Houzz MD, Andrew Small, talks Brexit, diversity and hiring

By March 8, 2017For Talent

Houzz is more than a platform, it’s a community – and a big one at that – boasting the largest residential design database in the world. We spoke to Andrew Small, Houzz MD on what makes a strong manager and a good interviewee.

How do you (or your company) nurture a diverse and inclusive team?

Life at Houzz is diverse by design. Our London office is home to our UK, French, Spanish and Nordic teams and is a place where our editorial, community, marketing, buying and sales functions work in close proximity.

We’ve created a physical space that encourages collaboration and a family atmosphere, whether it be eating lunch as a team in the open plan ‘Houzz Cafe’ or solving problems in the ‘British Library’, ‘Spanish Bathroom, ‘Parisian Living Room’ or any one of our themed spaces.

However, first and foremast we believe that nurturing our team begins with hiring great people that we are excited to work with. This means really spending time to understand them as individuals before inviting them to become part of the Houzz family.

What’s your biggest challenge in attracting talent?

Building our employer brand from scratch in new markets and having the bandwidth & time to meet with enough people when we’re trying to move fast.

What’s the weirdest question you’ve ever been asked at an interview?

I continue to find it weird that such few candidates ask great questions – choosing your next career move is always a big decision and you should use every opportunity to learn as much as possible. We do have a dog in the office but please don’t ask me if you can bring yours in the interview!

What’s the best career advice you’ve ever gotten?

Stay driven but be patient… your 20s are about learning as much as possible and positioning yourself. Work with people who will show you what excellence looks like.

Houzz
What do you think is the most important attribute in an employee?

Self awareness and a hunger to learn.

What do you think is the most important attribute in a manager?

Communication skills and EQ.

How have you been affected by Brexit?

Houzz is a diverse, international business with offices in the US, UK, Germany, Russia, Japan, India and Sydney and our community of homeowners and design professionals is a truly global one. Whilst Brexit was initially unsettling for some members of our local team, we remain unchanged and simply plan to keep building and supporting our community.

What are you most looking forward to about Jobbio’s next career event?

Meeting energetic future leaders and learning from others more experienced than myself at building phenomenal teams!


Want to join the team at Houzz? Check out their live roles here.


 

Author Aoife Geary

Aoife Geary is the Content Editor at Jobbio specialising in the areas of Workplace Culture, Diversity, Startups and Digital Trends. She's partial to a burrito, a bad pun and living way beyond her means.

More posts by Aoife Geary

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