NTC 2014 presentation by Lynn Winter of Gorton Studios and Grant Howe of Abila around how to hire technical employees and consultants. Step processes for each as well as tips are included in the presentations

1. LOVE AT FIRST HIRE
Finding the perfect match for your next
technology project!
Grant Howe
Lynn Winter
#14NTCMatch

2. Finding the perfect match for your next technology project
LOVE AT
FIRST HIRE

3. Lynn Winter
Director of
Projects, GORTON
STUDIOS
lynn@gortonstudios.com
HELLO!
Grant Howe
VP of Research and
Development, ABILA
grant.howe@abila.com

4. WHY
are we here today?

5. Photo by bfishadow

6. AGENDA

7. AGENDA
Review resource option pros and cons
Deep dive to successfully locate and
hire each resource option
Key items to maintain the relationship

8. RESOURCES
PROS and CONS

9. EMPLOYEES
Long-term investment
PROS
Broad capabilities
Yearly capacity increase

10. EMPLOYEES
Time consuming to find right fit
CONS
Annual budget expenditure continues
Investment required for success

11. CONTRACTORS
Expert in the field
PROS
Outside perspective
Time available

12. CONTRACTORS
Lack institutional knowledge
CONS
Expensive
Work off-site

13. EMPLOYEES

14. EMPLOYEES
Need institutional expertise
WHY A MATCH?
Growing or replacing internal talent
Need spans several years

15. EMPLOYEES
Get real - cost and expectations
YOUR STEPS
Craft simple job description
Go candidate hunting
1
2
3

16. EMPLOYEES
Assemble interview team
YOUR STEPS
Make a decision
4
5

17. EMPLOYEES
White board with stakeholders
Determine available budget
GET REAL

18. EMPLOYEES
Clear title
Required vs. nice to haves
Upfront with requirements
CRAFT JOB DESCRIPTION

19. EMPLOYEES
Post internally first!
Post on skill specific job boards
Post on segment specific job boards
GO CANDIDATE HUNTING

20. EMPLOYEES
Recruiters may be worth the cost
Screen resumes for content
Pre-interview potential candidates
GO CANDIDATE HUNTING

21. EMPLOYEES
Assign members roles and tasks
Request input and not a vote
Gather feedback separately
ASSEMBLE INTERVIEW
TEAM

22. EMPLOYEES
Evaluate feedback vs requirements
Follow your instinct
Prioritize the right fit over timeline
MAKE A DECISION

23. EMPLOYEES
Get approval of verbal offer
Background check before offer
Talk with new hire each week before
start date
MAKE A DECISION

24. CONTRACTORS

25. CONTRACTORS
Require specific skills
WHY A MATCH?
Internal staff has no available time
Ready to start now

26. CONTRACTORS
Assemble your hiring team
YOUR STEPS
Clarify your purpose
Contact potential partners
1
2
3
Post your RFP4

27. CONTRACTORS
Evaluate the talent
YOUR STEPS
Establish project boundaries
Secure a long-term relationship
5
6
7

28. CONTRACTORS
Keep to an effective size
Understand the time commitment
ASSEMBLE YOUR
HIRING TEAM
Prioritize the big picture

29. CONTRACTORS
Be willing to shake it up
C Fill key team roles
ASSEMBLE YOUR
HIRING TEAM
CTeam Wrangler
CThe Authority CBrand Watchdog
CTechnical LeadCOrg. Liaison
CDept. Reps

30. CONTRACTORS
Who is your organization?
Why are you making changes?
Who are your users?
CLARIFY YOUR PURPOSE

31. CONTRACTORS
What do your users need to do?
What is your priority?
CLARIFY YOUR PURPOSE

32. CONTRACTORS
Where are they hiding?
CONTACT POTENTIAL
PARTNERS
CConferences
CIndustry Sites CCompetitors
CSimilar Orgs.
CNTEN.org

33. CONTRACTORS
Ensure good talent responds to RFP
Survey of the landscape
CONTACT POTENTIAL
PARTNERS
Reality check on scope and budget

34. CONTRACTORS
New ideas to consider
Sense of your project’s crazy
CONTACT POTENTIAL
PARTNERS
Consider sending a pre-interview

35. CONTRACTORS
Exchange commitments in writing
Break large projects into pieces
Specify what is flexible & what isn’t
POST YOUR RFP - DO
Allow for conversations

36. CONTRACTORS
Specify every detail
Speak only to the sales team
Ask for spec work
POST YOUR RFP – DON’T
Require a labored response

37. CONTRACTORS
Cultural Fit
EVALUTE THE TALENT
CSimilar sized organization
CMotivated by similar missions
CCommunications are easy
CWilling to work AND drink together

38. CONTRACTORS
Previous Work
EVALUTE THE TALENT
CSites look good and work well
CDisplay breadth of web services
CProven experience implementing similar features
CTechnology chops top notch

39. CONTRACTORS
Previous Clients
EVALUTE THE TALENT
CWork with nonprofits
CGenre overlap
CSimilar sized budgets and scope
CReferences check out

40. CONTRACTORS
Potential Red Flags
EVALUTE THE TALENT
CProposal fits your RFP perfectly
CWon’t maintain their own work
CDon’t respond quickly
CTeam is growing rapidly

41. CONTRACTORS
Scope
ESTABLISH PROJECT
BOUNDARIES
CScope limitations
C3rd party options
CCustom code carryover
CBrand changes

42. CONTRACTORS
Budget
ESTABLISH PROJECT
BOUNDARIES
CBudget parameters
CBudget reports
CContingency plan
CLong-term costs

43. CONTRACTORS
Timeline
ESTABLISH PROJECT
BOUNDARIES
CStart date
CLaunch drivers
CPartial vs full timeline
CRisks affecting timeline

44. CONTRACTORS
Be their cheerleader
Listen to each other
Respect your commitments
SECURE A LONG-TERM
RELATIONSHIP

45. CONTRACTORS
Remember - you are humans
Formalize new projects
Have fun!
SECURE A LONG-TERM
RELATIONSHIP

46. FINAL TIPS
on a successful relationship

47. QUESTIONS?
Photo by Sonny Abesamis

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