I see you, you entrepreneur, you. You’re crushing it when it comes to producing your service or product. Your clients are ecstatic, your business is booming, and you’re ready to start building a team and taking tasks off your plate. There’s a variety of support team responsibilities you’d love to outsource – why not find one amazing, the unicorn of a human to do it all?
Well, let’s start with the fact that that’s a bad idea. There are all sorts of multitalented and skilled folks out there who can do all sorts of things for you. But for you to get the best quality candidates and build a team with people who are pros with their specific responsibilities, you need to hire people who focus on one thing. That’s right: Unicorns don’t exist.
Why You Need Hyper-Focused Pros
Look, I totally get why you’d want to get “more bang for your buck” and hire someone who claims to be the master of all things, but here’s the thing: No one can be amazing at all skills and have all the expertise to be amazing at everything.
That shouldn’t come as a surprise, but there are a lot of candidates out there claiming to be able to do it all. Sure, maybe they can technically “do it all,” but can they do it all expertly? Umm… Probably not.
When you set specific support team responsibilities and hire talented and qualified people to take on those roles, you know you’re hiring people who know their shit.
Think about it: Lots of restaurants sell sushi. The sushi’s probably just fine, but it’s one of a ton of menu items those restaurants sell.
But then, you find a sushi spot where all they make is sushi. You better believe that sushi they’ve perfected, crafted, and focused 100% of their business on is going to be pretty fucking amazing.
What I’m saying is, don’t hire a general chef to make your sushi. Hire that master sushi chef so you know yours will be done to perfection.
Hold on while I run out for some sushi.
How to Hire with Specialized Support Team Responsibilities in Mind
Now that we’ve given up the idea of unicorns and moved onto expert macaroon makers, you’re probably wondering just where to find experts to join you and take on specialized support team responsibilities. I’ve got you there. You didn’t think I’d leave you high and dry, did ya?!
Know What You Need FIRST
It’d be pretty tough to hire a specialized position if you don’t know what support or help you need, wouldn’t it? Before you even think about hiring for specialized support team responsibilities in your business, you better know exactly what areas you need support in.
Not sure where to start? Need help with all the things?
Here’s a quick look at different support team responsibilities and what you can expect them to help you with:
- Executive Assistants/Personal Assistants: EAs and PAs are usually direct assistants to a CEO and focus on both the CEO’s personal tasks and business tasks.
- Virtual Assistants: different types of VAs are task-based employees or contractors who perform specific actions for your business. VAs can assist you with specific areas in your business or specific tools (i.e. a Kajabi VA or a Podcast VA). You may have heard me say before, “Virtual assisting is an industry, my friends, not a job.”
- Project Manager: This is a supervisory role responsible for managing all aspects of a single project (like a launch, rebrand, or merger).
- Online Business Manager: OBMs are not assistants. They work alongside the CEO and C-level suite to manage the entire business. You need additional implementation team members for an OBM to delegate tasks to.
- Integrator: Very similar to an OBM, integrators are often found in a COO role. Integrators are usually FT employees in 7-8 figure companies with more access to sensitive company info.
Craft Crystal Clear Job Descriptions
Your job descriptions need to be detailed and clearly outline exactly what experience and qualifications you expect candidates to have. If you’re vague or use broad descriptions, you’re going to get candidates with vague resumes and broad descriptions of their experiences (see how that works?)
Job descriptions don’t need to be lengthy, but they do need a few essential pieces of information so applicants know exactly what you are and aren’t looking for.
Be sure to include:
- Tasks: Get specific as possible about what this person will do, their responsibilities, how results will be measured.
- Tech Requirements: Which software and programs do you use in your business, and how proficient do candidates need to be?
- Compensation: Don’t hide this away until later in the interview process. Include it in your job post (or even a range) so everyone’s on the same page from day one.
- How to Apply: Tell applicants exactly what you want them to send you, where to send it, and by when. Get rid of scammers and make sure they’re reading carefully by including a secret word or phrase for them to use.
Vet Candidates Thoroughly
When you get an amazing resume that checks off all the boxes for those super-specific support team responsibilities you want, stop what you’re doing. I know it’s tempting to just say “YES, you’re hired. Please save me.” But you need to vet those candidates and make sure they’ve got the chops.
This is where a job interview is clutch. Talking to your candidates face to face (er, webcam to webcam) gives you a chance to learn more about their specific skill sets and get a feel for what they’ll bring to your team.
It’s also an opportunity to ask them about specific experiences and find out exactly what they do (and have done) in relation to those support team responsibilities you’ve outlined.
And you know what? If you meet a candidate who has the exact skill set you want, and a personality you’d love to grab a virtual drink with, it might still feel like you’ve got a unicorn on your hands.
Be Ready to Compensate Them Accordingly
Those folks who claim to be support team unicorns who are jack-of-all-trades in all things for your business? They’re going to be a dime a dozen. But the people who specialize in the areas you need to fill your support team responsibilities? They’re not as bountiful (and that’s a good thing).
So when you do find that super-skilled Dubsado VA, or the Zapier ninja you’ve been searching for, understand they’re going to cost more than the self-proclaimed unicorns. And of course, they do: they’re specialized candidates. And your long-term return on what they’ll bring to your company is absolutely worth it.
Wondering what you should pay different support team members? Grab my cheat sheet that tells you all about it.
I know how bad you might want to try to find that “I can do everything” unicorn, but, trust me. Once you’ve hired the people who can absolutely rock their specialized support team responsibilities, and the impact they have on your business, you’ll be so glad you snapped out of fantasy land and joined us here in the real world.
Need someone to hop in your business, take a look around, and tell you just what you need to clear up your systems, automations, and processes? Schedule an Integrator Intensive with me so you can start getting shit done and getting back to the work you love (and maybe finding some time for sushi.)
