Finding and Interviewing the Right Person (or People) for your Dream Team

Now comes the moment you have been waiting for:  Finding your perfect team members. If you missed episode 1 and 2 of this series you can read them here.
If you don’t already have someone in mind per position, here is how to ensure that you find and hire the best candidates for the job…

1. Find your perfect online employee or contractor… online. Before you start to Google, however, check the social networks you use most.  The best professionals should have a visible professional presence there – and how they handle their LinkedIn profile or Facebook Page should demonstrate their competence and the way they do business.

2. Check appropriate online directories for the niche of the team member.

(For a VA I suggest VAnetworking.com.) However, familiarize yourself with several for each specialty you plan to hire.  You may find that one particular directory will work better for your needs than others.

3. Look for who you know – both business peers and contractors. Who do you talk to on your social networks?  Business mastermind forums?  You don’t want to hire your best friend (that rarely ever works) but you probably have become familiar with people in certain fields over the years, even if they are just friends of friends.
   If you do hire someone you know personally, be aware that the comfortable dynamic you now enjoy may change – for better or worse – when you enter into an employer/employee or client/contractor relationship.

4. Ask for recommendations. Let your needs be known in a straightforward manner – and finish by asking for recommendations or leads.  A word of caution, the ‘perfect’ team member for one entrepreneur will not always work for others. Don’t automatically hire someone who is referred to you. Instead, put them through the same process you would an unknown lead. 

Narrowing Your Choices

Don’t stop at just one pick, unless that person promises to be beyond perfection, and that should be a red flag, or if you already know them and “click” with them. Select several candidates for each position on your team.
Once you have found several likely candidates (or they have contacted you), it is time for you to make more in-depth investigation and inquiries.

1. Check the websites of likely candidates. Look for information on rates – and don’t be put off if you see messages like “contact me for a quote”:  All this tells you is that this contractor has found projects vary greatly; in which case flat rates don’t work.

The more high-level the freelancers and the more complex the services they offer, the more they are likely to insist on you contacting them for individual quotes.

Don’t be afraid, however, to check out outsource contractors who offer package deals (e.g. “12 Research Hours per Month = “$240.00”).  This usually means the contractor in question is highly organized, well-experienced and is able to create a win-win situation for both you and her own business reputation and pocketbook.  You’ll get a modest “deal” on price in exchange for booking a set number of hours monthly.

2. Match the contractor level to your business level. This may be obvious, but some “go for the best” in the mistaken belief that the hot-whizz-bang contractor is going to run their business for them.

Don’t do this.  This will annoy the heck out of the contractor when they realize you don’t yet know many of the basics – and you’ll lose serious money.  (That’s assuming, of course, that they even agree to take on your project.)

What about Freelancers from Fiverr.com?

No doubt, if you are in an online business, you have heard others rave about “great rates” from Fiverr.  In fact, there are a handful of marketers right now who are basing whole programs on Fiverr labor, while teaching others to do the same.
Yes, it’s marginally less risky than using Craigslist, but there’s a right way and a wrong way to successfully use Fiverr.
The Right Way

• Check the category that looks most promising and the offer that appeals to you most. Look for literate candidates with realistic offers.  (E.g. “5 minutes transcription for $5.00”)
• Read all feedback and reviews. Look for the person’s website (they are not supposed to post this on Fiverr but (a) some do (b) there is nothing stopping you from searching!)

You should also check:

• Their overall Level and Rating
• How long they have been on Fiverr

 (Do this by clicking on the anchor text in the small profile in the right-hand sidebar: This will open up a page in graph form where you’ll be able to assess their performance at a glance.)

• Commission one small project to see how they perform. If deadlines are met and work is top quality, try a few more projects.  If delivery is consistent, ask if they would be available for regular monthly projects.  Offer them a fair rate (consider the Fiverr gig a “sample” of what they can do – and indeed, that is how new, but competent, online contractors use it).
• Interview them as you would any other contractor. And specify whether or not you want a “work for hire” arrangement, where you own copyright exclusively; or one where they will retain copyright.
• Agree on a trial period. After it is over, you will have to negotiate an ongoing rate and send them a contract (even if it is a “by the month” contract).

The Wrong Way:

• Find a contractor on Fiverr. Look for the most humongous, unrealistic amount of work offered for $5.00 (e.g. “I will design your entire website and set up your shopping cart for $5.00”.)
• Book a large amount of work. Don’t check the reviews.  Don’t use common sense to evaluate whether or not they are offering an unrealistic amount of work for $5.  Instead, be greedy and expect them to work forever for $5 per project – and thank you for it.
• Be very, very surprised when they lose heart or drop you like a hot potato because clients doing it the Right Way came along.

Sounds pretty ridiculous and unethical when you look at using Fiverr “The Wrong Way”, doesn’t it?
In other words, if something is too good to be true, you can bet it is.  Either the contractor is a complete amateur who has no idea what he or she is getting into or someone is out to scam you – which is okay, because if you are using this approach, you would be totally out to use that contractor and wring every last drop of work out of her like a dish cloth.
You will get the most out of Fiverr if you treat it as a “sample”.  Results can be hit-and-miss.  People can sound great but turn out to be lemons… or they can provide you with a sloppy job, work they don’t own the copyright to or other horror scenarios.
That being said, some great starts have been made on Fiverr – for both new contractors and new online business owners alike.

Interviewing Your Choices

Now it’s time to interview your new team members.  Some suggestions:

1. Send questionnaires. These allow you to really think about what you want your potential hire to know and what you want to ask.  They’re a good “introduction” for both of you.

2. Don’t make a decision on the spot. Instead, thank your candidate for her time, reassure her that you have really enjoyed getting to hear about her talents and business, and let her know exactly when she can expect to next hear from you.

If you are anxious about “losing” her if you don’t engage her immediately, try her out with a small project or project component.

3. You should realize online contractors will almost certainly have more than one client. Ask during the initial interview how much time they can offer you per month, should you decide you need them on a regular basis.

4. Encourage your candidate to ask detailed questions – and in turn, be specific about what your projects or duties for them would entail.

5. Let your candidate know how to contact you. And if you hire her, agree on a trial period, at first.

Hiring Order:

If you are planning to have more than one contractor as part of your dream team, consider your hiring order.
Don’t hire a project manager, for example, until you have something for her to sink her teeth into – either complex projects with multiple departments or suppliers at the client’s office or multiple sub-contractors of your own for her to manage.
Start out with someone you can easily communicate with and supervise yourself, even if you’re planning to add more team members.  That way, you have the option of getting the bugs ironed out and perfecting communication and processes between the two of you before you add more people to the mix.
Now you will be well prepared – and well on your way – to setting up your Dream Team!  Keep lines of communication open, remember that your contractors are ordinary people who want to succeed, just like you… and always remember to thank and appreciate them.
After all, they’re the ones willing to help you take your business to the next level, so be sure to return the favor with timely recommendations, raises and a dream working relationship.
What questions do you have about building your dream team? Have you found an outstanding resource for finding contractors? Leave me a comment – I would love to hear what other entrepreneurs are doing.