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00:00:01
How to Hire for a Micro-Position
32 Plays3 months ago
- Why micro positions? They're perfect for handling specific tasks without the commitment of a full-time hire, making them ideal for growing businesses.
- How to identify areas in your business that need support.
- Steps to define, find, and integrate micro positions effectively.
- Real-life examples of how targeted hiring has transformed business operations.
Assessing Your Business Needs
- Introduction to Business Needs: Understanding where you need help is crucial before making hiring decisions. We'll explore how to conduct a task audit and prioritize tasks effectively.
- Task Audit: Track your daily activities to identify time-consuming tasks that do not require your expert touch.
- Prioritize: Focus on tasks that directly impact your revenue and client satisfaction. Consider if these tasks can be bundled into a single role.
Defining the Micro Position
- Role Definition: Clear role definition is crucial for attracting the right candidates. We discuss how to create a detailed job description that aligns with your strategic goals.
- Job Description: Draft a comprehensive description including responsibilities, required skills, and expected hours.
- Flexibility and Growth: Consider potential for role evolution to attract candidates interested in growth.
Sourcing Candidates
- Finding the Right Fit: We explore effective strategies for sourcing the ideal candidates for your micro positions.
- Industry Contacts: Use your network of vendors and industry contacts for recommendations.
- Online Platforms: Utilize LinkedIn, Indeed, and niche job boards to widen your search.
- Internship Programs: Tap into local educational programs for fresh talent.
The Interview Process
- Conducting Effective Interviews: Ensuring a good fit is essential. We'll cover how to structure your interviews to assess both skills and compatibility.
- Structured Interviews: Prepare questions that evaluate multitasking abilities and stress management.
- Practical Assessments: Assign relevant projects to assess skills, ensuring candidates are compensated for their efforts.
Onboarding and Training
- Integrating New Hires: A smooth onboarding process is key to successful integration. We discuss how to set up an effective training plan.
- Training Plan: Include shadowing, key introductions, and tutorials on business tools.
- Regular Feedback: Establish a routine for ongoing feedback to address any issues early on.
Legal and Administrative Considerations
- Staying Compliant: We discuss the importance of drafting clear contracts and ensuring compliance with local employment laws.
- Employment Contracts: Ensure all terms are clearly outlined.
- Compliance: Familiarize yourself with and adhere to employment laws to avoid legal issues.
Evaluating the Role’s Impact
- Review and Adapt: After integration, it's important to evaluate how the new hire has impacted your business.
- Performance Review: Assess how well the new hire meets their objectives.
- Business Growth: Analyze if the new role has allowed you to expand your clientele or enhance client satisfaction.
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Transcript
Introduction to the Podcast
00:00:02
Speaker
Are you a wedding planner just starting your business or have you been in the industry for just a few years? Do you want to build a profitable and enjoyable planning business that you're excited about every day? If the answer is yes, then you're in the right place. Welcome to the business of wedding planning podcast.
00:00:21
Speaker
I'm your host, Amber Peterson. I was a wedding planner for 10 years, a marketing strategist for service-based businesses, and now the owner of Planner's Lounge. I know what it's like to work so hard as a planner but not see the growth and profit you dream of. I also know that while you can be the most talented planner in your market, if you don't have the business foundation, it will be hard to continue growing.
Purpose and Goals of the Podcast
00:00:45
Speaker
I have seen so many talented planners burn out because they become frustrated with things unrelated to wedding planning, like finances, marketing, team growth, and operations. This is where the Business of Wedding Planning podcast and Planners Lounge come in. Our mission is to help you learn what it takes to build the business of your dreams with simple digital product solutions, educational content, and the support of our free community, the Very Important Planners Lounge, or VIP Lounge for short.
00:01:15
Speaker
I understand what it's like to work in this unique industry while having a lot on your plate. During my time as a planner, I had three daughters, bought and moved to two new homes, and launched two other businesses. I am excited to combine my education, industry experience, and passion to help you reach your business goals.
00:01:36
Speaker
Hi, friends. Welcome back to the Business of Wedding Planning podcast.
When and How to Hire Help
00:01:40
Speaker
Today, we're exploring how to make your first hire and why hiring for a micro position might be a great first step. As your business starts to grow, it's natural for the workload to become a bit overwhelming.
00:01:54
Speaker
It's a sign that you might need to hire some help, but for a lot of planners, the idea of hiring a full-time employee seems daunting or isn't even financially feasible just yet. Consider a microposition, which is a part-time or a contractual role that focuses on very specific tasks. Today, we're going to talk about how to effectively identify, hire, and integrate these positions into your business.
00:02:23
Speaker
The first step is to assess the needs of your business. Before you do anything actually hiring, it's really important to precisely understand where your efforts are currently going and where you might need some support. The first thing you can do is to conduct a task audit.
00:02:43
Speaker
You can do this by documenting every task you perform over a period of one to two weeks. This would include everything from client consultations, vendor meetings, email management, social media updates, other marketing tasks, anything that you do. Track how much time each activity takes and make a note about whether these tasks require your specific expertise or could potentially be handled by someone else.
00:03:11
Speaker
This documentation will be an important tool for identifying tasks that are essential yet routine, which could efficiently be managed through a microposition. Once you have that log, prioritize the tasks and categorize based on urgency and impact on your business.
00:03:31
Speaker
Identify which tasks directly contribute to your revenue and client satisfaction, and which are supportive yet non-critical. The distinction will help you understand which tasks can be grouped into a single microposition, making the role both substantial and justifiable. Next, you want to identify efficiency gaps.
00:03:51
Speaker
This means looking for tasks that are creating bottlenecks or inefficiencies in your workflow. Are there things that consistently delay other work or cause you stress? By pinpointing these, it could help you understand which areas of your business would benefit most from additional support, and it could potentially transform a pain point into a smooth process through strategic delegation.
00:04:14
Speaker
And finally, consider
Defining Roles and Finding Candidates
00:04:16
Speaker
seasonal needs. This is especially important for wedding planners. Assess whether some needs are seasonal or linked to specific phases of your business cycle. This could influence whether you hire for a permanent microposition or a temporary project-based role.
00:04:34
Speaker
If you understand the cyclical nature of your workload, it can help you better plan for peak times without committing to a year round employment, which optimizes your business for getting the most out of your hiring budget.
00:04:49
Speaker
By completing all these steps, you're thoroughly evaluating your business needs and you're setting the stage for alleviating workload, but also strategically enhancing your business operations. This careful planning it also is going to ensure that any new role is going to be beneficial and not create more stress for you down the road.
00:05:12
Speaker
Once you've identified where you need help in your business, the next step is to define the microposition. This involves creating a detailed job description that specifies the tasks and the responsibilities and also aligns with your business's goals. A well-defined role is essential for attracting the right candidate, people who are capable and motivated to grow along with your business. Let's dive into how to craft this role and ensure it meets your current needs and accommodates future growth.
00:05:41
Speaker
The first thing you want to create is a job description. Start by drafting a comprehensive description that includes a list of responsibilities, the skills required to perform these tasks, and the number of hours the job will entail each week or month.
00:05:57
Speaker
Be as detailed as possible about what the day-to-day duties will look like and specify any particular competencies or experiences that are essential. This clarity will help potential candidates understand the role fully and assess their own sit before applying. It will also help you attract individuals who are well-suited for the position. The next thing you want to consider is flexibility and growth.
00:06:22
Speaker
Consider how the role might expand or evolve over time. You could include potential paths for advancement or expansion of responsibilities based on the candidate's performance and the company's growth. Communicating that the position has room for development can attract ambitious candidates who are looking for long-term opportunity and are motivated to contribute to your success. You also want to think about cultural fit and interpersonal skill.
00:06:49
Speaker
Beyond the technical skills and responsibilities, emphasize the importance of cultural sit within your team and interpersonal skills. Micropositions often integrate deeply into small teams. So it's crucial that a new hire works well with existing staff and aligns with your company's values and work environment. So highlight traits such as communication skills, adaptability, and teamwork in the job description.
00:07:15
Speaker
This can be especially important if you're hiring someone that's going to help you on wedding days because there's a perception of what a wedding planner does and then there's the reality. So you want to be very clear about what actual work will look like.
00:07:32
Speaker
ah As my time leading a team for my planning business, I had a number of people come through that they really liked the idea of being a wedding planner, helping with wedding planning, but the reality of some of the things you do on a wedding day just did not match up and they didn't want to keep doing the job. So you really want to be very plain and transparent about what exactly the job requires.
00:08:00
Speaker
When you take time to very detail create a very detailed description of a microposition, you are setting yourself up for success and ensuring that the role is tailored to meet the specific needs you have in your business, while also offering potential for the candidate to have personal and professional growth.
00:08:24
Speaker
it's a lot easier to find the right candidate if you're putting out the right information than if you're just looking for something like wedding day assistant. You really want to be a specific so that the right people are coming to your job listing.
00:08:39
Speaker
So you've defined what you need in your business. You have created the job description. The next step is actually sourcing potential candidate. This phase can be challenging because you are to the point where you're actually meeting people. You're actually trying to start the hiring process. Don't get overwhelmed. Even if it's challenging, it's also exciting. And you get to meet people who might be ah joining your team and that's always going to be exciting.
00:09:09
Speaker
Sourcing candidates efficiently requires a pretty strategic approach. You want to leverage a variety of resources and tap into the widest talent pool possible. Whether this is through your professional network, digital platforms, educational institutions, any of these channels offers unique advantages. Let's explore some of the most effective ways to find ideal candidates for your microposition.
00:09:34
Speaker
In my opinion, the best place to start is with your industry contact. Utilize your existing network of vendors, venues, fellow wedding planners to start the conversation about people they may know that are looking for new opportunities or can recommend someone they trust.
00:09:54
Speaker
People within your industry might have people in mind or might even have their own part-time microposition people that might be looking for other clients and can help your business as well. Or they're people that they just know that like to help out. Getting recommendations from people who are in your industry can be really helpful to skip some of the back and forth.
00:10:18
Speaker
The next place you can look is online platforms. So LinkedIn, Indeed, specialized job boards that focus on the wedding industry. Any of these platforms allow you to reach a broader audience and attract candidates from various backgrounds. You can also post on your social media where many wedding professionals are, you know, they're showcasing their work, their people are so are seeing it, they're interacting with it. And so putting up a, you know, we're hiring post can be quite effective at bringing in a pool of applicant. The next thing to think about is internship programs.
00:10:55
Speaker
Local colleges and universities that offer programs in event planning or hospitality might have intern opportunities within their programs that align with your business. This is something you'd want to reach out to the college and see what are your requirements as the employer to offer an internship. But that is a great way to find people that are excited about event planning already.
00:11:20
Speaker
They're majoring in it in college. And also, most colleges, you do need some sort of internship, fellowship type hours. So this is a way that it can and help you both. Finally, if you already have existing team members or referral network of other professionals, you could also consider a referral program.
00:11:44
Speaker
Implementing your referral program incentivizes people in your circle to recommend potential clients. People tend to refer those that they believe are reliable and capable, which can increase your chance of finding high quality clients. So if you offer a small bonus or other incentive, it can motivate your network to help you find the perfect person for your micro position. You've gotten through all these steps. You have a pool of candidates that you're excited about and you're ready to interview.
Interviewing and Onboarding Process
00:12:13
Speaker
Now we've reached the interview process. Interviewing for a micro position is more than just verifying skills. It's about understanding the candidate's ability to sit within the dynamics of your business and how they'll manage the specific challenges of a wedding planning, business, team, all of the thing.
00:12:33
Speaker
A thorough and thoughtful interview interview process will help you assess their abilities and also their interpersonal skills that are crucial in the high touch environment of the wedding industry. So let's dive into how to structure the process to ensure you select the right candidate for your position. The first step is to hold a structured interview. Prepare a comprehensive set of questions that explore both the technical skills and the personality traits of the candidate.
00:13:03
Speaker
It's important to assess how well they can multitask, handle stress, and interact with clients and other important people in a high pressure environment. The next step is a practical assessment.
00:13:16
Speaker
Consider assigning a small but relevant project related to the role. If you're hiring someone to handle your social media, you could have them draft social media strategy, or if it's someone that's going to be actually helping you with wedding day execution, you could have them walk you through what a problem scenario, how they would handle it on the wedding day.
00:13:40
Speaker
I think it's really important when you're asking candidates to do work to show their skills. I'm a big fan of offering some sort of compensation for their time just because i I find it to be more professional and especially as my background is in marketing. If you're being asked to do a social media strategy for free, that can be a little off-putting just because what's to stop a business from putting that out there asking for social media strategies and then just taking the good ideas. I'm not saying that our listeners would do that, but I have had that experience when I was working in marketing. Even just a small hourly compensation for their time to do these projects I think is a very nice gesture and very professional.
00:14:29
Speaker
The other things you want to make sure you're a valid evaluating is their personality fit, which means are they professional? Does their demeanor align with your brand and culture? And since they'll be interacting closely with your team and your clients, you want to make sure that they'll represent your business well and can integrate smoothly into your operational flow.
00:14:51
Speaker
You also want to understand how they will handle situations that could be difficult. So questions like, tell me about a time you dealt with a difficult client or how have you managed a tight deadline can provide some insights into their problem solving and interpersonal skills. And finally, you want to make sure that they will be compatible with your company culture. You want to assess how well the candidate's values and work style mesh with the culture of your business.
00:15:20
Speaker
I know in most wedding planning businesses, it's a tight team. They are working very closely together. You want to make sure that they are going to sit in and work well with your team and it's not going to be disruptive, but it's going to be cohesive. Using all of these steps to go through the interview process should end with you finding the right person for the job and you being able to make an offer to bring them on.
00:15:50
Speaker
Let's imagine that you have gotten to the point where you have successfully hired a candidate, and now it's time to integrate your new hire into your business. Onboarding and training are critical phases where you set the foundation for your new employee's success and integration into your team.
00:16:07
Speaker
A well-structured onboarding process not only helps your new hire understand their role and responsibilities, but it also aligns them with your business's culture and goals. Effective training ensures that they are equipped with necessary tools and knowledge to perform their tasks efficiently, and it's going to help them feel set up for success.
00:16:26
Speaker
Let's talk about how to create an onboarding and training program that promotes quick adaptation and makes them feel confident in their new role. You want to start with a training plan. This is a detailed plan that covers all the essential aspects of your new employee's responsibilities.
00:16:45
Speaker
This should include practical shadowing opportunities, if that's applicable, where the new hire can observe and learn from experienced team members. You can also schedule formal introductions to key contacts like major vendors that you have and other important stakeholders within your business.
00:17:04
Speaker
If you can, provide comprehensive tutorials on your business tools and systems to ensure they're comfortable with the technology that they'll be required to use daily. You also want to provide regular feedback, so establish a routine for providing and receiving feedback from your new hire. Regular check-ins, especially in the very early stages of employment, are really important to address any concerns or issues promptly.
00:17:30
Speaker
These sessions allow you to make sure that the new hires performance aligns with your business standards and expectations, and it also gives them an opportunity to discuss any challenges that they're facing.
00:17:42
Speaker
Remember that when you start a new job, it can be very overwhelming. You're getting firehose with information. And so regular check-ins, let them take a breath, ask more questions, make sure that they are on the right track. You can also set goals and have a method of progress
Setting Goals and Legal Considerations
00:18:00
Speaker
tracking.
00:18:01
Speaker
Clear, achievable goals in the first few months are so important for your new hire to deal successful. Discuss these goals at the beginning to make sure they understand what is expected of them. You can utilize tools like performance trackers or regular progress reports to monitor their achievements and areas needing improvement. This helps the new employees stay focused and motivated, but it also provides metrics for evaluating their integration and effectiveness in your business.
00:18:30
Speaker
Finally, you wanna make sure that your new hire has accessibility to resources. This includes physical resources like office supplies and equipment, as well as digital resources like access to client management systems, vendor lists, planning software, anything they need to be successful. Create a resource guide or a digital plate a digital library where they can find important documents and information easily. Making resources readily available reduces downtime and confusion and helps the new hire become productive more quickly.
00:19:05
Speaker
One of the bottlenecks to the hiring process I have found when speaking with wedding planners is actually preparing for the onboarding process feels overwhelming. And so they decide, I just don't want to hire because I'm not ready to onboard.
00:19:22
Speaker
There are a lot of tools out there that can screen record when you're doing something, um can make standard operating procedure documents for you. The one thing I will say is if that is a bottleneck for you, investing in something or someone that can create the actual onboarding process and documentation is going to be a game changer in your business. And it's sort of for each role in your business, it's kind of you do it once. And then as someone is in that position, if anything changes, they can update it. If that's a sticking point for you, look into tools that are available that can help you create an onboarding process and documentation.
00:20:08
Speaker
When you're hiring someone into your company, there are going to be legal and administrative considerations. I am not a lawyer, so you are going to want to make sure that you consult a lawyer, an employment lawyer, or make sure you're in line with all of your state requirements when it comes to employment contracts, all the compliance that you have to meet for your individual state. But let's go through those broadly and then just make sure that based on where you're at in the country, in the world, you will want to make sure that you are meeting all local requirements.
00:20:44
Speaker
So employment contracts. You want to have comprehensive employment contracts that clearly define the scope of the role, compensation details, working hours, and any other conditions. Make sure that the contract also covers confidentiality agreements, compliance with company policies, and conditions under which the employment could be terminated.
00:21:05
Speaker
As I mentioned before, you also want to familiarize yourself with and comply with all relevant local and national employment laws. This includes understanding rights and obligations regarding part-time and contract workers such as wage laws, benefits, taxes, working conditions, etc. Compliance helps you avoid legal pitfalls and it supports ethical business practices.
00:21:29
Speaker
Next, insurance, liability, assess you want to assess and secure um appropriate insurance and liability coverage if applicable. This might include workers compensation, liability insurance, and any other relevant policies that protect both your business and its employees. Make sure you have the right coverage to minimize risk and provide security for both you and your staff.
00:21:52
Speaker
And finally, you want to establish a systematic approach for documentation and record keeping for all employees. This includes maintaining files on employment history, performance evaluations, and any disciplinary action. Proper documentation is not only a legal requirement, but also crucial for managing ah HR processes smoothly and effectively. And it provides a reliable audit trail that can be invaluable during any disputes or anything that unpleasantness you might have to deal with when terminating an employee. And finally, the last thing you want to do when you're working on hiring and have hired is evaluate the role's impact on your
Evaluating the Impact of New Roles
00:22:35
Speaker
business.
00:22:36
Speaker
After the initial integration and training period has passed, it's really important to assess the tangible impact of your new employee on your business operations and overall success. This evaluation is crucial for measuring an effectiveness of the position and also for identifying potential areas for improvement or further investment.
00:22:56
Speaker
By analyzing the impact of the new role, you can provide valuable insights into how well your staffing strategy aligns with your business goals and can help you make future decisions about more employee hiring.
00:23:10
Speaker
Let's look at the key areas you should focus on to gauge the effectiveness of the microposition and its contribution to your business. First, performance reviews. Conduct detailed performance reviews to us assess how well the new hire is meeting their predefined objectives. Are they fulfilling their responsibilities as you outline in their job description? You can also evaluate whether your own workload has become more manageable with their addition to the team.
00:23:36
Speaker
This review should be considered both the qualitative and quantitative aspects of their performance, such as efficiency and quality of their work. When you're planning your performance reviews, one tool that I really like is a 30, 60, 90 plan. So you have a plan that is, what are the goals for 30 days, 60 days, 90 days, where should they be? So you can even do like a mini performance review at each of those touch points, 30, 60, 90 days, so that you know that everything is moving forward. And also if there are areas for improvement, it's not only addressed after, you know, three months.
00:24:11
Speaker
So the next thing you want to look at is business growth. Has the introduction of this microposition enabled you to expand your clientele or has it had a noticeable effect on client satisfaction? Has their role allowed you to take on more projects or improve the quality of service provided to your clients? Assessing these factors can help determine the role's direct impact on your business growth and customer satisfaction.
00:24:35
Speaker
Hiring for a micro position can be a strategic and economical way to expand your team. By assessing your needs, defining the role, finding the right person, and managing the onboarding process, you can enhance your operational efficiency and keep your focus on growing your business.
00:24:51
Speaker
I know this was a lot of information in one episode, and so I encourage you to check out the show notes, but also look at people in your own local community that your own local wedding planning community who have hired and ask them questions. Hiring does not have to be such a daunting endeavor. Ask questions, look at what you need, and I promise that if you need to hire, and once you get through all this, you will be happy.
00:25:19
Speaker
Thank you so much for listening. Come back next week. We will be talking about more important topics related to growing a profitable wedding planning business.