Hiring the right team is the backbone of a successful Christmas light installation business. Imagine having a crew that's not only skilled, but also passionate about creating magical displays.
First you must determine the top 5 “must-have” characteristics you are seeking that cannot be trained. They are hardwired in the person, which is why it's so important to get the person that has these already without compromise. Of course there are many nice-to-have characteristics, but often if they have these first five, the rest come with the package.
Whether you're a window cleaning service expanding into holiday lights, a power washing company diversifying your services, or an established Christmas light installation company, this strategy will help you uncover the gems from the ordinary and ensure that every hire contributes positively to your business's festive spirit.
We’ve asked several $1 million+ installation companies what their must-have characteristics are in hiring Christmas light installers (including lead installers) and the interview questions they use to determine if they have them.
1. Winner Mindset
The best predictor of future behaviour is past behaviour, so we want to see a history winning. Do they have a "wall of medals" or achievements in life? We don't want to bet on someone who has bumbled their way through life. Instead let them get a few wins under their belt and then let's hire them. This is often shown on the resume, but you can inquire in the interview too.
The question: “Tell me about a professional failure you’ve experienced”. Jessica Tower of Tower & Co. (a professional talent search) describes the 3 ways they can answer this as outlined in the link. Note what bucket your candidates fit in.
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Obsessed
They have to be obsessed with SOMETHING. It doesn't have to be related to the job. Obsession proves they have the ability to "get it done" and "get it done right".
The question: “What was the last thing you couldn't stop doing even if you tried?” Or you can ask, "When was the last time you stayed up almost all night to work on something because you chose to, not because you had to?"
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Good Person
This is often determined from volunteer experience which you can inquire about, or references. You want good people because good people attract other good people into your organization. Conversely, bad people attract more bad people. Richard Branson has quoted “It’s better to have a hole in your team than an asshole in your team!”
The question: “How high do you think you'd rank on Santa's "naughty or nice list"? Top 10% nicest? Bottom 10% naughtiest? Why?”
It's interesting to see people's physical response to this. They may have not done a self reflection on this since they were 10 years old! It's also interesting to hear their reasons. Of course, the reference check will be the biggest litmus test here.
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Proactive
This is the essence of entrepreneurial spirit – a requirement for growth. We can only grow if we have intrinsically motivated people who don't just take opportunity when presented with it, but actually go out of their way to seek opportunity.
The question: This is possibly a 2-question trait, depending on how they answer A.
a) “What's the coolest thing you have EVER done (personal or professional)?” Or, “What's the one thing you've done that you are most proud of? What motivated you to do it?”
It's interesting to learn how the "cool thing" or "proud thing" came about. Did they seek it out or did it present itself? If it presented itself, ask "why didn't you do it sooner?" Then follow up with another question:
b) “What would you do if our company reached a point of not having enough people to do all the tasks necessary?”
It's interesting to see how they might solve this problem. Will they just ask management to hire more people? Or will they ask "why?" and attempt to solve efficiencies.
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Leader
You want shepherds, not sheep, especially if you are interviewing for a lead installer position. The best leaders are determined in how they respond to, "Amazing [name of candidate], we want to hire you. Who else would you bring?" If they respond with "Oh, I don't know", that means they are not a leader. You want to find people who are already going to bring in the next couple of people.
The question: This is a 3 part question (ask one at the time and after they finish answering the first).
a) “What does leadership mean to you?”
The best answer to this question was described by Disney CEO, Bob Iger: "To make yourself replaceable." True leaders help others to step into your shoes, giving them access to your own decision making, and identifying the skills they need to develop (and sometimes helping people realize why they are not ready for the next step up).
b) “Which of the skills you mentioned do you have?
Be skeptical if they answer “all of them”. Perfect leaders are rare and if they are perfect, they are likely overqualified for the position you are hiring for.
c) “What leader inspires you the most and why?”
They should have a role model. If they are not looking up to someone, they risk losing their compass.
For a successfully conducted interview session, it’s important that the candidate does 90% of the talking. For example, rather than wasting the first 10 minutes describing the company and services, ask them what they know about the company (if they can answer well, it's also a demonstration of proactiveness).
Use this template and ask the same questions in every interview so you can compare and accurately rank your list of candidates.
Selecting the right installers is crucial for delivering a thriving Christmas light installation service. By asking these insightful questions, you can identify the best candidates who will not only meet but exceed your clients' expectations, ensuring a magical holiday season for all.