Hiring a Novice: Strategies for Bringing New Talent into Your Startup

As a small business owner, I often needed to hire fresh graduates, even if they had no experience. With a limited budget and the necessity to expand the team, hiring experienced professionals was out of reach. Finding the right fit among many young candidates was a significant challenge.

Many startups share this struggle. Without past work experiences to assess, how do you evaluate a potential hire? How can you differentiate who will deliver the results you expect? How do you know if someone’s just saying what you want to hear to land the job?

I’ve grappled with these questions myself. Over the years, I’ve made mistakes and hired people who weren’t a good fit. But, through experience, I’ve developed some strategies to boost the chances of finding the right newcomer.

It’s important to remember that you can’t make a perfect decision based solely on interviews. You’re only getting a few hours to judge someone, so aim for a good choice rather than a perfect one.

So, how do you identify the right candidate without experience? Consider these five questions:

1. “We have another position open for [Unrelated role]. Are you interested?” This question helps determine if the candidate is genuinely interested in the role you’re offering or just looking for any job. A person who is clear about their career goals is more likely to put in the effort to succeed.

2. Avoid asking out-of-the-box questions that are meant to challenge the candidate unnecessarily. Instead, focus on real-life scenarios related to the job. For example, “If you had to perform this task [Task related to the role] without training, how would you go about it?” This helps you see how they apply their current knowledge to practical problems.

3. “Ten years from now, what should you have accomplished to say you did a good job?” This question is a twist on the regular “Where do you see yourself in ten years?” and it prompts deeper thinking about career and personal success. If their goals align with the role, they’re more likely to be motivated and perform well.

4. Strong candidates will ask insightful questions about the role during the interview. These questions should stem from the conversation, showing they are genuinely interested and engaged. This behavior indicates they will continue seeking clarity and challenging methods after they join, which is beneficial for business growth.

5. “Tell me about a situation where you failed.” Everyone has faced failure, but confident individuals can discuss it openly. Pay attention to whether they take responsibility and how they approached finding a solution. Those who blame others for their failures are likely to continue doing so.

Hiring someone with no experience is a bit of a leap of faith. While you can’t guarantee success, you can minimize the risk of making a bad hire. Avoid standard interview questions that candidates can easily prep for online, but also steer clear of irrelevant questions. The goal is to bring out the best in the candidate and see if they are a good fit for the role.

Remember, the interview is a test for both the candidate and you as the interviewer. If you don’t help the candidate showcase their best abilities, you haven’t done your job well.