A hiring process should only leave a candidate in anticipation or waiting for so long. If a process is too tedious and in-depth, you may lose out on great musicians finding something else quicker. Be aware of this as you go through the screening, remembering that this is an extremely important decision of impact for your band.
At the close of your final meeting with the candidate, which should take place after a practice or jam session, initiate a lock down conversation. Explain to the musician that the reason he or she has had this opportunity to play one more time is because your entire team is excited for a new band mate. The key consideration now moving forward is whether or not the musician is prepared to make that same decision to join.
Ask a series of prepared questions that hit on points of commitment, recap the bands goals, and discuss the bands future. A few sample questions are below:
- What do you think; is this the type of band that you want to attach yourself to?
- Are you flexible with the full-time (or part-time) schedule?
- Will you have any transportation issues?
- Do you understand how our band handles and budgets money?
- Do you have anything else on the go that could interfere with your commitment to the band?
- Are you comfortable with the travel demands of the band schedule?
- Why do you want to move forward and join this band?
- What concerns do you have with joining this band?
- Do you understand the risks involved with a career in music?
- Are you ready to make a commitment to yourself and to the rest of the band?
Assuming that after a few lock-down questions, the musician is ready to make a commitment, welcome him or her to the team and express your excitement for the future. Tell the musician about the next practice and inform them that they are accepting the new position on one condition – that the new band mate has a discussion with his or her family and calls you in the next couple of days to confirm. You need to provide that last action step to ensure that the musician has enough time to digest and think about their new role as part of the team. |
