.

The Solution

The Solution

They needed to get the right manager to build a foundation -- someone who already knew the business and the brokers, and was ready to lead a team.

We cast a focused, strategic net. Regional vice presidents (in the old sense of the word, before title inflation!) were a key target. This talent brings the leadership skills: they’re managers of managers, who in turn report to national heads of sales. While this role would have been a step down for them, you never know who might want the lifestyle perks. We also contacted managers of direct competitor group offices. Finally, we talked to successful sales reps looking to take the next step.

We presented four qualified candidates. A partner we had known for years, who brought management expertise from both MetLife and Unum, made for the perfect fit. But he was just the first piece of the puzzle.

We needed good sales reps and a solid regional office manager for the service team. That manager had to know the products and the people, and be ready to hit the ground at a jog. We found a sales rep with over 15 years of experience whose current company was being purchased, and the team was set.

The Outcome

The Outcome

These two hires made a winning combo: one thrives with strong broker relationships to drive action, and the other brought an underwriting background to handle complex cases. They wrote large groups, sold some great business, and worked through the challenging service issues on the inforce book.

We supported them with other key hires, including a top sales rep from Utah and a key manager for the service staff.

As they fixed the service issues, the team began to win over the local brokers who had been skeptical about working with Reliance. They offered standout solutions on large cases, and the office started to move from strength to strength. They created a great culture, and a team that enjoyed working with each other, too.

Over the next five years, their rankings skyrocketed from last place to a contender for the office of the year.