How (and Where) To Find The Best Team Members for Your Online Business
This question comes up all the time: how do I find a VA/graphic designer/content manager, etc.. and where do I look for them?
The first part of my answer to this is “it depends”.
We have to make sure we do some prep work ahead of time to help us find the perfect person for our team. After that, it’s going to be MUCH easier to find them.
I’m going to share my entire process with you now so you can start outsourcing the smart way!
It all starts with getting really, really clear on what it is you’re actually looking for. Taking some time to determine your ideal team member qualities and planning out a strategy will make this entire process run MUCH more smoothly.
Sit down and write it out.
What areas do you actually need help in? What things consume your time but don’t inspire you? What are the tasks you’re doing that don’t make a significant impact in your business? What type of qualities and skills does someone have to have to enjoy those tasks? What type of people do you get along with really well? Who can complement your own skill sets?
Once you have a profile and job description, take some time to consider where your ideal team member may be. Are there job boards they’re likely to look at? What about Facebook Groups? Could they be within your own network?
PART 2: FIND AND SCREEN THE BEST PEOPLE FOR YOUR BUSINESS
HOW TO DECIDE WHERE TO LOOK
There are a variety of ways in which you can find great contractors, and which sources you use will depend on the type of role and person you need.
Before you decide where to post, consider the type of opportunity you’re posting and where that type of candidate is likely to look. Is it a long term opportunity? Is it project-based? What industry is it in?
For example, consider how much time you need them for each week. Is it only for 5 hours? You’re more likely to find the right fit in a freelance marketplace like Upwork. Is it for 25 hours per week? You may want to post to Indeed.com and target people who aren’t necessarily already working online.
Also consider what part of the world you’d like to find someone from. Do you need them to be in North America? Is there a specific timezone you need them to be in? Does location not matter at all? You may want to check out location-specific agencies and/or filter your searches on websites like Upwork.
Just like in marketing, recruitment requires you to pinpoint your ideal candidate and then consider where you’re most likely to find them.
WHERE TO FIND AMAZING PEOPLE
Here are some sources you can use. Pick a couple to start with and focus on those. If they don’t work out, reflect on why that was and adjust your search.
Freelance Marketplaces
(great for searching profiles and actively finding great people)
Fiverr.com
Online Job Boards
(great for casting a wide net and reaching a variety of people)
Social Media
(great for finding people in a specific niche or seeking out others’ recommendations)
Facebook Groups (Here are 2 I’ve personally used and think are amazing: Virtual Assistant Savvies and The Break Room)
As you’re looking for someone, don’t just passively post an ad or a comment in a Facebook group. Take some time to actively seek out people you think might be a good fit and connect with them. Doing this will save you time (and money, and headaches) in the long-run because you’ll be more likely to find someone that’s an amazing fit for you and your business.
HOW TO INTERVIEW (STRATEGICALLY)
Once you set up interviews with your top choices, it’s really important to have questions prepared ahead of time. Of course, you likely don’t want to be too formal but having questions that can guide the conversation will ensure you get all the information you need and that you’re assessing all the candidates on the same things.
Use the list of skills you’ve outlined to create these questions. For example, if you need the person to be very open to feedback and your feedback style is direct and open, you can ask “Tell me about a time you were criticized for work you did.” You’ll be surprised how many people simply complain about past situations, showing their lack of openness to feedback.
STEP 3: MAKE A DECISION AND WELCOME YOUR NEW TEAM MEMBER
Don’t take this decision lightly. You’ve gone through all the prep work and invested time in searching for and interviewing candidates. Now, you need to take a step back and carefully consider the best way to move forward.
Try to be as objective as possible. Your ‘gut’ may tell you to hire a certain candidate, but take a step back and consider why that is and if it truly would be the best choice.
When it comes to hiring, there are several biases that may sway your decision. Check in with yourself to ensure you’re making the decision based on the factors you intended to consider.
Beauty Bias: We tend to assume that people who are better looking are more successful (I know we may like to think we’re not that shallow, but our brain likes to make shortcuts and conserve energy and therefore makes all sorts of assumptions). You may also be more drawn to candidates that look more like you.
Affinity Bias: We’re more fond of people who we feel have something in common with us. For example, we may like someone more once we find out they grew up in the same town, love the same sport, or went to the same college.
Halo Effect: This happens when one good thing about someone makes us feel like everything about them is great. In other words, the halo glow of one characteristic or achievement overpowers our perception of that person.
Recency Effect: We sometimes place more significance to things that happened recently, in comparison to earlier events. In recruitment, this can mean simply favouring the last person you interviewed because you remember the most about what they said, how they made you feel, and so on.
This list can go on! But the point is, take some time to assess everything that the candidate provided you with, the notes you made throughout the process, and refer back to the initial candidate profile you created in the preparation stage.
Ask yourself: Does this person have the skills and attitudes I’m looking for? How closely do they fit the description of my ideal candidate? Have my thoughts been influenced by potential biases?
Once you make your decision, as I touched on in the beginning, it’s critical that you properly train and onboard your new team member. Welcome them to your business and provide them with everything they need to successfully perform the work and help your business thrive!
RELATED POSTS
NEED HELP?
Let's figure out a plan of action to get you from overwhelmed to working in complete flow!
Book a free strategy call and we'll sit down together to outline the best and simplest ways for you to delegate.
Need help figuring out what to outsource (and what type of contractor to outsource to)?
Get the Time Freedom Toolkit™
The 3-Part Framework For Figuring Out Exactly What to Delegate First (Or Next)
Copyright © 2022 ScaleAndSimplify.com. All rights reserved.