Playing Professional

I'm a recent convert to the show "MadMen." So far, it has not surpassed "The Wire" and "The Sopranos" as the greatest show ever, but hey, it's got all the makings of a top 10 so far.

For those of you who watch the show, I'll just say that the incident I'm about to reference to make a point is from late in Season 1. For those of you who have not seen the show, this may come too close to a spoiler for your tastes, so you might want to skip this one.

For those of you who don't plan to see the show, or know nothing about it, the key facts are these: Don Draper is a successful advertising executive at a company called Sterling Cooper. The head of a larger, more powerful agency tries to recruit him to work for another firm. The man's name is Jim Hobarth, just for reference's sake.

Hobarth refers to his own agency as "Yankee Stadium" and "playing in the pros."

Among the tactics Hobarth uses to recruit Draper include a new set of golf clubs, a membership at an exclusive country club, and recruiting Draper's wife Betty to do some modeling for his agency. Hobarth then sends Draper pictures of Mrs. Draper, in her modeling glory.

That's when Draper calls to turn Hobarth down. When Hobarth again brings up the "big leagues" metaphor, Draper quickly responds with words to the effect of, "That last move wasn't pro at all."

Yes, there was a point. Playing professional, whether you're the Draper or the Hobarth, is extremely important when you're in a recruiting relationship.

I know most of us won't be giving or getting golf clubs and exclusive gym memberships in our search to make meaningful employment relationships, but it's all offering the job and taking the job for the right reasons. Play professional, and you'll attract other professionals to play on your team.