Sunday, February 9, 2014

...I need to hire someone new

Spend the time to figure out what is needed, and work with other teams to define boundaries or interactions, if applicable.

Don't throw together a job posting with 4 bullet points and endless ambiguity; You'll get exactly the quality of candidate you deserve. Appreciate that definition of role, responsibilities, and qualifications will serve all parties involved, and will help separate the wheat from the chaff.

Expect the process to take time in order to find the right candidate. Not so much time that they are lost to a faster option, but not so fast that you are both rushing in with no sense of how things will work out. Throwing a body at the problem will not likely bring any true resolution.


...I am a manager

Try to pick staff who will enjoy the work, not just bodies to fill the jobs. Find people get some genuine satisfaction out of the work, as much as possible if it's not their dream job. Realize that people have different motivations, but that doesn't make one necessarily less sincere or worthwhile.

And if you somehow pick up someone without choosing, have an honest chat about them and what they want or like to do. Make the best possible effort to set them up for success. Define success. Keep an eye on them and show them support, but give them room to grow. Don't overreach, and don't underreach. Find the balance that suits your relationship from both sides.