During some brainstorming sessions around hiring, I found a recurring theme: Companies are hiring candidates and putting them into the same roles these employees were performing at their current organization. After realizing this behavior, I had some conversations with recruiters and hiring managers, I dug a little deeper and would like to propose a hypothesis: As employers, we may be looking in the wrong places for superstar talent¹.

When high performance employees seek alternate employment, it means they’re done with their current role. They’ve hit a wall and they’re ready for a new challenge. Sure, they may be looking for more money too, but as we all know, money is secondary when it comes to job satisfaction.

It might be tempting to fill a job requisition with a candidate already versed in the challenges of a role but longer term, is it wise to ask the recruit for a repeat performance of their last job? Superstars need a challenge. Should companies convince themselves their organizations are different and can offer the variety the candidate is looking for? We don’t think so. Superstar employees like to take big bites. Will the role be a big enough for them to chew on for the next few years?

TIP: Superstar employees should not be moved laterally. It’s OK to hire a candidate that has not performed the role a company is trying to fill.

During our initial investigation, we quite often found the modus operandi of a hiring manager was to seek and transplant an individual from a role they’re doing at another company into their own. In our view, this approach is incorrect. Finding candidates with superstar potential, and forgoing safer, milder performing candidates is the true challenge of today’s hiring manager.

Note we used the word “potential“– it’s an important word when seeking talent. It doesn’t take much more than a few minutes with a person to know their potential, but oftentimes HR professionals and hiring managers discount potential. Even worse, they actively avoid a candidate’s potential, focusing instead on traditional selection methods.

As a hiring manager, failing to identify a candidate’s potential would be a complete failure of the hiring process.

If an organization were to stop using the “current job” as the selection criteria to identify candidates, how can they be sure the person they hire will grow into the role quickly, if at all?

It’s by no means comprehensive, but we suggest hiring managers ask themselves these questions when searching for their next superstar:

1. Is this candidate intelligent, well spoken and charismatic?
2. Will this candidate serve as a positive and energetic evangelist for our company at all times?
3. Has the candidate demonstrated extreme accomplishments in the past?
4. Do these accomplishments relate to time management, leadership, and other abilities we deem valuable?
5. Does the candidate have references that will testify to his/her abilities?
6. If I have to guess why the candidate would fail at a task in this role, what would be the cause of his/her failure?  Do I think the candidate could fail so terrible in his/her task that hiring them would be a mistake?

If the answers to questions 1-5 are all YES, what reasons could be given for the employee not being a good fit for the role?

We’re not suggesting you put a call centre rep with 6 months experience in the role of Call Centre Director (although we have seen a case where we would have made this recommendation). What we are saying that often, the right person for the job will not have the “checkmark” next to every hiring criteria on the list. We want you to know that it’s OK when that happens.

Like goldfish in a fishbowl, the capabilities of an intelligent, energetic and charismatic leader grow quickly to match its environment.

There are many superstars out there. As hiring managers, we owe it to ourselves to make every effort to seek out these leaders, qualify their potential and get them working for us.

We you find your superstars as having the right people on board can make or break a company. Our recommendation is that when you find your superstar, assign them their responsibility, make sure they have your support, but most of all get the heck out of their way!

¹ Formal surveys have not yet been conducted to prove/disprove this theory. Treat it as a fun exercise in recruitment and let us know if you have a different opinion.

So you’ve decided to give your business a voice through a blog, congratulations! Engaging your current and prospective customers is a great way promote your products and services, learn what people want, educate and entertain. Whatever the reason, here you are, and that’s a great first step.

Now what?

First, don’t be intimidated. None of the steps required to setup your blog are complicated and they certainly don’t require a significant investment of your time either. To break it down, here’s what you need to get up and running, hosting a Wordpress blog of your own¹.

To get started, you’ll need:

1. Access to a webserver. Since you already have a corporate website, then you’re set, although you need to check that you have MySQL and PHP as they are required to be enabled on your server.²
2. The latest version of the Wordpress. Note that some webhosts offer control panel software that simplifies blog setup. If your host supports cPanel or DirectAdmin, you may have this option.

We’re not going to include every minute detail, but to get you comfortable with the process, here it is:

1. Using PHP Admin³ (ask your webhost how to access this), or the control panel provided by your host, create a MySQL database called “blog”. This is where Wordpress will store your posts, users, comments, etc. You need to create an admin user that has FULL privileges on the database. Make sure you write down the username, password and database name. For our purposes we’ll assume user=’admin’, password=’WrT45#@JJ’ and database=’companyblog’.
2. Extract and then upload the Wordpress files you downloaded earlier. These files, or scripts are the “brains” of Wordpress. We’ll upload them in a minute.
3. In the extracted files, rename the file called ‘wp_config_sample.php’ to ‘wp_config.php’.
4. Open ‘wp_config.php’ in a text editor. Replace “PUTYOURDBNAMEHERE”, “YOURPASSWORDHERE”, “USERNAMEHERE” with the corresponding MySQL database credentials we set above.
5. Go to https://api.wordpress.org/secret-key/1.1/ and generate your unique keys. Just copy the keys from the website and paste the whole thing OVER TOP of the existing section.
6. Save the ‘wp_config.php’ file.
7. Using an FTP application on your computer, create a folder called ‘blog’ inside your corporate website’s public_html,⁴ folder
8. Upload the extracted Wordpress files and the edited ‘wp_config.php’ configuration file into your newly created blog folder.
9. Open a web browser and visit http://www.YOURCOMPANY.ca/blog/wp-admin/install.php and Wordpress will ask you a few questions about your Blog.
10. You’re done!

Believe it or not, these instructions are the long version! If your webhost provides an automated method for installing Wordpress through advance control applications like cPanel or DirectAdmin, we recommend you start there. But as you can see, setting up your own Wordpress blog from scratch doesn’t have to be mysterious, or complicated.

If you have any questions, or trouble setting up your business’ first blog, drop a line in the comments and we’ll see if we can help you through it. Otherwise, the wordpress codex website also has loads of useful info to get you through it too.

Happy blogging!

¹ Some businesses opt for a blog hosted by Wordpress.com. While this may be an easier option at the beginning, you don’t have the same flexibility when hosting your blog and you will likely find you’ve outgrown the service a short while later.
² Nearly all webhosting providers offer support for MySQL databases and PHP scripting.
³ PHP Admin is a web based application that helps you easily configure and manage MySQL databases.
⁴ Most website files are located in ‘public_html’, but yours may be something else. If you’re unsure, check with your webhost.

What? You haven’t heard of Mesh? Have you been so busy running your business that you’ve failed to notice that Canada’s largest web conference is less than 8 days away?

So what is Mesh?

With its mantra of “connecting”, “sharing”, and “inspiring” attendees, Mesh 2009 is Canada’s own web conference and has been since 2006, when Mesh founders Rob, Stuart, Mathew, Mark and Mike decided it was time for Canada to have its own world-class web conference.

It’s a two day event (3 if you attend MeshU), held at the MaRS Centre, where business owners, designers, marketing, PR and technology professionals, with an enthusiasm for the Web gather to engage each other about how Internet and web technologies is affecting the media, marketing, business and society as a whole.

Keynote speakers Mike Masnick (Floor64), Jessica Jackley (kiva.org), Jason Calacanis (Mahalo.com), Bonin Bough (PepsiCo) and Mayor David Miller (City of Toronto) are expected to have lots to share during the event, with conversation especially relevant to business owners trying to figure out this whole “web marketing”, “online presence” thing.

In addition to the impressive keynoters, workshops and panelist discussions will be chock full of web and social media superstars, including Tim Shore (blogTO), Matthew Blackett (Spacing Magazine), John Philip Green (Savvica), Gabe Rivera (Techmeme), Keith McSpurren (CoverItLive), Rachel Nixon (NowPublic), Howard Lindzon (Lindzon Capital Partners), Jonathan Martin (Politico), Jacquelyn Corbett Cyr (Espresso), Mark Kuznicki (Remarkk.com) and more.

Conference registration is a reasonable $492.50 given the tremendous opportunity to learn and connect with like-minded people. Personally, for me, many of my closest friendships started after connecting with brilliant minds during the “mesh breaks.” You just can’t put a price on that.

So what are you waiting for? Register yourself today and get meshin’.

See you there!

Event details:

April 7th & 8th, 2009

MaRS Centre, South Tower
101 College Street
Toronto, Ontario
Canada M5G 1L

Intuitive Capital Partners is changing the way growing Canadian manufacturers and distributors fill the cash flow gap within their business operations. Founded in 2008 by financial veterans, Jim Reddon and Jeff Capel, the company focuses on helping businesses manage the cash-flow gap that happens when suppliers demand immediate payment, but customers wish to pay up much later.

Traditional banks offer financing based on the assets of a company.  Factoring secures financing based on a company’s accounts receivables. In situations where assets and accounts receivables are not sufficient for traditional financing or factoring, PO financing can be the cash-flow gap life saver for a well run company.  Intuitive Capital can cover this gap with up to $2M in funding during these critical periods.

Not every company fits the criteria. Reddon says the company looks for manufacturers with an experienced management team, intimate with their industry, dealing in durable products, and a strong relationship with credit-worthy customers.

Here’s an example of how purchase order financing can work:

1. A manufacturer / distributor receives a signed order (the PO) for $1M worth of goods from a creditworthy retail customer.
2. To fulfill the order, $650,000 worth of raw materials, labour, etc is required.
3. Intuitive Capital works with the manufacturer to determine the fit and completion of diligence, agrees to fund the operational cash-flow gap to fulfill the order.
4. Intuitive Capital pays the supplier on behalf of the manufacturer.
5. Goods are delivered and an invoice is forwarded.
6. Then invoice is paid directly to Intuitive Capital, and after financing fees plus principal, the balance of the payment is paid to the manufacturer.

Sure the interest rate is higher, especially given the additional risk, but in some cases, having the option to bridge the cash-flow gap might be exactly what a small manufacturing company needs to take on business they might otherwise be forced to turn away.

Visit the Intuitive Capital website to learn more about purchase order financing and determine if it’s right for your manufacturing or distribution business.