When it comes to expanding your small business you want to hire people who will love your company as much as you do. Who will stay with you for decades. Who will help you grow to a multi-billion dollar company.
An entrepreneur can dream, right?
Still, hiring is a major decision, so here are some tips to make smarter choices.
- Know what you’re looking for. You may think you have an idea of what you need in an employee, but it can be helpful to sit down and write out a job description before beginning your hunt. Involve anyone who would be working with the person you hire, and make sure to cover all tasks and responsibilities that person will need to handle.
- Decide on the type of employee you need. It might be that you don’t even need a full-time employee. A part-time one, a freelancer, or even an intern might suffice if you have small projects you need assistance with.
- Start hunting in your network. Before you post your job to an online job board (considered by many to be a black hole for employment), look to your own network first. If you attend in-person networking events, put out the word that you’re looking to hire. Also announce it on your social networks. Even if you’re loosely connected to someone who’s interested, you know they already are familiar with your brand, and that’s more than most job applicants know.
- Ask for referrals. Ask employees, friends, and family if they know anyone they can refer. Not only are referrals better quality hires, but they also work for you longer.
- Plan your interviews. Too many companies leave the interview process as an afterthought, then don’t ask the right questions to job candidates. The interview should give you a sense of this person’s experience and work ethic. Make a list of questions (again, with anyone involved in working with this new role) and take copious notes.
- Work with a recruiter. If you’re strapped for time and don’t have the interest in getting so involved in the hiring process, hand it over to a professional. Recruiters are often tapped into highly-skilled professionals in your field, and can find applicants you wouldn’t otherwise have attracted.
- Manage expectations. In the job description, in the interview, and in the job offer conversation, make sure you’re appropriately selling the job you’re hiring for. If this person will be required to work weekends frequently, lay that out up front. Otherwise you have a disgruntled employee who feels you sold her a bill of goods she didn’t agree to, and she’ll leave soon after.
- Provide proper training. Sure, you needed to hire someone yesterday, but that’s no reason to cut corners on employee training. Ensure that new hires are appropriately brought up to speed on company culture and their role at the company.
- Keep tabs on new hires. Make sure you don’t forget your new employees as soon as you hire them. Even if you don’t directly interact with them — and especially, if that’s the case — it’s key that you keep the lines of communication open. Check in a few weeks after they settle in to see if there are questions you can answer.
- Learn from your mistakes. When someone leaves your company, try to find out the reason. If it’s caused by internal issues, these are ones you need to nip in the bud so that future employees don’t leave for the same reasons.
