Two women shake hands at a job interview

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Imagine your ideal hire. What kind of attitude, mindset, and personality do they have?

You hear it all the time: hiring the right people can totally transform your business. And it’s true. It’s probably the single biggest factor in whether your team flies or flops. So why do so many of us get it wrong?

I’ve made my fair share of hiring mistakes, and I’ve learned the hard way. Hopefully this will help you avoid some of the same pain, or at least spot the warning signs early on.

One of the biggest missteps I see, especially in young, fast-growing businesses, is hiring people who simply aren’t the right fit. You need people with drive. People who take the initiative, solve problems, roll up their sleeves, and get stuck in.

I’m no recruiter, but here are some of the most common hiring traps I see:

  • Picking someone just because they seem nice
  • Skipping reference checks
  • Asking fluffy or irrelevant interview questions
  • Copy-pasting a job spec without really thinking through the mission of the role within your company
  • Letting someone else handle hiring without giving them a clear idea of what kind of person you’re after

So how do you get it right? Here’s what works for me:

  • Start by imagining your ideal hire. What kind of attitude, mindset, and personality do they have? What’s their ‘ingredient mix’?
  • Sense-check your job description with a couple of trusted experts before posting it
  • Be clear on your company values, and make sure your interview questions dig into whether candidates actually live those values
  • Build a go-to list of people – your ’recruitment board’ – who can recommend top talent when you need it
  • Keep tabs on great people in your industry. Even if you’re not hiring right now, that always-on talent pool will pay off later
  • Get super clear on what success looks like in the role. What are the actual goals? What would a win look like six months in?
  • Ask questions that reveal what lights people up and what drains them
  • And don’t ignore AI. People who are already using it are usually ahead of the curve and they can help you stay there

At the end of the day, hiring is one of the biggest bets you’ll make. Get it right, and it will pay off tenfold. Put the effort in early and your future self will thank you.

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