Feb 25, 2021
Welcome back to the Scale Your Small Business Podcast with your host, Jillian Flodstrom. If you’ve been a solo entrepreneur for any amount of time, you probably know that you need help. Everybody tells you that you need help, but you have no idea who this first person that you should hire, what they should do, who they should be, maybe even what to look for. Today, we’re answering the question: who should be my first hire?
Hiring can be emotionally draining. It can also be expensive. You want to make sure that you find the right person upfront, that way you don't have to worry about any potential problems down the road. You have to ensure that your first hire is especially good so you can build confidence in hiring and allow yourself to go with your gut.
When you’re looking to hire or bring someone onto your team, it’s important to first get clear on what this person can help you with. Is there a task that you consistently procrastinate doing? Is there an aspect of your business that is outside of your zone of genius? These are all great qualifiers that can help you make the right choice. For Jill, this meant finding a top-notch video editor that can bring her personality through in her videos. This also meant finding someone to help manage, organize, and label the seemingly endless stream of emails.
You want to get as granular as possible when you’re making that first hire. Be very aware of what this job looks like now and what it’ll look like in the future. That way, you build a position with longevity and efficacy, and you’ll be able to write a proper job description should you need to rehire.
Hire people who really want it. Consider offering your candidates a project to complete with a deadline to make sure their skills, whatever they may be, are up to your standard. Sometimes people can be great interviewers, but not great workers. Give them a chance to prove themselves early so they can keep that energy as they join your team.
Your new hire doesn’t necessarily need to be in your timezone. Don’t hesitate to go outside of your area to find an assistant. There is a pool of incredible candidates that are ready to work for you virtually, and who have something to prove. You won’t regret it.
Key Takeaways
- Hiring can be emotionally draining. It can also be expensive. You want to make sure that you find the right person upfront because when your first hire is especially good, you can build confidence in hiring and allow yourself to go with your gut.
- Get clear on what this person can help you with. Is there a task that you consistently procrastinate doing? Is there an aspect of your business that is outside of your zone of genius? These are all great qualifiers that can help you make the right choice.
- Be very aware of what this job looks like now and what it’ll look like in the future. That way, you build a position with longevity and efficacy, and you’ll be able to write a proper job description should you need to rehire.
- Hire people who really want it. Consider offering your candidates a project to complete with a deadline to make sure their skills, whatever they may be, are up to your standard. Sometimes people can be great interviewers, but not great workers. Give them a chance to prove themselves early so they can keep that energy as they join your team.
- Your new hire doesn’t necessarily need to be in your timezone. Don’t hesitate to go outside of your area to find an assistant. There is a pool of incredible candidates that are ready to work for you virtually, and who have something to prove. You won’t regret it.