8 Tips for Finding the Right Small Business Employee

Your business is only as strong as the employees you hire to run it. But finding the right people can be tough. To help you reel in the best candidate for the job, here are eight tips for fine-tuning your hiring process.

DISCLAIMER: This information is only provided for general informational purposes, and should not be considered

as offering individualized hiring advice. Employment laws are complex; please consult an advisor or lawyer on

specific issues related to your situation.

01. Be StraightforwardClearly communicate the official title, required skills and expertise, responsibilities and duties, and performance expectations of the position in the job posting and again in interviews. Ideally, the more transparent you are up front about the role, the fewer surprises there will be down the road.

02. Consideran “Alternative” ApplicationGet creative with the application process — make all interactions with the candidate inform your hiring decision. For example, if the position is for social media help, ask a supplemental application question requesting a response written as a tweet in 140 characters or fewer.

03. Meet with More Than One Candidate Schedule and commit to multiple interviews, even if you think you found your new hire in an early interview. Your next interviewee may raise the bar.

04. Take Your TimeValuable future employees are not always found in the first interview. Meet with strong candidates a few times. If you are unsure of a candidate’s experience, don’t be afraid to add a small test during the process to verify skills and identify additional strengths and weaknesses.

05. Ask Your Team Members What They Think

A good hire will fit your company culture and complement the rest of the team. Introduce a top candidate to your team members and solicit feedback. Emotional intelligence and social graces are particularly important if the new hire is client-facing — and both are difficult to recognize unless observed.

Don’t have a team to check your gut instinct? Ask for referrals from your friends, former colleagues and mentors.

06. Call ReferencesWhen talking to a reference, go beyond the basics. Ask, for example, if the candidate was well liked among colleagues. Just remember — candidates select their own references, so feedback will be biased. Always speak to a direct supervisor and ask open-ended questions for more frank responses.

07. Run a Background CheckNot only will this verify your candidate’s credentials, but it also will help protect your business against criminal activity. Not all background information services are equal, though, so do your research before choosing one.

Background checks vary by state; consult with your lawyer to determine if you should run one before making a hire.

08. Consider a Trial Run

Botched hires can be expensive. A short-term contract is a great way to test whether or not a candidate is a good fit. Remember that replacing a mid-level employee costs roughly 20% of an annual salary; for a high-ranking employee, it’s roughly 213% of a year’s salary.

Looking to hire in the next

few months? Get started by

writing a job description now,

and continue to refine it over

the coming weeks. Thinking

about the role in advance will

help you better define it and will

make your entire hiring process

smoother.

Advice InspirationActionTrust your gut. Whether you are

deciding between two stellar

candidates or are hesitant to

hire an applicant who seems

perfect on paper, pay attention

to your hunches. They may save

you from making a choice you’d

later regret.

“Hire people who are better than

you are, then leave them to get

on with it. Look for people who

will aim for the remarkable, who

will not settle for the routine.”

—David Ogilvy, Advertising Executive,

Founder of Ogilvy & Mather

For more tips on hiring foryour business, visit the

Staples Small Business Hub.

> http://www.irs.gov/Businesses/Small-Businesses-&-Self-Employed/Hiring-Employees

> https://www.sba.gov/content/pre-employment-background-checks

Sources