Finance Talent Superstar. A-Player. Rockstar. All-star. Top Performer.

We throw around many names for these elusive creatures everyone wants to hire, or says they want to hire. Clients will tell me they’ll “roll out the red carpet” for a finance talent “Superstar.” They’ll often pay them higher salaries, are willing to offer more perks and bend their benefits to make them happy, and they move quickly to hire this type of talent.

But what is a Superstar, really, and why do you need one?

This is one of those terms that is difficult to define. And it can be quite subjective. One person’s Superstar could be another’s poor fit. Finance talent that qualifies as Superstar talent exemplifies qualities that many if not most would agree on. But the key differentiators are often related to the specific industry, skill set, and core values.

Rick Crossland, author of the book, “The A Player,” defines the term as:

• An employee who is in the top 10 percent of their profession on an industry-wide basis for the salary paid.
• A person on your team whom you would enthusiastically rehire.
• The employees at an enterprise who drive all the profitability and growth.
• A person of high integrity who delivers on commitments.
• The employee every organization covets.
• The employee who fits your company culture and models your core values and behaviors.

You need finance talent that fits these guidelines in every critical leadership seat, because they will transform everything, from exponential sales growth and profitability to team morale and employee engagement. If you treat them right and keep them growing, they will ensure a secure line of succession.

This level of finance talent can position your company, and your career, at the top of the industry They ensure that you overcome the constant transformation of the talent marketplace, the unique challenges on your plate, and a recruiting industry that is currently upside down.