How To Always Hire The BEST Candidates | Build A Million Dollar Team | Eric Bandholz At Menfluential 2017

Success.

What does it take to get it?

Hard work?

Drive?

Patience?

Well – it’s all of the above.

But from my experience…

There’s one extra factor:

A good group of people around you.

You don’t achieve success in business by yourself…

…but with the right team.

Agree?

Take this advice from the guy who runs Beardbrand…

Eric Bandholz.

He spoke on how to build a million dollar team at this year’s Menfluential conference.

Check out a preview of his speech below.

Click Here To Watch The Video – BEST People To Work With

Click Here To Watch The Video – Build A Million Dollar Team

Who Is Eric Bandholz?

Eric Bandholz is the founder of Beardbrand, a company that caters to beards and bearded men.

From starting off with a regular job in finance – Eric has come a long way. It was around the time he competed in the 2012 West Coast Beard & Mustache Championships that he realized how awesome beards can be.

So he decided to take a risk and work full-time on this passion. He launched his Beardbrand YouTube channel together with a blog. He slowly built a community of beard enthusiasts. He shared tips on how to grow and style all types of beards.

The company would expand and sell their own grooming products on the official Beardbrand website. Things were also looking good when Eric appeared on Shark Tank (where he was aiming to score $400,000 in investments). He may not have achieved that…but this multi-million dollar company did benefit from the TV exposure.

Beardbrand provides tools and information for modern men who need help with their beards. Eric’s personal goal is to destroy the “negative stereotypes about beardsmen being lazy or unkempt”.  Beardbrand has helped bring back the appeal of beards.

How Does Beardbrand Hire People?

Applying for a job at Beardbrand is similar to other application processes:

1. The company decides what specific skills they need from new people.

2. A job is posted on relevant job boards.

3. Shortlisted applicants take a personality test.

4. Applicants proceed to do an initial interview (which includes details on the job and pay).

5. Applicants take a competency interview to test their skills for the job.

6. Applicants undergo a top-grading interview – the company asks ten standard questions to see who’s really honest and fit for the job.

7. Someone gets hired.

Note: you want applicants who will actually nail the job interviews; everything matters from the way they dress, talk and conduct themselves upon entering the room. Confidence is a must!

So why is there a need for these steps? Why put those people through multiple tests and interviews? Shouldn’t the resume or portfolio speak for itself?

Here’s the deal. Beardbrand doesn’t just want those who are qualified…but the BEST of the bunch. Eric mentions that in his talk at this year’s Menfluential. He believes if you want to reach your maximum potential – whatever line of work you’re in – you must set high standards for yourself.

That means forming a team of highly skilled and determined individuals. So whether you’re a creator, a business owner or part of the HR department – follow Eric’s 3 tips so you can hire the perfect candidate every time.

Eric Bandholz: Tip #1 – Target A Large Applicant Pool

There are plenty of fish in the sea. If you don’t use the right bait…you won’t be getting the nicest catch possible.

That’s exactly why Beardbrand posts 2-3 job descriptions for every position. It’s better to get everyone interested in the job by selling it in different ways.

For example, there could be an ad for a photographer and another one that’s looking for video-editing skills. You’d get different people responding to both…but they’re actually for the same job.

That role could be a graphic designer/ photographer/videographer (an expert at all three). Most applicants might only be great at one field, but you can also find someone who’s got the full package. And those are the people your job ads should attract.

#2 – Choose The “A” Players Over Everyone Else

You may remember the kids back in high school who were “A” students (if you weren’t one of them).

How did they get that reputation? Of course – by getting A’s instead of B’s or C’s. The proof was on their report cards.

So that’s the mindset you need when it comes to hiring people. The process should “grade” applicants by measuring their abilities.

Even though it’s nice to hire somebody fun and likable, those traits shouldn’t be the priority. What good is it to have people coming to work each day…and they care more about making jokes than actually working?

Personality only matters as far as personality tests go (to initially check if a candidate’s not 100% mentally fit). But competency, professionalism, and great communication skills are the areas where you should look for the “A” players. You should ask these questions:

• Is their resume clean and easy to read? Does it describe them well?
• Do they write without typos? Do they use correct grammar?
• Did they pass the skills test with flying colors…or just pass?
• Do they speak in a clear and confident manner?
• Did they research about the company? Do they know who’s in charge?
• Did they arrive for the test/interview on time?
• Can they handle pressure well? How did they answer the tough interview questions? (Beardbrand has designed their top-grading interview to wear the candidates out, making them speak the truth more often)

#3 – Look Into The Person’s Work History

You might’ve found the right candidate based on performance alone. But there’s still one more thing to investigate:

How do they actually work in a team? Can they potentially lead and manage big projects?

If that person is truly fit to work in your company or organization…they’ll have no problem giving you reference checks of past managers, supervisors or colleagues.

What’s the reason they parted ways with the last employer? Did they leave the right way? Those are the questions to ask when you go through references.

Don’t just contact those people to get their feedback. You should ask the candidate beforehand what their former boss and coworkers would likely say. The answers should be close in terms of positive/negative info (honest people are known to be more likable and attractive).

Remember to take the negative stuff with a grain of salt. There are two sides to every story. It’s only extreme cases of unprofessionalism – incidents you can’t risk happening in your workplace – that should overshadow the positives about a candidate.

But if the feedback is positive? Then it’s all the more reason to hire them. Congratulations! That should be the beginning of something great for your business.

Are you keen to launch your own business? Start a popular YouTube channel or Instagram page? Do you want to learn more about operations? You’ll get great advice from Eric Bandholz and many others at Menfluential 2018.

I was privileged to have Eric speak at this year’s Menfluential (formerly known as StyleCon). It’s a 2-day conference for men to share ideas on style, confidence & entrepreneurship. Other guests for next year include Jose Zuniga, Aaron Marino, Sven Raphael Schneider & other social media stars.

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