Hiring for small business is not as simple as you may think. Small business owners are often so invested in their need to hire someone they often make hiring errors by making their decision in a hurry or by using emotion to make the decision instead of what is objectively best for their business. Often where emotion is involved it is better to introduce a 3rd party to the equation to get the best for your business.
There are 3 Key Questions to ask that lead to Recruiting Success:
Do you have the time to recruit for staff?
If you answer no to this question, do you have some other person in the business that does have the time and that you trust to recruit for you? It is important that the person doing the recruiting has the time to recruit for staff as well as completing their work load so an unrushed and not a time poor discussion is made in the recruiting process.
Your new staff member is an asset to your team and you don’t want to hire the wrong person and lose time and money by taking the next/first person who comes in off the street.
Who are you looking for?
Take the time to identify the person you are looking for. There is no point getting weeks or months into a new employee starting only to find you needed a builder instead of a plumber! So make sure you take the time to create a list of what you are looking for and then make a position description to recruit from and to give your applicants.
Take the time to work out what you want in a new staff member. Prepare a list, read the resumes, interview once and interview 2nd. And reference check. It may sound like a lot but it is all worth it considering the investment you are making.
Will your applicant fit your business culture?
Business culture is important and we all know what it is like to work with someone who does not fit the team. The damage a poor hiring decision can have on the business is enormously costly. Do your background checks, use tools like emotional profiling and behavioural interviewing; if unsure ask the experts – they can often help in these areas to allow you to make a clearer, more efficient choice.
