How I mastered the the Art of Hiring: The 7-Steps I use to Avoid Bad Hires
By Jessie Healy - Webtopia Founder
One of the hardest things about scaling an agency or an eComm brands is finding the right people. It’s one of the biggest struggles I see entrepreneurs face.
So this week we are going on a slight diversion from the usual marketing content to share with you the 7 steps that we now use to ensure we hire an A-team that fits in with our culture, and helps our business thrive.
We learnt a lot of this the hard way. Before I figured this stuff out, I would totally overwhelmed during a hiring round, and then end up going on instinct and not choosing the right candidate - which is a very costly mistake to make - both for them and for you.
The key here is three fold:
Identify exactly what and who you need
Put them through hoops that test them for those exact traits.
Make sure they are a culture fit as well as a skills fit
Deep Dive into Personal Characteristics
The foundation of a successful hire begins with understanding the personal characteristics that are essential for that exact role. Whether it's detail orientation, creativity, adaptability, or leadership skills, identifying these traits upfront is crucial.
Consider what qualities and values align with your company culture and the specific demands of the position.
Don’t make the mistake of hiring people just because you ‘vibe’ or they are similar to you.
Identify Current Hard Skills
Next, pinpoint the hard skills that are immediately necessary for the role. What technical proficiencies or qualifications does the candidate need to excel in their job from day one? Make a list and use it as a reference throughout the hiring process.
Make sure you make a differentiation from hard skills they could learn, and ones they need to have already.
Consider Future Learning
Adaptability and the ability to learn new skills are essential in eComm. Identify skills that the candidate will need to acquire or develop over time. Find out if they are interested in learning these skills, and make sure they have a love of learning. There are plenty of jobs for people who just want to stand still, make sure you find the candidates who are willing to grow and learn. This forward-thinking approach ensures your hire remains valuable as your business evolves.
Once you have the ideal list of attributes - create a job ad that sells all the great things about your business - the benefits, the culture and the potential growth in the role. We advertise on Linkedin usually.
Create a screening process that filters the best candidates on automatic
Here is how we do it at Webtopia.
Step one: to save time and effort on the senior team, we delegate the initial screening of CVs to a Virtual Assistant (VA) or someone on your team who can take it off your hands.
Step two: Once you have a shortlist, have candidates fill out a form to assess their written communication skills. We also have some trick questions to screen for attention to detail.
People can have others edit their CV or use chat GPT, but writing out their answers in a form should give you a good read on how well they can write - if that is important for the role.
We use Air Table for this and actually have candidates upload their CV too. The beauty of this is you build your own candidate database.
Step three: If people pass this stage we then ask them to submit a video that demonstrates their verbal communication and interpersonal skills. This step helps you gauge their communication abilities early on.
Now we have a short-list of candidates who have jumped through some hoops, with very little senior team effort or time wasted on the wrong people.
Task-Based Testing
We don't rely solely on interviews to assess their fit. We design specific tasks that test the skills and traits need for the role.
For instance, if you need someone detail-oriented, provide a task that requires meticulous attention to detail.
As learning ability is a critical skill in today's ever-changing business landscape, create a test or questions that allow candidates to showcase their capacity to acquire new skills.
This step is especially important in industries like ours where staying up-to-date with emerging trends is essential.
Prioritize Onboarding and Feedback
Once you've made a hire, remember that onboarding is a crucial phase. Regular check-ins will help you evaluate how the new team member is measuring up against your initial requirements. Be prepared to make adjustments and, if necessary, act swiftly if the hire doesn't meet expectations.
The hiring process doesn't have to be a CEO's nightmare. By following this 7-step guide, you can transform your approach to hiring and significantly reduce the risk of making bad hires.
Remember that hiring is an ongoing journey, and continuous improvement is key.
Our mailing address is:
hello@webtopia.co
