To address a point Amy made, I am currently in a seeking mode right now, and I have had to apply to the more traditional jobs to see if any are biting.

One such was with a national office supply chain that has an in-store copy center. When Amy said: “I don???t think there is one right way to hire, and I believe that the growing tendency to generalize and automate is making a difficult process even more so.” I thought of my experience of having to take an 80-question automated questionnaire about my trust and “have I stolen anything” and “what happens in this situation” and such like that.

My point is, it’s rather scary that if you answer one question one point off from where you would have “passed” the question, it may discard your results before it gets anywhere close to hiring managers at the corporate level. I find that disturbing.

I should also mention the stores that still insist you get on their computerized system to fill out an application. It is the exact same as doing it from home, so you still never get the traditional pen-and-paper approach to applying.

In short, automation in a hiring process is impersonal and can be tragic for those who think that is the only way.

Thanks again for these tips Jeb!

I think your approach is very interesting indeed but smart at the same time. While it may seem odd that employees do not go “Full-Time” right away, what better way for both parties to really know if it’s going to work. By starting out in a “trial” status you and the employee have time to review how the fit is with the company, therefore a decision to move on or part ways can be facilitated
a little easier. I like your stance on this and have heard good things about “Small Box” numerous times, so you must being doing something right.

In my opinion you need to do what works best for you. If an employee is truly passionate about the work and what the company stands for, they should be willing to take a risk on something that could be a great opportunity.

In regards to the other opinions regarding Resumes, I personally don’t find it indicative of their skill set on the computer or in utilizing an application to help my clients realize their vision for their website or software project. I think a trial run with a gentleman’s agreement, as well as a contract to hire can help draw the talent in.

On letting employees do freelance work after hours – I feel this needs to be addressed before they accept any position. I have no problem with someone growing their name and portfolio, but more often than not it interferes with relationships I have personally brought to my company, so I have made it a rule that if someone works to build my company, they’re going to have a non-compete for my clients and clients I am currently in discussion with. I feel it is fair and doesn’t scare the would-be entrepreneurs that always seem to find me.

There’s a difference. Jeb and I are friends. We were roommates, we were in bands togther, we socialized. We went to each others weddings and saw each other’s kids as babies.

Our recent hires, we like them, but it isn’t that same kind of friendship. First and foremost they are talented people that we want to work with, nice hard working people, the type we like having around. We started working with them as associates and introduced from within our network for the most part.

There’s upsides to working with friends. Okay I am going back to work.

Hiring friends? It depends on why you are hiring friends. If I had a friend who has had a hard time staying employed, I would be more difficult for me to believe that (s)he would get the needed epiphany about why (s)he has a hard time staying employed simply by working for me. On the other hand I have found that the right friends can bring balance and synergy to the work situation.

I don’t think there is one right way to hire, and I believe that the growing tendency to generalize and automate is making a difficult process even more so.

You have to be “special” to work at Jeb’s place and I know almost all of them. They are a great team – that works well and plays well together. They always come through when asked and I don’t know anyone that’s had a bad experience with Small Box.

Keep doing what you are doing and keep telling people how you are doing it. Sooner or later, they’ll get it.

The paradigms that have been built around traditional work and traditional work schedules are shifting, but slowly. An I/O research article that I read several years ago, predicted that we would ultimately end up as a contracted workforce. If that is the way work is heading, then, Jeb, you are ahead of the curve.

Regarding hiring friends, I’m not a fan of it, but if you can have a candid and open feedback session (good or bad)and neither party takes it personally, then it could work. I think personal boundaries and professional boundaries should remain separate. I do, however, love giving friends/family business opportunities to partner with organizations that I work for or with, and I see that as very different from hiring friends.

I think the hiring friends issue is an interesting one. I’ve seen widely different takes on that, all legitimate. I really think there is no one rule to follow. Obviously I don’t only hire friends but if I have someone I know that is highly qualified and a good cultural fit (shares sense of humor, work ethic, etc) then I don’t hesitate. I’ve had great experiences so far, over the course of 3 businesses and 10 years, but I could imagine others having a really bad experience and deciding not to take that path.

I spend a lot of time thinking about how best to retain top talent. I am in the restaurant industry and as everyone knows, a lack of high turnover is the exception rather than the rule. My strategy towards hiring is a little different and honestly, it’s worked quite well for me.

I do look at a candidate’s CV. Not so much to find out about a persons past accomplishments, but rather to learn two important pieces of information.
1) Is the candidate detail oriented? Writing a CV can be a major pain in the ass, and it can be pretty grueling if you care about its presentation. The paper, the type, the text, the structure, the organization, and the quality of its content create a snapshot for me. If there is a typo on your CV. You won’t be working with me.
2) Is the candidate articulate? The way a CV is written says a lot about their ability to communicate. In the world of hospitality, good communication skills is paramount and a well written CV can be indicative of strong communication skills (if you believe people write as they speak).

I hire every employee at the same rate of pay, no matter their level of experience, or expertise, and it is usually a very low rate of pay but I fast track exceptional talent.

I have hired friends, and wouldn’t do it again. Its not that I had really bad experiences, its just that I like to keep my professional life and my personal life separate, and blurring that relationship is just not for me.

I guess what it comes down to for me is learning as much as I can about a candidate, relying heavily on intuition and then putting them through a rigorous audition period. If they can survive that, there is a very good chance that we will cultivate a rewarding professional relationship with one another based on mutual respect, accountable freedom, and the opportunity for growth.