The head of a big contracting firm in New York has been looking two years now for a $25,000-a-year man. The curious features of his search are that the man he wants shall have as little technical knowledge of the business as possible and no ability as a salesman. The requisites are that he shall dress well, appear well, be between thirty and forty, and get around a great deal among people of means.

“Such a man, when I find the right one, will bring me in hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of business a year,” says this contractor…

“The smartest salesmen can’t always get close to the big people. Such a man as I am looking for can often do it easily; do it in enough cases to count big. With no effort at all, just because of his acquaintance, he’ll bring them into my office at the very moment they’re wanting something. I’ll find that man sooner or later, but it’s a long search.”

It’s an interesting idea to hire a connector on staff for their social skills. Is that being done today? Or is that just called a PR agent?

WHEN PERSONALITY IS WORTH MORE THAN EXPERIENCE: Why It Is That Business Men Sometimes Pay the Highest Salaries to Those Lacking Technical Knowledge. (PDF)

From July 23, 1911