Ready to hire your first full-time employee? Here are three fool-proof tips to follow:
Know what you’re looking for
Back-of-house? Senior Designer? Junior Designer? Full-time, contract, part-time, freelance? Take the time to sit down and REALLY define the expectations for the role you are seeking to fill. Writing “want ad”, copy can be time-consuming, but the more concise you are about what your needs and wants are, the closer you will come to getting it right the first time.
If you have trouble getting started, try utilizing another ad as an inspiration or as a template, but never cut and paste!
Only you know your individual needs and what you visualize for your team. The individuals who apply will know, from the ad copy, exactly what the position will offer while simultaneously learning what will be required of them. Just like any relationship, the more transparent you are initially, the more successful the outcome will be!
Lean on recommendations
Use your network! As they say, “it takes a village!” Finding a knowledgeable, good, loyal, and trustworthy person is tough, but I promise you, if you reach out to fellow designers, your vendor community, or your local design schools, they love to see a motivated, talented, and enthusiastic individual get matched up with their dream job. Good people like lifting others up, and everyone loves a success story!
Hire well, fire quickly
We all hope to hit the nail on the head on the first try, however, it is easier said than done. Although both parties may be well intended, sometimes it simply isn’t the right fit.
If you feel that things aren’t aligning properly, for whatever reason, counsel first; put your employee on a “prove or remove” schedule with specific guidelines to achieve success. In the end, if they are still unable to make the necessary shifts to fulfill the objectives at hand, release the individual in question as soon as possible.
I know this is always a cringe-worthy situation but trust your instincts! When properly communicated with kindness and respect, both parties are freer to make room for something potentially much more beneficial for all involved.
I wish you the best of luck curating your very own personal dream team. You’ve got this!
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