The Modern People Leader: Forward-Thinking HR Build - How to Hire for People Ops as a Product: Jessica Zwaan (Author, Built for People)
Jun 6, 2025
Jessica Zwaan, the author of 'Built for People' and expert in People Ops, delves into innovative hiring practices for operational teams. She discusses the five essential skillsets needed in candidates, emphasizing the power of planning as a secret weapon. Zwaan introduces the concept of T-shaped talent and advocates for case studies in interviews to assess problem-solving abilities. With a focus on moving HR from compliance to strategy, she highlights the significance of flexibility and creativity in hiring processes, aiming to reshape the employee experience.
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Five Core Skill Sets for Hiring
- Hire people with five core skill sets: planning, testing, research, building, and human ops.
- Building involves creating processes, documents, or integrations that bring ideas into reality.
Planning as Secret Weapon
- Prioritize hiring someone good at planning if you can only hire one skill set.
- A planner breaks down problems into manageable chunks that keep the team organized and effective.
Research Reveals Real Problems
- Research skill is crucial to avoid bias in decision-making.
- Good researchers help teams identify the real problems needing attention and minimal lovable requirements.