Throughout my time in numerous managerial and leadership roles prior to opening my own business, I continue to stay open-minded to new approaches and techniques for hiring the best talent possible. I’ve come to learn that there is no one definitive way to find top candidates.
However, I do have a set of guidelines I follow throughout the process that has yet to steer me wrong:
As simple as it may sound, it’s easy to forget to listen to your gut when making big decisions, especially when a candidate naturally performs well (or rather poorly) in an interview setting. It’s easy to make decisions by checking off the boxes. You may find yourself thinking, “Well, they answered all the questions confidently and knew what they were talking about,” but often, that may not be enough. Consider your existing team, your brand culture and the current position of your company. Consider whether their personality would be a good fit, and whether they would collaborate well with your existing employees.
Similarly, if someone doesn’t perform well in an interview, that doesn’t mean they’re necessarily unqualified for the job. Perhaps they appeared to be nervous or seemed too “green,” but there were signs of other qualities that left you with a good impression. I’ve often found that this “sixth sense” of sorts is usually right. Trust your instincts. Nine times out of ten, I’ve been pleasantly surprised at how well this tactic has worked.
There is also the option of a temp-to-perm hiring solution. For startups, it’s especially difficult to find the time to keep hiring and training new employees who may or may not work out in the long run. If you’re looking to test the waters and see whether someone will be a good asset to your company before you’re ready for a long-term commitment, try offering an internship or a temporary position first.
Though it still takes time to hire and train these temporary employees, it will allow you to evaluate who would be a good fit for the position as well as an asset for your brand as a whole. That trial period may shed some light. From there, you may decide that your new hire is not the right individual for the position but can contribute tremendously in other aspects of your business. Most importantly, you will get a close-up look and feel for the individual’s work ethics, drive and capabilities.
Whether you want to launch an idea, spark a movement or simply get people talking about what you do, you have one shot
at delivering your message in a way that matters. Let’s make sure you do it right.