How to hire and retain the best employees: personal experience

History 1. Catherine the Great

In 2012, I was in charge of testing department software for iOS and Android in the developing company. The department was 4-5. The floating figure is due to the fact that the work were final year students with no experience, who quickly studied and dismissed, if not pouring into the software development cycle.

The average salary was $ 300 per person, for the student to a pretty good amount. So I always ask the budget for the trainee, who spoke by my insurance, if someone decides to leave. Sometimes I just increased the staff and get the right person.

I am well aware that such control is stressful, and it is necessary to motivate employees, not only financially, but also make them versatile professionals who could be raise the salary.

Once I was appointed team lead. He received 15% more than all the others, since it was more of a liability than other employees. But between the team lead and his subordinates (let it be Katya) disagreed. I tried the standard methods for conflict resolution, but did not get the result.

Then I decided to take a chance and try a method that completely breaks the paradigm of management: swapping them.

At the same time I kept the team lead manager salary, because we sent it in a responsible project as an artist. And yet raised to 15% of salary Kate, providing an opportunity to grow not only in material terms but also as a specialist. As a result, the cost was $ 50, but I got out a few times more than expected.

A month later, the team became two strong people who understand each other's motives. This decision strengthened the communication department and reduce the risk of dismissal team lead. At the same time Kate has grown as a leader, and later the department was placed under its sensitive management.

History 2. The mass interview

The second case - finding and hiring an accountant for a small IT-company, which operates in Delaware (USA), and has an office in Russia. I had to replace the accountant who could not cope with the reporting of all legal entities. This is a very important position, so take anyone I could not.

I started with what amounted to a fair description of the post, it agreed with the Director General and posted on HeadHunter. Since the vacancy popular reviews I got enough. I immediately weed out those who responded casually, bookmark the resume of those who almost came up, and called on the interview those who got me on all counts.

When I'm free to meet fit into my work schedule, I have used the service Doodle, where indicated. After that, I send a link to all the candidates, and they have chosen a convenient date. I waited until all determined over time, and confirmed the meeting.

Then I prepared an interview scenario for 30 minutes, 20 of which candidate tells about himself. Another 10 minutes is spent on questions and answers, and my story about the vacancy.

To evaluate the candidates, I formed a scale of four indicators:

• Burning eyes.
• Knowledge of the required software.
• An experience.
• Distinctive features.

And a half weeks I spent 35 interviews via Skype. In the end, I chose three people, one of which did not respond, and agreed with the CEO of a convenient time for the interview, which accounted for the remaining two candidates. Others wishing I immediately sent a refusal.

So I was able to find the right person for two weeks after the 342 examined applications and 35 interviews. This helped me a systematic approach, flexibility of thinking and lack of free time, which forces to do everything efficiently and in a short time.

History 3. Interviewing for a full day

The third story - about hiring eychar specialist and office manager in one person. Since the objectives of the company was a little, it could take one person at once on two positions.

I truthfully and in detail wrote about the position and placed ads in social networks and on HeadHunter. Everyone who responded and whose summary I liked, I sent a letter in which he proposed to come for the whole day in the office and be seen in. Naturally, it is paid for - by polsummy rate per day.

In this strategy has its advantages:

• The interview takes place in real working conditions.
• For the first time a person is trying to express themselves 150%.
• Applicant immediately sees what he has to work.
• the team itself can choose the person with whom they feel more comfortable just cooperate.

I saved time on conversations and pay for half the cost of labor without the lack of risk of loss. In this case, the candidates have completed all the tasks that need to be closed for two weeks.

The experiment was a success, everyone was happy. Someone came and tried, and received the money, someone tried to, but I still got them. But all the time the work was in full swing, all the tasks were completed on time. And employees themselves could choose someone who will be with them in the team.

Hired candidate met all expectations, it is actively working with grown salaries and independently controls many aspects of the work. All thanks to the fact that the company is not afraid to take a chance and spend the selection of the candidate is not half an hour, and as many as eight.

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Of course, it is impossible to apply the same approach to each job or company. Any position and company are unique, so we need to evaluate all the risks carefully select employees and competently install probation. The main thing - do not be afraid to experiment and be responsible for your project. After all, the only way to do everything efficiently.

see also

• 6 features really efficient employee →
• 3 types of people who will start the positive changes in your company →
• 5 ways to increase the efficiency of a small team →