Hiring Process

Here's the process for hiring a new team member. If this is a rehire, see 'Specific Job Descriptions' below for job descriptions & position-specific questions for existing positions. Review these and update with any new needs, job tasks, etc. before moving forward, and use the job-specific wikis to supplement this one.

Specific Job Descriptions, Questions, & Processes

Handyman / Maintenance Technician (Treaty Oak)

Client Concierge

Marketing Assistant

Setting up the Job Posting

Clearly state job description
- Always include a caveat that we're a small business and their job will not be limited only to this. There will be random tasks they're asked to help out with.
- Include the upsides to the job: "Great for someone who doesn't like to be deskbound all day."
- Include the downsides to the job: "The right person can deal with last minute challenges from a client with a smile."
Create a list of personal qualities & skills we're looking for that will be critical to the position.
Include a qualifier like, "Please include your resume as a PDF file. Please include a quick description of why you think you'd be a good fit for the job and why you're interested in the job, as well as 2-3 professional references."
- People who can't follow these directions are probably disqualified.
Include a request for available dates/times for interviews:
- "When are you available for an interview or phone screen? Please list 2-3 dates and times or ranges of times."
US Jobs: Post the job on https://www.indeed.com/ & https://ericbramlett.com/about-us/available-positions/
- $10/day for 5-10 days
- Include one appropriate test (indeed has pre-set 10-15 minute tests)

Interview Process

Phone Interview

Set up a 10 minute phone interview with the applicant. Use the following qualifying questions. Print these questions & notes here.

Are you available full time?

Red flag if they plan to keep a side job.

There may be times where we have overtime opportunities on the the weekend and/or during the week. Are you available for overtime?

Red flag if they plan to keep a side job.

What are your salary/income requirements?
Do you own a computer or a tablet?

Good if they have a computer. Somewhat of a flag if they do everything from their phone.

Do you have a reliable vehicle?

Disqualifier if they don't have a reliable vehicle.

What area of town do you live in (ZIP or neighborhood)? We usually require employees to be within ~30 minutes from the office with traffic.

Red flag if they live more than 30 minutes from the office in traffic. Disqualifier if they live more than 30 minutes without traffic.

Could you tell us a bit about yourself?
What are the reasons you chose your career & what interests you about this job?

"I just need a job" is a (surprisingly common) red flag, unless the role is temp/non-key/entry-level. Even then, with entry-level jobs a good candidate should still be able to state the benefits of experience they may acquire.

Take notes & use your gut. Will you invest an hour of your time to meet with this person for an interview? If yes, then move to the next step with this applicant.

In-Person Interview

Once you have a set of applicants, schedule a time with each for an interview. Plan around ~30 minutes for this, and if you're interviewing multiple applicants in the same day, make a schedule and space them out more.
Set up a Google Doc with information on each applicant. Include names, contact info, link to a resume, and continually update with notes on their quality of communication, response time, and any other relevant info.
2 business days before the interview, send the following message. Ask to complete 16personalities.com and email it over prior to the interview, as well as the typing test at https://www.keyhero.com/free-typing-test/. Record this on the applicant's Doc.

Recipients: Applicant

Title: Interview Reminder + One Quick Question

{GREETING}

I wanted to send a quick follow up to confirm our interview on {DAY / DATE / TIME} at {{LOCATION}}. The interview will take ~30 minutes. If you can please respond to confirm that you’re coming, that would be appreciated.

Prior to our interview, can you please complete the personality profile at 16personalities.com and forward me the results? This helps us understand how you work best and is a big help. Likewise, can you please take this quick (1 minute) typing test and send me the results? https://www.keyhero.com/free-typing-test/

Thanks!

{SIGNATURE}

In-Person Test Questions

It's extremely helpful to have a set of test questions for the interviewee to answer as soon as they get to the office. No matter how basic a role, put together a set of test questions if we don't already have a set. Here is a list of what we have:

Treaty Oak Maintenance Tech

Bramlett Client Concierge

In-Person Interview Questions

The following questions should be asked in person. These are somewhat fluid questions and you don't need to ask all of them. Make sure and take notes. Note the applicant's behavior, body language, etc... These questions are intended to determine if this person will fit into our company's culture of self-sufficiency & hard work.

Print this form to conduct the interview questions

Note: More great info on assessing 'prioritization' questions, as well as additional questions here: https://resources.workable.com/prioritization-interview-questions)

Conducting the Interview

At the interview, greet them, offer a water, and then have them run through the independent test questions using before the verbal interview.
A note on lateness: If an applicant arrives late to the interview, and especially if they do not proactively apologize and state why, this is a massive red flag. Applicants that don't show up at least 5 minutes early indicate either a lack of preparation or that they just don't care enough about the position. Use your judgement on whether or not to move forward with the interview at all (you may be wasting your time).
If they did not send the 16personalities.com test and/or the typing speed test, have them take both tests. Save/note the results and whether or not it was sent in previously.
Have them take the written test and save the results.
Conduct the interview questions.
Did the interview go well? Ask them if they can provide references. (Noted on form)
If this team member is going to be working remotely (full time or as little as 1 day a week), ask them about their at-home workspace. Send them our notes on building a productive workspace at home, find out how they have things set up, and get a shot of their workspace to see if you can provide more helpful tips: https://support.bramlettpartners.com/article/603-workspace

Rating the Candidate

We want to ask a set of questions:

Are there any yellow flags?
Are there any red flags?*
Are there any factors which would technically disqualify this candidate? (Too far from office, no car, etc)*
What about them do we think would be good assets for the team?
What about them do we think could cause issues for the team, but are not necessarily red flags?**
If there are yellow flags or personality flaws: can we work with them, and what would it take to do so? Is it worth it to spend that extra time/effort?
More subjectively: do you like this person? Aside from their assets & possible flaws, do you think you would enjoy working with this person? Someone may be effective in their position, but not a right fit for the team or for the culture.

*If yes to these, then the candidate is disqualified.

** We can work with some personality flaws, everyone has them, we just need to identify if they're the kind we can work with.

Obviously people can't be accurately quantified by a single number, but if you had to, and you removed the number 7, what number would they score? Never rate a candidate a 7. We only want to work with the top people, and it's too easy to place people in the 'average' category.

References

Checking references is critical and is a last step. If you're excited about hiring this person, make sure we get references. Send the following email:

References for {JOB POSITION}

{GREETING}

It was great meeting you! Could you send over contact info for 3 professional references (3 coworkers would be great.) We understand the sensitivity of asking current coworkers for references, so references from past jobs are absolutely fine. We don't want to cause any advance concerns with your current employer, so if you'd prefer not to provide info for current coworkers, then we're totally fine with that.

Thanks!

{SIGNATURE}

Call the references for more info. Our intention with checking references is primarily to verify that the candidate is truthful in the information about their past work. We want to keep questions few, minimal, and to the point. Ask along the lines of the following:

Did you work with this person and what was their role?
Was this job primarily {END TO START DATE}?
What was it like to work with them?
We're big on helping to develop people that we work with. We're leaning towards a "Yes" with them, is there any areas where you think we could help them improve on so we can be sure to set them up for success?

Health Insurance

If the applicant is strong and the position comes with health insurance, ask some further questions on health insurance.

Can you let us know if your employer is providing health insurance or if you are covering that yourself?

If your employer provides health insurance, could you let us know the following?

How much does your current employer currently contribute to your plan?
How many people are covered on the plan? (Just you, you + spouse, or spouse/children?)
What do you currently contribute to the plan? (How much do you pay each month for it?)

Contract Trial Period

Finally, if an applicant is strong and you'd like to do any contract-period testing (as for the handyman position & all VA positions), set up a plan with the applicant. Make certain they understand that any hourly rates are temporary, that the contract period is temporary, and acceptance to the position is still pending. If the contract period can be completed in off hours (as for the handyman position), it may be good to advise the applicant to not put in their 2 weeks notice yet.

If the applicant is strong and you would like to move forward with hiring them on, send them an offer letter (sample below), lock in a start date, and then move on to the onboarding process.

Recipients: Applicant, CC Eric

Title: Job Offer

{{APPLICANT NAME}},

We'd like to formally offer you the job! Here are all of the details:

{{MILEAGE REIMBURSEMENT IF ANY. ALTERNATIVELY, NOTE IF VEHICLE IS PROVIDED FOR THE POSITION}}

Are you able to begin sometime either the week of {{X/XX}} or the week of {{X/XX}}? {{I know you'll need to put in your 2 weeks with your current employer, so we're flexible on the exact start date, just let us know. }}

Please let us know if you have any questions! Excited to bring you onto the team! {{SIGNATURE}}

Finally, close out the ad on Indeed, remove from https://ericbramlett.com/about-us/available-positions/, and notify any other applicants that the position has been filled.