How to Recruit and Interview Your Support Team
For a lot of reasons, building a support team can be pretty difficult because there are no shortcuts to hiring and training the perfect people. There are many run-of-the-mill support advocates out there that do not value manpower but there are definitely exceptional ones.
It is a healthy problem to have, however. A business owner can’t be everywhere at once. As much as you would like to do all the support, it’s simply not advisable.
So you better do it right.
Support might be one of the most complicated roles you will hire for. Some of the world’s best support team candidates are uncelebrated and might fly under the radar. Some of the worst might talk their way into your front door if you’re not careful.
BE WHERE THE CANDIDATES ARE
Meet people in the community and start building a network of friends who can recommend people down the road.
Here are a few things you can do to start making these connections:
- Attend conferences
- Join online communities
- Start blogging about your support experiences and you’d be surprised at the kind of feedback you’ll get in the comments section and your inbox.
OUTSOURCE FROM A TRUSTED COMPANY
There are plenty of reasons why you should opt to hire from an established company over hiring a freelancer. One of the biggest things you should look for is accountability. At The VA Hub, we want to make sure that you work with the best Virtual Assistants in the business. Read more.
THE INTERVIEW AND VETTING PROCESS
So you have networked, met (seemingly) great candidates. How do you figure out if they’re the real deal?
Ask The Right Questions
This is easier said than done.
Here are a few good sample questions:
How do you respond when you encounter an unfamiliar situation?
Give an example of a customer that you turned around from a position of unhappiness to sheer joy.
What is “great customer service”? What experiences have you had with it?
Be Big on Details
A big mistake you can make is to move on to the next question after a candidate gives a flat answer. The best question in the world won’t help you if you don’t learn the real answer so you need to dig deep. It’s critical that you do. Ask followup questions, clarification and examples. Now isn’t the time for generalizations.
Bring Them In For A Test Run
It’s great to see someone in action, if you can. This gives you a front row seat to how they think and how they work through tasks.
Give Them A Chance To Get To Know Your Team
If they do come in for a quick trial run, don’t miss the opportunity to feel out their soft skills and culture fit. Let them meet the team. Are they kind? Engaging? Someone with genuine empathy and people skills doesn’t just flip them on during work hours. It’s part of who they are.
Building a team from scratch is not easy but we hope this quick guide helped you out. If you have questions or anything you would like to add, let us know in the comments below or
Call us now at 1-888-923-9323
Email us at businessadvisors@thevahub.com
