Whether you are an independent interior designer who just needs a little extra help, or you’re part of a small design firm looking to fill a full time position, the process of hiring a new employee can often be a confusing and intimidating one if you don’t know how to approach it correctly. Here are some quick guidelines to keep in mind the next time you are hiring, from the preliminary stages of creating a job description, to following up with their progress after you’ve made a decision.

First thing’s first. I think it is often overlooked, as simple as it sounds, that you will be in some way working directly or indirectly with the people you hire. Therefore, it is a good idea to take a moment and assess your own strengths and weaknesses, your skills, your work habits, your personality, etc. By doing this simple exercise you are doing yourself a huge service, because in admitting where the company lacks certain strengths you are targeting areas of opportunity that can be filled by the proper candidate. It is important to remember, you do not want to hire someone that seems like a good candidate because they are exactly like you or others on your staff, but because they will compliment you in a way that will help you to transform current areas of weakness into potential areas of success. That being said let’s talk about success.

Most job descriptions are predictable. They demand the same qualifications, and broad expectations. Mediocre job descriptions like this will attract mediocre job seekers. You must keep in mind that the gold fish can only grow as big as the bowl you put it in, so raise the bar on expectations and create a really precise job description that will attract the serious candidates you are looking for. Since you have already defined areas of opportunity, ask yourself what type of person would be able to achieve that new set of objectives, what type of work ethic would be needed to overcome the obstacles they face when striving to reach those goals, and how will you measure their success along the way? Use these questions as a basis for your job description so the candidate knows exactly what is expected of him/her as an individual.

Reviewing the candidates after you have created an appealing job description can also be a daunting task. The key is to focus on only the candidates that are serious about upholding the appointed duties, and remaining objective during the selection process. One way to ensure serious candidates is to announce the follow up procedures ahead of time, such as drug testing, credit checks, and background checks. This discourages any unreliable job seekers from even applying. Another option is to ask them to write an additional essay about why they want that specific position. Anyone that’s willing to do a little extra work for a position they are truly passionate about could be considered a serious candidate. You may want to consider doing phone interviews for the top ten, and then do more formal interviews with your top three choices. Interviewing is one of the most difficult steps of the process because often times lack of training in human resources can allow for personal emotions and biases to infringe on the objectivity of the process. In order to avoid this it is advised to ask each candidate the same five core questions so that you are easily able to compare their responses. It may also be wise to have an interview panel or have the candidate speak to more than one interviewer so that the decision does not seem so arbitrary.

Something that is not often considered when looking to hire a new employee is where to place your job listing, and how creative you have to be when placing it strategically. It is probably safe to say that the strongest and most qualified potential employees are currently already employed at another location. Instead of trying to attract mediocre employees who are actively seeking jobs, you may need to brainstorm ideas to reach those who are employed elsewhere, but could be intrigued by your offer to switch something more rewarding. In order to convince them, consider a sign-on bonus, or an added perk.

Once you have come to a decision and you feel satisfied with your new employee, don’t think the hiring process is complete. In order to ensure they are truly worthy of the position you need to explain to them that there are very specific tasks at hand for them to complete and that there will be regularly scheduled assessments of their progress. When an individual knows what is expected of them, this aids in productivity. Let them know how their progress will be measured and what their rewards will be if achieved. This assessment can also be used to discuss their personality, team dynamics, and their work ethics.

Spending the time on the front-end of the process will save you significantly more if you make the wrong hire. If you still have questions, please feel free to call me directly at 646.541.7624

Lloyd