The process of growing a team is inherently stressful and a big part of that comes from the pressure to find the right person for the job. Are they going to be able to do all the things you need them to do and do them well, in a timely manner? Are they going to be reliable? Trustworthy? And hoping that you’re able to make the right decision in the hiring process based on reviewing a resume, portfolio, or website and a call or two?
Piece of cake, right?
I’m not going to lie to you. Short of some intense mental and emotional development there isn’t much you are going to be able to do to battle those new hire butterflies. But what you can do is prepare yourself going into the hiring process so you know exactly what you’re looking for. Taking a few steps can make the difference between feeling defeated and frustrated from hiring all the wrong people and finding and hiring your badass unicorn!
Clarity, Clarity, Clarity… within reason…
I’m sure you hear it all the time in relation to all different areas of your business. Get clear. Seemingly simple, yet easy to overcomplicate. This is especially true when it comes to growing your team. You need to get clear on the key items that you need to look for in someone but stick to those without going too far down the rabbit hole. Things like what their responsibilities include and being able to understand the skills that may be required to complete them (think updating launch campaigns in your CRM and knowing that you’ll need someone that’s a little more tech savvy than someone that is more aligned with traditional administrative work like email and calendar management). You also want to be clear on how much time the tasks they’ll be responsible for will take so you can be clear on what you need and expect as far as scheduling.
Needs VS. Wants
Once you know exactly what your new team member would be responsible for and what you feel would qualify a candidate to support you in those things you have to determine what will and will not be a requirement. Think about how a candidate’s knowledge and skillset is going to translate into your business as it stands right now and the impacts that those factors would have on you when you enter into this working agreement. For example, if you’re using Kajabi in your business you may consider whether experience on the platform is a need or a want. If everything is setup and running and the needed support is more about maintenance and simple updates that may be a want because it will be easier to bring someone up to speed on those things, especially if the need is that they are tech savvy. But if you consistently require more technical work on the backend, have just started using the platform and need someone that is able to provide more support in the setup, or know that you don’t have the time or knowledge to train someone in it, you’ll determine that finding someone that has experience in Kajabi is a need. Run through each of the responsibilities you’ve laid out and what they require in a team member classifying each as a need or want so you can get really clear on your minimum requirements and your wishlist. Do not overthink this. Take 15-20 minutes and follow your gut. You can always readjust later if you find that you’ve been a little too heavy on the minimum requirements and it’s making it challenging to find someone that meets them all.
Cliches are Cliches for a reason…
I won’t take credit for the old business concept hire slow, fire fast. I know this isn’t the first you’re hearing it and there is a reason. Especially when we are in a position where we feel that things have gotten away from us in our business and we are struggling to keep up, it’s easy to start making decisions out of desperation. It’s human nature to seek relief when we’re struggling! But, not taking the time and getting impatient will likely just result in far more headaches. Take your time finding someone that is good on paper AND off! Being patient will set you up to get the right person for the job, not just the first person that ends up on your doorstep. And if you do make a decision and end up feeling it was the wrong one, let them go immediately. There is no sense in continuing to invest resources into a team member when you know that it isn’t going to work out.
Get your ducks in a row, don’t overcomplicate, and follow your gut. If you have all the information that’s going to allow you to make an informed decision you can find the perfect person to support you in whatever your needs are. If you’re feeling stuck and aren’t sure to keep things simple and not drive yourself bananas finding the right person to step into support you book a free 30 minute Sympl Call with me to talk through how to do just that… keep it simple!