
The Startup Ladies community would like to say a big THANK YOU to Jantina Anderson, Associate Director of Human Resources at Carrier, for leading, "The Strategy & Art of Expanding Your Team," at Startup Study Hall at Switchboard in April. Jantina shared successful strategies for knowing when and how to expand your team as part of your growing business.
As we all know, there is a lot to consider when making hiring decisions. Ranging from writing the job description, knowing where to post the position, how to choose the top candidates, what questions to ask the interviewee, and how to negotiate to offer, the path to hiring is a complex process. During this enlightening hour, Jantina demystified the whole process for us. Here are a few takeaways from Startup Study Hall:

1 - As the business owner, you have the opportunity to set the tone for the culture and values of the company. These can range from how your employees work together on projects, to how you show up in your community. Get clear on what is important to you, and what that means for the growth of your company.
2 - When hiring for an open position on your team, remember to include information about your company culture and values in the job description. These details are just as important to today’s candidates as the requirements and responsibilities of the role.
3 - When evaluating an applicant for an open role, consider the full range of skills and experiences the person brings in addition to the degree or qualifications they’ve achieved. Allowing flexibility in “required” and “desired” qualifications can result in finding a candidate with character traits and skills that are more in alignment with your company vision.

4 - When interviewing a qualified candidate for an open position, remember to ask several behavioral-based questions. This will help you determine what their approach is to a task list, how they prioritize multiple responsibilities, what type of energy they will bring to the existing team, and how well they work in a team environment.
5 - Asking candidates open-ended questions about their experience(s) around issues that are part of your company culture will help you determine if their values align with the company’s. While you can’t directly ask their beliefs or values, asking about their experience within these areas can be very revealing.
6 - Small business owners know that multi-tasking and flexibility are paramount in being successful. Asking candidates how they’ve handled complex projects or multiple deadlines will give you a good picture of their ability to take initiative and solve problems.

7 - Typically it takes an employee 12-18 months to “find their seat” within the company and to move past the dependency phase to a more proactive role. It takes a full 2-3 years for an employee to fully grasp the roles and responsibilities within the company.
8 - Replacing an employee can cost up to 60% of the position’s salary. To mitigate this, institute the value of documenting job responsibilities and tactics in SOPs that are shared and available company-wide.
9 - Beware of asking questions that are too personal in the job interview. The EEOC (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission) and SHRM (Society of Human Resource Management) are resources for candidates and employees who feel targeted by an employer.
10 - Utilize your network! Asking a peer to look over a job description is a great way to catch any oversights and to find creative questions for an upcoming interview.

We'd like to say a bigTHANK YOU to Switchboard for hosting Startup Study Hall in April. And THANK YOU to IU Kelley School of Business for sponsoring ALL of our Startup Study Halls!
If you missed this amazing opportunity to learn from an expert, a recording of Jantina’s presentation will soon be shared in our member portal on The Startup Ladies website. In the meantime, be sure to bookmark our Events Calendar to stay up-to-date on all of our upcoming events, and to secure your spot for each of them! From monthly Startup Study Halls and Investing 101 to seasonal Books Clubs and community events like the Pride Parade, there is a place for everyone at our inclusive events. We would love to see at one of our events soon!
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