Lately, I’ve been helping other small business owners find and hire great people. But before I get started, I always insist that we don’t fall in love with any candidate until our process is complete. And here’s why:
Anyone can charm us during the first interview. They’re fresh, rehearsed, and they’ll tell you just about anything you want to hear.
But by rounds two, three, or four? They start to relax and show their true selves.
And that’s when the real insights show up. The kind of information you actually need to make the right hire.
Some candidates push back on the process and complain that it’s too long. And that becomes its own kind of interview. If someone can’t be patient now, when they’re trying to impress us, how are they going to handle the tough stuff on the job?
The ones who make it through the whole process without complaint? They’re almost always the ones who’ll dig in, follow through, and bring that same grit to their work.
In fact, part of the process involves the candidate shadowing you or your staff so they can see the glamorous aspects of the day-to-day work. If they see these now and still take the position, they are less likely to bolt the first time things get messy.
Cut corners now, and all you’re doing is shifting that time and stress to later.
You’ll spend time onboarding someone who turns out not to be a fit.
And even worse…
You’ll carry the mental load of wondering “Should I let them go?” for weeks (or months) before you finally do.
If you’re like me, these questions race through your mind at 2am.
So yes, it’s a process. But it’s the kind that saves you from second-guessing, backtracking, and the heavy lift of starting over.
So what if we find a promising candidate? I don’t let you drag your feet. We move quickly but thoroughly through each step. This is so we don’t lose a great hire to another company.
And finally, never, ever, coach a candidate. If they are going to show up to the next interview in a backwards baseball cap and a t-shirt, we need to see that now, not be surprised by it on the first day.
Most importantly we all need to remember that perfect people don’t exist. What we’re trying to do is ensure that we choose the weaknesses we can live with. What might irritate me (lack of urgency) might be no big deal for a small business owner who is more laid back.
And if we reach the end of the process and a red flag appears, we must be willing to start the whole process over.
After all, you’re not just hiring a candidate for today. Or even this year. You’re hiring someone who, six years from now, will be mentoring your future staff.
Take a look at my entire process – it’s easy to DIY, or you can hire me to help guide you through it.
paigenejame.com 