Hiring for a brand-new job

When companies expand, very often positions are created that never existed before. Those may be a little tricky to fill because the procedures have not been fine-tuned yet by any employee.

Here is some advice in trying to fill the newly minted job.

Focus on potential, not experience. During the interview, focus on the person’s intelligence and ability to adapt quickly and most important: to innovate. What she did at her last job is secondary.

Look for the hire who will define the job. Don’t present an exact position description. It’s better to get a solid employee into the new job and let her use her skills and smarts to define the job. Lay out the goals and let her come up with process to achieve them.

Find organized problem-solvers. The biggest challenges faced by a new hire in a new position may have little to do with the core tasks of the job. Rather, the hard part will be figuring out how the new position fits in with the rest of the team and the organization. To improve your chances for success, pay attention to candidates who can stay organized under pressure and solve a wide range of problems.