7 Traits to Look for When Hiring for Your Startup

Bad hiring could kill your startup. I experienced this firsthand.

But after interviewing 10,000+ people, I identified 7 traits you should look for when hiring:

— adriane schwager (@aschwags3) June 5, 2023

I know: 10,000+ people? That must be fake!!

But it's true:
7+ years in HR / Recruiting for a hedge fund. 2+ years of leading Growth Assistant.

With sprints, "normal interviews", group interviews and some networking convos, I turned into an interview.

So, let's get started:

— adriane schwager (@aschwags3) June 5, 2023

1. Undeniable problem solving

An employee who can solve their own problems can save a manager precious time. Great problem solvers know how to set reasonable expectations, weigh several options, and find solutions without creating problems for others.

— adriane schwager (@aschwags3) June 5, 2023

2. Being adaptable in any situation

Life happens. The person you want to hire has to be someone who can deal with the learning curve that comes with a new job position.

Especially in our crazy new remote world.

— adriane schwager (@aschwags3) June 5, 2023

Questions that will help you determine their adaptability:

Are you someone who can adapt to different work environments?

How do you stay motivated when taking on a new project or task?

Tell me about a time someone asked you to do something outside of your job description?

— adriane schwager (@aschwags3) June 5, 2023

3. A knack for high-level communication

Clear communication is essential when trying to create a healthy work environment. Determine if a candidate can deal with some of the day-to-day challenges they’ll likely face if you hire them.

— adriane schwager (@aschwags3) June 5, 2023

Whether that’s handling unsatisfied customers, working independently or with a team, or paying close attention to detail.

I’m always curious to know what a candidate’s preferred communication style is.

— adriane schwager (@aschwags3) June 5, 2023

In my experience, a person can be aggressive, passive, assertive, or passive-aggressive. Each communication style is unique and should be approached accordingly.

— adriane schwager (@aschwags3) June 5, 2023

4. Knowing how to be flexible

96% of US professionals say they need more work flexibility but only 47% have it. That creates a large gap and as an employer it’s your job to decide how flexibility will be approached.

— adriane schwager (@aschwags3) June 5, 2023

For example, when a coworker calls in sick, will they manage their responsibilities? When extra work needs to be done, will they lend a hand even if it’s not in their job description?

Flexibility applies both to you as an employer and the employee.

— adriane schwager (@aschwags3) June 5, 2023

5. An eagerness to learn

It's no secret that employees are easier to teach. They’re typically more receptive and have strong listening skills.

— adriane schwager (@aschwags3) June 5, 2023

This can be a match made in heaven if the job requires them to move quickly in a fast-paced environment. Similarly, an eagerness to learn can make team communication more seamless.

— adriane schwager (@aschwags3) June 5, 2023

6. Understands how to research and find answers quickly

No one has the right answer in front of them all the time. Having employees who can search, discover, and turnkey research to other team members can streamline your workflows and help you save a remarkable amount of time.

— adriane schwager (@aschwags3) June 5, 2023

Ideally, they don't just bring the problem, but also a suggested solution.

"How can I reach my lead goal?"

vs.

"I'm currently trending below goal. Here are three things, I want to do to improve my trajectory. What do you thing of those ideas and what else could I try?"

— adriane schwager (@aschwags3) June 5, 2023

7. Analytically savvy

Some candidates have amazing soft skills but lack technical skills. That's where an analytical candidate becomes highly valuable.

In our data-driven world, more and more roles require a good understanding of KPIs.

— adriane schwager (@aschwags3) June 5, 2023

I like to ask:

What's the toughest decision you've ever made at your previous job? How did you determine this decision was the right decision?

Questions like this help me get a feel for how well the person gathers data, makes informed decisions, and resolve conflict.

— adriane schwager (@aschwags3) June 5, 2023

Bonus tip: Follow your gut

When someone is a great fit on paper and checks all the boxes, but you still hesitate to make an offer - trust your gut.

Trusting my gut would have saved my business a lot of headaches. Here's the story: https://t.co/6zrOptkpqK

— adriane schwager (@aschwags3) June 5, 2023

One way to nail hiring is to use a trusted partner.

With GrowthAssistant we embed offshore full-time team members to help with rote marketing tasks like reporting, design etc. 100 companies trust us - companies like ClickUp, DoorDash, Hubspot etc.

Done right, it's magic

— adriane schwager (@aschwags3) June 5, 2023

Leveraging global talent is one of the best ways for lean growth. Keep growing, keep adding capacity to your team but also help your bottom line.

Lean Growth.

If you want to learn more, head to our website: https://t.co/SpMuhwaion

— adriane schwager (@aschwags3) June 5, 2023

If you enjoyed this thread, follow me @aschwags3

I’ll share more lessons from growing @growthassistant to $9M+ ARR — stories about bootstrapping, hiring and entrepreneurship.

— adriane schwager (@aschwags3) June 5, 2023