How do you build your interior design team when the current job market is a race for talent? Hiring stellar candidates isn’t easy in a competitive market. So how do you appeal to your ideal hire? How do you retain top talent? What’s the best method for promoting from within? These are just a few of the questions Shelli Warren answers in this episode of Wingnut Social! 

Shelli Warren is a team and leadership coach and the host of the podcast, “Stacking Your Team.” She leverages 26 years of experience to deliver multi-million dollar projects for billion-dollar brands. She helps small business owners hire, fire, and inspire a team of high-performers.

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When you’re hiring, you have to become a marketer. You have to position a job as the best career opportunity anyone would come across. You need to market the job opportunities, team culture, and clients. You position yourself as a place of work where someone can have a career—not a job. Why? People have had it with their jobs. They want something creative and worthwhile. You need to create visuals so potential hires can see themselves working alongside you. 

If you’re selling a product or service, you have to tell its story, right? You want to position your role the same way. Share what a “day in the life” looks like. Paint a picture so they can see themselves in that role long-term. It helps decrease turnover. You want to be able to confidently select the people that will join your team that are in it for the long haul. 

Shelli notes that you must be transparent about compensation and benefits. Many people who had really incredible salaries get to a point where it isn’t about the money anymore. They want to feel like what they’re doing is worthwhile. But you need to put the salary out there in black and white. Be professional and say: here’s the role, the title, what the role looks like, the anchor skills, and the compensation. If it aligns with their career goals, they’ll want to meet with you. If someone isn’t okay with that number, don’t waste each other’s time. 

How can new designers create a compelling job description when they don’t have a solid team culture to brag about? Listen to hear Shelli’s thoughts.

Shelli jokes that you have to remind your team just how good they have it! She notes that you can read testimonials to your team. Share the goals that you are crushing. It’s about creating storylines where everyone understands their role and how it rolls up into the mission of the business. 

Don’t be afraid in one-on-one conversations and quarterly reviews to give people shoutouts and remind them what they bring to the business. Make sure it isn’t just the “rock stars” who are getting the spotlight. Every rockstar has a team supporting them. Acknowledge everyone on the team and remind them that the work they do is worthwhile.

Great leaders know how to intrinsically motivate their team with real data. It’s more than “way to go” and “good job.” Your team wants professional feedback that assures them that you notice how hard they work day in and day out. 

What role does a career page on your website play in hiring? How do you leverage LinkedIn, Indeed, and networking to stack your interior design team? Listen to the whole episode for some amazing insight from Shelli. 

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