Ten key questions for spotting expertise
As school Head and leader of marketing, who you hire or task a project to is ultimately your call. This often means stepping outside your zone of expertise and into a zone where anyone can call themselves an expert. Often, there are no objective standards or qualifications to guide you, so how do you decide?
The first and foundational step is to accurately describe the task, project or role you want fulfilled. What does success look like? What constraints exist? What resources are available? What is the deadline? What specific skills are required?
Armed with this information, you are ready to start your search for the ideal candidate, team member or external partner.
Here are 10 questions you can ask to help make great hires:
- How many times have they done this? Experience matters. If someone has performed a task only once, their expertise is limited. True competence comes from completing tasks multiple times, facing different scenarios and challenges. Ideally, look for those who have repeated the task at least five times, though more is always better.
- Have they succeeded? Success stories are essential. Ask for concrete examples of their achievements. Genuine experts can point to several successful outcomes in their field. If their success stories are few and far between, they might not have the depth of experience needed.
- Have they failed? Failure is a part of growth. Competent professionals will openly discuss their failures and what they learned from them. This transparency indicates their ability to adapt and improve. Those unwilling to talk about their failures might not have enough real-world experience or may not have tried enough challenging tasks.
- How diverse is their experience? Varied experiences demonstrate adaptability and depth. Professionals should have a broad range of experiences within their field. For example, a digital marketer might have worked for multiple clients in a variety of marketplaces, worked across a number of platforms (including the market leaders), under a range of different limiting factors. Diversity in their professional background indicates a well-rounded expertise.
- Can they teach? Expertise and the ability to teach are not the same. Someone might excel in their field but struggle to convey their knowledge to others. Effective experts can teach and guide others, helping them achieve success. This is particularly pertinent for external contractors or prospective team members who will take on a leadership role. Look for evidence of their ability to mentor or teach others effectively.
- Have they helped others to succeed? True experts have a track record of mentoring others to success. They can provide testimonials or references from those they’ve guided. The success of their mentees is a strong indicator of their ability to impart valuable knowledge and skills.
- Do they charge? Experts value their expertise and typically charge appropriately for their services. This is especially true for external expertise. While not an absolute rule, professionals who offer their services at a low rate might lack confidence in their expertise. Fair compensation often correlates with proven experience and demand for their skills.
- Do they have a system? Professionals almost always have a systematic approach to their work. This means they can outline the steps, methodologies or frameworks they use to tackle problems. This structured approach demonstrates their deep understanding and ability to replicate success consistently.
- Can they answer questions? Flexibility in thinking is crucial. Experts should welcome questions and provide thoughtful, clear answers tailored to specific contexts. If they stick rigidly to one approach without adapting to different needs, their expertise may be limited.
- Are there boundaries to their expertise? No one is an expert in everything. True experts recognise the limits of their knowledge and won’t hesitate to refer you to other professionals when necessary. Beware of those who claim expertise in too many unrelated areas.
Applying these questions in your school
Asking yourself these 10 questions can transform how you evaluate expertise within your school, leading to better hiring decisions and more effective collaborations with external professionals. Here’s how to put these principles into practice:
Evaluate current team members.
Regularly review the performance and development of your staff using these questions. Encourage a culture of transparency and continuous learning where successes and failures are openly discussed and used as learning opportunities.
Hiring new staff
During the recruitment process, use these questions to assess the true expertise of candidates. Look beyond their resume to understand their real-world experience, successes and ability to contribute to your mission.
Engaging external contractors
When hiring external experts, apply these questions during the vetting process. Ensure they have a proven track record, a systematic approach and clear boundaries to their expertise.
As a school Head, your ability to discern true experts from those who just think they are is vital for the growth and success of your school. By asking the right questions and seeking evidence of genuine expertise, you can build a team and network of contractors who truly excel in their fields, ultimately creating value for your school’s mission.