Hiring People? Don’t Take Their Experience At Face Value
I’m amazed at the number of churches, ministries, and nonprofits that hire people in high-level positions without checking references or doing any background research. Sure, we want to believe everything people say about their experience, past work, education, and accomplishments, but after decades of hiring people and watching my clients hire people, I’ve learned that no matter how quickly you need to fill the position, there’s always time to check.
For instance, in multiple cases, I’ve had media people in Hollywood tell me they’ve worked for “Fox”—with the inference that it means Fox Studios or Fox Television. But with a closer look, I discovered they’d been assistants at a local Fox TV station in a small town in the Midwest.
In another situation, I had a client excitedly hire a producer from a famous church’s TV ministry, thinking that if they worked for that famous church, she had to be amazing. But I decided to make a few calls and discovered she had actually been fired from the church, and they were adamant they would never hire her again.
When you look for new employees, remember the old diplomatic strategy – trust but verify. This approach can empower you to make informed decisions and avoid potential pitfalls.
It can save you a lot of grief in the end.
Phil Cooke, PhD. has been called “one of the most innovative communicators of our generation.” As a media producer, writer, speaker, and consultant, his client list includes major film studios and TV networks as well as major Christian organizations like Voice of the Martyrs, The Museum of the Bible, The Salvation Army, and others. He’s also coached and consulted with many of the most influential churches and nonprofit organizations in the world, helping them use media to tell their story. You can hear his podcast here.
