(#124) HIRE THE RIGHT PERSON
HIRE THE RIGHT PERSON
Finding and keeping top talent in this industry can be a major challenge as well as a major drain on our time and energy.
Join Tony Sousa and Barbara Savona for some tips on hiring the right person.
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YOU’RE ON THE STAGE TOO
Tony Sousa, Regional Manager at Embrey Management Services, provides a unique approach to talent acquisition in Multifamily.
When you think of interviews, you probably think of the interviewee as being the one that’s on the stage. After all, they’re the ones that have to answer all your pre-written questions. Wrong-o! Actually, that’s all wrong.
You (and your property management company) are on display too. Tony suggests to be willing to go off-script from those pre-written questions that you have sitting in front of you. That’s not to say that you shouldn’t be prepared. Always be prepared with questions that need to be asked, but just as you can’t learn the real heart and personality of someone through rehearsed interview answers, they can’t get to know the real you through rehearsed interview questions.
As you’ll hear Tony allude to, some of the best interviews he’s ever had has been when he is willing to let the interviewee get a glimpse of what it would be like to work with him. His philosophy on interviews is to have radical candor that allows both you and the person you’re interviewing to relax, let the walls down, and see if it’s a good fit.
My favorite part about interviewing Tony was that at the heart of everything he said was basically this:
GENUINELY CARE ABOUT PEOPLE EVERY STEP OF THE WAY.
And THAT is something my Sprout team and I can get behind!
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DON’T MISS THIS VIDEO:
First of all, don’t be too hard on yourself if a recent hire did not work out alright. Maybe they were great, but left for another opportunity… or maybe it got slightly uglier… the bottom line is, there is no 100% foolproof way to hire, however, here are four tips to recruit and retain leasing superstars.
1) CREATE A WISHLIST
Define your candidate wishlist on paper (not just in your head). Trust me on this, it will really help you to put this on paper. List two columns. Left column: write the word “Teachable. Right column: write the word, “Inherent.”
Teachable: list all of the skills or abilities you would like them to already have. Great conversion ratio, good telephone skills, able to handle complaints, etc. You would love them to have these abilities, but they don’t necessarily need to walk in the door with these skills- they are teachable.
Inherent: This one is a little trickier. The word “inherent” is simple, it’s something that is in someone - a permanent or inseparable element or attribute - a quality that someone is born with or possesses from an early age- it’s who they are on the inside. To me, these are the most important as you can’t teach them. I will not hire someone on our team that doesn’t have these three:
Drive. Not content with mediocre or complacent. They want more, they are ambitious and always looking for new opportunities.
Curiosity. Little kids are extremely curious. They ask “why” and then we follow that question up with another “why.” We are so interested in learning- I want lifetime learners as part of my team. Curiosity is a must.
Ethics. If they have a twinge of being unethical- run for the hills. There is no teaching this.
2) LOOK FOR CANDIDATES OUTSIDE OF OUR INDUSTRY
This is different, what we do next. It’s not posting to Zip Recruiter, LinkedIn, Craigslist, Monster, etc. It’s completely out of the box. I encourage you to look for people in unexpected places:-outside of our industry. Sometimes it’s fun to get a whole new perspective. Scout, with your team members, for the perfect candidate. Look at all the people you come across in the service industry- people that made you feel great. Drive cleaners, bank tellers, grocery store cashiers, teacher aids, receptionists, waitstaff, people in the hospitality industry…
3) SEND A PERSONAL INVITE TO INTERVIEW
I want you, the manager, to personally invite the candidates to an interview. If they end up being an employee, you’ve set the tone for a very good relationship in giving them this initial vote of confidence. There was something that you saw in them, that made you want them on your team.
4) ASK THE RIGHT QUESTIONS
This next section is about what you do in the actual interview process. Ask questions that tell you about their inherent qualities. Some suggestions:
Where do you see yourself a year from today, five years from today?
What motivates you the most?
How do you like to be appreciated?
What would you like to learn if time and money was not an aspect?
Discuss a time when your integrity was challenged.
Have you ever experienced a loss for doing what’s right?
What kind of task do you enjoy doing?
What kind of people do you not like to work with?
These questions help you really see their qualities and provide incite. Does this person have drive? Are they curious? Are they ethical?
People will tell you who they are on the inside- It’s up to you to listen. If you get this nagging feeling that something just isn’t right, ask more questions. If you don’t get a satisfying answer and that nagging feeling is still there, you’re probably right. Trust your gut.