The previous blog talked about the pitfalls to avoid when building your team. This blog focuses on how to build a great team by finding and hiring those great people.
Get the right people onto your bus (as Jim Collins describes it in his book Good to Great) and you have a winning team. Get the wrong people and you have problems; big problems. This is our Six Step Process for building successful teams. Feel free to use it!
Step 1 – Define the job
Always define the job and create the job profile before you hire anyone. Never hire someone and then create the job. You will end up with the WRONG person in the WRONG job. Ask other people to review the job profile and provide you with comments, questions and recommendations. This is a critical growth activity! So take your time; it is worth the time!
Step 2 – Find the right candidates
Let the world know about the job! Explain it to your team and your networking groups. Share the profile with your clients; they may know the right person. Somewhere out there is the RIGHT person waiting for this wonderful job opportunity. Engage with people who know and like your company’s culture, values and style.
Create a short version of the job profile and post it on the most appropriate job posting websites. Use LinkedIn to search out potential candidates. It’s the law of numbers; the more people who know about the job the more potential candidates you will get.
Step 3 – Review the resumes & conduct telephone interviews
Your objective is to find 3 people you want to meet face to face (see Step #4). Shortlist the resumes into those people you want an initial telephone conversation with; no more than 7 to 10 people. The purpose of the telephone conversation is to shortlist the candidates down to three to interview face to face. Identify the showstoppers that eliminate candidates for further consideration by creating your telephone questions around the showstoppers.
Step 4 – The Interview
Before meeting the 3 candidates develop the interview questions. The questions must be based on the job profile not on the candidates’ resumes. And when you meet the candidates remember interviewing is a two way street. The candidate must prove they can do the job and you must prove that your company is worth working for.
Have a second person interview the candidates and compare notes.
And don’t take second best. If none of the candidates match your requirements start the process again. You will always regret hiring the second best. And by the way; be very cautious about hiring your best friend. Best friends are rare; qualified candidates are not!
Step 5 – Check the References
Reference checks are required! If your questions are thought out well you will uncover lots of additional information that will help you in the selection process. For example;
- What are their strengths?
- Do they work well in a team?
- Do they work well with details?
- And don’t be afraid to ask the question: “Would you hire this person again?”
If you find this step very difficult hire an HR Consultant who does reference checking for a living!
Step 6 – Bring them on board
The first few days of a new person joining your team are crucial. Quickly include them into the team (have a team lunch) and quickly have them doing meaningful work. There is nothing more disheartening for a new team member than being handed a bunch of manuals to read for a week.
Follow these steps to careful recruitment and you will have a strong person on your team who will help you grow your business.
Are you hiring your business growth team? Check out our ‘Hiring – Master Guide to Building Your Winning Team’ complete with sample Job Descriptions and suggested interview questions. Click here for more details and to purchase your Master Guide to Hiring.
