How to hire properly so as to build the right team that will lead you to better and bigger success.
During Megan Steffen’s podcast interview, she shared with us her views on how she hires people for her company Dishique. Being a manufacturing unit with a creative flair, creativity and the drive to do a good job are more important than a perfect resume for Megan. She also shared how she prefers employees who take the initiative and come to her with suggestions on product, sales and other ideas. For an entrepreneur who is wearing a lot of hats, this type of employee initiative and engagement is critical for the success of the company.
In case you missed it, you can listen to her interview here.
This concept of hiring as being less about skill and more about fit and likability was intriguing and so we decided to explore the concept of how to hire right.
There are many ways that companies and entrepreneurs can ensure that they hire the right people for the job beyond just looking at the resume as a judge of performance.
From job description to interview questions the entire hiring process should be broken down in ways that can accurately predict performance as well as promote diversity both for business as well as for professional growth of your employees.
The old way of hiring
Many managers and hiring companies only look at college degrees and test scores to determine success in a job. But when you focus at standard metrics you might miss out on a lot of great potential talent that might be just as good or even a better fit. Not all potential candidates may have a four year degree but that does not make them less qualified. Looking at the same metrics will also leads to a homogenous workforce that produces products and services that all do the same thing. There is a case study done by McKinsey that says that teams that are more inclusive and diverse outperform teams that are more similar.
The new way of hiring
Ask questions that show initiative beyond the typical job position. Look at on the job training experiences, customer/client feedback or even leadership positions outside the work environment to see if a candidate is fit for the position beyond the typical resume. Look to build a team that more or less represents your ideal customer base. This gives you first hand knowledge on what your customers and potential customers might be looking for in a product or service.
Some entrepreneurs have formal interview questions while others have an informal approach to whether there is a personality fit or not. No matter which camp you fall in, it is important to look at the hiring practices to ensure they are inclusive. Encourage more women, people who are differently enabled and other underrepresented communities to apply. This brings a diverse thought process and variety of experiences to the table. Instead of looking at the standard job posting sites, look at community colleges or even vocational schools for candidates who maybe be atypical to what you are used to.
This is essentially rethinking the notion of what makes someone qualified for the job. Rethinking the hiring process changes the way people also self-select to apply, there by opening up the talent pool for a more diverse workforce.
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