By Steve Bryant, Executive VP, USA, Publicis Consultants | PR

In this economy, finding new talent may be the last thing on your mind—but not so fast. In times like these, we need to expect much more from our people, and that makes every hire a high-stakes decision.

That's why The Firm Voice asked me to describe my own background as a creative artist and the perspective it can lend to a consideration of non-traditional hires.

I've made a career of public relations—March will mark my 25th year in the business—even though I never previously pictured myself in the business world. I thought business was for "jocks and frat boys" when I started behavioral science research, even as a high school student. Business seemed an even more remote venture when I veered off unpredictably into a career as a classical singer.

Nonetheless, I learned about the PR agency world when I took a temporary job to make ends meet at EvansGroup, a predecessor agency of Publicis Consultants | PR. Answering phones led to proofing copy, which led to part-time employment, which led to my current national role in the same firm 25 years later.

However unlikely it seems, it truly wasn't. In fact, my own story serves as a lesson for me every time I review candidates for a position on our staff. Sure, my resume appeared a complete misfit for the requirements of our profession. In an open search, it would have dropped to the bottom of the stack. 
           
Yet, my background, it turns out, is quite perfect for the job—despite the absence of a PR degree. I learned about business, unknowingly, from my businessman father. My early behavioral science work taught me principles of psychology and statistics. My experience as a high school debater helped with presentation skills and persuasion. My arts experience gave me a flair for creative assignments. Like most young artists, I had cultivated a number of PR and events management skills to promote my own career. Sure, there was a lot to learn on the job, but my background made me a fast learner.

Eventually, I discovered that a business career didn't involve selling my soul to the devil. In many ways, it allowed me to do more professional work that I could manage in the under-funded arts world. So my hiring was a good gamble, and the modest risk paid off with long-term loyalty and decades of productivity and leadership.

Maybe you should be taking a closer look at the arts community for talent. There are some good reasons that your efforts may be rewarded:

• Artists are communicators and promoters by nature, so their skills are often transferable. 
• Artists are an ambitious and committed lot. Why else would they aspire to a highly competitive career with so few prospects for full-time employment?
• Performing artists are often accomplished at working effectively in a teamwork environment. They can enhance agency culture and productivity.
• Artists, sadly, are accustomed to working for peanuts. By comparison, PR salaries will appear as untold riches. 
• Here's the one potential hitch—and how to get around it. It takes a lot of commitment and confidence to declare oneself an artist and to aspire to a career in the arts. Consequently, it can be a major disappointment to set aside, or downscale, that goal.

You can make this career transition more agreeable in several ways:

• Be open to a part-time schedule that allows the artist to continue some arts work along with the agency job.
• Permit a flexible schedule that allows for occasional daytime rehearsals or auditions.
• Artists love applause—who doesn't?—so recognize their agency contributions, too, especially those of a creative nature.
• Tap artist employees for creative assignments—they may have more to offer and they may welcome the chance to apply their talents.

Of course, nine in ten artists are probably dead wrong for your firm, but there are some amazing talents waiting in the wings for a chance to excel in the PR business. Don't hesitate to recruit in this neglected arena. It could pay off big time.

Steve Bryant is executive VP, USA, for Publicis Consultants | PR. The firm ranks 12th globally and in the United States represents principally Living Brands in the health and wellness, food and nutrition and home industries. Steve has won more than 100 industry awards and still gives the occasional concert.