Spades

Hiring staff is like playing spades. You have a limited number of options, and what cards you select depend upon a variety of factors: how strong the suit or number is in relation to other cards, in what order you can play the cards to make the most possible books, and so on. Finding the right folks for your team is pretty complex. It's more than just what hard skills the person has, though that's the minimum requirement. It's also what that person brings to the table outside of those hard skills: coachability, willingness to work as a team player with other staff, heart for students, and other expertise or background. Plus, it's how that person fits into the existing team -- what they might add or detract in terms of diversity, team spirit, stability, etc. And you have to find people who are not just good for kids, but who are good for adults, too, since working with kids is only part of the job. And there's no perfect candidate. You have to balance the candidate's needs with those of others, weighing how much you're really able to invest in them and if they can help you mold others. You also have to have a vision for where you want the school to go long-term, and if that person can help you get there. Man, this stuff is hard!