Introduction
I'm going to let you in on a secret. I am rarely excited about hiring people. It's stressful, time-consuming, and sometimes just plain awful. But it must be done. And while there are some things that are universal when it comes to hiring great people, there is no one right way to do it. So here are some tips that have worked for me personally (and for others) when building a team for growth and expansion:
The Mission has to be clear.
The mission is the reason you exist, what you are trying to accomplish, and why you are hiring. If your company is not clear on its purpose and goal—and if everyone involved doesn't know how they fit into that purpose—you will have trouble attracting and retaining good talent.
Hire people whose passions reflect yours: It's important for founders to hire people who share their vision because it gives them more confidence in their ability to attract investors, partners and customers.
Culture is critical.
If you don't know who you are it's easy to lose focus when hiring.
You need to hire people who fit into your culture, who share the same values and beliefs as you do, and whose work styles are compatible with yours.
Look for people who can find a way to get things done without being told how—people with initiative and passion who want to learn more about things they aren't familiar with because they're interested in learning new things (and not just because management wants them to).
Know Your Clients
You have to know your clients (past and present), so you can hire the right staff to serve those clients effectively and with passion. Understand their needs, adapt to their style but keep what you've got that’s solid.
Having a good lawyer, accountant and banker is not something one considers a part of their “team”, but these professionals can help guide you through the process of growing your business and helping you shape the team from within, as well. It may not seem obvious, but everyone plays a part when it comes to the public perception of the company, and if you’re setup properly from a legal, accounting and finance perspective, it will trickly down to your team in a positive manner.
Staff should share the same values as the company.
It’s important to remember that your company is more than just a set of employees. It’s also your customers and the reputation you want to be recognized for. When you hire people, it's important that they share your values because this will help build a strong team that can make decisions together. When everyone has the same internal compass, it makes it easier for them to make decisions about what direction needs to be taken next or how something should be done right, for it to succeed.
What you are looking for in a candidate (qualifications, skills)
At this point, you should have a clear idea of what you are looking for in a candidate. You should have defined the job and the skills and experience required, as well as the qualities that are important to you. In addition, it is important to understand the technical skills required and the soft skills that may be needed for certain roles. There should also be an understanding of cultural fit with regards to values, attitudes, organizational culture, etc.,
When defining your requirements for candidates:
It is important to define each role thoroughly so that anyone reading it knows exactly what’s required of them;
Define these requirements in terms of qualitative traits (i.e., personality) rather than simply listing out specific qualifications like degrees or years of experience;
Create an interview team with people that are great at interviewing and don't have an immediate stake in the outcome of the hire. This will give you a better perspective on your candidates and help you find the right fit for your team.
It's important for your interview team to have people with different perspectives. For example, you might want someone in HR on the team so they can give their perspective on the candidate as a potential employee and how they would fit into your company culture. You might also want a developer or two to help you evaluate technical skills, or even an artist if you're hiring for a design role.
If possible, don't ask people who have a vested interest in the hire (like managers or supervisors) to interview candidates because they may end up being biased toward certain candidates and not others based on their own experiences with those individuals or because they want them to succeed within your company because it makes them look good too!
Listen With Both Ears
Listen carefully to how a candidate talks about previous experience, ability to work with others and shows dedication to their work - These areas will be important predictors of how they will do in your company as well. Don't discount cultural fit because it's not quantifiable - Make sure the whole team likes them!
You should also listen carefully to how a candidate talks about their previous experience or employer, ability to work with others and how they may show dedication to their work. These areas will be important predictors of how they will do in your company as well. Don't discount cultural fit because it's not quantifiable - make sure the whole team likes them!
Ask open-ended questions that give insight into a candidate's thinking style, values and approach to work. Don't just ask "how many basketballs can you fit in this room" questions that don't tell you anything about whether or not they'll be able to grow in your organization.
Ask the candidate how they would approach a problem they've never encountered before, or what they would do if their manager gave them an impossible deadline. You want people who are willing to think outside the box, even if it means coming up with a new way of doing things that may not have been tried before.
Ask candidates about their past experiences—what did they learn from them? How did each experience affect their career? What role did luck play in their success?
Conclusion
The process of hiring is a lot like dating. You don't want to make mistakes, but you also don't want to take too long before choosing someone that is right for you. There are many ways to look at the process of hiring but one thing is clear: this process is important not only for growth, but also in order to maintain strong morale and the right work ethic, which is important not only in the good times, but when things get tough.