Building a healthy team from scratch -recruit the right people, not the 'right now' people
Feeling unstaffed and overstretched can lead to urgency when recruiting. Especially when you're building something new. This can result in hiring the ‘right now candidates’ and missing out on the right people. Bringing focus to staffing needs and staying flexible will allow you to see every CV that comes across your desk differently, and will help you obtain the long-term culture you desire.
Here are some practical approaches to spotting talent and building a staff or volunteer team full of the right people.
1. Look for those who have the potential to replace you.
In every season of recruitment see beyond the current role advertised and ask yourself “Is this someone who could one day fulfil my role?”
Zooming out from the immediate need, and looking long-term at a candidate will allow you to design a roadmap for their development ensuring engagement and longevity.
Ask questions at the interview stage that reveal the candidates’ motivations, ambitions, and hidden potential not just their current skill set. Culture-centred questions “If you were me, what would you focus on in the next 12 months?” By extending your focus beyond the skills they have now, and perhaps taking a risk on someone who needs upskilling, you could be recruiting your most effective culture carrier.
2. Look for character over charisma
Charisma will impress you, but character endures. Even if you are looking for a short or fixed-term hire, someone with character is always worth the investment of your time to nurture into the role. These people are often silent and steady. They may already be in your organisation but in a different role or department. Their strength of character injected into your team could be just what you need.
3. Be secure in your position.
If doesn’t matter what type of role you are recruiting for any insecurity you have in your position can lead to hiring those who aren't right for your organisation due to fear they might one day outshine you.
So here is a little hard truth, unless you have no ambition to grow, or you plan to work out the rest of your days in your role (which statistically doesn't happen. The normal length of employment in one position before moving on or promoted/transferred is 4.6years) at some point they may outshine you!
Be secure in this eventually and take pride in knowing you were the one who spotted the talent!
4. Stay flexible with your organisation chart.
I have seen many people rejected because those hiring were not willing to rewrite roles or reorganise structures to fit the talent in. Instead, they stayed rigid in their recruitment.
When you find the right person for your team, an individual who is not only capable but carries the culture of your organisation naturally, don't be afraid to go back to the drawing board.
It can certainly be a messy process, but sometimes you need to write a role that fits around the right candidate, not try and fit the candidate into the advertised role.
5. Stay alert.
Over the years I have become bold when spotting talent. I have written down the names of those who have impressed me, sought to stay in touch and tracked their professional process. Outright told them I would like to hire them one day and asked for a copy of their CV. When you stay alert to talent, you realise you are not just recruiting in seasons of open vacancies, but you are always recruiting.
Staying alert makes times of urgency into opportunities to hire the right people you have known about for some time.
6. Culture trumps everything.
When you have met someone who carries the culture of your organisation naturally, why would you compromise? You can always upskill an individual but you can't teach culture. Yes, it is caught, and yes it is modelled, but at its core, it is also part of who we are. If culture trumps everything, you will never be willing to compromise with the right-now people!
Cheering you on all the way
Written By- Marie Aitken