“Alone we are a drop, but together we are an ocean.” – says Ryunosuke Satoro, a Japanese author. Every company manager should realize this and spare no effort in developing the right mechanism for selecting the right personnel for their job.
This is where the process begins that leads to the company team, which is arguably the most important capital for any business. It doesn't matter how innovative your idea is, or whether you have the financial resources to make it a reality, if you don't gather the necessary and qualified people around you, it will be very difficult, if not impossible, to think about sustainable, long-term successful business.
It doesn't matter if you are a startup, choosing your first employee now, or if you are managing an already established business and need additional strength in the team during the development and reorganization process, selecting the right staff is an equally responsible process and, as important as it is, it is as complex and difficult to implement effectively.
However, if we take into account our own or others' experience, take advice from experts in this field, correctly define the process, and clearly understand who we need to achieve what results, it is more realistic to find the right person in the highly competitive employment and talent market.
Why is there a constant problem of employee motivation in so many companies?! With various seminars, team building, bonuses, and incentive activities, the employer tries to increase or maintain employee motivation. Have you ever thought that you might be doing something wrong?! There are many factors that we need to rule out to determine the causes of demotivation or low motivation, but perhaps the first question we should ask ourselves is the following - did I choose the right person for a specific position?
“ If I had 8 hours to chop wood, I would spend hours sharpening my axe.” – This quote belongs to Abraham Lincoln, and it also resonates with our topic and emphasizes that the time and energy invested in team formation, staff selection, and recruitment is truly the right investment. The return is high if we manage this process correctly.
I will share with you some tips that will help you effectively carry out the process of selecting the desired personnel.
First of all, define:
- Who do you need (personal assistant, sales agent, social media manager, financier, or …)?
- What can you offer the candidate?
- You will be able to handle this process alone if you need help (within the team or from an external third party)
Once you have clearly defined the points listed above, think about:
- What skills, knowledge, and competencies are required to perform the duties and responsibilities of this position?
- What practical experience will help the desired candidate effectively perform the assigned role;
- What personal qualities are needed;
- Define the criteria precisely (the more specific, the better);
- Write a so-called job description;
- Think about where you can find such a candidate, determine the area of information dissemination and placement (networking, search portals, LinkedIn, Facebook, etc.);
- Prepare accordingly (relevant questions, tests, and other tools to assess competence, motivation, and determine psychotype, which is also crucial for the team);
- Plan what it will be like: face-to-face meeting, interview, test, etc.;
- Listen and understand the candidate's expectations (how well they align with yours);
- Write down the decision-making process in advance (evaluation criteria, deadlines, how you will provide feedback to the candidate);
There is one big trap in this process that any of us can fall into: choosing a candidate based on subjective opinions (choosing someone like you). It is human to have a positive attitude towards someone who, for example, is passionate about hiking like you, loves football like you, is from your hometown, or even has skills that subjectively impress you, but have no connection to performing a specific job and are not beneficial to you. If we constantly remember that subjective and emotional decisions can harm your company, then it is easy to avoid them.
Remember, the most important link in the effective implementation of your business strategy is your employees!
We wish you success in the responsible process of team formation!
