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.
What You’ll Hear On This Episode of Wingnut Social
[3:14] The next Wingnut Webinar: June 30th at 11 AM
[4:10] Mini News Sesh: How to show up on social media
[8:24] Learn all about Shelli Warren
[10:33] How to create a stellar job posting
[19:19] Involving your team in the hiring process
[22:06] The mission of a career portal on your website
[27:31] The importance of the interview (even for promoting from within)
[31:54] The qualities Shelli looks for in leadership
[36:50] How do you retain employees for the long haul?
[41:43] The importance of a benefit package
[45:53] Build out a career path for new hires
[48:05] The What Up Wingnut Round!

Connect with Shelli Warren
The Stacking Your Team podcast
The BizChix Podcast
BizChix Leadership Lab
Connect on LinkedIn

Resources & People Mentioned
Record your podcast episodes on Riverside
Get FREE shipping on your first order from Article
Check out the Wingnut Webinar on June 30th at 11 AM
Groh Playrooms on Instagram
The Signature of All Things

How to create a stellar job posting
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.
How do you retain employees for the long haul?
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