You get it. You know you’re operating in a “do more with less” world. But how do you make sure the people you work with get it, too? Look for three things in the people you hire—whether you’re adding staff or selecting your agency partners.
The first? Attitude. You want people who’ll do whatever it takes. You don’t want to have to ask them to work late, or to come up with alternate approaches, or to suggest solutions at the same time they flag problems. You want that to be their natural inclination. Ask for an example of a time they saw that something needed to be done and just did it.
The second? Passion. Choose people who honestly love what they do. When you do, that passion will be just as evident in their big name, big budget assignments as in their little known, sparsely-funded ones. The scope of the assignment won’t make a difference to them; doing it well will. And, their passion will be contagious. Ask for a description of marketing done for a product you’re not familiar with. Listen for the love.
The third? A sense of humor. Let’s face it. Things don’t always go according to plan. But someone who accepts, expects, or even embraces that fact is someone who will recognize the humor in chaos and curveballs. And that lighter perspective can help diffuse tense situations, maintain morale, and make your life easier. Not to mention make you laugh more. And who couldn’t use that? Ask for an instance where their sense of humor came in handy.
Seek these attributes in your partners and you’ll work with people who get the job done—and enjoy making it happen.
