The Right Stuff

 

In today's economy, headcount is scarce. Let's face it: We have all done a lot of hiring over the past five years or so. Everyone was busy leaving for a better opportunity. Hiring has been a challenge because you were so busy selling the job you were offering. Now, the tables have turned. You have to make every member of your team count.

How do you ensure that you are hiring the right person? This is not a science--it's mostly art. You have to trust your instincts and follow your gut. If you have any doubt at all, it is likely not a fit. You should be elated to have a new hire coming aboard.

Evaluate the Required Skill Set
Write down all the skills you think this person needs to be successful at the job. Now prioritize those items. It is not realistic to think that you are going to find a person who is an expert at everything on the list or even has every skill on the list. If they have the majority of the skills and are highly talented in a few, that is likely a good fit from a skill perspective. Even if they don't have a majority of the skills, they may have the highest priority skills.

Find the Right Mix of Talent for Your Team
Most technical teams require a broad range of technical skills. It's not likely that everyone on the team needs to have every skill. Figure out how many people you have on the team and what your ultimate team looks like from a skill perspective. …

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