Hiring is one of the most important things for any start up. You can’t disagree on it.
However still many get trapped in a vicious trap. We spend 3 months of time and labor is closing in on our recent co-worker. Some of you might say – “That’s it, just 3 months?!”
Finding the right person is tremendously difficult. And sometimes the person seems fit for the job at the time of hiring but it turns out the other way around in just a couple of days.
A friend of mine just shared what happened with him yesterday. After reading it I was unsure if I had sympathy or empathy for him.
He narrates the day as:
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So I have a developer working under me.
This is an exact conversation which happened with him
Me: G, What are you working on now?
G: The Footer issue.
Me: What’s the status?
G: I haven’t started yet
Me: What were you working on till now?
G: The footer issue.
Me: So whats the status?
G: I haven’t started yet.
.
.
(3 hours later)
Me: G, have you fixed the footer issue
G: No. I’m having some issues.
Me: What issues are you having with the footer?
G: No, I haven’t started yet.
Me: Then what are you having issues with?
G: The Footer Issues
Me: But I thought you hadn’t started that.
G: Yes. The Footer Issues.
.
.
(about 9 hours later)
Me: Do you have any tasks for tonight?
G: Yes, the footer issue
Me: Oh it’s still not fixed?
G: Yes, I haven’t pushed it in staging
Me: But it’s fixed
G: No. I haven’t started yet.
Me: Started what?
G: The footer issue
Me: What were you working on since we last spoke?
G: The footer issue.
G: Actually, I don’t know how to fix it.
Me: What is the problem?
G: (some alignment issue)
Me: Did you put a “margin-top: -2px”?
G: No.
Me: Can you put it and try?
G: Yes.
Me: Will you.
G: Yes.
Me: So does that work?
G: Let me try.
G: Yes. This is fixed. I’ll do that tonight.
Me: Do what? It’s done now, I hope.
G: Yes. Correct. I’ll move to other task.
Me: What will you be working on next?
G: The footer issue.
*me banging my head on the wall
Me: But we just fixed the footer issue
G: Yes. I’ll work on the <next task>
.
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Please do share your worst hiring experiences and the learnings from them.
asha chaudhry
sumit,
you need a group hug!!!
oh boy – EVERY rodinhooder i speak with faces the same issue (no, NOT THE FOOTER ISSUE – THE HIRING ISSUE!!)
let me share this around, we’ll get others to share their hiring woes as well!
ps: meanwhile, did your friend’s footer issue get solved?! 😉
Sumit Soni
Hi Asha,
Thanks! Love big group hugs!
And the Footer issue – Oh yeah! it did – “margin-top: -2px”
😀
Cheers!!
Sumit
Amit Shroff
Sumit,
I have gone through these similar issue, being from a design background, I over the years I have learned html/css, programming, server administration, networking, sales, HR & Administration etc etc.
Start-up teaches you lot many things and yes hiring is a task, now I have started training my wife to help me schedule interviews etc and believe me she does the better job any other new hr guy i have hired so far.. I am also planning to train her for sales etc…
At least if I spend over years training my wife she should at least be along with me… that’s the reason I believe people earlier value family and everyone was into same business..
Ravi Kumar
Hi Sumit,
I found your post about the interaction incredibly funny! Thanks for sharing. Couldn’t agree more about the importance of hiring the right person – it is a huge challenge.
cheers
Ravi
Robin Dhanwani
Hi Sumit,
I am struggling with the exact same problem and if there is one thing I have learnt in my 10 months of entrepreneurial stint is identifying the wrong hires .
Have had all sorts of people, your footer Issue types who just won’t get it and take months to do what can be done in days and you ultimately end up spending double the time managing them than would to do it yourself and the greedy ones who would jump in 3 months on a carrot shown by VC funded companies or MNCs.
The sad part is I have done this mistake multiple times and have hopefully figured out finally and will get it right next time onwards. I will give it the time it takes but not hire people I am not sure about.
My one advice to everyone hiring would be: Don’t be desperate and in a hurry to hire someone because of the urgency of projects/opportunities and short circuit all kinds of tests/interviews/assignments you would do otherwise as it could prove expensive in the long wrong and one wrong hire can make or break your startup at early stages. I read it on post somewhere about hiring that “When you are in doubt to hire someone or not, there is no doubt. They are a wrong fit”
Amit Shroff
Hi Robin,
But there are other problems being a startup, like not having a big team and fancy office. Its really difficult. We are still struggling even after having an excellent portfolio which these guys couldn’t imagine. Since there is no verification, no process hiring is a major issue.
Additionally, I strong think we need something better then Nakuri.com something that is startup friendly.
Regards,
Amit
Jack John
Am sure there is a footer issue 🙂
Its easier to bypass an interviewer intially for any candidate by the skill of faking it , Only motivation for such resource is Monetary appraisals which can task down into key result areas and show his performance in end of the month in incentive review process
Ram Shengale
Man this is funny. This must have been really painful. But I must say your friend is a really patient guy.
Ram
Sumit Soni
Amit,
That’s the key, finding the right person and it could be even from your friend and family.
However, I believe unless it’s a family business bring business in to family is not a good idea, if not handled correctly it leaves fractures in relationships, which is far more important.
You on the other hand handled it nicely. Best Wishes for ahead. 🙂
Sumit
Sumit Soni
Thanks Ravi.
Sumit Soni
Hi Robin,
Here is a good short read. https://qz.com/290029/this-is-googles-incredibly-simple-hiring-formula/
It came a couple of days back but we try to follow it since the start, yet we failed at times. But that’s how you learn and improve. As they say (Akal Badaam khane se nahin, thokar khane se aati hai).
Sumit Soni
Hi Amit,
Let me about it. Till July we working out of a decent place (2BHK). The candidates we were hoping to close wouldn’t join us cos it was not a “office”. IUKWIM.
This scenario often reminded me of the Akshay Kumar’s dialog in Garam Masala movie – “Jo humme hum chahiye unhe hum nahin chahiye, Aur jinko hum chahiye abe wo kisko chahiye” 😉
Additionally, replacing Naukri.com wouldn’t work cos it’s more with the candidates’ belief in a start-up environment. Any B.tech would prefer (majorly their parent’s wish) to work in a settled Office. So the ones willing to joining you wont be the cream or even under-cream layer of the resources available in the market.
But we see that changing with time.
Sumit Soni
Hi Ram,
I think so too.
Sumit Soni
Hi Jack,
Any any case then it’s more like a “header” issue 😉
Amit Shroff
Yes I agree with you Sumit! people don’t look at learning and just look at infrastructure. Where as a bigger organization don’t give them any exposure and they don’t learn anything till they stay in the same organization for at least 2 to 3 years.
Additionally, what I have noticed that not everyone is keen in learning. Today when you have everything on internet, freshers would not do any RND & Search, they would like to be spoon feeded.
Puneet Nirogam Aggarwal
Wonderful Read, Sumit.
Its always good to hire slowly and consciously, because replacing a bad hire is more expensive than waiting it out.
satish Bhatia
Hi Sumit,
As Asha said you really deserve a group hug, accept a hug from me.
Can we also discuss that what to do when we came to know about bad hiring with in couple of days, should we give some more time to them having expectations that he/she might prove us wrong or we should say sorry to them immediately.
Satish