Ever found yourself giving someone a chance, knowing deep down it wasn’t the right call? 

That’s been me. Too many times. I’ve always wanted to see the best in people. To believe they’d grow into the role, rise to the occasion. And, let’s be honest, sometimes they do. But other times… well, let’s just say I’ve learned my lessons I’ve had some really great hires. I mean, the team here at Millennium really are the superstars behind the scenes and I am truly grateful for them every day. But I’ve also had to kiss a lot of frogs too. 

Now, you probably know we’ve recently just got our ISO 9001 Quality Management Certification, and it’s made us dig a little deeper into our systems and processes. I’ll be honest. Recruitment hasn’t been my strong suit. No one ever handed me a manual on how to do it. I’d wing it, going more on gut feeling than process.

But it wasn’t until I sat down with Connor recently that things started to click. In just an hour, we mapped out a simple, clear, 3-step recruitment process. Here’s how it works now: First, we get super clear on what we want (and don’t want). We made a list of the qualities and red flags we’d been ignoring for too long. These non-negotiables are a game-changer. Next, always start with a Zoom call. No more wasting time bringing people into the office for a first meeting. Instead, we just get everyone on a quick video call to figure out if they’re a good fit for us, and we’re a good fit for them. Once someone ticks those first boxes, we meet in person and dive deeper with a DISC psychometric profile to uncover how they think and work.

We implemented this a few months ago, and I can already see the results! The right people are coming through the door, the wrong ones aren’t making it past step one, and I feel less like I’m gambling with every hire. Looking back, I can see the mistakes I made in the past. Recruitment was a weakness for me, but here’s the thing…You can own your weaknesses and turn them into strengths. Ignoring your weaknesses or pretending they don’t exist won’t help you. But being honest with yourself and asking “What do I really suck at?” can be quite refreshing – and is the best way to make sure you improve and don’t keep making the same mistakes over and over. 

For us, hiring is all about this new process now. It’s not perfect yet (is anything?), but I’m learning that when you get your house in order, things just work better. We’re hiring at the moment and we’re moving to a bigger office too. Exciting times!  It feels like the right next step with the team we’re building – the right team this time. So, if recruitment feels like a headache for you too, maybe take a step back and ask…What’s my process? What’s working? What’s not? And if you’ve got any recruitment hacks or processes that have worked wonders, hit reply and let me know. Always open to learning!