Some people get into management because they want to have more influence on the way things are made, or what is made. I do have more influence now than I did before. But if that’s what you’re after then you might be sad when you get there.
Management is all about people. You have to find replacements for the ones that leave. You have to take good care of the ones that stay. Sometimes you have to end a relationship that isn’t working out. People are our competitive advantage.
People change jobs these days. It’s natural.
Finding a good candidate that really fits takes a long time. If you’re going to be successful at finding a good fit when you need one then you have to always be recruiting.
Even when your team is fully staffed, you better be recruiting.
What does “always hiring” mean to me?
- Recruiting at universities twice a year.
- Going to conferences, meet-ups, and hack-nights.
- Staying in touch with the people I already know.
Of course, we have a job board, too. We use it. I normally don’t get great results. I hear this is not unusual. Many people have poor results with just a general call for resumes.
You Should Be Looking, Too
Just as I am always recruiting, you developers should probably always be looking. Don’t pack your bags. Just be open to opportunity. Borrowing from Who Moved My Cheese (read it over the weekend): pay attention to the cheese where you’re currently working; keep your running shoes handy; be ready to make a beneficial change.
If you want to stand out to a hiring manager like me then you should be going to meet-ups in your area related to web development. Attend and meet new people at first. Eventually you can think about presenting. Being there alone puts you way ahead of many of your competitors.
Employment Is About Fit
I love the people that work for me. You might expect that I don’t want them open to new opportunities somewhere else. But I do.
Just today I had my final one-on-one with a promising young intern. This Friday is the last day of his internship with us. Monday he starts at a new company that fits his background perfectly.
He used to be a framer and went back to school when housing dropped. When he needed an internship I needed an intern. We’ve worked well together. Now, he needs a full time job and he’s found a company that needs a person with framing experience that knows how to program.
We’ll keep in touch. Perhaps we’ll be his dream employer in the future. For now I’m happy to see him so well matched. He’s energized. His wife is excited. These are the good parts of being a manager.
Work Should Be Fulfilling
I don’t want people to work for me just because they always have. I want them to be committed to their jobs. Challenged. Inspired. When that stops happening here then it might be best for us both to take a break for a while.
Some of the best developers I work with today have left and come back to the company after a while away. They have new ideas, broader experience. They are happier here now than they were before.
Now, don’t be fickle. Don’t put in four months here, eight months there. Stick around long enough to push through rough spots now and then. But be open.
Plan For Change
Managers often talk about getting the right people on the bus. Just like a bus people get off when it suits them. So, if you want the right person to get on at the next stop then you need to be recruiting when the bus is full–before a key player moves on.
Related article: Corporate Survival Requires Real-Time HR Practices
