Messy in the Middle- Episode 8: Hunting Unicorns & Other Bad Hiring Advice with Megan Baker
Episode 8 of Messy in the Middle brought back Megan Baker of Meg K & Co. to talk about the best hiring tips and tricks for your online business. Meg’s hiring agency serves socially conscious online business owners who are ready to amplify their impact. Meg helped me hire my first employee back in 2020 and I am so, so lucky to call her a friend and fellow entrepreneur!
Straight away, I wanted to ask Meg about some of the worst hiring advice that’s out there right now for online businesses. Her immediate response: Stop hunting for unicorns. We are humans, not unicorns. Instead of saying you want a “unicorn” think about what you’re really looking for in a potential employee and separate your needs into buckets. The separate categories in your buckets should be able to overlap a bit; make sure their skills from different areas can transfer well to others with some training! What’s important is getting the job listing in front of lots of different people and thinking about what you need beyond vibes. Pick people who objectively meet the criteria! A unicorn may not jump out at you right away, but they might reveal themselves after a great conversation or even a paid test project!
It’s Not Like Dating
She also noted that we should stop romanticizing the hiring process. It’s not like dating, and if you’re making it be like dating you’re doing it wrong. Think about it- when you’re looking at potential prospects to date, you’re trying to find a match for you. In the hiring process, this can become discriminatory real quick if you’re not careful-whether you mean it to or not. Going with what’s comfortable might do you well in your personal life, but it might not always be the best move for you in your business.
When it comes to going with your gut when hiring, be wary. It’s kind of like falling in love with someone before figuring out if their political views match your own. If you fall too quickly and realize your differing views are a deal breaker- then what do you do? Same goes for hiring. You might bring someone onto your team because your gut says it’s the right move, invest a ton of time and energy in them, only to realize they can’t actually do what you need them to do. You’ll be better off keeping the relationship strictly business than trying to make a friendship out of it.
Hear More
Want to hear more from Meg? Follow her on Instagram and check out her website and hiring course that’s amazing for people early in their business.
