Stop and Think Before you Hire

Ok,so you know you can't do it all. And you've decided to hire. BUT you've been putting it off because hiring contractors can be challenging for many entrepreneurs. It is time-consuming and even daunting especially if you don't have time, experience, or clarity around the role.

Hiring the wrong person to fill a void without sufficient strategic thought can lead to internal chaos resulting in mistakes, missed deadlines, stress on other team members, and added stress for you and the person you hired. These kinds of issues normally stem from the we need someone here and now scenario without really taking a look at the business and the organizational structure that it SHOULD have.

So before going down the hiring path stop and ask yourself the following questions:

1. What does the current workload to sustain and grow the business look like?

2. What am I (as the CEO) doing that I don't need to be doing?

3. Does the business have an org chart and is it up-to-date?

4. Who is on my existing team?

5. What are their roles?

6. What are their skill sets?

7. Does the current team fit my needs?

8. Are there any adjustments that need to be made to the current team (replacement, re-alignment, etc)

9. What are the business goals for the next 3, 6, 9 months?

10. Based on the workload, goals and current team, where are the voids?

11. What positions are needed to fill the voids? This may require some research.

12. Given the upcoming goals, when should new team members be brought on?

13. What is the budget? This can help determine where to target the posting.

14. What kind of lead time is needed to hire people (the more specialized, the greater the lead time)

Aside from the actual hiring, all team members should have a clear understanding of their own and each other's roles and responsibilities. Ensure that the roles and responsibilities of each new team member is communicated to the existing team members and that the new hire is also clear on who is doing what.

Comprehensive onboarding and offboarding systems should be in place to make things easier to bring someone on and part ways. As should Standard Operating Procedures (SOP's) for recurring tasks. See article of why SOP's are important.

So next time you want to hire for your business, stop and think about what you really need, based on upcoming goals and future vision before pulling the hiring trigger.

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About me

Simmi Behal is the Founder and CEO, The Virtual Producer. I'm a Certified Online Business Manager. I provide virtual business services to educators, coaches, content creators, and established entrepreneurs. I work with clients to develop comprehensive systems for hiring online resources. I have a large network of connections in the online world, so getting referrals or posting to my community is effortless, once we figure out what you really need. As an OBM, I'm also aware of roles and responsibilities for various online positions, and can make recommendations for what's needed. I also create job descriptions, SOP's and onboarding processes to ensure a smooth transition.

Want to get started? Check out my virtual hiring audit package.

Please connect if you'd like to find out more.

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