As a small business owner, it’s important to get hiring right the first time. With few employees, everyone needs to have the skills required to get the job done. It’s critical to attract good candidates that fit with your company. Do you know how to hire great employees?
How to Hire Great Employees
To build a team that carries your business to success, you need to be picky. But, to be picky, you first have to entice good candidates. To entice and hire great employees, try these four hiring tips for small businesses.
1. Be clear with candidates
Twelve percent of small business owners say their number one problem with hiring is finding qualified workers to fill positions. But, are you making it hard for candidates to find you?
Simplify the search process for your ideal candidates. One of the first recruitment process steps is being clear about the role you want to fill. That way you attract and spend your time evaluating job candidates with the skills, experience, and attitude you are looking for.
And, write down the qualifications the employee must meet. Does the job require a certain level of skill or experience? Describing special knowledge like tech skills and abilities needed helps you weed out under-qualified candidates.
Your job ad doesn’t just show what you are looking for in a candidate. It also reflects what the position will offer to the employee. List the hours you expect the employee to work, the pay range you’re willing to offer, and the benefits you provide. Being transparent about the job’s perks and responsibilities helps you hire the best employee.
Good candidate prep is about more than just the interview. Communicating your job opening starts with your advertisement. Make sure your job ad covers all the areas you need in a candidate. Include the tasks the employee will do.
2. Show off your advantages
To appeal to the best candidates, you need to show the advantages of working for your business. But, how do you compete with big companies?
As a small employer, you can give employees many benefits that wouldn’t work at a big business. The chance to work flexible schedules and gain additional expertise are advantages to promote on your search. Sell the flexibility and range you can offer that large companies can’t.
For example, you might be able to create a flexible schedule that works with an employee’s other obligations. The employee might take classes or take care of family members. Or, you might allow the employee to work remotely.
Only one in 10 employers apply alternative work models to their business, such as flexible hours or telecommuting. But, nontraditional work models can significantly help your search for a great employee.
Small businesses also offer more flexibility in the work employees do. Because you have few employees, workers experience more variety in their work. Employees can learn a wider range of skills because they are expected to do a broader scope of tasks.
3. Get peers involved
Market your open position at the places most visible to your desired candidates. For example, a software developer might spend a lot of time on industry-specific websites and online forums. You could participate in a conversation on these websites to meet potential candidates.
Talk to people you’re already connected to in your industry. Business owners or other people you know may be able to help you find great employees. Your peers might suggest a person that is your ideal candidate. Or, they could spread the word that you’re hiring.
Involving current employees in the hiring process could also help you find the best candidate. You can encourage current employees to help you with an employee referral program. If you choose someone referred by a current employee, you pay the employee.
4. Get to know the candidates
To hire great employees, make sure you do more than check off qualifications on a list. Sometimes, a candidate that looks perfect on paper is not the best fit for your business. It’s important to get to know candidates before you hire them.
Before offering a position, find out if the candidate is excited to work for you. To see if a candidate is interested, pay attention to your conversations with them. Did the candidate research your business? Do they seem comfortable talking about previous positions that were similar to yours?
These interactions can clue you in to how interested the candidate is in your business. If they’re not interested, they will likely perform poorly or quit. If that happens, you have to start over on your search for an employee. Choosing an interested candidate saves you time and money in the long run.
