Every event planner eventually comes to a point when there’s just too much for one person to manage solo. It’s then you realize that you’re growing your business and are ready to hire. Onboarding new talent can be hard; after all, you’re an expert at planning events, not necessarily in human resources. So, when you’re ready to expand your roster, consider these tips and insights when you start interviewing, hiring, and onboarding top talent.
1. Harness All the Right Tools
Don’t fall down the rabbit hole of wasted time, effort, and advertising dollars by blindly posting job descriptions and waiting for resumes. There are tools and automations you should be leveraging to be smarter about how you promote your open position. And not all job platforms will open the floodgates for candidates. Don’t forget to also explore the tools available on other platforms, like LinkedIn.
2. Clear Descriptions & Well-Defined Responsibilities
Create a job description that actually fits the role. Be clear about tasks, activities, and expectations, including the not-so-glamorous parts. If there are certain skills you believe are necessary, administratively or within a management setting, be clear about those, as well. You don’t want to attract the wrong-fit candidates because you weren’t transparent about expectations and duties.
3. Lead with Your Event Planner Company Values
You might become so concerned about finding the right-fit candidate that you overlook one important factor. Your company values, or your “why statement” that led you to start your event planning company in the first place, should be at the forefront of every new hire endeavor. Growing your team means finding others who can contribute to your efforts but in a way that aligns with your vision. Leading every job description with what your business stands for and what big picture goals you strive to achieve will attract like-minded candidates.
4. Provide All Essentials on Day One
Information, tools, and resources should be made available to every new hire on day one. You don’t want to bring someone in and then essentially throw them to the wolves in a sink or swim experience. The old-school entrepreneurs might tell you it’s the best way to build character in your teams. But today’s top performers want to work for bands and companies that set them up for success in their roles, including with proper training and support along the way.
5. Offer an Onboarding Welcome Experience
Once you’ve hired someone, make the welcome experience a memorable one. Put together a welcome gift, maybe with company swag. Let the world know about your new hire with a welcome message and introduction on your social media pages. And the bigger the welcome mat you can roll out, the more confident the new team member will feel about accepting the position and fitting into your company’s culture and team vision.
Congratulations are in order. If you’re ready to hire, it means you’re doing something right, and your event planning business is growing. Be smart about how you find, attract, and onboard new team members and take advantage of these insights. For more ideas on how to effectively grow your event planning business to new heights, let our team be your guide. The Event Planner Expo 2022 is also going to be a great way to meet and explore growth advice from leaders in the industry. Don’t forget to get your tickets and inquire with us now about remaining sponsorship and exhibitor opportunities!
