Effectively Hiring Employees
Part of being a small business owner is deciding when to hire employees. Depending on the size of the business and the amount of work there is to be done, you may need a great deal of additional help. Turnover is a costly expense for both time and money, so it’s important to have a system in place that allows you to choose who will be the best addition to your team before you start the hiring process. Here, we’ve outlined some information on making your recruitment thorough and effective.
Attracting Candidates
Efficient hiring starts before the first interview. In order to attract the right person for the job, you need to have a clear, in-depth explanation of what that job entails. As potential candidates review your listing, they will quickly judge your company, so you want to be sure to include as much information as possible in an attractive format.
Your job explanation should list at least five primary functions of the available position, if not more. Describe as many of the important, recurring roles he or she will assume if hired and the tasks he or she will be expected to complete. Even if the job is a simple one, take your description a step further by detailing the important role the new hire will play on your team and what that person will contribute to the business as a whole.
Advertising the Position
Having a broad scope for advertising an available position is important, as it will result in the greatest variety of candidates. Utilize business networks, traditional recruitment methods such as newspapers and job fairs, and online job search engines in order to get results. Consider setting a goal for the number of resumes you want to receive before you begin screening potential candidates.
Screening and Interviewing
There was a time when a single interview would tell you all you needed to know about a potential employee. Unfortunately, that’s no longer the case. Set aside time to screen resumes before making a list for callbacks. Keep an eye out for red flags such as:
- Suspicious Qualifications that Seem Too Perfect
- Inappropriate Personal Information
- Employment Dates that Are Vague or Inconsistent
- Ambiguous Educational History
Build a structure for your interview process before you begin conducting meetings. Ideally, each interview should be comprised of the same basic probing questions related to the interviewee’s qualifications, skills, and past experience. After the core questions, ask whatever comes to mind on an individual basis. Remember to avoid potentially legally hazardous questions relating to age, gender, country of origin, marital status, religion, or possible pregnancy, as they can be grounds for a discrimination lawsuit.
Additional assessment tools and programs can help you dig deeper to determine the potential employee’s personality and skill set. It’s wise to consult a lawyer before administering any additional tests that could be seen as unfair. Be sure to check the validity of each candidate’s education and references—just to be safe—as falsehoods do appear on resumes from time to time.
Finally, before filling out the hiring paperwork, prepare an orientation that will allow your candidate to have a taste of the responsibilities and life on the job. If the candidate decides at the last minute that the job isn’t right for him or her, addressing the problem at that point will help save you money in the long run.
Want more help with organizing your small business staff? Check out our next section on Compensating Employees for more tips and suggestions. We hope you can find what you need.
