How to recruit senior managers
As your business grows, taking on more staff and expanding its
customer base, there is inevitably a requirement to take on more
senior people. This is partly to take the strain off the founder,
but also to bring in the skills required to kick the company up a
gear. Appointing senior people can be disruptive though, not least
because they're sure to have their own ideas about how to take the
company forward. This guide shows you how to recruit the right
senior managers for your company:
- Map the gaps
- Hiring
- Salary
Map the gaps
All recruitment should be prefaced by a comprehensive audit of
the company's current management team set against its requirements
for the coming months and years. Then figure out who
you need to achieve your goals on time. If you require
investment to fund expansion into overseas markets, for example, a
new operations manager with a relevant track record could help. Be
clear in your mind about what you need. Conduct regular
reviews of the management team. If there are gaps, set about
filling them.
- Know what and who you need to grow
- Conduct regular reviews of your management team
Hiring
Always ensure that you draw up a full job description -
certainly before any interviews take place. Looking at the track
records of candidates is crucial. But remember that you also need
to consider whether they will fit into the culture of your company
- and whether their ideas will fit with yours.
- Draw up a full job description first
- Look at track records
- Ensure fits with work culture and ideas
Salary
Managers with a clear track record are premium products and
they'll expect to be paid well. Look at job postings for similar
roles to the one you're advertising to ascertain what salary you
should be offering. Senior people who move around regularly are
traditionally paid more than candidates who achieve high positions
by promotion through a single company. You may be able to cut
costs by only using someone part-time, or taking on a non-executive
director for only one or two days a month if it's knowledge rather
than hands-on management that you need. Alternatively, you could
substitute a proportion of salary for equity in the company,
although this may not appeal to all candidates.
- Ensure the salary you're offering matches the industry
standard
- Be aware that senior people who move companies regularly are
often more expensive
- Consider ways to cut costs if your needs can still be met
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