What to look for in candidates during the hiring process, how to lose the ego when hiring smarter, and additional resources for job interview questions and onboarding.

1. by Charisse Winter, Engagement Manager
Hire People Smarter Than You

2. “Ifeachofushirespeoplewhoaresmallerthanwe
are,weshallbecomeacompanyofdwarfs.Butif
eachofushirespeoplewhoarebiggerthanweare,
weshallbecomeacompanyofgiants.”
-DavidOgilvy
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3. GettingPastEgos
YO U W O N ’ T B E “ T H E D U M B E S T P E R S O N I N T H E R O O M ”
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• Waterfall Effect: Managers should hire brighter employees who then hire brighter employees, and so on and
so forth. If the opposite occurs, people lack the competency and proficiency to do the jobs for which they were
hired.
• Avoiding Micromanagement: By hiring people who are proficient in their roles, managers will have faith in
their subordinates to fulfill their responsibilities and won’t feel compelled to constantly monitor them, thus
saving valuable time, money, and grief.
• Skill Set Masters: Don’t let your ego get in the way of hiring those who are smarter in specific areas or have
better specific skill sets than you as a manager, even if it’s also your area of expertise. This not only increases a
manager’s credibility and a company’s ideation power, but also allows managers to focus on their own
strengths and productivity

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5. WhattoLookForinEmployees
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6. PeopleWhoGetThingsDone
N O D I R E C T I O N ? N O P R O B L E M .
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They don’t need to consult you for
every decision because intelligent
people have the confidence and
capability to determine the
requirements and find a solution
without meeting and approval overkill.
They also know when a situation does
necessitate your involvement.

7. PeopleWhoBringIdeas&Solutions
B R I N G I N G T H E “ B R A I N ” B A C K T O B R A I N S T O R M I N G
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If all you ever hear are your own
ideas regurgitated, there won’t be
much innovative creation happening.
Intelligent people with different
experiences means fresh new ideas
and solutions, and you’ll constantly
be learning from each other as you
improve efficiencies.

8. PeopleWhoArePassionate&Positive
C O M P L E T E LY J U S T I F Y I N G YO U R H A P P Y D A N C E
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Beyond just being smart, the best
employees take responsibility for their
actions and convince with those
actions that they understand the big
picture. They are confident, not
defensive, and they aren’t afraid to
challenge you when they have the
answers to back it up.
They are as passionate and positive
about your agency as you are, and
though it’s certainly a necessary
starting point, bright individuals aren’t
limited by their job descriptions.

9. PeopleWhoListenMoreThanTheyTalk
S T O P, C O L L A B O R AT E , A N D L I S T E N !
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Active listeners learn more than
people who are constantly running
their mouths, because they stop to
absorb and contemplate the
environment and people around them.
They realize they aren’t too smart to
still learn from other people, and
when they do speak, they
communicate effectively while saying
something that’s worth being heard.

10. PeopleWhoEmbraceYourCompanyCulture
B E C A U S E P E R K S A R E M O R E T H A N F R E E P I Z Z A
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Assuming it’s a good one, your
company’s culture is what facilitates the
team environment and makes it easier
to push through frustrating times.
While it may not be everyone’s precise
cup of tea, the ability to embrace culture
and understand where the team is
coming from is worth its weight in gold
when it comes to completing projects
and ensuring employee satisfaction.

11. As a manager, now you need to be smart enough to get all
these brilliant people working together in harmony. When
you accomplish that, you’ll earn their respect, and your
company will be headed in a strong direction. Plus, you’ll
be able to maintain your sanity. Everybody wins!
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WhatNow?

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• 10ThingsGreatTalentAlwaysDoes
• TheStrategyBehindWeirdInterviewQuestions
• WhyYouShouldHirePeopleSmarterThanYou
• AreYouWillingtoHirePeopleSmarterThanYou?
• 4ThingstoConsiderWhenMakingYourFirstHires
AdditionalResources

13. Charisse Winter (charisse@prpl.rs) /// @Charisse27
Thanks!
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