On the Ask Us Anything podcast, BOH editor in chief Kaitlin Petersen taps former Trade Tales guests to answer real, confidential designer questions, offering a safe space to discuss business challenges. Have a question of your own to ask? Send an email to start the conversation.
This week, Melissa Oholendt of Minnesota- and Colorado-based firm Oho Interiors joins the show to answer a question from a designer who is currently interviewing candidates for her firm’s first full-time position—a prospect that is equal parts exciting and daunting. This designer has set her sights on growth, and she doesn’t plan to do it alone. Still, she is approaching the decision carefully. While she’s eager to bring on a team member who can share her workload, she also wants to devote the time and attention it takes to be a good boss.
Oholendt jumps in with advice on revealing a potential employee’s true ambitions, evaluating skill set with a key question, and knowing when to call for backup.
Crucial insight: Among Oholendt’s go-to questions is one that helps uncover a candidate’s skill level—and whether or not it’s up to par with her firm’s work: “What’s the most complicated thing you’ve ever designed from a technical perspective?” She recalls, “I have been wildly underwhelmed, and that has impacted a hiring decision. Like, ‘OK, I can see why that would feel really technical and hard for you, but those are things that we are doing every single day over here, so that’s concerning to me.’”
Key quote: “If you’re looking to hire a designer, [make sure] that you understand that this person … will be a revenue driver for your business. That’s the piece that really catapulted me over whatever chasm I was staring into, feeling like I wasn’t ready. That’s what helped me change my mindset and understand that this hire should be viewed as an addition to the business, instead of a drain on the business. [For] every design team hire that we have made, that has been very true.”
This episode was sponsored by Four Hands and Crypton. If you like what you hear, subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
