May 25th, 2018 | By Peyton Sawyer
Hiring an employee for your small business is an important decision. While you have a vision for your business, you may not have the time and bandwidth required to execute that vision, and that is usually when it becomes clear that you may need to bring on some help.
Starting the hiring process can be a little time consuming, but it will be well worth it when you find someone that can lend a hand in the day-to-day operation of your establishment. Before you begin, take the time to determine what type of position you will be hiring for, what the salary is, and what qualifications and duties are required for the job. Once that has been determined, you can get started on writing a description of the position you are offering.
The next step is to advertise the position, either through a job recruiting site, your local newspaper, trade publications, social media or word of mouth from your employees. Hopefully, you will find yourself with a number of qualified candidates, because that is when the fun of looking through resumes and holding interviews can begin. Knowing who to hire for your business can be difficult, because it’s not easy to find someone you can trust to carry out your vision. Look for a good communicator with a positive attitude who has a track record of reliability, flexibility and high-level performance.
Intuition
First and foremost, trust your intuition. If you have a good feeling about an individual who has applied for a position, then take the time to investigate them further and contact their references. If the candidate has prior experience and is qualified for the position, then take a chance and go for it. Trust yourself, because you know your business better than anyone and who will best compliment your existing team dynamic.
Verbal and Non-Verbal Cues
The interviewing process may not be as easy as getting a feeling for someone right from the start. Some people are hard to read, or put their best foot forward on an interview, only to later reveal they are not what you expected. That is why it is important to pay attention to verbal and non-verbal cues. Listen, but also try to pick up on the physical communication that takes place during your interviews. It may help you to make a better decision when hiring someone who is essentially a stranger to join your team.
Experience vs. Schooling
During the hiring process, you will also need to determine if it is more important for a candidate to have experience in the field or a degree. It is not always as easy to find someone who has a degree as well as experience. If you find yourself in a position where you must choose between the two, you will need to make a difficult decision. You know your business better than anyone, so weigh the benefits of both candidates and make the best choice for the needs of your team.
Plan for Onboarding
The process of bringing a new employee onboard can cost you. Do you have the available working capital needed to hire? The expense of running ads, doing interviews, training and adding a new person to your insurance can be substantial, so be sure the individual you hire is worth the investment. If you find that you need a little extra money, small business funding can assist in the hiring process.
