The Most Important Hires You’ll Make Are Your First Employees. So How Do You Spot a Good One?

We all know how important employees are to any company. Payroll is often your biggest expense. It takes A-plus employees to build a successful business, and if you’re going to spend most of your waking hours at work, why not spend it with people you enjoy?

I think hiring great talent is absolutely critical to get right, and it’s why one of my favorite questions to ask other founders is “What’s your favorite interview question?”

Doing so has helped me unearth some gems that I now include in my own interviewing practices–like the all-revealing “On a scale of one to 10, how lucky are you?” (which is an instant gauge of how positive and glass-half-full a candidate is — I love answers that are 8-plus).

Asking smart questions is helpful, but only when you know what to look for. Having spent my career in companies of all sizes, I do think there are specific qualities that make up a phenomenal early-stage employee–the person you want in the trenches with you when you’ve got fewer than 50 employees.

Here’s what to look for in your future star employees:

1. Generalists, generalists, generalists

Your biggest pain point today may be marketing. But what about tomorrow? In an early-stage company, you need well-rounded players who are willing to roll up their sleeves and figure out how to do anything and everything.

The best early hires I made at LearnVest could transition seamlessly from running a focus group to understanding our customer acquisition stats to reviewing a legal doc. They were title agnostic and open to pitching in wherever they were most needed. While it might seem counterintuitive, deep expertise in a niche area is less important at this stage than finding an athlete who can do anything and everything.

Often, people who fit this description are inbound candidates. They’ve gotten scrappy and identified your company as an exciting opportunity. They want to be at a startup because they want to have a voice in shaping a company’s future. Ask questions like, “What gets you out of the bed in the morning?” to verify that their motivation is intrinsic and driven by a need to contribute in any and all ways.

2. No egos

One of my mentors once told me, “If you knew what it took to start a company, you’d never do it.” Building a company is hard.

That’s why there’s no room for egos–both literally and figuratively. For starters, chances are your first HQ will be small and a rude awakening for any employee coming from a corporate boardroom. But beyond that, everyone needs to check office politics at the door and bring a team-first mindset.

In the interview process, dig into how a candidate worked with others. Ask them to describe a group project they worked on. Is this someone who’s willing to do whatever it takes to help the team? (For example, before our first board meeting at LearnVest, I was the one cleaning the bathroom before our board members came in. At the end of the day, they appreciated how “all in” I was!) Does this person share credit and praise their co-workers?

Early-stage teams are often limited in the number of teammates, which means that everyone has to give that much more. Think of it as a startup golden rule: Be the kind of employee you would want to work with. For me, that means zero egos.

3. Believers

In the earliest days, your success isn’t tangible yet. Employees have to derive motivation from a bigger vision and unite around a shared mission.

Simply put, you can’t have any skeptics at this stage. Look for people who bring positivity, optimism, and a can-do attitude. It is these believers who will act as your culture builders, and once your company scales, they will help you carry your original mission forward.

It can be hard to spot this quality in an interview process, so be sure to spend some time on the topic in any reference calls you do. Try to understand how this person has weathered challenges in past roles (from someone other than the candidate).

4. Grit

Growing up, I was a competitive diver. One of the best lessons it taught me was grit. No matter how your dives go, you have to get back up on the platform and keep pushing yourself. You have to fully commit to every move you make, despite the pressure for perfection and the eyeballs on you.

You need that same grit in your early employees. There’s so much competition–both from incumbents and other startups that will inevitably appear in the same space. The curveballs are endless. Or, as I’ve said, being an entrepreneur is like getting punched in the face every day. Those who succeed are those who have grit, pure and simple. It’s OK to take a day off or walk around the block on a challenging day, but only the resilient ones who show up every day, ready to face the next task, make it.

I’ve long been a believer in setting goals that seem too far out of reach. When you strive for something that seems impossible, you’ll often end up going much farther than if you set the bar too low. The best gritty employees I’ve seen have been able to reach those far-out goals–because they continue to push and come up with creative solutions. In practice, this might be your business development lead who repeatedly gets a no from your dream partner. Instead of letting it lie, they come up with a creative solution to nudge the door open and end up inking a deal after all.

As the saying goes, “When the going gets tough, the tough get going.” The best startup personalities are those who are motivated by roadblocks. There’s no time to shut down for a pity party–you have to keep working harder, smarter, and better.

By: Alexa von Tobel

Source: The Most Important Hires You’ll Make Are Your First Employees. So How Do You Spot a Good One?

Get your Bulk Hiring happen in just 4 days with unlimited free job posting only at Freshersworld.com.(To register : http://corp.freshersworld.com?src=You…) ,This video will give you an insight about Ways to improve your hiring process. One of the most important ongoing tasks you’ll have as a business leader is hiring. It’s not easy, though; it’s a time-consuming process with monetary and reputational consequences if you make a bad hire. Taking the time to find the right person — someone who is not just technically capable but also a good fit for the company — is important. Companies that are successful in hiring have a process that includes attracting high-quality candidates, evaluating them in several different areas, and taking the time to get to know the people in different ways. Here are some tips to build and improve your own hiring process. 1. Job descriptions. If you’re not careful, the way your job posting is written can deter great candidates from applying. The more successful postings included statements such as “We seek to provide employees with constructive feedback to foster their career growth,” and “You will have many opportunities to collaborate with talented people.” The takeaway? Put more of the focus on what your company can do for potential employees, and you’ll attract candidates who better fit your needs. 2. Embrace digital trends and social media. Most people want to work for companies that keep up with the latest tech trends Another good way to embrace the digital side is to make sure your career site is mobile-friendly. 3. Focus on soft skills. Although the right skill set may seem like the most important factor in whether a candidate is a good fit for a particular role, the truth is that skills can be acquired, but personalities cannot. 4. Check social media profiles. Like most employers, you’ll probably do a background check (or at least a quick Google search on the candidate’s name) to see what comes up about that person online. But if you’re not looking through the candidate’s social media profiles, you could be missing a key way to find out more about the individual as a person and an employee — for better or for worse. While it’s legally risky to allow a candidate’s social media activity to factor into your hiring decisions, it can give you a better picture of someone you’re interested in hiring 5. Fit the personality to the job. A candidate’s personality is another important factor to consider. For example, a trait such as empathy would likely be much more important for a nurse or a social worker than it would be for a tax attorney or a computer programmer. 6. Improve your interviews. Eighty-two percent of the 5,000 managers surveyed reported that the interviewers were too focused on other issues, too pressed for time or lacked confidence in their interviewing abilities to pay attention to red flags candidates exhibited during the interview process. Do not overlook on factors like coachability, emotional intelligence, temperament and motivation. 7. Let candidates interview you, too. Allowing prospective employees to interview you will give you a chance to see what’s important to them. Plus, it will give candidates a chance to determine that they want to keep pursuing a job at your company, or to decide that it’s not the right fit for them. 8. Keep an eye on your reviews. Potential employees often seek insider information about companies they want to work for, and this includes salary estimates, interview tips and reviews from current and former employees. Top candidates may not even apply in the first place if they don’t like what they see: 69 percent of job seekers said they would not take a job with a company that had a bad reputation, even if they were currently unemployed. On the flip side, 94 percent of respondents said they’re likely to apply for a job if the employer actively manages the employer brand by responding to reviews, updating the company’s profile, and sharing updates on the company’s culture and work environment. And if you have a lot of negative reviews from former employees, it may be time to work on your company culture before you try to fill any open positions. Freshersworld.com is the No.1 job portal for freshers jobs in India. Check Out website for more Jobs & Careers. http://www.freshersworld.com?src=Youtube Here is the Android app of fresherworld.com now we are more closer to you : Link : https://play.google.com/store/apps/de… ***Disclaimer: This is just a training video for candidates and recruiters. The name, logo and properties mentioned in the video are proprietary property of the respective organizations. The Preparation tips and tricks are an indicative generalized information. In no way Freshersworld.com, indulges into direct or indirect promotion of the respective Groups or organizations.

Want More Productive Employees? Research Reveals that Managers Matter Most

Gallup has released compelling evidence that the most important factor for employee engagement and productivity can be summed up in one simple word: managers.

In fact, writes Sam Walker in The Wall Street Journal, after a decade of data from nearly 2 million employees, Gallup has proven that managers don’t just have a small influence on productivity; “they explained a full 70% of the variance. In other words, if it’s a superior team you’re after, hiring the right manager is nearly three-fourths of the battle.”

Good news, maybe, unless your organization has spent the last decade or so making it more difficult for managers to succeed–eliminating managers’ positions, making managers responsible for producing more work (instead of just leading people), cutting back on learning and/or promoting based on people’s expertise instead of their ability to lead team members.

Related Links: 25 Essential Productivity Statistics for 2020

There is so much you can do to address these issues; for example, read Justin Bariso’s piece on how Google identified core people-leading behaviors and then trained managers on how to develop those behaviors.

But I suggest you start by helping managers develop one core competency: the ability to communicate effectively with team members. In fact, out of the 10 attributes Google targets, seven are based on communication skills: is a good coach, empowers people, creates an inclusive team environment, listens and shares information, supports career development by discussing performance, has a clear/vision strategy for the team and collaborates across the company.

Despite the importance of communication, managers are often poorly prepared for their role as key communicator. They may not have the skills, the knowledge or the confidence to communicate effectively. And many managers think of communication as “something else I have to do” rather than an integral part of their job.

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What should companies do to set managers up for success? Take these 5 steps:

1. Make sure you clearly articulate communication roles. Be specific about what and how leaders communicate–and what you expect managers to share. Ask your HR manager to include communication into managers’ job descriptions so the expectation is baked into their role.

Of all the skills managers need, effective communication is perhaps the hardest to improve. This is because communication isn’t a single skill. It’s actually a complex set of skills that build upon one another. Through my firm’s work with managers, we’ve identified these skills–25 in total–and organized them into a hierarchy of skill groups, starting with foundational skills and building to more advanced skills.

2. Hold managers accountable for engaging their team members by providing reinforcement in performance management and pay.  You know the problem: Unless communication is part of the formula to give managers raises or bonuses, it won’t be a priority. So make communicating essential to managers’ success.

3. Invest time in making sure managers understand content. Especially if the topic is complex, a 20-minute presentation is not enough to make managers comfortable. To design sessions that give managers the confidence they need to present, try the following:

 
  • When planning to brief managers, allocate at least 90 minutes for the meeting.
  • If possible, get everyone together face to face. If your office is too distracting, consider taking managers off site.
  • Of course you’ll present content, but presentations should be the shortest part of the meeting. Allow at least 50 percent of the time for questions and dialogue.

4. Create tools to help managers share information. You might consider:

  • A very short PowerPoint presentation. Managers won’t give a detailed presentation, but they will use a short (5-8 slides) PPT to share highlights at staff meetings and during one-on-one discussions.
  • A one-page guide that makes it easy for managers to have everything they need. This guide that contains all essential information: what is changing, when, why and how.
  • FAQs. Compile Frequently Asked Questions in a document that provides the questions employees are likely to ask, along with the answers managers need. The key is to include the toughest questions so managers are ready any time team members approach them with a question.
Related Links: 25 Essential Productivity Statistics for 2020

5. Develop a microsite or a social network group
It’s the perfect place to house resources and build skills. Make it social by including discussion threads, so colleagues can share challenges and solutions. Provide access to on-demand learning that can be accessed quickly when faced with a challenge.

Once you start providing managers with support, ask for feedback to determine which methods have the greatest impact.

By: Alison Davis

Related Links: 25 Essential Productivity Statistics for 2020

 

Why Companies Should Let Employees Work Remotely And Travel More

Caroline Pinal is the Cofounder of Giveback Homes.

“While working remotely and employee volunteer programs are both on the rise, there are still many companies and leaders that haven’t realized the value of letting your employees commute less and travel more, especially for social good,” says Caroline Pinal, the cofounder of Giveback Homes. The social good real estate company has built hundreds of homes for people in need across the U.S., in Puerto Rico, Nicaragua and Mexico.

Through Giveback Homes, Pinal works with real estate agents and brokerages across the country to provide them with impactful volunteer opportunities and projects to donate to and support. The company also offers its community with marketing and communication tools to help share their philanthropic endeavors with their clients, friends and family. “My favorite part of the gig is leading a group of realtors to Nicaragua to help build homes for families in need,” Pinal says. “We do it once or twice a year and it’s always so cool to see people experience that for the first time.”

Like many people, Pinal always had it in her heart to travel abroad and do good in the world, but she didn’t have the resources, funds, or time off to make it happen. It was just something she dreamed of doing “someday” when she was older and more established. And then she found a job at TOMS. The company, which pioneered the “buy one, give one” business model with its shoes, sent Pinal on a giving trip to El Salvador where she helped distribute shoes to children in need. “I look back on that experience and think how incredible that my job not just encouraged, but provided that opportunity to travel and give back to me and every employee? And why is that so still rare?”

During that time, Pinal also met her now best friend, Blake Andrews, who worked at TOMS with her. A few years later, the two had the idea of applying the TOMS model to the real estate world, and together they founded Giveback Homes. Part of their business model involves giving employees the opportunity to work remotely and travel, which she feels is her life purpose. “We take realtors from all over the country on social impact experiences. We’re building homes, getting people out of their comfort zones, and connecting them with people from other countries in a way that will impact them forever and inspire them to do more,” Pinal explains.

“It’s obviously standard for companies to give vacation days or paid time off, but most people (understandably) use that time for vacation,” Pinal says. “What if in addition to vacation, companies offered paid opportunities to travel and volunteer abroad? Salesforce, Timberland, Patagonia, and IBM are among the companies that currently offer paid volunteer abroad opportunities to their employees. What if every Fortune 500 company – and even smaller companies like TOMS – did the same? Imagine the impact that would have on the countries and people they’d be helping around the world and in the lives of the employees.”

Pinal offers these reasons why more companies should offer their employees paid opportunities to volunteer and more flexibility in their everyday work:

  • Engagement increases: Everyone wants to be part of something bigger than themselves. Employees come back feeling inspired, rejuvenated, and more engaged at work.
  • Employee retention improves: Schedule flexibility and work from home opportunities play a major role in the decision to take or leave a job, especially for Millennials who are seeking more rewarding and unconventional lifestyles.
  • Networking happens on another level. One of my favorite things to do is wander a city, any city, and find a spot to eat a meal at a bar and chat it up with my waiter, my taxi driver, the local merchant. I’ve met amazing people and connections have had unexpected benefits to my business.
  • The work still gets done! Gallup reports that workers who spent 60-80% of their time away from the office had the highest rates of engagement. They become more productive in unlikely places. Working at a desk under florescent lights isn’t always the most inspiring or motivating environment. I am most productive and creative while flying on planes. Most of my ideas, writings, or reading happens in the air. And I make it a goal of mine to always come back with an outline of a project or the start of a new idea for our company.

Follow me on Twitter or LinkedIn. Check out my website.

MeiMei Fox is a New York Times bestselling author, coauthor and ghostwriter of over a dozen non-fiction books and hundreds of articles for publications including Huffington Post, Self, Stanford magazine, and MindBodyGreen. She specializes in health, psychology, self-help and finding your life purpose. Fox graduated Phi Beta Kappa with honors and distinction from Stanford University with an MA and BA in psychology. She has worked as a life coach since 2009, assisting clients in developing careers that have meaning and impact. At present, she lives in Paris, France with her twin boys and the love of her life, husband Kiran Ramchandran. Follow @MeiMeiFox

Source: Why Companies Should Let Employees Work Remotely And Travel More

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The Biggest Roadblock To Improving Employee Well-Being – Alan Kohll

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Employee well-being can’t thrive without a supportive culture. Why? Because a company’s culture sets the foundation for employee health, happiness and success. While a company might have a workplace wellness program in place, if they don’t have a supportive corporate culture, many employees won’t utilize the program or benefit from it.According to Virgin Pulse’s fourth-annual State of the Industry survey of over 1,000 HR leaders, workplace culture is the biggest roadblock to improving employee well-being and engagement…..

Read more: https://www.forbes.com/sites/alankohll/2018/09/18/the-biggest-roadblock-to-improving-employee-well-being/#6cd592aee0d3

 

 

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