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By Emma Sturgis
If you are a new business owner and find yourself needing to hire, there are certain steps you want to take that more established business owners may not. For example, you may not have all of your communications for the hiring process in place or you may not know exactly where to post jobs. Below are four tips specifically for new business owners who are looking to hire.
Maximize referral opportunities first
As a new business owner there likely is already a strong circle of people that are familiar with your company. Lean on referrals before paying for job listings. You can even consider reaching out to past coworkers to check their interest in making a move to a new job. Since you have interacted with them in work settings, you know what their work ethic and skills are already. That will ensure you hire people right away who will meet your expectations.
Craft an exceptional job posting
Your job posting doesn’t only help you find a candidate; it also gives the entire world a look into your company. You want your job listing to shine before you release it. If you aren’t a strong writer, relay the information you want to someone in your company who does excel at writing. Do a few drafts and get feedback. You also want to make sure this job listing is always on your website. Having a “careers” tab with a job listing (or several job listings) shows your company is in growth mode. This is an essential part of finding the right employees as well. Listing qualifications and job responsibilities will attract the right type of person.
Turn to social media
Many new business owners are hesitant to tap into social media resources when looking for a job candidate. However, times have evolved and social media is now a legitimate way to get the word out that you are hiring and what exactly you are looking for in a candidate. Odds are that many of your customers are already following you and may find the opening of interest to themselves or someone they know. Always make sure it is posted on LinkedIn so recruiters can find it.
Never settle
As a new business owner, you may find yourself in a position where you simply need help. This often happens when new businesses grow quickly. You might think that getting any help at all is better than overworking your current team members and yourself. That is not the case. If you need help right away, it means you are doing something right. Hiring someone because you need anyone will likely lead to you having to replace that employee in the future, which creates uncomfortable situations and ends up taking more of your time than it would have waited for a candidate that you felt was truly right.
These tips are designed specifically for new business owners. It’s also important to vet your candidate thoroughly before giving a formal offer. For example, ensure they haven’t been involved in any legal matters such as tapping a workers comp lawyer for any litigious issues in the past. Always verify references.
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Emma Sturgis is a freelance writer based out of Boston, MA. She writes most often on health and education. When not writing, she enjoys reading and watching film noir. Say hi on Twitter @EmmaSturgis2
