You’re not a fortune teller. But the stakes are high and the decisions you make now could have a long-lasting impact on the future of your company.
Hiring the wrong person can be an expensive mistake and it can stop your business from growing. You need to identify and attract the most talented people for your company, interview and screen them with the least amount of effort, and make sure they stay on with your company.
If you want to grow your small business, hiring the right people is essential. This guide will help you figure out how to do it with confidence. Read on to learn more!
Build a Solid Company Brand
A company’s brand is its identity and reputation. It is the image that it projects to the world. Strong brands are built on a clear and compelling mission, a strong culture, and employees who are aligned with these goals.
The company brand plays an important role in attracting job candidates. If you want to find great employees, first make sure they know who you are and why they should apply. You should think of your employer brand as a picture of who you are and what your company offers.
The best way for any business to build its own strong brand is by creating a unique value proposition or USP (Unique Selling Proposition). This strategy will allow them to differentiate themselves from competitors and show why they are better than other companies in their industry.
Having a good USP will also help you in your hiring process, as you will have a clear goal in mind for potential future employees.
Be Flexible in Your Approach
There’s no one perfect candidate, so you should be open-minded to different people with different backgrounds or experiences. Some companies have found success by taking a more flexible approach when hiring and have been able to find good employees who would not have been considered previously.
Hiring managers need to be open-minded when it comes to the qualifications of the candidates they are interviewing. Don’t just focus on what they are looking for.
Many candidates may have skills and experiences that, on paper, do not perfectly match the job description. However, there are things that translate universally, such as leadership, teamwork, and communication skills.
A candidate who does not necessarily meet the experience for the position but shows a good fit for the company culture can always be trained. It is always better to hire a person you’d want to work with who is not as qualified, over someone who is qualified but is a bad fit.
Create a Comprehensive Hiring Plan
When you are the owner of a small business, it is your responsibility to hire an employee and create a plan for the future of your company.
The first step to making an effective hiring plan is to understand what you need in order to be successful in your business. If you need to hire employees, then you need to know how many employees are needed and what skills they will need.
You also want a hiring process that ensures that the best candidate for the position is chosen. This could include different types of interviews, background checks, and more.
The first step in creating a comprehensive hiring plan is to come up with a list of all the positions that you need to fill. You can do this by reviewing your current employees and identifying what skills they have that are either missing or not fully utilized.
Next, you should identify the skills that are needed for each position in order to make sure that your employees are as effective as possible. This list of skills will guide your search when reviewing candidate resumes and interviews.
Have a ballpark for the salary you will be able to offer. Don’t pick one number and stick to it hard. Be willing to pay more for the right candidate. Leave yourself room for negotiation.
Decide how many rounds of interviews you will be doing, and what form those interviews will take. Will they be over the phone, via video, through group interviews, or one-on-one?
Finally, have a clear plan for filtering through your final candidates. You don’t want to get stuck in option paralysis. Be prepared for background checks and other paperwork, as well.
Make Attractive Job Postings
Job postings are a crucial part of the hiring process for small businesses. They are the first impression that you get to make on potential candidates.
They should be attractive and display all the aspects of your company that you want to show off. This includes what your company does, what you offer, and what kind of culture it has.
A well-crafted job posting needs to have a captivating introduction that draws the reader in and makes them eager to read more. The introduction should include an overview of what the position entails, what the company culture is like, and why the reader should be excited about this opportunity.
It should also have an objective statement that is written in a professional tone. The employer should state what they are looking for in terms of the skills and experience of their ideal candidate. This helps you narrow down your search and find candidates who are more suitable for the position.
Craft your job posting to where it is being posted. A job advertisement in an industry publication will be different from a post on an online job board. Make sure that each post has all the necessary information and is formatted to fit the posting.
Filter Your Candidate Pool
If you only have a small number of applications, finding the right candidate is relatively easy. But what if you get dozens or even hundreds of applications? Not everyone will be a winner.
Some small businesses choose to hire an employment agency that specializes in recruiting specific types of employees. This can help them save time by having an expert do some of the work for them. The agency will take care of filtering resumes and applications, as well as setting up interviews with potential employees.
Another solution is online applicant tracking software that allows you to filter applicants based on specific criteria such as their experience level or desired salary range.
Interview Best Practices
Interviewing is one of the most important parts of the hiring process. It can be tedious and time-consuming, but it is worth it to do multiple rounds of interviews in order to get a better understanding of the candidate’s skills and personality.
The first round usually consists of phone or video interviews. These are much easier and less time-consuming than in-person interviews, but they still give you a good idea of the candidate’s skills, knowledge, and personality.
Phone interviews are a great way to get to know the candidate on a more personal level. It is also an opportunity for the candidate to ask questions about the company so they can make an informed decision if they want to proceed with the process.
Video interviews are another way of interviewing and it is becoming more popular because it allows you to see how the candidate reacts when they are not in front of you. You can also see their body language which is important in order to assess their confidence and how they communicate with others.
Group interviews can be helpful because everyone will have different questions. This allows you and other people in your company to get a feel for a potential candidate, as well as find out more about their skills and experience.
In-person interviews are usually much more intense than phone or video interviews because they allow for a more natural conversation. They also give you an opportunity to assess the candidate’s body language which can be very telling about their personality traits.
Choosing the Right Candidate
Choosing between well-qualified candidates is a difficult task. But it’s not impossible. With these tips, you should be able to pick the best employee candidate for your company.
When you’re trying to choose between two or more well-qualified candidates, one way to get an idea of who would be the best fit for your company is to read their resumes and cover letters. This will give you a sense of their personality and what they’re like as a person.
Review your notes from the interview. Don’t be afraid to ask for another person’s opinion, either.
Even if one candidate seems like a better fit than another, it’s best not to make your final decision too soon. It’s important to take time off from the decision-making process and come back with fresh eyes before making any final decisions about employees for your company.
Making Job Offers and the Art of Negotiation
Making a job offer and negotiating for salary can be a daunting task for both the employer and the job seeker. It is important to realize that there are no hard-and-fast rules when it comes to negotiating salary.
If you have a dream candidate in mind, be prepared to offer them quite a bit. You want to be attractive and retain a good candidate, and chances are high that they are being courted by other businesses.
Don’t feel beholden to their requested salary if you can’t pay it in cash. Sometimes perks and benefits such as vacation time, 401k contributions, and healthcare can make up for a lower salary offer.
You should also avoid putting all your eggs in one basket. Have a couple of backup candidates when making job offers, as your top choices may turn you down. This will save you from having to repeat the interviewing process all over again.
Employment Contracts
Employment contracts are legally binding agreements between an employer and an employee. They contain the terms and conditions of employment, such as the length of service, salary, benefits, and other aspects.
Employment contracts are important for both the employer and the employee because they help to protect each party. No one can foresee every issue that arises, which is why having a detailed employment contract is crucial.
The contract should include the following, at a minimum:
- An overview of what is expected from each party
- The length of service (this can be ongoing or from year-to-year, for example)
- Work hours
- Salary
- Benefits
- Termination clauses
Employment contracts are often written up by an employer, but it’s the responsibility of both parties to understand what is being agreed upon. It’s important for both parties to have a copy of the contract so that they can refer back to it if necessary.
Be sure to keep the employment contract on file and easily accessible.
Onboarding Your New Employee
Most new employees quit within six months and often cite a lack of understanding or clarity in their job as the reason.
New employees need to be on-boarded as soon as possible. This is the first impression that they will have of the company and in many cases, it will determine if they stay with the company or not.
Employers should make sure that their new hires are provided with all the necessary resources and information that they need to start working at their new job right away. Make sure that paperwork is completed quickly, such as the i9. For fast i9 processing, check out https://workbright.com/verify-i9-remote/.
The first step of the onboarding process is setting expectations. This is done by explaining the company’s culture, values, and goals.
The next step in onboarding new employees is training them on their job responsibilities and the tools that they will need to do their job effectively. New hires should also be mentored by experienced employees who have been in their position before.
A welcome party is also a great idea to introduce a new employee. They can get to know their co-workers and other people in the company who are important for them to know about. Company swag bags are another way of welcoming new employees, which include items such as name tags, pens, notepads, and other goodies.
Hiring for Small Businesses
Small businesses often struggle with the hiring process. Many assume they can just “wing it” and find the right candidate through shotgun interviews and an open-door policy for applications.
However, taking a professional and well-thought-out approach to hiring will reduce your stress and spending. You’ll also likely hire better candidates and be able to retain them.
For more insightful articles on business and finance, be sure to check out the “Business” section of our blog!
